63. Squish Rabbit by Katherine Battersby

Bibliographic Citation:
Battersby, Katherine. Squish Rabbit. New York, NY: Viking, 2011. 40 p. ISBN 978-0670012671.

Awards/Selection Lists:
None

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
Squish is a little rabbit who goes through life unnoticed and lonely, until he makes friends with a squirrel.

 

Personal Reaction:
Squish the Rabbit got his name from being small and not easily seen. This creates problems with making friends, as Squish is also quiet as well. When he begins to play by himself, a squirrel comes along and Squish decides it's time to speak up. The two become friends and Squish doesn't feel so small or lonely anymore.

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

Themes/Issues:
Shyness, loneliness, self-image, speaking up, friendship

Early Literacy Skill Value:

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


Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills can be modeled through reading aloud with the child, and through conversation through dialogic reading.


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


Print Awareness:
The text of the story appears in areas that are free from illustrations, drawing the eye to the printed words on the page. The word "STOP" appears in large, red letters, and is often a recognizable printed word from a child's environment.


Print Motivation: 
The illustrations in this book are inviting to young children, and the characters are likable. Young children will enjoy following Squish the Rabbit as he seeks for a friend.


Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book deals with feelings of loneliness and friendship, modeling words dealing with these emotions for young children.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://katherinebattersby.com/

62. Color Farm by Lois Ehlert

Bibliographic Citation:
Ehlert, Lois. Color Farm. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1990. 40 p. ISBN 978-0397324408.

Awards/Selection Lists:
None

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
Cut-out shapes reveal colorful farm animals which are identified in text on each page.

Personal Reaction:
Animals are created through the use of cut-out shaped pages of different colors. Animals are created through the combination of each layer of pages under the cut-out page, and accompanied by matching text. This book offers learning for young children through a simple method of combined colors and shapes created from the cut-out pages.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 3-6 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Shapes, colors, farm animals

Early Literacy Skill Value:

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

Narrative Skills: 
Children are invited to participate in the narration of the story through shape, animal, and color identification. 

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

Print Awareness:
Each animal and shape is identified through large, black, capital letters which spell out the corresponding name of each.

Print Motivation: 
Children will enjoy naming the animals, objects and colors on the page, and seeing how the pictures change as the pages are turned.

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in the book focuses on shape, animal, and color identification.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
No official website

61. Moon Child by Nadia Krilanovich

Bibliographic Citation:
Krilanovich, Nadia. Moon Child. Illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles. New York, NY: Tricycle Press, 2010. 32 p. ISBN 978-1582463254.

Awards/Selection Lists:

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
Three animal babies of the night play with the moon before drifting off to sleep with their families.

Personal Reaction:
The soft illustrations and simple text tell the story from the perspective of three nocturnal animal babies who "play" with the moon as is hangs in the sky above them. The illustrations are from a perspective that a child might have of the moon "following" them. The gentle text makes this a nice bedtime story for young children.

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

Themes/Issues:
Bedtime, nocturnal animals, night sky, perspective, families

Early Literacy Skill Value:

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


Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills are modeled through simple text that provides the opportunity for dialogic reading experiences. 

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

Print Awareness:
The text of the story is printed in white font over a dark background on each page, drawing attention to the connection between the text and the illustrations.

Print Motivation: 
This book provides the familiar experience of seeing the moon as something that is "touchable" for young children. The familiarity of the subject matter combines with the soft illustrations and gentle text to create a book that children will enjoy choosing as a bedtime story.

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary of this book deals with the night sky and the perspective of the moon by the different animals.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
No official author website
Illustrator website: http://elizabethsayles.blogspot.com/

60. I Am Small by Emma Dodd

Bibliographic Citation:
Dodd, Emma. I Am Small. New York, NY: Cartwheel Books, 2011. 24 p. ISBN 978-0545353700.

Awards/Selection Lists:
None

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
A baby penguin feels small among the great, big world around him. His size doesn't matter anymore after he is snuggled up with his mom.

Personal Reaction:
This sweet, rhyming story is told from the perspective of a baby penguin who realizes what a small part of the world he is. The baby penguin tries to keep up with other bigger penguins who are sliding and swimming, and then he notices how vast the sky is, and how truly little he is. The baby penguin finds his mother at last, and is okay being small in comparison to the world, as long as he knows that he is the biggest thing to his mother.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 18 months-3 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Self-image, size, the world around us, love, feeling important, positional words

Early Literacy Skill Value:

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


Narrative Skills: 
Children are encourage to participate in the narration of this story through the repetition of the title phrase, "I am small". The illustrations also provide the opportunity for dialogic reading discussion between the reader and children listeners of the story.

