Roar!

by Tammi Sauer

Illustrated by Liz Starin

This is a cute story of imagination and play. The main character and his cat experience

a fun game of make believe play leaving them with a make believe friendship.

Very creative and out of the box story.

It is sweet and creative with a great ending.

The composition of the pages are not predictable and the illustrations

are fun and playfull. I love the watercolor feel to the illustrations.

My kids enjoy this story.

I like to read this story at the beginning of story time. My children

sometimes like to roar along with the character.

Counting With Barefoot Critters

by Teagan White

This is a great book for counting. I love the rhythm of this story

and the fact they count up to 12 which I find is slightly random.

My daughter loves this story. My son likes it but it does not

give him the opportunity to roar or yell. It might be a better

book for him when he gets alittle older. I like that it is clear

with the introduction of the numbers.

The composition of the pages are nice and unified which is

great when you are counting it creates and easy eye repetition for 

your child. I love the illustrations they are small and detailed which 

makes this book great for up close reading and viewing. 

The animals are so cute and line quality varies and giving the

page more interest. 

I like to read this book towards the end of story time.

It has a warm sweet ending and the cadence of the story is calming.

Is That A Cat

by Tim Hamilton

My kids love this story. They love to answer the questions on

each page.  This book is ok with me. I'm not sure why

I am not as crazy about it as they are....maybe it is that the 

illustrations remind me of Beavis and Butthead.

My children enjoy the illustrations and the journey it takes them on.

Composition varies from page to page which follows the unexpected

story line. 

I like to read this book at the beginning of story time because the

kids get so interactive with the story.

Teach Me To Love

by Denise Brennan-Nelson

This is a cute short picture book. The text is simple and great for word

recognition. The pictures are of real animals.

I think my daughter and son love this book because of the real pictures

showing animals in cute and happy moments.

It is a tender book that will leave your child with warm fuzzies.

The composition is the same on each page and is easy to follow and read.

This might be a great book to help beginner readers.

My kids love the pictures and the sweet text. 

I like to read this story towards the end of story time

there is not alot to think about and it leaves my kids with a warm fuzzy.

Gary And Ray

by Sarah Adams

I love this feel good story. My kids love the story and love all the animals.

This is a journey of the main character who is lonely and his way

to find love. It is a short simple story that pulls at your heart strings.

The composition of the pages change from page to page which I

don't mind. I like the close up views and the long views of the

story the book illustrates. I like the graphic filtered illustrations. The animals are cute and I like the thick stroke lines of colors that define the objects.

I like the grainy colors it adds depth.

My kids are invested with the character and are left with warm feeling at the end.

I like this story at the end of story time because the kids 

are left with warm feelings and a happy ending.

You Will Be My Friend

by: Peter Brown

Yes! another Peter Brown book!! I love this book and my kids love this 

book. My daughter loves making new friends and

this book was great for her. In this story the main character is looking for a 

new friend and sometimes it is not that easy to find a good new friend. 

This story is witty and creative with a great dash of advice.

My daughter loves it when I replace the main characters name with hers.

I love the illustrations it is the beautiful blockish style that Peter does 

so well. I love the hand sketch feel and the characters expressions. 

The layout and composition of the pages take your eyes for a ride.

I like to read this story in the middle of story time because

both kids are placing themselves in the story.

Hairy Bear And His Friends

by Beth Shoshan

illustrations Masumi Furukawa

I enjoy this story. It is about a bear and his friend exploring the

thoughts of what the Hairy bear might want to become when he grows up.

Cute story that introduces the reader to different types of bears.

My son loves this book because he loves bears and he likes

to point to the type of bear he would like to be that day.

My daughter also likes to pick which bear she would be.

Sweet story that leaves you with warm fuzzy feeling.

I love the soft dream like illustrations soft, fuzzy, great use

of color, and very fitting for the story.

The composition is expected and easy to follow.

The story is short. I enjoy reading this story towards the

end of story time it is relaxing and greats warm fuzzies. 

Don't Wake Up The Tiger

by Britta Teckentrup

My kids love this book. This book lacks substance in conveying

a lesson but makes up with plain good old fun and encourages

the reader to get interactive and involved with the story.

My kids love to sing, touch, and sing again with this story of a

sleeping tiger and his friends celebrating his birthday.

My daughter likes to tell the characters every time

to walk around the tiger she is invested in the story with the first page.

My son loves any chance to sing or yell and he loves the anticipation at the end.

I love how excited and involved my kids get with this story.

It is just pure fun.

The illustrations are fun and I love the geometric shapes and sponge

like effect. The composition is horizontal and consistent.

I read this at the beginning of story time because the

kids get animated and excited with the stories anticipation and interaction.

Children Make Terrible Pets

by Peter Brown

My kids and I love this story. It is also nice to read this story before 

you read Peter Brown's You Will Be My Friend book.

My children love it when I replace the main characters names with their names.

This story  follows the main characters journey to find a new pet.

This story is so clever, witty, and cute!! 

Such great creativity and sense of humor!

Beautiful illustrations! I love the hand sketched feeling. 

I like the color boxes around the text. 

The composition is unexpected and keeps you on your toes.

My kids are inspired to interact with the story because of this

I like to read the story at the beginning or middle of story time.

