Books about Growth and Change for ages 3-5

Books about Growth and Change

Fiction

 

1.       I Can See Just Fine by Eric Barclay: Paige doesn’t want to get the glasses that she needs, but changes her mind once she has them.

2.       Your Daddy Was Just Like You by Kelly Bennett: Daddy was once a baby who had to grow up.

3.       Finding Spring by Carin Berger: It’s time to hibernate, but all that little bear wants is spring.

4.       I’m Not Moving! by Wiley Blevins: A little girl does not want to move to the city, but once she gets there she decides that it’s not so bad.

5.       Clifford Grows Up by Norman Bridwell: Clifford the dog was once a tiny puppy.

6.       Little Gorilla by Ruth Borstein: Everyone loves little gorilla, and when he becomes a big gorilla, they love him still.

7.       How Did You Grow So Big, So Soon? by Anne Bowen: A little boy and his mama talk about his first day of school tomorrow and all the growing he had to do to get there.

8.       A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle: As Hermit Crab grows, he must move from shell to shell, and he decorates them with new friends who live with him.

9.       Plant a Little Seed by Bonnie Christensen: Kids plant a garden that grows fruit , vegetables and flowers and then cook with them.

10.   My Brave Year of Firsts: Tries, Sighs and High Fives by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell: A little girl lists her firsts: bike ride, pet, day of first grade, etc.

11.   Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus: Rex Impresses his dinosaur neighbors when he grows from a tadpole to a frog.

12.   Where’s Jamela? by Niki Daly: Jamela and Mama are moving to a new house, but Jamela isn’t excited. On moving day, after packing, she disappears. Will she be found and could her new home be okay after all?

13.   Kangaroo Christine by Guido Van Genechten: Christine doesn’t want to leave her mom’s pouch, until kangaroo Ben invites her to play.

14.   Leaving the Nest by Mordicai Gerstein: Baby Jay is not to leave the nest, but when she falls out, it is witnessed by a little girl, a kitten and a baby squirrel.

15.   Say Hello To Zorro! By Carter Goodrich: Doggie Mister Bud is happy with his routine until new dog Zorro comes on the scene and Mister Bud has to adapt.

16.   One Little Lamb by Elaine Greenstein: A lamb’s wool is made into mittens that a child wears when she visits the lambs.

17.   When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes: If you wait, spring will bring about changes to winter and then change itself into summer

18.   Perfect Square by Michael Hall: Square is happy being square , but it also changes and is  fountain, a park and more.

19.   Tadpoles by Betsy James: Molly’s frog eggs become tadpoles and then frogs, and her baby brother Davey learns to walk.

20.   As an Oak Tree Grows by Brian Karas: An acorn grows into a 200 year old oak tree.

21.   Now I’m Big by Karen Katz: Compares what a baby does with what a big kid can do.

22.   The Growing Story by Ruth Krauss: A boy has chicks and a puppy and over time they grow. His mom assures him that he is growing too, but he is doubtful until he sees that he has outgrown last fall’s clothes.

23.   Once Upon a Memory by Nina Laden: Shows how things change with “before” and “after” drawings.

24.   Little Tree by Loren Long: Little Tree has little leaves, but when the seasons change, he is unwilling to drop them and can’t grow until he lets go.

25.   Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin: Speculation on what you will do as you grow up.

26.   When I Grow Up by Colin McNaughton: Kids share what they want to be when they grow up, except one who doesn’t want to grow up.

27.   Kittens! Kittens! Kittens! By Susan Meyers: Kittens do kitten things until they grow into cats and maybe have more kittens.

28.   How You Got So Smart by David Milgrim: A child is told all the things s/he did from babyhood on up that contributed to being a successful person.

29.   I Feel Five! by Bethanie Deeney Murguia: On Fritz’s 5^th birthday, he still feels 4, because he still can’t tie his shoes or snap his fingers, but when he reaches apples in a tree for a friend, he feels a little older.

30.   If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson: You can plant seeds that will grow, seeds of carrots, cabbages, tomatoes, selfishness and kindness.

