Animals Always a Hit In Children’s Books …

Winter Is Coming

By Tony Johnston
Illustrated by Jim LaMarche
Simon & Schuster. $17.99

As the days turn colder and the leaves drop from the trees, a little girl takes her sketchbook and heads out to her favorite place on a platform up in a tree.

From this special vantage point she can watch as the animals in the woods prepare for the change in seasons.

From watching a red fox pull apples off a tree to a mother bear and her cub that shuffle through the leaves piled up on the forest floor, the child sees all sorts of wildlife. Birds, a family of skunks, rabbits, a lynx seeking his next meal, and a small herd of deer are all part of the menagerie of animals the child sees and adds to her notebook.

Jim LaMarche’s stunning paintings make this silent world come alive and are a wonderful accompaniment to the text that sings the praises of nature. Share this book with your child and then head out to a local park or hiking area to see what you can observe.

The key is to keep very quiet and wait in a comfortable place where the critters can come to you. Take a notebook to record and sketch what you observe and go back a couple of times to record your observations.

 

A Library Book for Bear

By Bonny Becker
Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
Candlewick. $16.99

Bear is a bit of a curmudgeon and would rather stay at home than accompany his friend, Mouse, to the library. The excuse Bear gives is he already has all the books he needs, but he begrudgingly agrees to accompany his friend anyhow.

Once they arrive at the library Bear loudly informs Mouse that he is only interested in books about pickles. “SHHHHHHHHHH!” says Mouse. You are supposed to be quiet while in the library.

Things are not going very well until Bear hears the librarian reading to a group of children. She is reading a story that features a bear and, as unlikely as it might seem, a pile of sliced pickles. How strange! But Bear is totally entranced and loves the tale so the outing is a smashing success.

This amusing story is another in the popular Bear and Mouse series and illustrates the fact that sometimes we will have a good time doing something we may not have really wished to participate in.

 

Bruno and Titch: A Tale of a Boy and His Guinea Pig

By Sheena Dempsey
Candlewick. $16.99

Titch is a slightly neurotic guinea pig that longs for a home. He’s been living too long in a pet store and he’s very lonely. When Bruno comes into the shop one day, Titch’s fortunes are looking up. The little boy selects the guinea pig for his very own pet and Titch finally has his very own Big Person.

You recall the old adage, “Be careful what you wish for”? Well that certainly works here. Although he thinks he is being a good pet person, Bruno invents wild games and treats his new friend Titch like another person and not a little animal.

Life gets pretty hectic for Titch and he longs for the quiet life. Will this new friendship work out or end in disaster? I’ll let you read the book to find out.

Sometimes children forget that pets need special care and treatment. This humorous picture book reminds the reader of this fact. There are some important lessons here about pet care that are well worth discussing with a child after you have read the book a few times.

Bear Hug

By Katharine McEwen
Templar/Candlewick. $15.99

This lovely picture book opens with a single bear learning to forage for himself. As autumn arrives, the bear meets a female bear and the two begin to prepare for the oncoming winter months. As the temperature drops and snow begins to fall, the two bears head for a safe cave where they snuggle together and hibernate for the winter.

Spring not only brings the two bears out of their cave but it also welcomes their cub. Now they are a family and the two bears must teach their offspring how to manage in his new world.

The illustrations are excellent and this story follows the bears through the change of seasons. Since it is for small children (three and older), the author doesn’t really detail how two bears enter the cave and three emerge. She leaves that question, if it comes up, for mom or dad to answer!

Make Your Own Farm

By Clare Beaton
B Small Publishing. $7.99

Activity books are great to provide an option other than watching TV when the weather turns bad and a child can’t play outdoors. This handy book centers on living on a farm. You’ll find a rural diorama to construct with press-out parts plus 25 figures to color and then cut out.

Besides setting up the farm scene, the child will discover a template for making animal cards, interesting information about farming and even a glossary of farming words.

Not as sophisticated as some toys today, the simplicity of this book is its strength. It forces the child to use his/her imagination to create scenes and situations using the cutouts. Yes, this may be a slow paced activity but in many respects it beats holding a device where basically all you need do is react and use your thumbs!

Mogie: The Heart of the House

By Kathi Appelt
Illustrated by Marc Rosenthal
Atheneum. $17.99

Based on a true story of a dog who lives in the Ronald McDonald House in Houston, Texas, this picture book shows how Mogie, a rambunctious pup, makes the children staying there feel better.

The dog’s funny antics are captured in the text and illustrations so you’ll see how Mogie can make even the saddest youngster break out into a big smile.

Since the story is a little vague about what the “Big House in the city” is all about, parents may have to explain to younger children what its purpose is and why sick youngsters and their families stay there.

The author also points out that there are special jobs for special dogs like Mogie and they can be assigned roles as service dogs assisting people in various ways.