June 15, 2009 at 9:12 pm (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, funny stories, nature, picture books, poetry)
Title: A Whiff of Pine, a Hint of Skunk
Author: Deborah Ruddell
Illustrator: Joan Rankin
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
ISBN-13: 987-1-4169-4211-5
ISBN- 10: 1-4169-4211-4
Summary: Hilarious poetry about several different forest animals!
Butterfly’s Notes: Goofy illustrations accompany these cute poems about animals found in Eastern woodlands. The only out-of-place animal is the badger, but his poem is so adorable that you’ll forgive him right away!
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, funny stories, nature, pictures books, poetry
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January 20, 2009 at 9:06 pm (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, fantasy, picture books, poetry)
Title: 17 Kings and 42 Elephants
Author: Margaret Mahy
Illustrator: Patricia MacCarthy
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0-8037-0458-5
Summary: A procession through an African jungle.
Butterfly’s notes: Beautiful batik-style illustrations perfectly off-set this luscious poem. It is easy to devleop a rhythm while reading this book, so it’s great for reading aloud. It isn’t so much a story as an exploration of the jungle. Kids can imagine for themselves why the Kings are out in the rainforest with 42 elephants and where they are going.
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-10, fantasy, animal stories, poetry, picture books
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January 20, 2009 at 5:49 pm (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, funny stories, picture books, poetry)
Title: Dinner at the Panda Palace
Author: Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrator: Nadine Bernard Westcott
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
ISBN: 0-06-021010-9
0-06-021011-7 (lib. bdg.)
Summary: Mr. Panda ushers in guests to his restaurant, the Panda Palace. A crisis emerges when a small guest asks to be seated in a seemingly full house.
Butterfly’s notes: A good book for practicing counting and learning different types of animals. Each sucessive party admitted to the restaurant is a different species and number of animals.
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-9, funny stories, animal stories, picture books, poetry
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January 8, 2009 at 8:21 pm (ages 4-6, animal stories, funny stories, picture books, poetry)
Title: Emily’s House
Author: Niko Scharer
Illustrator: Joanne Fitzgerald
Publisher: Groundwood/ Douglas and McIntyre
ISBN: 0-88899-158-4
Summary: Emily is upset by the noise in her house, especially when the mouse advises her to bring home various barnyard animals.
Butterfly’s notes: A good way to practice animal sounds. Emily learns to appreciate what she has even though it bothered her before.
Categories: ages 4-6, animal stories, funny stories, picture books, poetry
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January 8, 2009 at 2:52 pm (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, poetry)
Title: When Winter Comes
Author: Nancy Van Laan
Illustrator: Susan Gaber
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0-689-81778-9
Summary: This poem answers the question “Where do [the animals] go when winter comes?”
Butterfly’s notes: A family wonders where the animals go in winter and takes a walk to discover the answers. That might be something you could try with your children!
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, poetry
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January 8, 2009 at 2:22 pm (ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, poetry)
Title: Red Fox Running
Author: Eve Bunting
Illustrator: Wendell Minor
Publisher: Clarion Books
ISBN: 0-395-79723-3
Summary: A poem about a hungry red fox in search of something to bring home to its family for dinner.
Butterfly’s notes: This poem is paired with glorious illustrations. It really makes you think of the fox as a good animal instead of a hunter out to get small, fluffy things.
Categories: ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, poetry
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January 8, 2009 at 1:51 pm (ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, poetry)
Title: Discover The Seasons
Author/ Illustrator: Diane Iverson
Publisher: DAWN Publications
ISBN: 1-883220-43-2
Summary: A poem about different animals through the seasons. Also includes things to do with children in each season and kids’ recipes.
Butterfly’s notes: Both a story and a resource, this book will be one you’ll come back to over and over.
Categories: age 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, poetry
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January 8, 2009 at 11:36 am (ages 10-12, animal stories, anthologies, funny stories, nature, poetry)
Title: Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices
Author: Paul Fleischman
Illustrator: Eric Beddows
Publisher: HarperTrophy
ISBN: 0-06-446093-2
Summary: Inspiring poems meant to be read aloud by two people at once in the voices of insects.
Butterfly’s notes: Some of these poems are silly and others are serious. It’s great fun to read aloud with a partner this way. Joyful Noise is in a genre of its own!
Categories: ages 10-12, animal stories, anthologies, funny stories, nature, poetry
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January 5, 2009 at 4:03 pm (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, poetry)
Title: Here Is the Wetland
Author: Madeleine Dunphy
Illustrator: Wayne McLoughlin
Publisher: Hyperion Books For Children
ISBN: 0-7868-0164-6
Summary: A poem that builds on itself and encompasses many varied aspects of a wetland.
Butterfly’s notes: I love the art in this book, especially the cover image of a leaping frog!
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, poetry
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January 5, 2009 at 3:49 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, nature, picture books, poetry, profound messages)
Title: Water Dance
Author/ Illustrator: Thomas Locker
Publisher: Harcourt Brace and Company
ISBN: 0-15-201284-2
Summary: Water itself narrates this languidly beautiful description of the water cycle.
Butterfly’s notes: Reading this book is like a spiritual experience. It is a gorgeously-worded book with powerful drawings that will leave you saying “wow”.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, nature, picture books, poetry, profound messages
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