31.   Water Can Be… by Laura Purdis Salas: Things water can be, like ice, fog and snow.

32.   First the Egg by Laura Vacarro Seeger: Things that change into other things.

33.   Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? by Susan Shea: Things that will grow and things that won’t.

34.   A Big Boy Now by Eileen Spinelli: Big boy bunny can do lots of things, but he has a little trouble learning how to ride his bike without training wheels.

35.   Pouch! By David Ezra Stein: Kangaroo Joey wants to leave his mom’s pouch and hop, but meeting new friends can be scary at first.

36.   Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick: Things your growing buffalo might experience when he goes to kindergarten.

37.   Look What I Can Do! By Nancy Viau: Young animals learn how to do new things.

38.   Puffling by Margaret Wild: a baby puffin waits until he is old enough to leave his burrow.

39.   Little Boo by Stephen Wungerli (holiday): Seed Little Boo must be patient until he can grow into a scary jack-o-lantern!

40.   Baby Bear’s Big Dreams by Jane Yolen: Baby Bear plans for when he is grown up in a year or more, because he knows just what big bears do.

 

 Non-fiction

1.       See How They Grow: Chick by Jane Burton

2.       See How They Grow: Kitten by Jane Burton

3.       From Seed to Sunflower by Dr. Gerald Legg

4.       See How They Grow: Pig by Bill Ling

5.       See How They Grow: Frog by Kim Taylor

6.       Flowers Bloom! By Mary Dodson Wade

7.       Seeds Go, Seeds Grow by Mark Weakland

 

Aviary Wonders Inc. By Kate Samworth

Aviary Wonders Inc: Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual By Kate Samworth

Although this book is made in a 32 page picture book format, it is perfectly suitable for a 4th-5th grade audience. On the surface, it is a catalog for us to buy parts that when assembled, make our perfect bird, and that is amazing and fun. Beyond that, it invites us to consider a world without natural birds, one where they must be taught to sing, their beaks must be strapped on and where a clumsy human hand can create a bird with so much decoration that it cannot lift its head. These lovely creatures are made from silk and leather with the finest craftsmanship, but something essential is missing. The message is subtly presented and the reader will be lost in the beautiful artwork.

Stubby the War Dog by Ann Bausum

Stubby the War Dog: the True Story of World War I's Bravest Dog by Ann Bausum, 2014.

Animal lovers will welcome this heartfelt non-fiction title about a loyal dog . Stubby was an amazing canine hero during World War I.  A mixed breed stray, he adopted soldier James Robert Conroy when enlisted men were training on Yale University's athletic grounds. He watched the men as they drilled and he learned how to march in formation and salute, and soon he became the mascot for Conroy's Unit. Smuggled aboard a ship to France, Stubby then participated in 17 battles, keeping close to his buddy Conroy.  He killed vermin in the trenches, warned the doughboys when a gas attack was coming, helped to find wounded on the battlefield, and more. One of his greatest acts was  capturing a German soldier and holding him by the pants until help arrived. The gallant dog survived severe wounding by schrapnel and poison gas and returned to duty each time. Through all of his service he remained Conroy's best friend.

After the war until the end of his days, the wonderful Stubby was honored and led an exciting life. His special uniform was decorated with many medals and he earned three bones a day and a place to sleep at the YMCA. He and his pal Conroy marched in parades, performed vaudeville and promoted the American Humane Society. Stubby & Conroy also met presidents Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge. The outstanding dog was always loved and cared for by his friend. Conroy made sure that Stubby would be remembered by donating his memorabila to the Smithsonian Museum.

Bausum's book is a fine read for history lovers, as she skillfully tells the dog's story and gives a view of  the Great War and the life of the American fighting men. The Foreword is written by Conroy's grandson, who shares his memories of his grandfather and his bond with Stubby. The book is full of photos of Stubby, Conroy and military life in the teens. A timeline and bibliography is included.

Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked

Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, 2013.

