Mother Bruce

It probably won’t surprise you to know that in my line of work, I read A LOT of picture books. Sometimes I come across ones that I really enjoy and am excited about reading at storytime. Other times, I’m disappointed in books that I thought had lots of potential. Every now and then, I encounter one so special that I can’t stop talking about it. Mother Bruce, by Ryan T. Higgins, is the latest book to fit into that category. I’ve already shared it with coworkers, family, and friends, and it’s been unanimously declared a hit. It’s really that good, folks.

Bruce is a grumpy bear whose one joy in life is scouring the internet for different egg recipes to cook and consume. All is well in his world until one day some eggs he plans to eat end up hatching before he has the chance to cook them. The goslings that emerge are convinced that Bruce is their mother and immediately call him “mama.” The already-grumpy Bruce, now a “victim of mistaken identity,” becomes even grumpier as the goslings foil his many, hilarious attempts to get rid of them. Finally, the persistent goslings wear him down and turn Bruce into a bit of a softy. This charming and heart-warming story will keep you and your kids giggling and begging for additional readings.

Good News Bad News

Using only three words, Jeff Mack manages to tell a cute and incredibly eventful story about two little furry friends. In Good News Bad News, the shortage of words is made up for by the abundance of hilarious illustrations. The two main characters, a rabbit and a mouse, have wildly different views about the things that happen to them. The pessimistic mouse thinks being rained on is “bad news.” At the same, the optimistic rabbit sees having an umbrella as “good news.” To the mouse, being blown away in the wind, while holding the umbrella, is “bad news.” And so the story continues, with the rabbit and mouse running into all sorts of obstacles and seeing everything differently.

This book is a great one to read with kids of all ages. With so few words in the book itself, it provides your child the opportunity to practice her narrative skills by doing some of the storytelling herself. You and your child will undoubtedly have fun discussions about what is happening in each hysterical illustration. In addition, with the repetition of “good news” and “bad news” on alternating pages throughout the story, your youngster will be able to read the words in the book herself. So, if you’re looking for a funny, touching, and all-around cute book to read with your little one, stop by the library and pick up Good News Bad News. The good news is that you won’t be disappointed!

Tuck Me In!

This gem is perfect for those looking to bridge the gap between board books and picture books. The pages are sturdy, interactive, and simple, but not too simple. In this story your almost-ready-for-picture-books-listener gets to be the grown up who “tucks in” a variety of adorable animals beginning with a very wakeful-looking zebra.

A perfect choice for debuting tonight at bedtime. After the last page is turned, your little animal will surely be the one who needs the tucking.

Picture books are so five minutes ago.

Or so this article would have us believe:
Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children

It details how both parental pressure to read “big-kid” chapter books, and the variety of digital media available to children have caused a decrease in the number of picture books published each year.

The article leaves out the importance of libraries in the world of picture book publishing. While there are parents who pressure their children to read older books sooner, there are also those that can’t afford the steep price of purchasing picture books. Those individuals rely on the library to provide them with free picture books that are more than just “books with pictures.”

Picture books engage children in a way that no other media can. They contain three times as many rare (or unfamiliar) words as adults typically use when talking to children under the age of five. They also help children understand cause and effect and prepare them for the reading comprehension tests they will face throughout their school years.

On top of all of this they are hilarious, comforting, exciting, moving, physical art-objects that may just be one of the last bastions of childhood left today.

For a fabulous example of just how great picture books can be, check out Mo Willem's latest!