Night of the Veggie Monster by George McClements.

A classic child reaction to vegetables is looked at with great detail and humor in the book.  The young boy at the center of the episode knows that horror lurks every Tuesday night in the form of peas.  And he is expected to eat THREE!  From the very touch of the pea on his tongue, his body goes into a series of rejections of the vegetable’s presence.  All ending with a gulp and a realization that peas aren’t so bad after all.  But still, there is the horror of Wednesday night’s broccoli to despair about.

There is so much to enjoy about this book.  The illustrations are an intriguing and fun mix of photographs, and brown paper.  The text is perfect for reading aloud and the humor is thick and laugh-out-loud funny for both adults and kids.  Adults will particularly enjoy the asides of the two parents who are not at all impressed with the boy’s display but not angry either.  A great tone to set in a picture book!

Recommended for both picky eaters and kids who will eat anything because of the great sense of humor.  Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move by JoAnn Early Macken, illustrated by Pam Paparone

This poetic book takes a look at the fascinating world of seeds that fly through the air.  I found this an especially appropriate book as my windows are filled with drifting cottonwood fluff, so thick it looks like a heavy snow in the air.  Children will enjoy finding seeds that they know, like dandelions and maple tree seeds.  Some of the seeds will be new, like the basswood or touch-me-nots which have interesting journeys they make. 

The marriage of poetry and science is such a winning one here.  Macken has created a book that doesn’t shy away from making nature whimsical and fascinating.  Paparone’s illustrations add to the whimsical nature of the book too.

Whether you have cottonwood fluff floating by or not, this is the perfect season to enter into a discussion of seeds and to try your hand at spinning maple seed propellers to the ground.  Recommended for ages 4-7.

Professor Bumble and the Monster of the Deep by Daniel Napp.

Every Monday Professor Bumble headed to the lake to go swimming with his friend Beluga, a goldfish.  But one day, a grumpy Otter is already at the lake fishing and tells them that they can’t swim because they will scare away the fish.  When they insist on swimming anyway, the Otter tells them that they will be attacked by the Monster of the Deep!  Thinking of their safety, Professor Bumble stays on shore to watch for the monster while Beluga swims.  But when Beluga sinks below the surface, Bumble must rescue him despite the danger.

This book is pure fun.  Readers will recognize what is about to happen, but it is all the more delightful for that.  There are so many really nice touches throughout the book.  One of my favorites is that Beluga swims in the lake IN his bowl.  This book reads so well aloud, it will be perfect for ending a day at school, but I wouldn’t use it to quite down a class.  It’s just too much silly fun for that.

Recommended as a read aloud for preschoolers through second graders.