This fun read is like a mild version of your favorite cop show with all of the characters played by animals. Immediately after young Rick Zengo joins the Platypus Police Squad he and his older partner O'Malley are drawn into a case with a missing frog, Professor Hopper, and a possible illegal fish buy gone bad. Suspects range from Pandini, the son of a former crime kingpin who seems to be improving the city in every way, to rich high school sports hero Blake Cameron (who also happens to be dating O'Malley's daughter) to club bouncer and boxer Joey. TV stereotypes abound, but are given a tongue-in-cheek, child friendly twist. Expressive greyscale illustrations add charm to the story, but don't always match text descriptions. The second book in this series, The Ostrich Conspiracy is already available.

The Adventures of a South Pole Pig by Chris Kurtz

The Adventures of a South Pole Pig: a Novel Of Snow and Courage by Chris Kurtz, Illus. by Jennifer Black Reinhardt, 2013.

Flora the piglet is not like her brothers. They may be happy staying in their pen, eating and napping, but Flora wants more out of life. When she learns that the farm dogs are being trained as sled dogs and preparing for expeditions, she realizes that she's found her dream, When men suddenly come and take her to the ship the Explorer, Flora just knows that she's been chosen to be a sled pig, and will do her team proud. So what if she's been put in the rat infested cargo hold? This plucky pig knows how to make new friends and keep herself in shape. With her winning ways and positive attitude, Flora plans to fulfill her ambitions and readers will love and admire her for it.

Reinhardt's adorable black and white illustrations make the book even better. Her expressive pictures show the sled dogs' pleasure and pride, Flora's cat friends' affection and haughtiness and the porcine heroine's many moods, from befuddled to sad and tired to overjoyed.

Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled: How Do We Know What the Dinosaurs Really Looked Like?

Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled: How Do We Know What the Dinosaurs Really Looked Like? by Catherine Thimmesh, 2013.

After reading this outstanding book by Sibert medalist Thimmesh, I learned that  nearly everything that I was taught in elementary school about dinosaurs was incomplete or just wrong. In pre 1975 class, I was told that dinos were cold blooded, related to reptiles, slow moving and stood upright with dragging tails. I learned about a creature called a Brontosaurus. And I was terrified of the Pterodactyl and had nightmares where one giant eye looked into my window before it carried away my house.

With the exception of my fear of winged dinosaurs, views on all of the above dinosaur "facts" have changed greatly and this book is full of them. Did you know that more than 700 species of dinosaurs have been identified? Or that the Brontosaurus' correct name is now the Apatasaurus? Or that dinos have both bird and reptile relatives and like them, they have no facial muscles? Thimmesh explains how scientists and amateur fossil hunters have made discoveries of bones, fossils and mummified animals that help them make very strong educated guesses about how the creatures moved, what they ate, what their skin was like (T-Rex may have been feathered!) and even what colors they may have been.

The book is dramatically illustrated by current paleoartists Sylvia & Stephen Czerkas, Mark Hallett, Tyler Keillor, Greg Paul and John Sibbick. Fascinating contrast with their work is provided by the inclusion of 19th century dinosaur art by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins and Charles R. Knight. These pictures underscore the evolution of our knowledge of dinosaurs and their lives. The endpapers show a timeline of the Mesozoic era and a breakdown of the three major dinosaur groups: Theropods, Sauropodomorphs and Ornithischians. Additional reading suggestions and a glossary are included.

Anyone with curiosity and an imagination for dinosaurs will love this book.

Pug and Other Animal Poems by Valerie Worth

Pug and Other Animal Poems by Valerie Worth, Illus. by Steve Jenkins, 2013.

Valerie Worth's second children's book of animal poetry offers eighteen poems celebrating creatures from a fly to fish to a rat. They are beautifully matched by Steve Jenkins' collage illustrations (see also: Never Smile at a Monkey). The collection kicks off with:

"Fox"

 

Nearly a

Myth, his

Shady mask,

His flickering

Feet, his

Fiery tail;

Streaking the

Dark like

A fabulous

Comet-

Famous, but

Seldom seen.

 

Other animals are wonderfully described, from the cries of birds, to the solidity of a bull to the majesty of a Bengal tiger. This book is a great share with poetry and animal lovers.

