Picture Book Pick: A Creepy Pair of Underwear

A Creepy Pair of Underwear
by Aaron Reynolds
Illustrated by Peter Brown
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2017
32 pages
ISBN: 9781442402980

Jasper Rabbit and his mother go to the store to buy him new underwear. Mother buys him the usual white underwear, but Jasper sees glowing green underwear and pleads for her to buy them because they are, "so creepy. so comfy." He brings out his full arsenal of I'm old enough and I'm not a baby. Jasper wins and later wears his underwear to bed. He doesn't realize until he's in his dark room that his underwear glow. Jasper is freaked out. He keeps trying to throw the creepy green underwear away even trying to ship them off to China! He cuts them into a million glowing pieces. Problem solved.

He is finally free of the creepy underwear but now there's a new problem. His room is too dark! Jasper goes back to the store all by himself and buys more creepy green underwear and uses them as "flags" or decorations to light his dark room. The illustration of Jasper in his decorated room will take readers by surprise and is genius! Jasper faces his fear of the dark and the underwear and embraces both. The underwear which used to be a problem have now become a solution. He is no longer afraid to sleep in his room.

Illustrations by Caldecott Honor winner Peter Brown are spectacular. The book is done in black, white and shades of gray except for the florescent green underwear which make a statement on every page! Winsome and fun, kids will love turning the pages for each two page spread and pointing out the underwear.

Young readers love books about underwear and this one is a sure winner! It is funny, charming and beautiful. This is the perfect bedtime book for anyone still afraid of the dark.
Highly, highly recommended beginning readers and everyone else.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Bedtime Story Pick: The Too-Scary Story

The Too-Scary Story
by Bethanie Deeney Murguia
Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic
2017
32 pages
ISBN: 9780545732420

Available June 27, 2017

Bethanie Murguia ( Zoe's Room, Zoe's Jungle) continues to wow the preschool and young readers world! Her clever stories depict  sibling rivalry and family love that adults will remember from their younger years. Little ones will giggle at  the active banter between the younger brother and the older sister.

Grace wants a scary story; Walter wants a story, but not a too-scary story. Papa gamely begins his story, " One night, two brave explorers and their dog were walking through the forest. It was very, very dark." Walter decides dark is too scary, so Papa lightens it up. Each time Papa begins to tell a creepy story, Grace is enamored while Walter is terrified. Poor Papa has to balance the scary elements (dark, forest, shadow) with not too-scary elements (fireflies, bunnies). In the end, the children are snug in their beds and they each got their kind of story.

Illustrations capture the spookiness of the forest, the presence of the animals in the night,  the fear in the children's eyes, and the intelligence and curiosity of their dog who is their constant companion. It is a book like this one that will make city dwelling kids beg for a dog!

Highly, highly recommended for preschool and young readers. This one is sure to be Audrey approved! (My little niece)

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the F & G from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Young Readers Pick: Night Animals

Night Animals

by Gianna Marino

Viking

2015

32 pages

ISBN: 9780451469540

 

Cover art reveals a wary possum who seems to be on edge.  His frightened eyes, his ears pulled straight back, his arms stiff with a spooked expression say it all. Possum is scared. The print of the title is spooky with a zombie-esque font. Inside is ink black with sets of eyes peering into the night. The title page features possum and skunk peering out into a black forest.

Skunk comes across possum who's hiding from "night animals." He's afraid of what's out there in the dark making creepy noises. Along comes a equally frightened wolf who's running from something big. The bear who is following the wolf is also on the run from something "HUGE." The four animals continue to creep each other out until they realize they are running from a bat's shadow. They admit they are afraid of night animals, but the bat assures them that they ARE night animals. When the animals come into contact with humans sleeping in a tent, everyone, animals and humans, scares each other. Just when you think the story's over, possum even quits "playing possum," they hear a weird sound and get scared all over again.

Refreshing and captivating illustrations and the cute friendship between skunk and possum will have young readers enthralled. This is a great keeper of a book. It is  a good read for a child with night fears, helping to show that sounds in the night are just animals. Even the animals may be afraid of each other and humans! The character of Possum is hysterical--he is memorable and dramatic.

Highly, highly recommended as a bedtime, night time or camping story. I heart Night Animals.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Bedtime Pick: Putting the Monkeys To Bed

Putting the Monkeys To Bed
by Gennifer Choldenko
Illustrations by Jack E. Davis
G.P. Putnam's Sons
2015
32 pages
ISBN: 9780399246234


Hilarious, warm, and comforting with a bit of silliness and sass, Putting the Monkeys To Bed is a sweet story of how one boy is finally  able to calm himself and his "monkeys" down for the night.

Sam is unhappy about having to go to sleep. He still has a million questions and wants his mom to come in and answer them. He would like another story, but Mom is adamant. She tells Sam to go to sleep and that she will answer his questions in the morning. She tells Sam to practice his breathing--deep, calming breaths. Sam's monkeys have other ideas and soon make the breathing part of a happy monkey song. When Sam decides to "read" his favorite book---one that he knows by heart--the monkeys cuddle up closer and soon all are  fast asleep. Never doubt the power of a book! If a book  can calm Sam and his monkeys, it is powerful indeed!

