A Greyhound, a Groundhog

This is the story of a greyhound and a groundhog who meet and begin to play, chasing each other around and around until they are stopped short when the greyhound spies a butterfly. Multiple butterflies fly up and away from the two friends who then continue to chase each other through a bog, a log, and around and around until the last page shows them happily exhausted, lying on the ground.

The wordplay in this story is delightful! The story is told in words using just a few vowel and consonant sounds throughout the book in rhymes and tongue twisters that beg to be read aloud: “A groundhog, a greyhound, a round little greyhound. A greyhound, a groundhog, a brown little groundhog.”

The simple, muted watercolor illustrations depict the story perfectly, capturing the joyful energy of the two friends at play and the wonder of the butterflies in flight. A Greyhound, a Groundhog by Emily Jenkins is a wonderful picture book for reading aloud and is sure to be a favorite for all ages!

Guest post by Allison C.

Rhythm and Rhyme

With our summer storytimes in full swing, we’ve been doing tons of reading, rhyming, and singing here at the library. Because listening to the rhythm and rhyming words in songs and rhymes helps kids hear the smaller sounds in words, we try to incorporate as many as we can into our storytimes. These are fun to do at storytime, but they’re great to do at home or in the car, too. We’ve posted some of our favorites on our website so that you can access them from home or when you're on the go. Check them out!

For babies - click here
For toddlers - click here

Rhymoceros

Rhymoceros, by Janik Coat, is a fun, new board book that features an adorable rhyming rhinoceros. The words on each two-page spread rhyme and are illustrated on the pages. On one page, the rhymoceros is lifting heavy weights with the word “strong” underneath. On the adjacent page, music notes flow from the mouth of the rhymoceros, representing “song.” The illustrations are cute; some, like “bumpy” and “furry,” have neat touch-and-feel effects.

Since this is a board book, it’s sturdy enough to use with your littlest readers, but it’s a fun one for preschoolers or even kindergartners, too. Some of the rhyming words might be new ones that will help build vocabulary, like “frilly,” “daring,” “quilted,” and “mossy.” Plus, working on rhymes with kids of all ages is important, since hearing rhymes helps kids break down the sounds in words.

If you like Rhymoceros, you might also like Coat’s other book, Hippopposites. Can you guess what that one’s about? J

Flip Flap Farm

If you have any animal lovers in your house who enjoy being silly, I have just the book for you! Axel Scheffler’s new book, Flip Flap Farm, is perfect for an afternoon of giggles. In the book, animals are shown making their sounds alongside rhyming descriptions. For instance, the cow’s page includes: “I’m such a useful animal! I give milk twice a day. The more I eat, the more I’ll make, so give me lots of hay!”

Just the animals and their descriptions are great on their own, since rhyming is so important for little ones, helping them hear the smaller sounds in words. The book gets even better, though, when you start turning the pages, which are cut horizontally through the center. When you flip the tops or bottoms of the pages, you can create your own silly animals like a chog (chicken/dog), a murkey (mouse/turkey), or a peep (pig/sheep). Your child will undoubtedly love creating funny animal combinations, reading about them, and making their silly sounds. Enjoy!

Build, Dogs, Build: A Tall Tail

The dogs from James Horvath’s Dig, Dogs, Dig: A Construction Tail are back for another adventure in his new, fun, rhyming book, Build, Dogs, Build: A Tall Tail. In this latest exploit, the handy dogs are tearing down an old apartment building and erecting a new one in its place.

If your child is interested in construction, this is a fun look at the process. Kids will love seeing some of their favorites machines—bulldozer, crane, cement mixer, dump truck—all pitching in to get the job done. It’s also a great introduction to tons of new vocabulary words like rubble, barricades, trenches, weld, and mortar.

So, if you have any construction lovers at home, this book is a must-read!

Yellow Is My Color Star

If you’re working on colors with your little one, Judy Horacek’s new book, Yellow Is My Color Star, is one you’ll want to read. The narrator, who thinks yellow is the absolute best color of all, encourages the reader to decide on a favorite color, too. Each shade represented gets its own page on which everything is that particular color. There are also a couple of pages in which the names of the colors are actually written in that color, helping to show the relationship between the color and its written name. Finally, in case that’s not enticing enough, there’s rhyming text throughout. Since rhymes help kids to hear the smaller sounds in words, this is important for them as they try to break down the sounds in words when they learn to read.

So, if you’re looking for a color book that’s light, bright, and fun, this one is a great choice!

A Moose That Says Moo!