 

Small Pets Storytime

Small Pets Storytime Book Possibilities:

• Swim! Swim! by Lerch (James Proimos)
• Princess Penelope's Parrot by Helen Lester, Illus.by Lynn Munsinger
• Happy Birthday Hamster by Cynthia Lord, Illus. by Derek Anderson
• John Willy and Freddy McGee by Holly Meade
• Chicken, Pig, Cow and the Class Pet by Ruth Ohi
• A Fish Out of Water by Helen Palmer, Illus. by P.D. Eastman
• Cinnamon's Day Out: a Gerbil Adventure by Susan L. Roth
• Guinea Pig Party by Holly Surplice

Songs and Rhymes:

Gertie the Goldfish

 

Gertie the Goldfish goes
smack, smack, smack
She looks at me and goes like
smack, smack, smack,
She doesn't laugh, doesn't sing
doesn't do anything
Just blows big kisses like this
Smack, smack, smack, smack

Head, Whiskers, Knees and Tail

Head, whiskers, knees and tail, knees and tail,
Head, whiskers, knees and tail, knees and tail,
And eyes and ears and mouth and nails,
Head, whiskers, knees and tail,
knees and tail!

I'm a Little Guinea Pig
(Tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a little guinea pig, furry & sweet,
Here is my nose & here are my feet,
When I'm feeling hungry, greens are neat!
Wiggle your whiskers to the beat.

All the Fish

All the fish are swimming in the water,
swimming in the water,
swimming in the water,
All the fish are swimming in the water,
Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble,
Pop!

Hamster in the Cage (tune of Wheels on the Bus)

 

The hamster on her wheel goes round and round

Round and round

Round and round

The hamster on her wheel goes round and round

All night long.

The hamster in the cage goes munch, munch, munch

Munch, munch, munch,

Munch, munch, munch

The hamster in the cage goes munch, munch, munch

All night long.

The hamster in the cage goes snore, snore, snore

Snore, snore, snore

Snore, snore, snore

The hamster in the cage goes snore, snore, snore

All day long.

The Badger and the Magic Fan

In honor of April Fool's Day, let's trick a trickster!

The Badger and the Magic Fan adapted by Tony Johnston, Illus. by Tomie dePaola, 1990.

This amusing story comes from Tony Johnson, writer of more than 100 children's books. One day, three long-nosed tengu (goblin) children are playing with a magic fan, making their noses grow and shrink, when they are observed by a crafty badger. He really wants that magic for himself, so he turns into a little girl and bribes the tengu kids with some bean-jam buns. There are four buns and three tengu children, so the badger tricks them into shutting their eyes and holding their breath, and the one who can do this the longest will win the extra treat. Then he makes off with the special fan!
Badger finds a rich and beautiful girl and fans her, making her nose grow unacceptably long. Then the naughty creature sits back and waits as her father tries to find a solution, consulting Japan's best doctors, thinkers and a witch before he gives up and declares that he will give his daughter and half of his riches to the one who can restore her button nose. Perhaps the badger can do it, and enjoy a life of luxury and a lovely new wife. However, three tengu children are after him with mischief on their minds...
This light and funny story is great to read to a group. We recently had an origami program and I shared it with a bunch of 9 to 12 year olds. They listened and I noticed that they all looked up from what they were doing to see the pictures. We all enjoyed it!

Well known and greatly loved illustrator Tomie dePaola did the pictures for The Badger and the Magic Fan, and they fit the story particularly well. His Tengu children are cute as buttons, with their matching brush-like hair, plaid kimonos, and expressions of mischief. The contrast between the undisturbed beautiful maiden with her serene countenance and her shocked look as her noses grows is comical. Readers will also giggle over dePaloa's serious faced doctors and formerly intimidating witch being pelted with cabbages and pepper by the maiden's irate father.

