toddlers

Review: Pom and Pim by Lena Landstrom

| Tasha

pom pim

Pom and Pim by Lena and Olaf Landstrom

When Pom heads outside, the sun is shining and the day is beautiful.  Pim, a stuffed toy, goes out too.  But the day isn’t completely full of good luck, in fact Pom and Pim experience a lot of bad luck along the way.  Somehow though, these bad moments turn into good ones.  So when Pom falls down, there is money on the sidewalk and they get to have ice cream!  The ice cream gives Pom a tummy ache, but then there is a balloon in the room.  The balloon pops when Pom takes it outside, but it’s just in time to make a raincoat for Pim before the rain comes.  Then it’s a lovely rainy day.

Landstrom plays with optimism in this book.  Pom goes from merry to dejected in moments, just like any toddler, bouncing right back again with the next new distraction or change.  The story is very simply told with the illustrations telling much of Pom’s reaction to the described situations.  Pom is never given a gender, making this a book that will speak to all genders equally and children will see themselves reflected on the page. 

The illustrations clearly reflect Pom’s emotions, as Pom changes moods from one page to the next.  They are also wonderfully simple which fits into this story very nicely.   The result is a book for toddlers that they will understand and relate to.

Grab this one when looking at emotions with toddlers, its everyday events will be something that any child has probably experienced.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Count on the Subway by Paul Dubois Jacobs

| Tasha

count on the subway

Count on the Subway by Paul Dubois Jacobs and Jennifer Swender, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

Told in a bouncy rhyme, this picture book counts its way through a trip on the New York City subway.  It starts with a mother and daughter heading down the steps into the subway and counting their one MetroCard.  They go down 2 flights and catch the 3.  Onward the story goes, merrily counting the turnstiles, the people, seats and stops.  Once the book reaches ten, it counts its way right back down again, ending when the pair climb there way up into the one and only Union Station. 

The rhyme here is completely infectious.  It bounces along, skips and dances.  It appears effortless and free and is very readable.  In fact, it is hard not to read it aloud.  The illustrations by Yaccarino show the main characters in full color while the others are one solid color and a black outline or just a colored outline.  It makes for a book that is bright and bold. 

Perfectly paced and brightly rhythmic, this counting book will be enjoyed by all sorts of children, not just the ones who have taken a subway before.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House Children’s Books.

Review: Run, Dog! by Cecile Boyer

| Tasha

run dog

Run, Dog! by Cecile Boyer

One red ball and one yellow dog create lots of merry chaos in this picture book.  The dog chases the red ball from one scenario to the next, interacting with the people in the scene until finally one of them grabs the ball and throws it off the page.  The pages are filled with action thanks to a tiered page system where you turn on section of the page at a time and the scene changes along with it.  As the sections are turned, the ball bounces in different ways and the dog reacts making the people in the scene react too!

Near wordless, this book just has single words as the ball is thrown to the next page.  The illustrations are bright and pop off the page.  They are as simple as the words but are also very cleverly done.  The structure of the book creates a very dynamic feel and invites small hands to turn the pages to see what happens next.  There is a sense as one reads the book that the reader is the one setting the pace and creating the changes that unfold.

Very engaging, dynamic and great fun, this book is ideal for toddlers who are willing to be careful with the pages.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Chronicle Books.

Review: I Hatched! by Jill Esbaum

| Tasha

i hatched

I Hatched! by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Jen Corace

An exuberant chick hatches from an egg and merrily dashes through his first day in this spring picture book.  The chick quickly discovers that it has long legs and can really run.  While running, he discovers a frog, water, worms and many other things in his environment.  He learns to sing as well as poop as his day continues.  In the evening after returning to the nest, he gets a surprise when another egg cracks open.  Now he can be the expert and show his new sister everything!  Maybe.

This book is pure bottled joy.  The little chick is wildly positive and vivacious.  He captures the delight of babies in their world and invites readers to see things with fresh eyes as well.  Esbaum makes it clear that he is a killdeer with his long legs, his song and the way he acts.  It’s a pleasure to see a book about a bird in a nest on the ground, running fast that is not about learning to fly but more about being an individual and safely learning new things.

Corace’s illustrations reflect the same cheery delight.  They celebrate the little bird’s markings, the challenge of hatching from an egg, and happily show all that he explores in his first day.  They have a lightness and humor about them too.

Toddlers will enjoy this book that mirrors their own enthusiasm.  Perfect for spring story times with little ones.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial.

Review: Little Poems for Tiny Ears by Lin Oliver

| Tasha

little poems for tiny ears

Little Poems for Tiny Ears by Lin Oliver, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Celebrate the wonder of babyhood and toddlerhood with this collection of poems ideal for the youngest listeners.  These poems document the small moments of a child’s early years, seeing these little things as exactly what they are: the foundation of the future.  So each moment is given a gravity by the poems but they are also entirely playful and fun.  There are poems about body parts like noses and tongues, poems about peekaboo and high chairs, poems about naps, others about baths.  Each is short, clever and just right for sharing aloud.

DePaola has illustrated the poems with his signature style, depicting children of all colors and nationalities.  His illustrations embrace the gentleness of the entire book with their soft and bright colors and clear demonstrations of love.