This is a cute read  for all those little ones who positively hate bedtime and will use any excuse to stay awake. When the deep, calming breaths don't help, a story will.

Highly recommended pre-school.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Picture Book Pick: Never Ask a Dinosaur to Dinner

Never Ask a Dinosaur to Dinner
by Gareth Edwards
Illustrations by Guy Parker-Rees
Scholastic Press
2015 (Published in U.K. 2014)
32 pages
ISBN:9780545812962

read an excerpt

Clever rhyming content is matched with winsome and whimsical illustrations and the outcome is amazing and entertaining. A boy tries to discover which animal would be the best one for comfort at bedtime. Fierce animals like sharks, tigers and bison all have drawbacks as bedtime pals. Some animals are too loud, or too pointy, or too growly. The boy finds out that his own teddy bear is the best animal to take to bed and that counting sheep will put him fast asleep.  You won't want to ask a dinosaur to dinner, "...because a T. rex is ferocious/and his manners are atrocious,/And you'll find that if he's able.../He will eat the kitchen table!"

Dinosaurs are always  winners with the younger set and this book is no exception. The smiling blue dinosaur on the cover is ready to sit down to dinner. He's got his bib on and holds a fork and knife. Never mind the mess he's made at his feet. The boy is waving to the dinosaur ignoring his own teddy bear who is reaching up to be held. No young reader is going to walk by this book without picking it up. The cover design alone will sell this title.

Highly, highly recommended for dinosaur lovers and anyone who likes a rhyming bedtime story.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the F & G from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Early Reader Pick: Jampires

Jampires
text and illustrations by Sarah McIntyre and David O'Commell
David Fickling Books
2015
32 pages
ISBN: 9780545816632

Available June 30, 2015

Sly and funny rhyming text  with brilliantly colorful illustrations will captivate readers.

Sam discovers his jelly filled doughnut is mysteriously dry. Where did all his jam go? There must be a jam robber! He sets a trap with his dry doughnut and an overturned laundry basket and catches two young "jampires." They love jam! They apologize to Sam, but they tell him that they are far from home. He offers to go to their home with them. Sam and his cat Archie grab the jampires' hands and they fly off through the sky to a land far away where they are greeted with sweets and confections galore. The jampires' mothers are so happy to have their kids back, they reward Sam with jam filled doughnuts on a daily basis, delivered straight to his home.

The magic land of the jampires is reminiscent of Charlie and Chocolate Factory and Willa Wonka's fantastical sweet creations. There are "...doughnuts that looked plump as cushions to Sam" and "...castles of sponge cake with gingerbread towers..."

Simply charming, Jampires will have young readers craving more....jam, that is!

Highly, highly recommended for young readers. Parents will love the tale of the magical land of jam.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the F & G from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Max and the Won't Go To Bed Show
by Mark Sperring and Sarah Warburton
Scholastic Press
2014
32 pages
ISBN: 9780545708227

Max is a mighty magician and a little too--tricky. He uses his grand magic show and top hat full of tricks to make his  bed time later and later. He'll do anything to stall for just a few more minutes. So, take your seats, ladies and gentlemen, for the greatest show on earth.

Max can make cookies disappear (by eating them), he can tame savage beasts (his family's pampered pup), he can disappear (running and hiding), he can even pull out rabbits, bears and raccoons (stuffed toys).

When he finally gets into bed, Max demands not one story...not two stories...but ten stories! Finally, even a great magician like Max gets tired...and sleeps.

Vibrant  art in reds and yellows capture the activity and excitement of Max's "tricks." Young readers will see themselves in Max and probably dream up some new "tricks" of their own.

Recommended for pre-school and beginning readers. Sure to be a bedtime favorite.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the F & G  from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Young Readers Pick: Good Night, Sleep Tight

Good Night, Sleep Tight
by Mem Fox
Illustrations by Judy Horacek
Orchard Books
2013
32 pages

Bonnie and Ben are thrilled when their favorite babysitter comes to sit for them. It's bedtime and Skinny Doug entertains the two children with nursery rhymes. The kids fall in love with his delivery and the funny rhymes including "It's raining, it's pouring" and "Pat-a-cake." They beg Doug to say them again, but Doug has tons more rhymes in his repetoire.


The kids yell for more and finally all three of them are fast asleep. Young readers will love all the rhymes. Some are well known, others will be new to most. "This is the way the ladies ride: trit, trot, trit, trot" and "Round and round the garden" are two rhymes that young readers are likely not familiar with.

Colorful, vibant art by Judy Horacek will captivate children. This book could be a babysitter's best secret weapon. If every babysitter was as fun as Sklnny Doug, kids would beg their parents to go out more often.

Highly recommended ages 3-5. This is a must have for bedtime reading.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the F & G from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)