For those that may wonder, Tony is a she:

http://www.childrensliteraturecouncil.org

 

 

 



 

and Tomie is a he:

 

 

Here are some of their other collaborations:

• Alice Nizzy Nazzy, the Witch of Santa Fe
• Four Scary Stories
• The Quilt Story
• The Tale of Rabbit and Coyote
• The Vanishing Pumpkin

Japanese Magic Kettles

I can't find a cover picture for Gonbei's Magic Kettle, but I did find this lovely image from Flicker Here

Gonbei's Magic Kettle told by Michiko Nakumura, Illus. by San Murata, 1980.

This is basically the same story I mentioned in the post about Japanese Children's Favorite Stories. It is a bilingual edition in both English and Japanese. In this variation, Gonbei, a farmer, finds a group of bratty kids tormenting a raccoon that they have caught and tied up. He bribes the children to leave the poor beast alone by giving them his sack of rice balls. Afterward, the grateful raccoon promises to make Gonbei a rich man. The creature turns into a kettle, and after some adventures, returns with the well-off Gonbei and the two friends retire together to enjoy their older years.

I am writing about a small paperback book with only grey scale illustrations inside. The cover picture includes modest color. I don't know if it was ever published in another form. The pictures are cute, but readers today are used to full color, and so these would pale in comparison.Still, it is a nice little book, and the final drawing of the raccoon and the old farmer walking away together and holding hands is sweet.

The Furry-Legged Teapot retold by Tim Meyers, Illus. by Robert McGuire, 2007.

In Meyers' Author's Note, he tells the reader that this story, known as "Bunbuku Chagama" is famous in Japan and probably came from medieval times. The Morinji Temple in Tatebayashi (north of Tokyo)is said to have the original teapot. Meyers has a different opinion. :)

The kettle-animal in this tale is a tanuki or raccoon-dog. I am unacquainted with those, so I googled away:

Isn't it cute?

Yoshi the tanuki drives this story; he lives with his family and can't wait to transform himself into another creature or object, as his people do. He is impatient, but sure enough, as he grows older, he's able to change into a butterfly, a rock, a snail, etc and then, to trick the farmer's wife, a kettle! But, whoops, he can't change back, at least not completely. He is kept in a monastery for strangers to look at and he is unable to ask them for help or kindness. Is Yoshi doomed to be a teapot forever? Or will the visiting emperor and his grandson be able to see the truth?

 Robert McGuire lived in Japan for four years, working as a teacher and designer, in addition to illustrating. His acrylic paintings of the tanuki and his family show anthropomorphic beasts standing upright and wearing clothing. The people Yoshi interacts with are realistically drawn and wear shocked expressions when they see a kettle with animal legs. Unlike the other animal-kettles we've read about, Yoshi can't pop his head out, making the hybrid teapot even stranger to see.

The Silver Charm by Robert San Souci

The Silver Charm: A Folktale from Japan by Robert D. San Souci, Illus. by Yoriko Ito, 2002.

This folktale comes from north Japan's indigenous Ainu people who live on  Hokkaido island . A fisherman and his wife have a little son called Satsu, who they warn to stay away from the wood's edge and protect with a silver ship charm. Satsu has young animals for pets, a puppy and a fox cub. One day they are playing and of course Satsu, busily eating berries, wanders too near the woods. A huge hairy ogre appears, grabs him and forces him to give up his precious charm. Immediately after, Satsu becomes too sick to walk home. His pets must take action to save him. He must have his charm back or die. So, the puppy and the fox, with the help of a mouse and some magical transformations, outsmart the Ogre and rescue their master.

 Ito's watercolor illustrations are tender and attractive. The characters show their love for each other with simple but heartfelt poses, such as the fox and puppy curled up asleep together, the parents carrying their sick son home and the young animals playing chase with their their master while the adults look on, smiling. The art also has a dreamy quality: Satsu's charm glows with a halo like a dandelion puff, the transformed animals kneel at the ogre's hut as three ravens look down on them, the puppy-girl dances the Crane Dance in a whirl of white smoke. The scene stealer is the ogre. He is shaggy and horned, with claw like nails and dangling beaded bracelets.

Tales of Lucky, Happy Cats

 

 

You are probably familiar with the charming Asian Lucky Cats, waving at you at from festival booths, storefronts and restaurants. I love to see these cheerful little statues and have a tiny pink cat and kitten set on my desk at work. Today's three stories give us varied explanations of the origin of these small bringers of happiness and good fortune.

