Tag Archives: Animal Characters

Elem. – Oslo Learns to Swim

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Cushman, Doug. Oslo Learns to Swim. Simon Spotlight, 2023. 978-1-665-92648-5. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades 1-3.

Oslo Learns to Swim follows two best friends Oslo a bird and Rex a warthog on a hot summer day Rex is going swimming. Oslo has a lot of questions such as, are there sharks or giant squid?  Eventually it comes out that Oslo doesn’t know how to swim, so Rex teaches him. At the end of the story there are two crocodiles headed to go swimming as well.  One crocodile tells the other he is afraid of warthogs.

THOUGHTS: This book is perfect for fans of Elephant and Piggie or just funny easy readers. Must have for any elementary library collection.

Beginning Reader
Humor

Elem. – Bryson the Brave Bison

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Davenport, Nate, and Luke Freshwater. Bryson the Brave Bison. Illustrated by Richard Cowdrey. Zonderkidz, 2023. 978-0-310-15310-8. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

Though smaller than most, Bryson the bison is part of a herd who is “taught to be brave and be true.” Such a large group of strong animals have fun together and can protect each other from things that seem scary, but when “Thunder and lightning…boom like a drum” the herd is terrified and runs away. Despite never being the “tallest…the strongest, the fastest,” Bryson’s strength is his smarts. Knowing how to think and use reason, Bryson is able to find a problem’s solution. Amidst a fun afternoon of play, a sound suddenly signals “A storm’s on the way!” Will Bryson be able to use his smarts to lead the herd to safety, or will the storm be too much for the tiny bison? Only a strong herd who listens to and helps each other will know.

THOUGHTS: This rhyming picture book is a perfect SEL title for elementary readers. Use it to discuss fears, teamwork, or strengths.

Picture Book

Elem. – Our Playground Rules!

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George, Kallie. Our Playground Rules! Illustrated by Jay Fleck. Rodale Kids, 2022. 978-0-593-37874-8. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-2.

From the beginning a variety of animals are having a good time at a community playground. Because they “say hello” “listen to each other” and “say we’re sorry when something goes wrong,” this title provides a great opportunity to discuss appropriate behaviors. Readers will recognize many fun activities and enjoy looking for fun examples of the characters demonstrating their rules (like the worm on a swing asking, “Can you give me a push?”). There are many opportunities for lessons within this picture book. With the title teachers can use the word rules as a multiple meaning word and have a wonderful discussion about how rules means guidelines we follow and it’s the best. Students then can brainstorm their own rules for class and/or the playground. Fleck’s pencil and digital illustrations bring the animals to life in this adorable picture book.

THOUGHTS: Highly recommended for elementary collections, this title will become a favorite beginning of school read aloud, especially when discussing behavior expectations and classroom rules.

Picture Book          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

Elem. – How to Draw a Happy Cat

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Berlin, Ethan T. How to Draw a Happy Cat. Illustrated by Jimbo Matison. Astra Books for Young Readers, 2022. 978-1-662-64011-7. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-2.

With simple shapes and step-by-step directions, readers will delight in being taught how to draw a happy cat. But when cat’s frown is upside down, what can the illustrator do to make her happy? Maybe a cool t-shirt, a stuffy, or a skateboard will make cat happy. Only for a little while. What else can we try? Maybe some friends will help cat smile. When the friends go on a high flying adventure, trouble ensues, but will cat and her friends end up happy or not?

THOUGHTS: This title offers the perfect opportunity to teach students how to use simple shapes to draw a lot of fun animals and items. Use it as an introductory read aloud before teaching students how to read directions carefully or follow a multi-step process, or as a fun game of predicting what can we try next to make cat smile. Recommended for elementary collections where how to and drawing books are popular.

Picture Book          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

Elem. – No Nibbling!

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Ferry, Beth. No Nibbling! Roaring Brook Press, 2022. 978-1-250-76241-2. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

Soon after Derwood the goat plants a garden, he finds a tiny bunny hanging around his vegetables. As his plants begin to grow, the bunny (Tabitha) keeps coming back and making comments filled with vegetable wordplay (for instance, saying “lettuce” instead of “let us,” “butternut” instead of “better not,” and “I yam” instead of “I am”). Derwood is incredibly protective of his plants; therefore, he is very grumpy at first and insists that Tabitha does not nibble his plants. However, he soon comes to appreciate Tabitha’s company and even allows her to weed the garden for him. Ultimately, he grants Tabitha’s wish and allows her to nibble on their bountiful harvest. 