Emeraldalicious

by Victoria Kann

Pinkalicious is going Emerald. This is a cute story of a journey 

of  imagination and creative unexpected adventure.

This story is easier for my 5 yr old to follow than it is for my 2 yr old.

I am sure in a couple years he will enjoy it as much as my 5 yr old.

This story follows Pinkalicious and her brother on an unexpected adventure 

of magic and change. I like the underline story to improve and keep

our world green and clean. I like the words that all start with the 

same letter to help reinforce letter recognition.

The illustrations are very detailed and fill the page.

The composition of the pages are expected and fill every inch.

You could spend alot of time looking at each page because there is 

so much to look at.  I love the colors and tiny details.

I like to read this at the middle or toward the end. There is alot

to look at which puts the kids into concentration almost hypnotizing them.

Secret Agent Splat!

by Rob Scotton

Yes we are on the Splat train! We love this book! it is one of my favorite

Splat stories. My kids love this book. The main character wants to 

know who is messing with his ducks and the story follows

what actions he takes to find out what is going on.

I don't know what it is about those ducks they are so cute! 

The illustrations of the ducks would make some great kids wall paper.

My kids love the anticipation and the expressions on the characters faces. 

We love the different angles and the up close views of the story. 

It brought us into the story.

I love the illustrations you get a sense of Splats

texture and the texture around him.

The composition is unexpected which ties in with the story.

I like to read this at the beginning of story time because the kids

get excited and my daughter has to expand on the spiders view point.

They love to interact with this story.

Just Like My Mom

by David Melling

How can you not like a book with this title! 

I love this cute story and my kids also love it. 

This is a story of a cub and his wonderful mother who is fun and smart. 

The cub describes his relationship with his mom and the wonderful

interactions they have. I love that at the end of the story everyone

wants to be some where safe and warm with their mom.

I love the illustration and the hand of the illustrator.

The animals are cute and the colors and line quality are fun.

The composition changes from page to page which 

keeps it interesting. My kids love pointing to the main character

and the mom saying their names and placing themselves in the story.

Because of this interaction I like to place this story closer 

to the beginning of story time. The middle of story time is good also because

this story creates warm fuzzy feelings.

If You Ever Want To Bring An Alligator To School Don't

by Elee Parsley

I am not a fan of this book. It is a story about the main character bringing

an alligator to school and why it is not a good idea.

The story gives you the perception that alligators are scared of humans. 

I don't want my children thinking that alligators are scared of humans. 

Maybe this story is better for an older crowd that has established knowledge of alligators.
We will need to try this book again in a few years.

 The alligator acts up in school and the main character gets in trouble. 

It is a creative story. I enjoy the illustrator's stylized hand.

The composition of the page creates nice flow for your eyes.

If I read this book it is at the beginning of story time. 

.

One Big Pair of Underwear

by Laura Gehl & Tom Lichtenheld

I love this story! It mixes numbers, math, and story telling with a lesson

in sharing. It is creative, witty, and captures the attention of my kids.

My son loves the emotion that the characters express. He will

verbalize along with the Yak and his lack of snacks.

It is a clever mix of characters and actions that challenge my

daughters ability to memorize the story.

The mix of characters, items, and actions along with the numbers

and the math creates layers to this books.

It will be awhile before we will get bored with this book!

I love the hand of the illustrator and the composition has

a great flow and is expected and reinforces the cadence of the story.

I like reading this at the beginning of story time because my kids

like to get involved with the story.

I Sat Beside An Elephant

by Keith L Roman

I like this book more than my children. It is a great story about

the main character's creative imaginative conversation

with animals while waiting for the bus. 

I love the cadence of  the story. It has such a great rhythm and 

the story is witty and unexpected. It is a fun and playful story.

The illustrations are cute and the composition fills the page.

I like to read this book at the end of story time because of 

the cadence and it sets the tone for the kids to go to sleep.

Mr Tiger Goes Wild

by Peter Brown

I LOVE this book! and I am the newest fan of Peter Brown!

This is a great story of a journey of a Tiger finding out who he is and being himself

even when faced with peer pressure from those around him.

The story is clever and has a great sense of humor!

My kids loved the story and enjoyed the opportunity to

"roar" out loud with the main character.

I am in love with the modern graphic block style of the illustrations!

The composition of the pages flow and take your eyes on a wonderful journey.

A Beginners Guide to Bear Spotting

by Michelle Robinson

Illustration David Roberts

I love this book. The story is cleaver and does not give 

you the misconception real bears are fun and cuddly. It lets your child know

 that bears should be respected from a distance and that bears

can be dangerous but the story does it in a clever fun way!

The story has a great sense of humor!

The illustrations are so fitting with the concept of the book. I love the 

pencil sketch style and the composition on the page is appealing.

Nicely done!

Heart of a Tiger

by Marsha Diane Arnold

pictures by Jamichael Henterly

When I started this book it was not an immediate in "Love" 
I even questioned the action of the main character leaving his 
home and family to follow self discovery and how my kids 

would apply this to there life or how they would react. 

After reading the book for a couple of nights. 

I realized that for me the main characters actions of leaving

his family was only an element and I was being hyper sensitive

to bits of the story and not the overall story. 

I grew to like this book and the story it was telling.

The illustration are detailed, colorful, and beautiful.