Get this on the shelves right next to Mother Goose, because what you have here is a new classic set of poetry for the little ones.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from library copy.

Bunches of Board Books

| Tasha

Here are my top picks for recent board books, perfect for toddlers:

bedtime for chickies pottytime for chickies

Bedtime for Chickies by Janee Trasler

Pottytime for Chickies by Janee Trasler

This pair of board books introduces three small chicks who have problems falling asleep and using the potty correctly.   Trasler uses humor and other animals to make these books great fun to read.  Her artwork is particularly child-friendly and the Chickies themselves are naughty and silly, in the just the way small children would appreciate.  These are sure to be favorites at bedtime.

creature colors creature numbers

Creature Colors by Andrew Zuckerman

Creature Numbers by Andrew Zuckerman

Filled with crisp and clear photographs of animals against a white background, these books stand out visually in a crowded board book market.  The Colors book is the more successful of the two with the colors popping on each page.  The Numbers book is still well done and extends from counting individual animals to counting legs and fins as well.  Both books are strong additions to library and family collections. 

were going to the farmers market

We’re Going to the Farmers’ Market by Stefan Page

A bright and friendly visit to the Farmers’ Market, this is sure to start daydreams of warm summer days for those of us in northern climes.  The illustrations are colorful and evoke the delight of the market perfectly.  Wonderful for children who have a local farmers’ market and know the pleasure of visiting the different stalls, selecting veggies and heading home to cook and eat. 

you are my baby garden you are my baby ocean

You Are My Baby: Garden by Lorena Siminovich

You Are My Baby: Ocean by Lorena Siminovich

Both released March 25, 2014.

These are the third and fourth books in this board book series which pairs a larger board book with an inset small book.  The larger book has the images of the adults with the story, and the small book has the images and noises of the babies.  The pages turn independently and work best when you have small hands helping you.  Sturdy and with the fun aspect of mixing and matching, these books are beautifully designed with very accessible illustrations. 

Review: Leo Loves Baby Time by Anna McQuinn

| Tasha

leo loves baby time

Leo Loves Baby Time by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Ruth Hearson

A follow-up to the wonderful Lola series, this new book aims for a slightly younger audience.  It focuses on Lola’s little brother, Leo.  Leo loves going to Baby Time at the public library.  He gets to play games, sing lots of songs, play with animals and make friends.  The book also focuses on Leo getting ready to go.  He has breakfast, sits in his stroller and heads to the library.  Families who go to similar programs at their public library will enjoy seeing the familiar games and songs here.  Those who haven’t tried it yet, may be inspired to climb into their strollers and head on over.

As someone who works in a library, McQuinn clearly understands how programs for babies work.  She highlights all of the positive things that the programs do.  She also limits the words on the page to make this book ideal for very young children who are just heading to their first library programs.  Hearson’s illustrations have a cheery warmth to them that really capture children interacting in a program and connecting with one another too. 

Printed on sturdy pages, this book is safe to hand to very small children who are progressing past board books.  It would also be a great one to use with families just starting to use libraries in your community.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Charlesbridge.

Review: Little Monkey Calms Down by Michael Dahl

| Tasha

little monkey calms down

Little Monkey Calms Down by Michael Dahl, illustrated by Oriol Vidal

This is the latest in the Hello Genius series and is a nice addition.  Little Monkey is having a very bad day.  He has an ice cream cone, but it drops on the floor.  Little Monkey throws a tantrum but then uses some coping techniques to calm back down.  First, he lets himself cry a bit, then snuggles with a blanket.  He takes deep breaths, sings quietly and is still and relaxed.  Once he feels calmer, his parents give him lots of loving attention and they are set to have a good day.

This book handles toddler tantrums in a very positive and child-centered way.  It offers ideas for even the youngest children to model.  The narrator voice sounds like a parental voice, so its advice is offered lovingly.  I particularly appreciate a book that tells a child it is fine to cry after a disappointment.  The entire book exudes warmth and love for this little monkey.

Vidal’s illustrations are invitingly cartoon-styled.  Little Monkey’s tantrum is really something to behold but so is his final quiet time where the page shines with bliss. 

A great pick for toddlers, this book will be appreciated by parents using gentler parenting techniques with their children as well as schools and parents looking for mindful books for young children.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from digital galley received from Hello Genius and NetGalley.

Review: A Book of Babies by Il Sung Na

| Tasha

book of babies

A Book of Babies by Il Sung Na

A duck takes readers on a tour of different sorts of animal babies.  The duck heads around the world, visiting baby lions, baby lizards, baby polar bears, and baby kangaroos among many others.   A trait of each baby is mentioned to distinguish them.  Baby zebras walk right away.  Fish are born with lots of brothers and sisters.  Seahorse fathers carry their babies in a pouch.  These small details add up to a kaleidoscope of different animals and offer lots of opportunities for parents to talk more about each animals as they share the book.

This author of The Book of Sleep always fills her books with rich illustrations.  Here her gentle poem carries the duck from one place to the next, but it is the illustrations that make this such a special gem.  Done in mixed media, they feature a variety of textured papers that become ice bergs, tree trunks and even the sky.  He manages to make colors that seem to emit light, glowing on the page. 

Perfect for toddler bedtimes, this book is radiant with baby animals.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House Children’s Books.