14. All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon

Bibliographic Citation:

Scanlon, Liz Garton. All the World. Illustrated by Marla Frazee. New York, NY: Beach Lane Books, 2009. 40p. ISBN 978-1-4169-8580-8

Awards/Selection Lists:

2010 Caldecott Honor
A New York Times Best Book of 2009
A Publisher's Weekly Best Book of 2009
A Kirkus Best Book of 2009
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2009
A Parents' Choice Gold Award
A 2010 Indies Choice Honor Award

Format Examined:

Hard cover

Annotation:

A family goes through an entire day experiencing the beauty of the world through different surroundings.

Personal Reaction:

Hand-lettered text and water colored illustrations tell the story of a family throughout a summer day. First, at the seaside, then a garden, and a restaurant in the rain-- beauty is all around them. The children are next shown climbing onto a tree branch, where they see small birds and the vast world around them. At the end of the day, there is a setting sun as they warm themselves at home by the fireplace together. A simple phrase represents the gist of the book: "all the world is you and me". 

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 4-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Family, beauty, summer, community, world

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills:
The detailed illustrations prompt discussion between the reader and listener.  

Phonological Awareness:
The rhyming lines of text highlight the similar sounds in the words.

Print Awareness:
Hand-lettered text is printed to accent illustrations throughout the book. The text is sometimes curved around and above the illustrations, and to add to the reading on the story, it is also in various sizes to represent the activities taking place in the illustrations.

Print Motivation:
The beautiful illustrations and hand-written lettering have a soothing effect, which invite children to view the book on their own. 

Vocabulary:

This book uses familiar and unfamiliar words for children to identify objects and activities within the illustrations.

Author/ Illustrator Website:
Author website: http://www.lizgartonscanlon.com/
Illustrator website: http://www.marlafrazee.com/ 

13. Lemons are not Red by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Bibliographic Citation:

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Lemons Are Not Red. Brookfield, Connecticut: Roaring Brook Press, 2004. 32p. ISBN 1-59643-008-7 

Awards/Selection Lists:

Starred Reviews: Kirkus, School Library Journal

ALA Notable Book, 2005

Child Magazine Best Book of the Year

Kirkus Editor's Choice

Format Examined:

Hard cover

Annotation:

Colorful paintings with shaped cut-out windows represent the color that the shaped item is not, and what color it truly is when the page is turned.

Personal Reaction:

Each page of this book reveals a familiar object with an incorrect color showing through the object's cut-out shaped window. When the reader turns the page, the object's correct color is shown. The first object used is a lemon-- which is not red, but yellow, which is revealed when the page is turned. New objects then appear on the following pages, with new cut-out windows and colors behind each of them. This concept book provides a humorous and fun way to match  objects with their colors.

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 3-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Colors, shapes, humor

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 

Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills: 

The humorous mismatching colors and shapes invite children to actively participate in this book. The simplicity of the book also lends itself to children retelling the story on their own.

Phonological Awareness: 

Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:

Print awareness is addressed by this book through large, black lettering, which is printed on each page, along with color names in bold uppercase letters. 

Print Motivation: 

The format with cut out windows and colorful artwork along with the humor used in providing "incorrect information" that children are able to correct makes this a book that children will want to read on their own.

Vocabulary:

The objects that are provided through illustrations are mismatched and then matched with correct colors to help teach color concept words. Colors are identified through the illustrations and by the use of large, bold, black letters. 

Author/ Illustrator Website:

http://www.studiolvs.com/website_root/StudioLVS_Home/Home.html

12. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Bibliographic Citation:
Keats, Ezra Jack. The Snowy Day. New York, NY: Puffin, 1962. 40p. ISBN 978-0140501827 

Awards/Selection Lists:

Caldecott Medal, 1963

Format Examined:

Paperback

Annotation:

A young boy wakes up to freshly fallen snow and spends the day having adventures outside.

Personal Reaction:
Ezra Jack Keats created a true classic with this story of a young child enjoying the day in the snow. The magic that a child feels at the wonder of snow, and all the new ways to play in it, come to life for children and adults who read this book. Keats quietly introduced the picturebook world to an African American main character for the first time in 1962 through Peter and his exploration of the snow.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 4-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Winter, snow, adventure

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book. 

Narrative Skills:
This book would work well in a dialogic reading setting. Children would be able to help tell the story through answering open-ended questions about what they think will happen, and why certain things happened in the story (such as when Peter puts the snowball in his pocket).

