Winner of the 2003 Caldecott Medal, My Friend Rabbit tells the story of Mouse's friendship with Rabbit. 'My friend Rabbit means well. But whatever he does, wherever he goes, trouble follows.' What ensues is one such instance of trouble, where Rabbit loses Mouse's toy plane in a tree. When Rabbit calls out, 'Not to worry, Mouse. I've got an idea,' we know that the proper response is to worry. Rabbit's idea involves piling all the wild animals on top of one another to retrieve the plane. You can guess what happens next! Most of the meaning of the story is apparent in the illustrations, and a few well-chosen words make clear that Rabbit is the classic troublesome, yet likable, character many of us have encountered.

Awards won: Caldecott Medal

Reviewed by: emc

Date read: 2/26/2010

ISBN-10: 031236752X

ISBN-13: 9780312367527

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'Daisy's skin is brown. Agnes's skin is white. But...they both have cheeky pink tongues!' My Nose, Your Nose details what is different about one child from another, and then tells us what they share in common. With vivid, simple illustrations and a basic, repetitive structure, this title has great appeal for very young children.

Similar books: My Beak, Your Beak by Melanie Walsh

Reviewed by: emc

Date read: 6/17/2010

ISBN-10: 0618150773

ISBN-13: 9780618150779

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What would it be like to have the famous poet Emily Dickenson as your very own aunt? In this beautifully told story, 'My Uncle Emily' by Jane Yolen, young Gilbert describes how special his 'Uncle' Emily is and how much he loves her. Gilbert and his Uncle Emily spend special moments together laughing, chasing butterflies, and sharing poems. One day, Gilbert learns a very important lesson about truth and understanding when 'Uncle' Emily sends him to school with a poem and a bee. In this tender story of love, we discover the special bond that existed between Gilbert and his aunt and gain an insight into the loving and creative person of Emily Dickenson.

Similar authors: Jeanette Winter; Michael Bedrad; Elizabeth Spires

Similar books: Emily Dickinson's Letters to the World by Jeanette Winter; Emily by Michael Bedrad; A Mouse of Amherst by Elizabeth Spires

Reviewed by: mb

Date read: 6/29/2011

ISBN-10: 0399240055

ISBN-13: 9780399240058

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Detective Nick Trunk works for peanuts. Maggie Trouble hires Nick, a trench coat wearing elephant detective, to find Lola Gales's six lost marbles. In the dressing room, he finds a smear of La Peanut Goo peanut butter. His suspects are a clumsy magician, a chef, or Maggie herself. Finding the marbles will solve the crime. Through skilled deductive reasoning, he finds out that Maggie was jealous of Lola's fame. Nick states, 'The case was a tough nut to crack.' The writing style and black and white illustrations are reminiscent of old Humphrey Bogart detective movies.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/28/2009

ISBN-10: 0618419691

ISBN-13: 9780618419692

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Steve Jenkins is back again with his whimsical and striking torn and cut paper collages! He again masters the art of teaching us about animals in a fun, easy style that makes us unaware we are even learning. Most of us have a heathy fear of lions and tigers and bears, not to mention, snakes, sharks and scorpions. But Jenkins calls upon the lesser known, seemingly 'safer' creatures: platypuses, cassowarys, kangaroos and monkeys. Did you know a platypus is the only poisonous mammal? That the flightless cassowary stands as tall as a man and can deliver a lethal kick with it's sharp claws, or an angry kangaroo can deliver a blow powerful enough to cave in a person's chest? And do be careful, because if you laugh at the antics of a silly monkey, it may interpret your show of teeth as aggression and respond violently. For more good advice that will surprise you and keep you safe, read Never Smile at a Monkey.

Awards nominated: Monarch Award Nominee 2012

Reviewed by: ewl

Date read: 3/23/2011

ISBN-10: 9780618966202

ISBN-13: 9780618966202

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