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There are few activities more comforting than parents and children snuggling up together after a long day to read a book together. Not only is the bond between the two strengthened at this time, but so many skills are learned: listening, learning about language and new words, and seeing beautiful new images and colors. Because this is inherently an activity that parents do with young children, the books this month tend to be skewed toward the little ones. But keep on reading to your kids as long as they will let you. Even older children enjoy being read to as this can continue to be a special time of the day for connection and exchange of ideas. For ages 2-6 Night-Night, Little One Written by Angela McAllister; illustrated by Maggie Kneen (Doubleday, 32 pages, hardcover, $15.95) A mother rabbit tucks her young son, Duffy, into bed, saying, "Night-night, Little One." But Duffy just can't fall asleep, no matter how hard he tries or how many times he rearranges his stuffed animals. He complains that nothing happens at night. His mother then tells him about all the animals that come out in the forest at night, from the fox taking a walk to a young badger who loves to play all the things that Duffy does. The sweet text, with its lilting language, is just right for getting little human children relaxed and sleepy. The paintings, done in watercolor and gouache, illustrate charming little animals and their world. Peep! Written and Illustrated by Kevin Luthardt (Peachtree Publishing, 34 pages, hardcover, $15.95) This wondrous book is spare on words but big on illustrations and emotions. A little boy finds an egg, out of which hatches a curious duckling. Little more than the word "peep" is uttered in the text, but so much is told. The little duck grows up as the constant companion of the boy, who takes it to school and watches TV with it. Eventually, the duckling grows up, expands its vocabulary to "quack" and the family realizes it is time to release it back to the wild. Kevin Luthardt's illustrations are quite ingenious in their use of facial expressions to tell the tale of love and letting go. Love Song for a Baby Written by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Dan Andreasen (Simon & Schuster, 28 pages, hardcover, $15.95) The all-encompassing love of a parent for a child is the theme of this lovely book. A mother describes for her young son how much he was loved and wanted as a baby, listing all the reasons: "Your laughter was the sun. Your smile, the moon. Even your burps were bells, since we loved you." The lilting text is soothing, and the paintings of an adorable baby will melt the heart. In the Forest Written and illustrated by Maurice Pledger (Silver Dolphin Books, hardcover, $12.95) Young children are invited to explore the forest with this touch-and-feel book that follows a yellow snail, a scaly snake, a downy bird and a velvety mouse. Not only do children learn from the rhyming text and the sensations of the different materials, but they also are asked to count the number of objects on a page and to sort them by color. This book will hold the interest of youngsters for a long time to come. A Bunny for All Seasons Written by Janet Schulman, illustrated by Meilo So (Alfred A. Knopf, 32 pages, hardcover, $9.95) A little brown bunny hops its way through all four seasons of a garden in this lovely little book written by Janet Schulman, a 40-year veteran of children's publishing. The bunny eats its way through the tender carrot tops of spring, the beans of summer, and the cabbages of fall - and in the process makes a new friend. This is an ideal book for teaching children about the changes in the seasons. The watercolor paintings by Meilo So are delicate and subtly colored. The Boy Who Thought He Was a Teddy Bear Written by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Susan Varley (Peachtree Publishing, 26 pages, hardcover, $15.95) Once there was a little boy named Edward who thought he was a teddy bear. Due to some mischievous fairies, he goes to live with a family of three teddy bears. He learns well the ways of teddies - how to sit on a shelf, how to have special picnics in the woods, and of course, how to cuddle. However, he learns that being a boy is pretty special, too, in this charming modern-day fairy tale. The pen and watercolor illustrations by Susan Varley, one of England's foremost children's artists, are wonderful. Any boy or girl with an affection for teddy bears will find a place in their heart for this book. Last Night I Dreamed a Circus Written by Maya Gottfried, illustrated by Robert Rahway Zakanitch (Alfred A. Knopf, 32 pages, hardcover, $15.95) The illustrations of Robert Rohway Zakanitch are the stars of this charming, poetic book. The bright paintings are all on black backgrounds that conjure up night images, and the text follows a dreamer through spinning circles, juggling, jumping through hoops and flying through the air. This is a book to stir the imagination with its engaging images and text. For ages 5-8 Silly and Sillier: Read-Aloud Tales From Around the World Told by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev (Alfred A. Knopf, 96 pages, hardcover, $19.95) Storyteller Judy Sierra notes that for as long as people have kept written records, parents and grandparents have told their youngsters stories about talking animals, magic and monsters. This compilation of folk tales from around the world shows the universality of the stories: The smallest creature triumphs, good is rewarded, and justice prevails. The stories are short and fanciful. In the title tale, "Silly and Sillier," from England, we learn about Jack, who is born to a family of noodleheads, numbskulls and ninnyhammers. In "Clever Mandy," from the Bahamas, we learn about a young girl seeking her fortune. A tale from Ghana tells how monkeys came to live in the trees. The illustrations are colorful and whimsical, the perfect accompaniments to the tales. |
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