Phonological Awareness:
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:
The text is printed on each page in a simple, black font. The position of the words accentuates the illustrations, such as the words being printed on the bottom of the hill when Peter slides all the way down. The word "slowly" is written with dashes to draw the word out ("s-l-o-w-l-y") when Peter drags his feet to make tracks in the snow. These techniques draw attention to the print in connection to the illustrations to help tell the story.

Print Motivation:
This book inspires reading through a story that is easy for children to identify with.

Vocabulary:

Words pertaining to the consistency of snow are included in the text, including firm, heaping, and crunching.

Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/ 

11. Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault

Bibliographic Citation:

Martin, Jr., Bill and John Archambault. Here are My Hands. Illustrated by Ted Rand. New York, NY: Henry Holt, 1998. 28p. ISBN 978-0805059113 

Awards/Selection Lists:
IRA-CBC Children's Choice Award

Format Examined:
Board book

Annotation:
Parts of the body and their functions are identified by children of different cultures.

Personal Reaction:
This book is perfect for small hands to hold as they learn to identify the names of parts of the body. The subtle way that diverse cultures are used through the illustrations to show that children are all the same but also different makes this a powerfully simple book.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 12 months-3 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Body parts, skin colors/diversity

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills:
Children become involved in the reading of this book through naming the body parts in the illustrations.

Phonological Awareness:
The rhyming text of the book almost reads like a poem, emphasizing how words can sound alike. 

Print Awareness:
The text on each page is in black and connects to the illustrations on the page. 

Print Motivation:
This book is a quick read and is fun for children who are learning their body parts. Small children are able to hold in their hands, making this an enjoyable book for very young children.

Vocabulary:
Body parts are named throughout the book, and functions are identified according to each part of the body, providing new words for the very young.

Author/ Illustrator Website:
Author website: http://www.billmartinjr.com/ 
Author website: http://www.johnarchambault.com/ 
No official illustrator site

10. I'm as Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood

Bibliographic Citation:

Wood, Audrey. Quick as a Cricket. Swindol, England: Child's Play (International), 1998. 24p. ISBN 0-85953-664-5

Awards/Selection Lists:

N/A

Format Examined:

Board book

Annotation:

A young boy compares all the things he can do best to different animals in the wild.

Personal Reaction:
The boy in this book shows young children that they have many different qualities that make up who they are. Through describing himself in ways such as "quick as a cricket" and "slow as a snail", as well as "loud as a lion" and "gentle as a lamb", the character in this story also teaches the concept of opposites. The illustrations are vivid and the rhyming text is fun, making children want to join in on the reading of the book.

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 12 months-4 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Self-esteem, personality, opposites

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills:
The rhyming text, detailed illustrations, and use of opposite concepts on side by side pages encourages children to get involved in the telling of the story.

Phonological Awareness:
The text emphasizes the sounds of words through rhyming text.

Print Awareness:
Simple, one-line sentences are printed on the bottom of each page, under the illustrations, and blocked off by a white strip. This highlights the printed text, encouraging children to take note of the words that match the illustrations above.

Print Motivation:
This is a happy book that connects to children because it is about them. The text is simple and fun to read together.

Vocabulary:

The text uses rhyming text to teach opposite concept words throughout the book.

Author/ Illustrator Website:
Author website: http://www.audreywood.com/ 
Illustrator website: http://www.audreywood.com/audrey-wood,-don-wood,-and-bruce-wood/childrens-book-illustrator-don-woods-biography 

9. Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Bibliographic Citation:

Henkes, Kevin. Kitten's First Full Moon. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 2004. 40p. ISBN 978-0060588281

Awards/Selection Lists:

Caldecott Medal
ALA Notable Children’s Book
Charlotte Zolotow Award
Booklist Editors’ Choice
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon
Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice
Publishers Weekly Best Book
School Library Journal Best Book
New York Times Best Illustrated Book
Book Sense Top Ten Pick

Format Examined:

Hardcover

Annotation:

A little white kitten mistakes the moon for a big bowl of milk.

Personal Reaction:

An adorable white kitten sees the big, round moon in the sky and thinks that it is a bowl of milk. The kitten tries to lap it up, but cannot seem to reach it. Through a humorous progression of events, the kitten continues to "chase" the big bowl of milk, but cannot succeed in her quest. In the end, the kitten is rewarded with a real bowl of milk at home. The simplicity of the text paired with the black and white illustrations bring the story to life. The expressions on the kitten's face will make children chuckle. This book is a charming story that makes a perfect bedtime book for parents and children to share for many nights to come.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 2-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Patience, nighttime, humor



Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills: 
The repeated text, "Poor kitten" invite children to take part in telling the story as it becomes more familiar to them. The simple illustrations encourage children to retell the story in their own words.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:
The simplicity of the illustrations and bold black text on a white background calls attention to the text of the book as the story is told.

