Potty Animals

Potty Animals: What to Know When You've Gotta Go
Written by Hope Vestergaard, illustrated by Valeria Petrone Sterling Press
ISBN 9781402759963

What is it?

A poetry book! A funny book! A book about bathroom etiquette! This book has it all! Each poem covers an aspect of bad potty behavior-- from not flushing to leaving the door open-- using adorable preschool critters.

What do we love about it?

How it manages to discuss proper etiquette while being fun at the same time. Our favorite poem is about Helga, who is a lollygagger:

Sometimes she's having daydreams
sometimes she's reading books

Sometimes she's at the mirror
perfecting funny looks.

We do that too, Helga!

What does it remind us of?

That perhaps we've had one too many cups of coffee...

What is it perfect for?

Give this to anyone who is learning how to be a good potty animal. We actually think most teenage boys could use it. Put it in a conspicuous reading spot. Hmmm...now where might that be?

What do we say about it?

We give it five flushes!

Good Little Wolf

A Three Silly Chicks' Pick

Good Little Wolf

by Kristina Andres

North South
ISBN: 9780735822108

What is it?
A sweet little picture book about a sweet little wolf who sometimes likes to pretend he's big and bad!

What do we love about it?
How nicely the little wolf treats his adorable companions: a giraffe, bunny, sheep and bear who look like small stuffed animals.

What does it remind us of?
Where the Wild Things Are. Sometimes it's fun to pretend you're a monster!

What is it perfect for?
To remind ourselves that it's okay to pretend we're bad guys when we're playing, as long as we're good guys in real life!

What do we say about it?
Read Good Little Wolf to the imaginative preschooler in your life and expect some fun and games to follow!

Hush, Baby Ghostling

Hush, Baby Ghostling
by Andrea Beaty
Illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre
Margaret K. McElderry
Agest 4-8
ISBN: 978-1416925453

Andrea is so excited to have a new book out in time for Halloween. It's a rhyming, bedtime book about Mama Ghost who is trying to get her ghostling to sleep after a lovely day of play.

It's nearly dawn and time for all baby ghostlings to go to sleep. But as any parent (ghost or human) knows, getting a young one to sleep is easier said than done. There are so many worries to soothe and rituals to complete before sleep arrives. Of course, Mama Ghost knows just what to do in this non-scary but humorous bedtime tale.

"Hush, Baby Ghostling
the haunting hour is past.
The bats have ceased their swooping
and the dawn is coming fast."














"So nestle safe beside me
in our happy haunted home
and dream a dream of darkness
where the wild monsters roam."














"Dear Baby Ghostling.
You're tucked in nice and tight.
I'll leave some darkness in the hall
if you're scared of the light."













Of course, Baby Ghostling loses his favorite toy skeleton and worries about the sounds of laughter in his room. But even the fear of human children can't keep sleep at bay forever. They are only make believe, after all.

Illustrations are by Pascal Lemaitre (Doctor Ted and Firefighter Ted) who is such a wonder. Hush, Baby Ghostling is rhyming read for halloween or any bed time!!! Hope you enjoy it!

Happy Hector

Happy Hector
Written and illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Candlewick Press



We're about to boss you around a little. First, put down whatever you're doing and cruise on over to your nearest independent bookstore. You there yet? Good. Now grab a cup of coffee and browse through the Tilly and Friends series by Polly Dunbar, but please, don't spill your coffee on these books. Honestly, how cute are those characters? One look at Hector the pig and we just want to eat him up with a side of hash browns!

In clear, precise language we learn on the very first page that Hector is sooo happy to be sitting on Tilly's lap.

"I am the happiest I have ever been!" says Hector.

When Tumpty, Doodle, Pru and Tiptoe (we heart those names!) want to play with Tilly, Hector tells them she's fine sitting there just with him, thank-you-very-much. But Hector's pals are insistent, and before he knows it everyone is sitting on Tilly's lap. (And that Tumpty has got some pudge on her!) Poor Hector is on the bottom of the pile.

"Now I am the unhappiest I have ever been," says Hector.

One by one, Hector's friends try to console him by asking him if he'd like his ears combed or if he'd like his nose painted blue. But all Hector wants is his dear Tilly, who is, as it turns out, making a present for Hector that is absolutely perfect for the sweet little pink porker.

Like Christopher Robin, Tilly is the ruler of her small kingdom, where she manages to solve all the animals' problems. This empowering, kid friendly book with its quirky characters is perfect to use with threes and fours at storytime. Don't forget to ask everyone to bring their favorite bear or pig!

Chicken Cheeks

Chicken Cheeks
by Michael Ian Black
illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 978-1416948643

Warning: If you are the type of person who doesn't believe the word "bum" belongs in a children's book, then read no further. This book is not for you. Trust us. However, if you are the type of person who couldn't help but snicker or at least grin when you read the word "bum" a few seconds ago, then welcome to the coop, dear friend! Because we chicks find bums pretty darn funny, and the kids we hang out with think they're even funnier.

Chicken Cheeks is a fanny extravaganza, a delightful romp of rumps throughout the Wild Kingdom. From the cheeky chick on the cover to the moose caboose inside, each animal modestly displays his or her backside in an attempt to reach...oops, never mind, we don't want to ruin the surprise (rear) end! Master illustrator Kevin Hawkes never fails to deliver, and children's book newcomer Michael Ian Black slings around his synonyms so effortlessly that old Roget would be green with envy. Plus, it turns out Michael Ian Black is really one of us.

Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime

Written and illustrated by Bob Shea
Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN 978 1 4231 1335 5

We love a good dinosaur book. We love a good bedtime story. We love it especially when the two are combined, as in this book. And if the word "ROAR!" is used repeatedly, well, we're in Triassic Heaven.
Bob Shea has created a feisty little character here, filled with bravado and verve. Nothing stops this guy! Not talking grown-ups. Not a bowl of spaghetti. Not even bathtime and toothbrushing! But what will happen when our fearless fellow faces his biggest challenge--bedtime? Will he win, or will bedtime prevail?

Shea uses just a few squiggly lines and a bold dash of color to make his dinosaur come alive. Fans of Mo Willems will love Bob Shea's work, too. We think this book would go nicely with Franny Billingsley's Big Bad Bunny and a big bowl of spaghetti. Buon Appetito!

Quick Chick Picks: Books for the Young (and the Restless)

This week, we received a query from a friend. Our friend was looking for funny books for a 2-year-old.

Two-year olds are at a very specific age. (Two to be exact, but let us not dwell upon the obvious.) They have learned that books are not just for chewing and throwing. Two-year-olds know that books are for chewing, throwing, AND reading! And sometimes, they are even funny!

This was a tough challenge. But we are tough chicks. (Not to be confused with tough old birds, thank you!) We put our beaks together and came up with a few titles for this young age.

But we'd really like to hear YOUR favorites. What books do you recommend for the young tots in your world?

Here's our Quick Chicks Picks:

WHO HOPS? and WHO HOOTS? by Katie Davis
JAMBERRY by Bruce Degen
Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
Sandra Boynton pick a title, any title!
Ten Hungry Monsters by Susan Heyber O'Keefe
Go Away, Big Green Monster by Ed Emberly
Not a Box and Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
Who is Driving? by Leo Timmers
Don't let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

And, of course, we LOVE Julia's Cha Cha Chimps

What Will Fat Cat Sit On?

What Will Fat Cat Sit On?
Written and illustrated by Jan Thomas
Harcourt Children's Books
ISBN 0152060510

There have been many deep and philosophical questions asked in literature. What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? But we think the question Jan Thomas poses tops them all. What, Dear Readers, will Fat Cat sit on?

It is most definitely a question worth pondering. Will Fat Cat sit on the cow? The pig? Certainly not the chicken! (If that had happened we would not be reviewing this book--no siree!) Finally the wise mouse comes up with a solution that pleases everyone. In this rollicking book, the reader gets in on the fun as the narrator asks what Fat Cat will sit on with every spread. Each animal is hoping it's someone else, and their witty asides make this book a pleasure to read out loud. We think it's perfect for threes and fours, but older kids (and adults!) will also love the irreverent humor.

Simple, whimsical illustrations complete this perfect package. This is Jan Thomas's first book. We can't wait to see what's next!

Bossy Bear

Bossy Bear
by David Horvath
Hyperion
ISBN: 142310336x

Bossy Bear is indeed very bossy. So bossy he yells "Faster!" to a struggling snail and "What do you mean, don't walk?!" to a traffic light. He has perfected the art of shouting "GIMME" and is not shy about ordering Santa around. But when he pushes his friends too far he finds himself all alone with only his cape and his crown for company. Could it be he's bossed one boss too many?

The short, simple text and whimsical illustrations are reminiscent of Mo Willems' Pigeon books. The author-illustrator, David Horvath, is the creator of the popular Uglydolls, and there is a slight hint of Uglidollness in Bear. His many fans won't be disappointed by his latest creation, which is sure to elicit giggles from both toddlers and their grown-ups. The ending suggests that there might be a sequel---we can only hope!

Who Is Driving?

Who Is Driving?
by Leo Timmers
Bloomsbury USA
ISBN: 978-1599900216

Who is driving? With gas prices these days, it's high time for the pogo stick to make a comeback. But sometimes a chick needs her wheels, and it's no different for the parade of critters in this green gem of a book.

Timmers' guessing game format is delightfully simple and sweet. On the left hand page are four different animals decked out in various attire -- for example, alligator in a red leather biker suit, cat in a Jackie O. ensemble, mole in a mail carrier uniform, mouse in blue jeans -- all with their car keys out and at the ready. On the right hand page is a vehicle. Who is driving...the fancy car? Observant and traditionally-schooled youngsters will correctly guess the fancy-clad Cat, of course. Other young deviants may ask why the leather-clad alligator wouldn't just eat the other animals and hijack the ride for himself. (We recommend boarding school for such children.) Either way, this book is an excellent read aloud, with plenty of visual humor to sustain interest over repeated readings. Who Is Driving? is one sweet ride!

Not A Box

Not a Box
by Antoinette Portis
HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0061123221

Just look at the bunny on the cover of this book. If you think he's (she's?) cute now, just wait until you peek inside.

This is one of those concept books that's so simple it's genius. Here's how it goes:

1. Our intrepid hero (aforementioned bunny) does various things with a box.

2. An offstage interrogator keeps asking him questions, i.e.: Why are you sitting in a box? Why are you doing on top of that box? Now you're wearing a box?

3. To which our hero replies, with increasing exasperation: It's NOT a box!

4. Turn the page and the next illustration reveals the scene playing out in bunny's head: bunny in a race car, bunny on Rabbit Peak, bunny-robot, etc.

Classic kid stuff and absolutely brilliant.

The tall chick has road-tested this book with a variety of kids in small and large group settings and it's been a HUGE hit wherever she goes, especially at the end when she puts a box on her head and asks the audience what's inside. Highly recommended!