One Too Many by Gianna Marino

One Too Many is a seek-and-find almost wordless counting book that follows one flea and adds different types of farm animals in sequence to twelve.  Each page presents a new number and new creatures with the flea subtly depicting which animal has been added by hopping to that species last on that page.  The creatures are almost entirely black, white, and gray, and the story culminates with a skunk who sneaks up to the trough where the animals are drinking, sprays its scent, and stinks the others out.

If I could nominate a Caldecott winner for 2011, it would, without a doubt, be this book.  The animals are extremely lifelike, not only in illustration, but in character as well.  Marino includes an activity page in the back that tells how many of each animal and gives the reader additional things to look for, like the pig whose ear is always being chewed.  The animals are convincing, playful, and unpredictable, which gives young children a chance to use their narrative skills to tell what’s happening in each picture.  My son was just as excited about counting where the flea was bouncing as he was to count the animals.  He was enraptured by the bats and made up a game that the mice were probably playing.  We really enjoyed this book.

The Thingamabob - Il Sung Na

This is another fantastic story time read-aloud by Il Sung Na. An elephant finds an umbrella and tries to discover its use. He explores some creative and humorous ideas until it rains and he’s finally successful.

The elephant in the story is loveable and childlike and the humor is perfectly appropriate for very young children. The preschoolers in my story time group laughed out loud when he tried, unsuccessfully to hide behind the umbrella. The foreshadowing gives them a chance to guess what’s coming on the last page. The story is cute, concise, and shows how much fun imagination can be. What really brings it to life, though, are the illustrations with their soft, subtle colors and beautiful patterns that are unique to Na. As with his debut picture book, A Book of Sleep, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the beautiful animal characters, which are well-tailored to the story. I’m already anticipating Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit, which comes out this spring.

What Are You So Grumpy About - Tom Lichtenheld

Tom Lichtenheld delights readers of all ages in this humorous and colorful book. Children will love and relate to the grumpiness that peas touching gravy and getting underwear for your birthday create. The makers of What Are You So Grumpy About? turn everyday irritating situations into amusing scenes, like Dad taking his underwhelmed son to “the most boring museum in the universe,” (the history of dirt) or a child stubbing her toe on a curb that appears to have a smiley face. The hilarious drawings compound the humor, like a newspaper clipping that reads “Boy Lost in Grandma’s Hug” with a picture of a puzzled, oversized woman and a sign that reads “Last Seen Here” pointing toward her chest. Every scene from the chore list to the cereal boxes contains enough playful details to make even the smallest grump smile.

My children and I have the book memorized, which comes in handy when we’re away from home. At the slightest glimpse of a pouty lip, all I have to do is quote a page from the book and the grump is history.

The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big, Big Dark

The Pout-Pout Fish takes a journey to the dark ocean floor in search of the pearl that Ms. Clam dropped when she sneezed. He promises to bring it back and is determined to keep that promise. As he ventures further into the deep, though, he finds that he must face his fear of the dark in order to do so.

This sweet, honest tale of a fish with a fear is written in rhyme with a bouncy, fun rhythm that kids will enjoy. The pictures are bright and beautiful, with a hint of whimsical humor, like the worms that are sitting and talking in the sand. Adult humor is hidden in some of the pictures, like the angler fish holding a lit-up sucker sign that says, ?Suckers here.? The fish is loveable and relatable and teaches children that it is possible to overcome their fears with the help of a good friend. Fear of the dark is a huge stumbling block for children and the story is geared toward the age group where finding friends can be difficult. It's very empowering and has already become one of my son's favorites.