Print Motivation: 
This book tells a sweet and simple story which is perfect as a bedtime story. Children will also pick up this book to "read" on their own with simple illustrations to help them retell the story themselves.

Vocabulary:
This book prompts discussion between the reader and the listener as the kitten seeks the bowl of milk. One area of vocabulary that could be an area of focus is in defining the kittens expressions as she continues to meet new obstacles along the way.

Author/ Illustrator Website:

http://www.kevinhenkes.com.php5-25.dfw1-2.websitetestlink.com/

8. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault

Bibliographic Citation:

Martin, Jr., Bill and Archambault, John. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Illustrated by Lois Ehlert. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1989. ISBN 0-590-43889-1  

Awards/Selection Lists:
ALA Notable Children's Books, 1989
Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book, 1990
Horn Book Starred Review, 1990
Booklist Starred Review, 1990
International Reading Association Children's Choices, 1990
Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 1991
Parents' Choice Award, 2003 

Format Examined:

Paperback

Annotation:

All the letters of the alphabet race to the top of a coconut tree until the tree bends and the letters fall to the ground. 

Personal Reaction:

This fun, colorful book is full of rhythm and rhyme to teach children letter names. The boldface text draws attention to uppercase letters as the colorful lowercase letters inch their way up the coconut tree-- until they become too heavy, and down the letters fall. This book is a classic that will continue to please children and parents alike for years to come.

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 3-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Letters, rhythm, rhyme, uppercase letters and lowercase letters

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
This book centers around naming letters in alphabetical order. The lowercase letters are represented within the illustrations in color, and the uppercase letters are printed in bold within the text. These factors all work together to help the child recognize the letters on each page, and also provide the opportunity for children to match upper and lowercase letters. 

Narrative Skills:
The rhythm and rhyme of this book allows children to participate in reciting the text as becomes familiar.

Phonological Awareness:
While letters are the focus of this book, the sounds that are made by the letters in the story are not mentioned. 

Print Awareness:
The illustrations include print through the colorful letters of the alphabet. The letters that are named throughout the text are in bold and the words "BOOM! BOOM!" are in all caps to emphasize the print. The characteristics draw attention to the printed text on each page.

Print Motivation: 
The rhythm and rhyme of the text combined with colorful illustrations make this book a fun choice that children enjoy reading over and over. 

Vocabulary:
Rhythm words are introduced along with alliteration ("skit skat skoodle doot" and "flip flop flee"). Directional words such as up and top are included within the text.  


Author/ Illustrator Websites:
Author websites: 
John Archambault: http://www.johnarchambault.com/ 
Bill Martin, Jr.: http://www.billmartinjr.com/

 Illustrator Website:
 Lois Ehlert: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Lois-Ehlert/1877089 

7. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Bibliographic Citation:

Brown, Margaret Wise. Goodnight Moon. Illustrated by Clement Hurd. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1982. 32 p. ISBN 0064430170

Awards/Selection Lists:

2007 National Education Association "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children"
2012 School Library Journal "Top 100 Picture Books of All Time" 

Format Examined:

Paperback

Annotation:

As a little rabbit gets ready to go to sleep, he tells all of the familiar things around him goodnight, one by one, until he is asleep.

Personal Reaction:

Goodnight Moon is a beautifully written and illustrated book, perfect to be read as a bedtime story. A little rabbit says goodnight to all of the things he finds most familiar, as an old lady rabbit sits in her rocking chair knitting. The room darkens a little at the time as they little rabbit continues saying goodnight to his surroundings, first to the room itself, and ending with "noises everywhere" as the book closes to a dark room. The gentleness of the story is mesmerizing as it lulls the reader and listeners into a quiet state.

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 0-4 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Bedtime, gentleness, nighttime

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills:
The gentle, rhythmic text encourages children to say goodnight to each object as the little rabbit does.

Phonological Awareness:
The use of lyrical lines and rhyming words calls attention to phonological sounds within the story. 

Print Awareness:
The illustrations alternate between black and white and color throughout the book. On pages with black and white artwork, the text is black, while on color pages, the text is printed in the upper and lower corners in red. This technique draws attention to the words in a way that allows it to stand out without taking away from the illustrations on the page.

Print Motivation:
The repetition, rhyme, gentle text, and soft illustrations work together to make this a bedtime book that will be asked for over and over again for many more years to come.