 



 

I Am Tama, Lucky Cat: a Japanese Legend by Wendy Henrichs, Illus. by Yoshiko Jaeggi

Wendy Henrichs' author's note in I Am Tama, Lucky Cat, explains that the Maneki Neko or Beckoning Cat legend probably began more than 350 years ago during Japan's early Edo period. Her  version of the story refers to the Goutoku-ji Temple near Tokyo where hundreds of cats are buried, and a gravestone and shrine honor Tama, the original beckoning cat. The figurines traditionally are white, black and orange, after Tama, but now come in many color combinations.

Henrich's Lucky Cat, Tama, is a Japanese bobtail kitty who tells us its own story. At first a stray, the cat is taken in by a poor monk. They stay together in an aging temple, and although the monk has little, his first thoughts are to provide more comfort for the temple's worshippers and his little cat. One day, during a thunderstorm, a samurai warlord seeks shelter under a cherry tree, and he is surprised to be beckoned away by the monk's feline companion. By doing so, Tama saves the samurai from disaster and improves the lives of the monk, the worshippers, the warlord, his family and herself!

Yoshiko Jaeggi's watercolor illustrations are done in the most realistic style of the three titles. Her primarily neutral palette is punctuated by brighter splashes of color, such as Tama's red collar, the pink blossoms of the cherry tree and the kimonos of the temple visitors. Readers will enjoy peaceful scenes such as snow falling on the temple and the mountains, the monk and Tama watching carp swim in a pond confettied with plum petals and the inside of the Buddhist temple with a slightly leaky roof. I especially like the sweetly blushing Tama raising her paw to greet temple worshippers. These serene subjects provide contrast to the drama of the storm, in which Jaeggi has painted the menacing Raijin, god of thunder and the lightning demon, Raiju doing their worst.

 

The Beckoning Cat : Based on a Japanese Folktale by Koko Nishizuka, Illus. by Rosanne Litzinger

 

 The Beckoning Cat tells the story of a boy named Yohei who works hard to take care of his ailing father. To do so he must sell fish door-to-door, and use the money to buy medicine. He is limited in his business, because he can only carry two barrels of fish at a time.

 

One night a white cat shows up at Yohei's door, shivering in the rain. He lets her in, warms her up, and gives her food from his own plate. When his father becomes too ill to be left at home alone, Yohei has fish that may spoil and no means of selling them... until his white cat, with a wave of her paw, begins inviting customers to their home .Yohei's family prospers. Naturally, people begin to make porcelain cats like Yohei's for good luck, putting them in their shop windows to welcome their own customers.

 

Litzinger's accompanying art is done in watercolor, colored pencil, ink and gouache, and is softly washed with color. Much in this folktale world is pleasingly rounded, from the kitty's ears and paws, to the catches of the day, to the blue flowers that bob into some of the pictures. Readers will enjoy the final picture of the Lucky Cat, seemingly waving goodbye.

 

 

 

The Tale of the Lucky Cat Retold & Illus by Sunny Seki

 

 

The saddest of the retellings is The Tale of the Lucky Cat . In this version, the struggling toymaker Tokuzo sees a cat get trampled by a speeding horse. He takes the kitty home to nurse it and names it Tama.  Unfortunately, sweet Tama dies while Tokuzo is out peddling his toys. But when Tokuzo finds himself in danger, Tama reappears and saves his life. To honor Tama and share his good luck with other people, Tokuzo decides to create a statue of his cat. He teams up with the sickly Old Master Craftsman and his talented daughter and soon everyone's lives are bettered. The statues became popular all over Japan, and, Seki explains, eventually people believed that the raised right paw on the Maneki Neko statue brings fortune, and the raised left paw brings happiness and good luck.

 

The copy that I read is in both English and Chinese, and includes a small glossary of the Japanese words used in the story. The book is also available in bilingual editions with English paired with either Arabic, Japanese, Hmong, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog or Vietnamese.

