The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming.

You can never go wrong reading aloud Fleming’s picture books, and her new one is no exception.  One morning Cow wakes up to find that she is clucking rather than mooing.  So she sets off across the farm to find her moo.  She goes from one farm animal to the next listening to the sound they make until she finds the animal that is mooing and is able to switch back to her normal sound. 

Fleming’s writing is rhythmic and simple, creating a strong pattern that children will enjoy.  Her illustrations as always are stunningly lovely and very child-friendly.  Like the writing, they are simple but masterful.   Share this book with toddlers through preschoolers in units about sounds, farms, cows, animals, etc.  There are so many uses for this one, and it is another great read aloud from a true master.

The Mixed-Up Rooster by Pamela Duncan Edwards, pictures by Megan Lloyd.

Ned is a rooster who just can’t seem to wake up in the morning.  He’s just not a morning bird.  So Daisy Mae decides to fire him as their rooster.  Ned hides in a nearby tree and hears the replacement rooster crowing.  He hides there all day until nightfall when he meets all sorts of friendly creatures who come out at night:  bats, rabbits, and tree frogs.  Ned plays all night with them.  Then in a game of hide and seek, he hears a strange creeping noise.  A snake is sneaking into the hen house!  Ned’s night bird tendencies save the day with a little help from Daisy Mae. 

Two things make this picture book fun.  First is the vibrant illustrations that are cartoon-like and comical.  Second is the language that is filled with puns galore.  My favorite is when Ned complains about being “hen-pecked” by Daisy Mae.  This is a joy to read aloud with a fast pace that flies along.  Add this to your poultry themed storytimes for preschoolers and Kindergarteners. 

Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton explores the mystery of the relationship between Faust, Gutenberg and an unknown boy.  The book flashes back and forth between modern-day Oxford and fifteenth century Germany.  Readers get to meet Endymion Spring, a boy who discovers Faust’s secret of dragon-skin paper that has magical properties and has the power to allow readers to read every book ever written.  Readers also get to know Blake, an American boy whose mother is studying in Oxford.  Blake is left at some of the top libraries in Oxford to amuse himself along with his younger sister Duck.  One day, he discovers a strange book bound in brown leather that at first appears to be blank.  It is this book of Endymion Spring that will lead him on a wild adventure around Oxford.

This book is fascinating from the historical details of Endymion’s life to the glory of the hidden side of the Oxford libraries.  It is a novel for those of us who love books, who are often taken away by the mysteries we find inside and the wonder of what could be found there.  The characters are well-rounded and complex as are their relationships with those around them.  The adults around the characters are flawed and complicated people themselves.  Once the reader is captured by the mystery of both the modern story and the historical one, the book is nearly impossible to put down.  The climax is both stunning and gratifying. 

Offer this one to both children and adults to read.  Just make sure they love books.  This one is a winner.

What a Day It Was at School! by Jack Prelutsky, pictures by Doug Cushman.

You can never go wrong with a book of Prelutsky poems, and this one is a real winner.  It is the perfect book to share with a new classroom of kids who will all enjoy a good giggle.  Avoid I Made a Noise This Morning unless you want complete mayhem.   The poems range from classroom events to different subjects like art and history.  All of them carry the signature Prelutsky twist and broad humor.  The illustrations by Cushman are friendly and warm with all sorts of animals dressed and acting like people.  A very nice way to either start up or wind up a day of school.

A Place Called Kindergarten by Jessica Harper, pictures by G. Brian Karas.

The farm animals are all wondering why Tommy hasn’t come to visit them the way he does every morning.  Then the dog reports that he heard the people saying that Tommy had gone to a place called Kindergarten.  But the animals have no idea where Kindergarten is,  Finally in the late evening Tommy appears and tells them all about what he learned in Kindergarten that day. 

The text is just right to read aloud and the illustrations evoke a real farm feeling with warm colors.  This is a lovely book that demonstrates a couple of things for new Kindergarteners.  First it shows that Kindergarten is fun and special.  Second, it demonstrates that the child will be missed when they are off at school, which is a very important thing. 

Who Is Melvin Bubble? by Nick Bruel.

Nick Bruel writes some of the zaniest, funniest picturebooks.  Just to jog your memory, he is the author of Bad Kitty.  With Melvin Bubble, Bruel has created a read-aloud masterpiece where each character has a distinct voice that begs to be read aloud and shared.  Add to it Bruel’s cartoon illustrations and you have pure picturebook magic.  The question throughout the book is who Melvin Bubble really is.  The authors interviews his parents, his best friend, his dog, his teddy bear, and many more.  Each tells about Melvin from their own distinct point of view, but no one really knows Melvin the way he knows himself. 

There is great humor throughout the book from an irate Tooth Fairy interview to the brief interview with the magic rock.  Kids of all ages will enjoy this, but the young elementary set will enjoy it the most.  This is one picture book to read to first and second graders that is not overly long and will have them hooting and hollering.  Definitely not one to calm a crowd down, use this one at the end of a long day as a reward.  What an idea!