Vocabulary:

Objects are identified through the little rabbit saying goodnight to each object individually. 

Author/ Illustrator Website:
Author, Margaret Wise Brown's website: http://www.margaretwisebrown.com/ 
No official site available for the illustrator

6. Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino

Bibliographic Citation:
Guarino, Deborah. Is Your Mama a Llama? Illustrated by Steven Kellogg. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc., 2004. 32 p. ISBN 978-0439598422

Awards/Selection Lists:

None.

Format Examined:

Paperback

Annotation:

As a baby llama looks for his mother, he asks other baby animals about their mothers through rhyming text along the way. 

Personal Reaction:

Is Your Mama a Llama is a charming story of a baby llama's quest to find his mother. As he searches, he encounters other baby animals who describe their own mothers through riddles with rhyming text. Children are encouraged to guess, along with the llama, the identity of each of the animals that are described. The llama first meets Dave, and asks the question that is repeated throughout the book, "Is your mama a llama?". Dave answers with a clue, "She hangs by her feet, and she lives in a cave. I do not believe that's how llamas behave". The llama then guesses that Dave's mama must be a bat. The story continues in the same fashion with a swan, a cow, a seal, and a kangaroo. The story ends after the llama finds his friend, Llyn, whose mama is described as a llama. Steven Kellogg's illustrations are bright and the babies depicted are sweet. Each page that asks the question, "Is your mama a llama?" has the illustrations boxed on with a fine line around the picture. Each page with the answer to each riddle is in full color to the edges of the page. This artistic method encourages to children to participate in guessing, with the answer revealed in full-page color as a reward for their effort.

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for 3-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Animal babies, identification

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
While letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book, the double "L" in the word "llama" lends itself to letter recognition discussion.

Narrative Skills:
The rhyming clues invite children to participate in telling the story through guessing the animals that are described.

Phonological Awareness:
Phonological inference is embedded into this book through matching riddles and answers through rhyming text.

Print Awareness:
The riddle answers are each printed in large, bold text at the top of the page. This connects the printed words on the page with the answers that the children guess to each of the riddles.

Print Motivation:
Through riddles that rhyme, this book encourages having fun while reading. After participating in a reading or two of this book, children will want to share it with others through "reading" the riddles to them.

Vocabulary:

New words are introduced with each description of a new animal throughout this book. Words used to describe each of the animals also match with their specific animal name, which connects the vocabulary used in riddles and answers.

Author/ Illustrator Website:

No author website available.
Illustrator Steven Kellogg's website: http://www.stevenkellogg.com/

5. We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

Bibliographic Citation: Rosen, Michael. We're Going on a Bear Hunt. Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. New York, NY: Mararet K. McElderry Book, 1989. 36 p. ISBN 978-0689716539 

Awards/Selection Lists:

The Horn Book Fanfare Title, 1990
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, 1990
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award

Format Examined:

Hardcover

Annotation:

A father takes his children and their dog on a bear hunt through tall grass, a river, mud, a forest, and end up in a cave with a bear.

Personal Reaction:

This classic picture book is written more like a chant than a book, which is what makes children want to hear it read over and over again. The listener goes on an adventure with the family to look for a bear. Along the way, they encounter obstacles, such as tall, wavy grass. The reader chants, "We can't go over it. We can't go under it", to which the decision is made that the family (and all the listeners, too) will have to go through it. The text on the following page mimics the sound that tall, wavy grass would make if a family were to walk through it. After the family gets through the grass, the next adventures include wading across a river, trudging through the mud, traveling through a dark, scary forest, and at last, coming to a cave. The family tiptoes into the cave, where they find "one shiny wet nose, two big furry ears, and two big goggly eyes", which is believed to be a bear! The text takes the family back through each obstacle quickly with complete sound effects, until the family arrives safely at home and hides in bed. The illustrations alternate between pencil sketches and water colored art. Color is used to identify the sound effects as the family makes their way through an obstacle. This book enables children to go on a "scary" adventure through the safety of written words and their imagination.

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 2-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Adventure, nature, sequence, sounds

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills:
Children take part in the telling of this story through chanting the words on the page, and making the sound effects for each obstacle along the characters' journey.

Phonological Awareness:
Sound effects are woven into the text of the story, giving the audience the opportunity to become a part of the story through making the sounds that match the text.

Print Awareness:
The text of the story is written in simple sentences with black and white sketches. The sound effects that are made while the characters go through various obstacles are written in three lines of text that grow larger in size on each new line. Sound effect pages are accompanied by water-colored illustrations meant to draw attention to the fact that it is time for audience participation.   

