Noi has stolen our hearts once more in The Storm Whale in Winter as we hear about how he misses his beloved storm whale and ponders his whereabouts. But a chance meeting in the middle of the vast, icy ocean on a wickedly cold night reunites Noi and the little whale. An endearing sequel, and familiar in a sense because we have come to know Noi, his father and their six cats, and we love them.
The Storm Whale in Winter is by the incomparable Benji Davies and published by Simon & Schuster.
Week-end reading. Reading this before I hand it off to my bookwormy Avery. Book Uncle owns a free lending library on the street corner in Yasmin’s neighborhood. His motto? To provide the “right book for the right person for the right day.” Wholeheartedly looking forward to this.
Book Uncle and Me is by Uma Krishnaswami, illustrated by Julianna Swaney and published by Groundwood Books.
For today’s #classicchapterbooks, we’re sharing something from the prolific pen of Astrid Lindgren: Emil’s Clever Pig. The more works we read of Astrid Lindgren’s, the more we love her. Lindgren's work truly embodies childhood—its curiosity, freedom, caprices and probably most importantly, its honesty. For who speaks with more candor than a child?
“There was never a boy in the whole of Lönneberga and in the whole of Småland and in the whole of Sweden and—who knows—perhaps in the whole world who got into more mischief than Emil. He lived at Katthult farm in Lönneberga in Småland in Sweden a long time ago. No one would have believed that when he grew up he would become the president of the local council and the finest man the whole of Lönneberga, but he did.”
Mischievous Emil can’t seem to escape trouble and shenanigans wherever he goes. In this installment of the series, he starts off his adventures with buying a horse, lame hen and mad cow at an auction.
Visit @the.book.report to see what she's sharing today.
Nate’s proclamation after his first time listening to The Cookie Fiasco — “Read it again!” It’s a hilarious start to the new Elephant and Piggie Like Reading! series. The Cookie Fiasco is about a serious quandary, a hippo with a nervous habit and how things sometimes work out in the end on their own. The dialogue, layout, play with type—all genius. It’s easily one of the most engaging early readers we’ve read this year.
We Are Growing is also very enjoyable. Blades of grass vie for bragging rights and claim one superlative after another until the ironic ending. Wow, is all I have to say. Both are really, really well done. We’re eagerly awaiting the rest of this series.
The Cookie Fiasco is by Dan Santat and We Are Growing is by Laurie Keller. Published by Disney Hyperion.
A sweet book to celebrate the big and small moments of the second year of a child’s life—walking (more like running) everywhere, making plans, learning words—so many words. Toddlers become their own selves. Their hands learn to do so much and their little eyes see many new things and experiences, so many of them wonders. As in many of her books, Sara O’Leary knows how to speak to the hearts of parents and children alike with her delicate words. Her writing is sentimental, but with a light touch and never overwrought.
The qualities of Karen Klassen’s textured illustrations—a mix of patterns, brush strokes and ink—almost resemble memories in our mind’s eye—the fleeting, moving pictures that parents see of what life has been like in the past two years of their babies’ lives, when they have a moment to stop and think.
You Are Two is by Sara O’Leary, Karen Klassen and published by Owl Kids.