I’d Really Like to Eat a Child by Sylviane Donnio, illustrated by Dorothee de Monfreid.

Achilles is a little crocodile with a big appetite, for children.  His mother brings him bananas to eat, but he really would rather have a child.  His father tries to tempt him with a huge sausage, but Achilles is having none of it.  They both make him an enormous chocolate cake, but Achilles cannot be turned away from his taste for a child.  Then Achilles finally sees a child by the river!  He creeps up, sharp teeth and all, but the child is not scared and calls him “cute” and “scrawny.”  She grabs him, tickles him and throws him in the river.  So Achilles runs home, calling for food so that he can eventually grow large enough to eat a child.

What a treat!  A book whose very title will have children gasping and surprised.  Then the ending where the girl is not threatened at all by the crocodile is marvelous.  It is pure fun from start to finish. 

Share this one in units about nutrition and eating, just for a fun break.  Or add it to your crocodile storytime for preschoolers.  I guarantee children listening to every word after you just read the title alone.

Hiromi’s Hands by Lynne Barasch.

Told from the point of view of Hiromi, this picture book explains how her father became a sushi chef in  Japan after years and years of training.  He then moved to New York and eventually opened his own sushi restaurant.  Hiromi grew up respecting Japanese traditions, but quickly became fascinated with her father’s work.  She became his apprentice, despite the fact that traditionally girls are not allowed to work with sushi.  Her true story of hard work, determination and respect for tradition is inspiring.

I really enjoyed this picture book.  It is paced perfectly for reading aloud and children will be fascinated by the long years of work that it takes to make sushi.  The illustrations are simple but compelling, showing the varieties of fish and sushi and demonstrating the pride with which they are created.

In fact, you may find yourself with children’ interested in actually trying sushi for the first time!

At the Firefly Gate by Linda Newbery.

Henry and his mother and father move from London to a small village in Suffolk.  Henry worries that he won’t make any friends and that he will be bored as can be compared to his life in the big city.  The first night that he spends in his new room, Henry sees glowing fireflies at the end of the garden and a shadowy figure standing there looking at him.  As Henry meets people in the village, he forms a close connection with an elderly lady who lives next door.  Dottie seems to recognize Henry and Henry finds himself dreaming and experiencing things that are the memories of a man killed in World War II who was Dottie’s fiance. 

The book is a magical juxtaposition of history, dreams and real-life childhood.  Henry is a winning protagonist who is down-to-earth but experiencing amazing things.  His counterpart and neighbor, Grace, is equally as well drawn as a sulky teen with a soft side she rarely shows.  And the wonderful character of Dottie makes us all wish to enter the garden and spend some time playing Scrabble and having afternoon tea.

Recommend this to boys who enjoy World War II stories, but also to kids who like historical fiction.  With its meshing of history and modern life, it will also be a good bridge book to introduce children to historical fiction.

The Scallywags by David Melling.

David Melling is unparalleled for cartoon antics caught in picture-book form.  I love that his illustrations invite children in, surprise them, get them giggling and make them see that reading can be a very silly thing to do.

In his new book, Melling has told the story of a family of wolves who are lazy, inconsiderate, messy, and rude to the point where the rest of the animals decide to no longer include them.  The wolves decide that they are too messy and rude and set out to change themselves.  First, they spy on the other animals to find out what they should change.  But could the wolves take the change too far and become too obsessed with manners and politeness?

Wonderful laughs are in store for children and families reading this book.  Like most of Melling’s work, this one is a better lap-read than group-read, because the humor is in the illustrations.  The final illustration of the entire group posing for a picture after a food fight is priceless.

365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental and Joelle Jolivet.

I know, I know! There is a plethora of penguin books out on the market right now.  But this one is different than all the rest and well worth sharing.

On New Year’s Day, a knock on the door brings a package with one penguin in it.  The package also has a note: I’m number 1. Feed me when I’m hungry.  No sender’s name is on the package.  The next day the postman brings another box with another penguin and so on.  The book goes through the family trying to organize the penguins into piles, the months and days of the year, and the math of feeding the many penguins.  By the end of the year, there are 365 penguins in the house and the entire house is covered in fish.  But finally the family discovers who has been sending them the packages!

This book is a lot of fun with illustrations that are both modern and have a 70s vibe.  The illustrations add a lot to the story, especially when showing the futile attempts to organize the penguins neatly.  Children who enjoy math will like this book.  Even children in middle elementary will enjoy it because it has such a good sense of humor.  I would recommend not reading it aloud to a group.  The pictures have small details that are fun to examine.