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Tad by Benji Davies What it’s about: As "the smallest almost-a-frog in the whole wide pond," endearingly tiny Tad has learned to wiggle twice as fast as her tadpole siblings. However, despite her speed, Tad can’t keep up when her siblings begin turning into frogs.
Why kids might like it: Kids who feel out of sync or who worry about being left behind may find reassurance in Tad’s eventual -- and dramatic -- metamorphosis. | | The Hidden Rainbow by Christie Matheson What it is: A crowd-pleasing concept book starring an industrious hive of bees and their intrepid helper: you, the kid listening to the book! Without you, how will the bees know which flowers to visit?
Why kids might like it: The book’s cheery colors and bouncy rhymes will help encourage kids to count bees, recognize colors, and learn about pollination.
Try this next: The popular Tap the Magic Tree, another eye-catching interactive book by author Christy Matheson. | | Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures by Tricia Springstubb; illustrated by Elaheh Taherian What it’s about: Young Khalil and his boisterous family live upstairs from reserved old Mr. Hagerty. The two neighbors don’t seem particularly likely as friends, but they find common ground (literally) in their shared backyard.
Art alert: Layered multimedia art emphasizes both the sweetness and the whimsy of this intergenerational story. | | Together We Grow by Susan Vaught; illustrated by Kelly Murphy What it’s about: “Go away! We’re full today!” That’s how most of the farm animals respond when a lashing thunderstorm drives a fox family to seek shelter in the cozy barn. Can the smallest duckling convince the other barn-dwellers that there's room for everyone?
Read it for: Pithy rhyming couplets, luminous illustrations filled with
soft brushstrokes, and a gentle message about inclusion.
Reviewers say: “Emotionally charged and eloquently rendered”
(Kirkus Reviews). | | Poor Little Guy by Elanna Allen Starring: An itsy-bitsy bespectacled fish and the outsized octopus
who captures it.
What happens: The octopus toys with the little fish, and although its unhinged playfulness contains an undercurrent of threat, the balance
of power between predator and prey isn’t exactly as it seems.
For fans of: The minimalist illustrations, dark wit, and expectation-defying twists in Jon Klassen’s This Is Not My Hat. | | Izzy & Oscar by Allison Estes and Dan Stark; illustrated by Tracy Dockray What it’s about: Every pirate needs an animal mascot, like a parrot or a dog, but pretend pirate captain Izzy has only Oscar, an expressive purple octopus.
Read it for: Izzy’s hilariously misguided training attempts; laugh-out-loud visual humor (pictures reveal that Oscar isn’t as well-behaved on a leash as the text implies); a comforting conclusion; and a list of octo-facts.
Kids might also like: Martin McKenna’s The Octopuppy. | | Also an Octopus by Maggie Tokuda-Hall; illustrated by Benji Davis What it is: A delightfully off-kilter metafictional romp disguised as a how-to guide for writers.
What’s inside: Since “every story needs a character,” and this story stars a ukulele-strumming octopus. And since every character “needs to want something," the octopus resolves to build a purple spaceship made of glitter and waffles. You can imagine how outrageous things get after that...
Who it’s for: Budding storytellers may be inspired by Also an Octopus’ blend of absurdity and instruction. | |
Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 0-8!
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