“If I were allowed to invent my own zoo, the first thing I’d have is a moose that said ‘moo.’” This first line of Jennifer Hamburg’s new book, A Moose That Says Moo!, sets up the silliness that ensues. From an ox acting as a short-order cook, to bears driving cars and pigs tap-dancing and singing, this book’s narrator shows off her hilariously wild imagination. If the words don’t do the trick on their own, the illustrations will surely leave your little one giggling. On top of that, the rhyming text throughout the book is great to help develop your child’s phonological awareness, since listening to rhyming words helps children hear the smaller sounds in those words. 

So, next time you’re in the mood for a book on the silly side, come check out this one. You won't be disappointed!

Peck, Peck, Peck

 

Lucy Cousins, best known for the Maisy series, just came out with a new book called Peck, Peck, Peck. In this fun rhyming book, a daddy woodpecker teaches his little woodpecker how to peck a tree. After the lesson, the dad sends the little woodpecker off to practice his newfound pecking skills: “Now off you go, my little one. Practice hard and have some fun.” What makes this book so much fun is that, rather than practicing his pecking on trees, the little woodpecker finds a house and pecks the gate and front door before going inside and pecking just about everything he sees: “I peck, peck, peck a magazine, a picture of Aunt Geraldine, an armchair, a teddy bear, and a book called Jane Eyre.” As a bonus, in addition to the adorable, brightly colored illustrations, there are holes on the pages, in each of the things that the woodpecker pecked. Some pages have just a few holes, while others are practically covered in holes that the little woodpecker created. You and your little one will surely get a good chuckle from this silly little woodpecker's mischievous pecking!

20 Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street

 

Truck lovers (and parents of truck lovers), rejoice! Mark Lee’s new book, 20 Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street, will surely have you singing its praises. This counting book begins as an ice cream truck breaks down in the middle of a street, blocking the road. The narrator, a little boy watching everything unfold, sees one truck after another line up behind the ice cream truck, unable to move. Finally, with twenty trucks stuck in the road and lots of people in the streets wondering what in the world to do, the little boy suggests that they use a crane to move the ice cream truck out of the way. His plan is successful, and all of the trucks are finally able to drive away. All except one, that is: “Just one truck on the side of my street. An ice cream truck selling everything sweet.”

 

Your truck-adoring little one will enjoy seeing and reading about all different types of trucks, from mail trucks and garbage trucks to cement mixers and tow trucks. You’ll love all of the new vocabulary words, the rhyming text, and the counting practice! So, unless you’re stuck behind a bunch of stationary trucks on the road, there’s no excuse for waiting to get to our library to check out this new book!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

If your child has ever gotten a little nervous during a thunderstorm (Read: If you have a child), Boom! Boom! Boom! is sure to be a hit. The book, the first from new author Jamie Swenson, begins on a stormy night, as a little boy settles into bed with his teddy bear and a book. As lightning flashes and thunder booms, the boy’s dog appears and asks to join him in the bed. The boy makes room, and then, with each “FLASH! CRASH! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!” another of the boy’s pets seeks refuge in the bed. Next thing you know, the bed is full, with the dog, a kitty, a guinea pig, a frog, a parrot, and a snake. So, when his sister arrives, she has to force her way in: “She jumped in with elbows flying—The bed groaned, AND creaked, AND THEN stopped trying!” When the bed breaks, the sister and animals scatter, leaving the boy, his book, and his bear alone in the bed once again.

Coupled with a cute storyline, this book offers rhyming text throughout, a huge bonus for your pre-reader. In addition, the repetition of, “FLASH! CRASH! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!” will certainly have your little one chiming in while you read. This book is an all-around winner!

And, if you thought that wasn’t exciting enough...Every now and then we get lucky enough to have an author stop by our library. This Monday, July 8th, Jamie Swenson will be at the Centerville Library from 3:00-4:00. She’ll read Boom! Boom! Boom! (hopefully to thunderous applause ;)), talk about the publishing process, and sign books (books will be available for purchase at the event). See you on Monday for this very special event!

Hug a Bull: An Ode to Animal Dads

 

In honor of Father’s Day (I know I’m a little late, but this is still Father’s Day week, right?), I thought I’d share a cute new book about animal dads. Hug a Bull: An Ode to Animal Dads, by Aaron Zenz, features all sorts of animal babies and their dads playing happily together. The illustrations are completely adorable, but they aren’t even my favorite part; I love the rhyming text and all of the new vocabulary words. The book names each animal dad, which makes it a great vocabulary-booster for your child. And, if you’re like me, it will be a vocabulary-booster for you, too (I can't be the only one who didn’t know that a male kangaroo is called a boomer, right?)! So, if you’re looking for a fun book that celebrates dads of all kinds, come give this one a look!