Print Motivation:
Adventure and sounds make this book come to life, as it inspires imagination, thought, and reading. 

Vocabulary:

New sound words are introduced throughout this book, as well as positional words, such as over, under, around, and through. 

Author/ Illustrator Website:
Author, Michael Rosen's website: http://www.michaelrosen.co.uk/index.html
No Illustrator's website.

4. The Napping House by Audrey Wood

Bibliographic Citation:

Wood, Audrey. The Napping House. Illustrated by Don Wood. Boston, MA: Red Wagon Books, 2000. 16 p. ISBN 978-0152026325

Awards/Selection Lists:

ALA Notable Children's Book
Booklist Editor's Choice
California Young Reader Medal
Golden Kite Award
New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year

Format Examined:

Board Book

Annotation: 
On a rainy day, a boy, a dog, a cat, a mouse, and a flea all take a nap on top of a snoring granny until the flea sets off a chain of reactions after biting the mouse.

Personal Reaction:
Illustrations of soft shades of blue combined with the rain falling outside the house lulls the listener into a state of relaxation as the story begins, "There is a house, a napping house, where everyone is sleeping". The tone of the story is lyrical and repeats the same refrain at the end of each phrase, "...in a napping house, where everyone is sleeping". The story continues to build until each of the sleepy characters: a granny, a child, a a dog, a cat, a mouse, and a flea are all stacked, slumbering one on top of the other in the "cozy" bed. That is, until the flea bites the mouse; the mouse scares the cat; the cat claws the dog; the dog thumps the child; the child bumps the granny; and the granny breaks the bed. The story is simple, yet inviting to toddlers and preschoolers, as they can see what might be coming as soon as the flea takes his place on the top of the heap.    

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children ages 18 months-3 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Sleeping, rain, repetition, prediction

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
There is no direct focus on letter knowledge in this book.

Narrative Skills:
The repetition of the lyrical lines of text invites children to take part in telling the story as the lines become familiar and the story predictable.  

Phonological Awareness:
Rhyming words offer children the opportunity to match like sounds throughout the story.

Print Awareness:
The text is printed in simple font and repeats each line as the story is counted down. This provides the experience of matching text lines from page to page, and the awareness that the printed words on the page say the same thing in the matching lines.

Print Motivation:
The sweet text of the story, soft colors, rhyming text, and repeating lines make this book an enjoyable book for young children, especially at bedtime.

Vocabulary:

Repeated words offer exposure to new words, such as "dosing", "slumbering" and "snoozing".

Author/ Illustrator Website:
Author, Audrey Wood's and Illustrator, Don Wood's website: http://www.audreywoodauthor.com/
  

3. Tumble Bumble by Felicia Bond

Bibliographic Citation:
Bond, Felicia. Tumble Bumble. New York, NY: HarperFestival, 1999. 34 p. ISBN 978-0694013449

Awards/Selection Lists:

None

Format Examined:

Board Book

Annotation:
A bug goes for a walk and runs into several animals. The group ends up in a house where they all climb into a bed and take a nap.  

Personal Reaction:

Rhyming text makes this book a fun and easy read to share with small children. When a bug decides to take a walk, an adventure begins as other animals join the bug, one by one. The group tumbles and bumbles, and zigs and zags down the road together until they end up in a yellow house that does not belong to any of them. The author's combination of amusing words, such as "tumble bumble" and "zigging and zagging" make this book come to life for small children and adult readers. There is a surprise at the end when a bear climbs in the window, and the crowd shouts, "Hooray!". A fun ending to a fun book for young children.

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 18 months to 3 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Rhyming, animals, friendliness

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book. 

Narrative Skills: 
This book encourages dialogic (or conversational) reading between the adult reader and the child as the story progresses.

Phonological Awareness: 
Rhyming text, along with alliteration,work together to bring attention to the sounds of the words in this book.

Print Awareness:
The text lines are simple and printed on each side of the page, but not in a consistent position. The text color is black and not very large to draw a child's attention.

Print Motivation: 
The upbeat tone, rhyming text, and soft illustrations makes this book one that children want to pick up and look at/read on their own.

Vocabulary:
Rhyming words in the text of this book bring unfamiliar words together in such a way that what might be unfamiliar words to children make sense within the context of the story. Words such as "introduce", "glee", and "strolled" are examples of words from the story that may not be familiar to the young child, but through the context of the story become vocabulary that the child will remember.

Author/ Illustrator Website: http://www.mousecookiebooks.com/mouseCookieBooks.html