 

Seki's book has stylized and expressive illustrations and he has worked in some comedy, such as when Tokuzo begins to make cat statues, but his failed efforts look more like pigs, rabbits and teddy bears instead. He uses color to enhance the moods of the story. When Tokuzo takes Tama home and splints her (his?) leg, the two smile together, and green and orange mixture of morning light pours over them, but when the cat dies, the scene is done in black, blue and a bruised looking green. Even the candle flame is grey, and the room is shadowy.

 

I liked all three versions of the Lucky Cat figures origins.Seek them out at your local library!

 

 



 

Perfect Pets Storytime

Books:

• No Dogs Allowed! by Linda Ashman, Illus. by Kristin Sorra
• Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby
• Please Take Me For a Walk by Susan Gal
• One Moon, Two Cats by Laura Godwin, Illus. by Yoko Tanaka
• I Need a Snake by Lynne Jonell and Petra Mathers
• Dog Parade by Barbara Joose Illus. by Eugene Yelchin
• Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! by Leslea Newman, Illus. by Erika Olier
• The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle, Illus. by Hanako Wakiyama
• The Complete Adventures of Big Dog and Little Dog by Dav Pilkey
• Swim! Swim! by Lerch (James Proimos)
• There Are Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz

Action Songs:

Head, Whiskers Knees and Tail

Head, whiskers, knees and tail, knees and tail.
Head, whiskers, knees and tail, knees and tail.
And eyes, and ears, and mouth and nose.
Head, whiskers, knees and tail, knees and tail.

From: Jacksonville Public Library, Library Storytime

If You’re a Pet and You Know It

If you’re a doggie and you know it,

Say, “Woof, woof”.

If you’re a doggie and you know it,

Say, “Woof, woof”.

If you’re a doggie and you know it,

And you really want to show it,

If you’re a doggie and you know it,

Say, “Woof, woof”.

Repeat with kitty/meow, fishy/blub, hamster/run in place, bird/tweet.

--Miss Mollie

From: What Happens In Storytime

Moments with Baxter by Melissa Joseph

A co-worker brought my attention to Moments With Baxter: Comfort and Love from the World's Best Therapy Dog by Melissa Joseph, photographs by Dennis Bussey. Amy knows how animal crazy I am, so as soon as this was checked into our library, she pointed it out. As you can see above, the dog on this book's cover is incredibly cute, which hooked me immediately. But, this book has much more to offer than a sweet cover.  If you are an animal lover and are interested in some inspirational non fiction, you should literally check out the story of Baxter.

Now deceased at the age of 19, Baxter, a Golden Retriever and Chow mix, brought much love and comfort to people during his lifetime. He was a rescue dog turned gifted therapy dog, regularly visiting the folks in San Diego Hospice and actually getting in bed with them for a cuddle.Heavily illustrated with color photos, the book covers 36 brief stories of Baxter's relationships with his hospice friends. He loved them all, young, old, disfigured, frail, it didn't make a difference to him. I found this book incredibly touching and it inspires me to spread kindness in the world. I would love it if my daschunds could be therapy dogs, but we have a ways to go. Joseph describes the things that Baxter had to do to pass his certification test. Our doggies would flunk  early on, beginning with ignoring other dogs. There's some obedience training in this pet parent's future. :)

All proceeds from this title go to charity. Enjoy meeting this "Angel of the Hospice."

Super Cute Animal Rescue Program!

Tri is ready to meet fans!

Blossom the Beagle is ready to be adopted!

Today at my library, Miss "Carol Has Her Nose in a Book" hosted a wonderful animal rescue program. Our guests were Homeward Bound http://www.homewardboundrescue.com/, the Humane Society http://www.mnhumane.org/and the K9 unit http://www.ci.west-saint-paul.mn.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B327EFD67-EC59-4B64-A75B-1105C0329D3A%7D with the West Saint Paul police. They brought lovely animals: Blossom, the Beagle, Phineas, the American Pittbull puppy, Tri, the kitty, and Mike, the German Shepherd police dog.

I'm crazy about animals. so this was really exciting for me! More pictures to come.