What Can a Crane Pick Up?

 

Having spent countless hours reading to several nephews who are really into cars, trains, and trucks, I’d say that I’ve read my fair share of stories about construction vehicles. Though these books don’t tend to be my personal favorites, over the years I’ve found some really cute ones that I do love to read. Rebecca Kai Dotlich’s book, What Can a Crane Pick Up?, is one of my new favorites. (It’s also a perfect one to read during our “Dig into Reading” Summer Reading Club, which I’ll tell you more about in next week’s post.)

This rhyming book asks and answers questions about what a crane can do. It discusses some normal things that a crane might pick up: wood, steel, and bricks. It also includes some pretty silly ones: “Can a crane lift men in business suits? Yes! And a load of cowboy boots.” The illustrations that go along with the funny ones are pretty hilarious, too.

Rhyming is such an important pre-reading skill, since it allows for the smaller sounds in words to be heard. So, why not have a little fun after reading the book by helping your child come up with other rhyming things that the crane could pick up? Together, you could even write them down and illustrate them, as though they were additional pages in the book. If you and your kids come up with some fun crane rhymes, I’d love to hear them!

In the spirit of rhyming, I’ll send you off with my own attempt:

If you want to have a little fun,
Read this story on construction.
Come to the library and get this book.
If you can’t find it, we’ll help you look.
It’s really silly, and there’s no doubt,
It’ll give you lots to talk about.
Then create your own silly pages.
With any luck, you’ll be laughing for ages.

Don’t worry; I don’t plan to quit my day job. J

Two Little Monkeys

From beloved author, Mem Fox (Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes), comes Two Little Monkeys, a story of two playful monkeys named Cheeky and Chee. The book begins with Cheeky and Chee playing together happily before spotting something dangerous lurking nearby in the tall grass. Luckily, the two little monkeys were close enough to a big tree to get farther away from the danger, a leopard on the prowl. The rest of the story tells of them hiding in the tree and leaping through the branches before finally escaping the leopard altogether. 

In addition to the exciting plot and cute illustrations, this book makes for a great read-aloud because of the repetition and rhyming that it has throughout. The repetition will help your child familiarize himself with the book a lot faster, and he’ll probably soon be joining in, finishing the sentences. In addition, reading rhyming books really helps your child hear the smaller parts of words. Being able to rhyme helps develop phonological awareness, or knowing words are made up of sounds. This is a great pre-reading skill. So, when you’re reading this book (or any rhyming book), make sure to really stress the rhyming words.

I hope you and your silly, little monkeys enjoy reading this as much as I did!

Puff the Magic

...you thought I'd say dragon right?  Nope.  I bet you're humming the song anyway!  Puff the Magic Storytime Toy just doesn't have a catchy tune.  But, these little gems are fabulous in their simplicity and versatile in their silliness.  Use them to practice vocabulary by talking about colors (they come in many different sizes and shades) or by putting them on unfamiliar items or body parts like shins, heels, elbows and shoulders.  Here's a rhyme to use while pretending your puff ball is a mouse:

Hurry scurry little mouse,
starts down at your toes.

Hurry scurry little mouse,
past your knees he goes.

Hurry scurry little mouse,
past where your tummy is.

Hurry scurry little mouse,
gives you a mousy kiss!

Read? My child won't even SIT!

Your child’s attention span is only about a minute for every year he/she is old. For a two year old, that’s only two minutes. We make use of this active age in storytime by incorporating rhymes that involve moving body parts. Ultimately, even if they are moving around while you are reading or rhyming they are still listening. Try to find small bits of time throughout the day to read, rather than making reading a lengthy event.

Instead of singing the familiar words to The Wheels on the Bus, incorporate animal sounds or sounds you hear in your daily life.

The cow in the barn goes moo, moo, moo
Moo, moo, moo. Moo, moo, moo.
The cow in the barn goes moo, moo, moo
All around the farm.

OR while bathing:

The water in the tub goes glub, glub, glub
Glub, glub, glub. Glub, glub, glub.
The water in the tub goes glub, glub, glub
All around the room.

OR while driving:

The cars on the street go vroom, vroom, vroom
Vroom, vroom, vroom. Vroom, vroom, vroom.
The cars on the street go vroom, vroom, vroom
All through the town.