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


Print Awareness:
Print awareness is fostered through descriptive words that are printed in large text on each page. 


Print Motivation: 
Young children will identify with the baby penguin in the story. The use of a cute penguin and silver, metallic accents draw the attention of young children, who will enjoy reading this book with an adult, or looking at the pictures by themselves. 

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book represent descriptive words which portray the concepts of size, position, and emotions.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://emmadoddbooks.blogspot.com/

59. The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson

Bibliographic Citation:
Swanson, Susan Marie. The House in the Night. Illustrated by Beth Krommes. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008. 40 p. ISBN 978-0618862443.

Awards/Selection Lists:
Caldecott Medal, 2009
Booklist Starred Review
School Library Journal Starred Review
Kirkus Reviews Starred Review
Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
Simple text combines with black, white, and gold illustrations that tell the story of a cozy house from sundown to bedtime.

Personal Reaction:
The use of black and white scratchboard art is combined with golden accents to portray a house as night comes. The text is simple and builds upon itself in a circular fashion. From a golden key, the reader enters the house with a child and her parents, and begins the nightly ritual of preparing for bed. The beauty of the night sky outside the house is shown through the illustrations, as well. The moon and the stars provide light inside the house as the child sleeps, and different aspects of life are highlighted in gold to symbolize the different things within the house that provide "light" to life.

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

Themes/Issues:
Nighttime, light, home, bedtime, sleeping

Early Literacy Skill Value:

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


Narrative Skills: 
Children are invited to participate in the narration of this story through simple text that builds upon itself in a circular pattern.


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


Print Awareness:
The text is represented in simple, black font which appears in the white spaces on each page. This simple method draws the eye to the printed text.
   

Print Motivation: 
The beauty of this book invites children to look for details on each page, and encourages children to revisit the book. This is a book that children will enjoy reading together with parents as part of their own bedtime routine.

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book represents bedtime rituals and the beauty of nighttime.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
Author website: http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/aifolder/aipages/ai_s/swanson.html
Illustrator website: http://www.bethkrommes.com/

58. Hide and Snake by Keith Baker

Bibliographic Citation:
Baker, Keith. Hide and Snake. New York, NY: Harcourt, Inc., 1991. 40 p. ISBN 978-0152339869.

Awards/Selection Lists:
None

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
A colorful snake hides among many different brightly colored objects, inviting the reader to find him. 

Personal Reaction:
Keith Baker's vivid illustrations are paired with simple text to encourage children to seek out the snake on each page. Children become part of the story through hunting for the snake, and are encouraged to help narrate the story through its simple plot.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 3-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Hiding, camouflage, snakes, garden

Early Literacy Skill Value:

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


Narrative Skills: 
Children are encouraged to help narrate the story through finding the snake and guessing where he might be next.


Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is highlighted through the rhyming text of the story.


Print Awareness:
The text of the story is printed in a large, simple font, dancing along the edge of the illustrations of each page. This fun way of incorporating the text draws attention to the words as they correspond with the pictures.

Print Motivation: 
This simple story, with bright illustrations, and rhyming text is fun to read and to listen to. It also provides a game of hide and seek that will engage children.


Vocabulary:
The vocabulary is centered around the things that snake hides among, and includes familiar words for young children. 



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.keithbakerbooks.com/

57. Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert

Bibliographic Citation:
Ehlert, Lois. Feathers for Lunch. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace, 1990. 40p. ISBN 0-15-230550-5.

Awards/Selection Lists:
The Horn Book Fanfare Best Book, 1991

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
A cat sneaks out and attempts to catch different types of birds for lunch, until he is caught by his owner.

Personal Reaction:
Text is interwoven into the illustrations on each page in order to identify flowers and birds through the story of a cat that sneaks out and is hunting for a bird for lunch. The cat misses each time, only getting a mouth full of feathers. The story ends with the cat being caught by his owner.

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

Themes/Issues:
Cat, bird identification, types of flowers

Early Literacy Skill Value:

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

Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills are modeled through the text of this book about a cat hunting different types of birds. Children are invited to participate in the naming of types of birds as well as flowers identified in the story.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is represented through the sound of the cat's bell ringing and bird calls throughout the book. Rhyming text also fosters phonological awareness. 

Print Awareness:
Birds and flowers are identified through small text printed in various colors along the edge of the corresponding illustration.

Print Motivation: 
This book identifies birds and flowers in a fun way that combines collage and text. Children will enjoy revisiting this book and exploring types of birds and flowers. 

Vocabulary:
Vocabulary connected to bird and flower names is embedded on each page through small text printed around corresponding illustrations. A brief glossary of bird names is included at the end of the book.

Author/ Illustrator Website:
No official website