THOUGHTS: This is an adorable, humorous tale of friendship. Children will find the characters endearing, and they will delight in all of the silly vegetable puns throughout the story. Use this to spark discussions about gardening and/or tending to friendships, which need to be cultivated much like a garden.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

Elem. – Adventures in Fosterland (Series Fiction)

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Shaw, Hannah. Adventures in Fosterland. Aladdin, 2022. $17.99 ea. $44.95 set of 3. Grades 1-3.

Super Spinach. 978-665-90125-3.
Emmett and Jez. 978-1-665-90119-2.
Baby Badger. 978-1-665-92555-6. (Expected in February 2023)

Adventures in Fosterland is a new series written by Hannah Shaw, who is involved with kitten rescue. Each volume is inspired by an actual animal rescue story. Emmett and Jez tells the story of a tiny piglet named Emmett who falls off a truck and is wandering on the side of the road when he is rescued and taken to “Fosterland.” Fosterland the home of a nice lady who fosters animals until they are adopted. There, Emmett soon becomes fast friends with Jez, a kitten who is healing after surgery to remove an injured leg. As time passes, Emmett realizes that he and Jez are different in many ways from one another, and this means they might go in separate directions once they leave Fosterland. Will they find their forever homes? In Super Spinach, readers are introduced to Spinach, a kitten at an animal shelter. Spinach needs to have surgery on her ribs and is quite scared. An older cat tells her she will have to have superpowers to recover from the surgery. So when Spinach wakes up wearing a hard chest plate that will protect her while she recovers, she decides she must be a superhero with armor! Sent to Fosterland to recover, Spinach teams up with Chickpea, another kitten in Fosterland, and they soon are gaining confidence and taking on challenges they never would have dreamed of previously. When it’s time for Spinach’s chest plate to come off, she is worried that it means the end of her superpowers. But she soon discovers that you don’t need armor or a costume to be brave. 

THOUGHTS: Hand this series to fans of animal stories, particularly cat lovers (each book in the series thus far features a kitten as one of the protagonists). Readers will enjoy these stories of friendship and will also learn important lessons about kindness and bravery. Each title contains a closing chapter where Shaw shares the real stories of the animals who inspired the series and the back cover features photos of the real Emmett, Jez, Spinach, and Chickpea. Recommended.

Animals          Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

Elem. – Up and Down and Other Stories

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Ruzzier, Sergio. Up and Down and Other Stories. Chronicle, 2022. 978-1-452-18339-8. 46 p. $14.99. Grades K-2.

Fox and Chick have returned in this volume featuring three short stories. While Fox and Chick may not seem like obvious friends, they compliment each other–Chick with his enthusiasm and impulsiveness and Fox with his patience and logic. In “Up and Down,” Chick excitedly climbs a tree, only to become too frightened to climb down–will he be there forever or will the always steady Fox be able to figure out a way for him to get down? In “Seventeen Snowflakes” Chick can’t wait for it to snow so he can use his sled. He understandably is disappointed when Fox informs him that it will take more than just a few snowflakes to fall so there is enough snow to sled. In “The New Bookcase,” Fox presents Chick with a present – a book! When Chick laments that he has nowhere to store the book, Fox suggests he build a bookcase. Of course, Chick decides to build one that minute. Each story is told in graphic novel style panels, although the number of panels varies per page–some pages have one panel, others contain as many as four panels.

THOUGHTS: This collection will no doubt hold appeal for early readers who are sure to enjoy the humorous situations Chick seems to get into. Fox and Chick show readers you can be friends with people who are different from you. These stories easily could be included in lessons on friendship and accepting others.

Picture Book          Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

Elem. – Captain Cat Goes to Mars

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Virjan, Emma J. Captain Cat Goes to Mars. Simon Spotlight, 2022. 978-5-344-9574-6. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades PreK-1. 

Captain Cat (last seen in Captain Cat and the Pirate Lunch) is back for a new adventure. This time he is working with Pilot Matt (a dog) to build a spaceship with the goal of traveling to Mars. When their ship is built, they put on their spacesuits and blast off, heading straight for the Red Planet. After landing, they encounter Zoof, Zeff, and Zatt, three green aliens who reside on the planet. Together, they explore the planet, make angels in the dust of Mars, and explore craters and more. When a storm moves in, the spaceship is damaged when it is blown over. Will Cat and Matt become permanently stranded? Perhaps with some help from their new friends, they will be able to find a way home.

THOUGHTS: Part of the Ready to Read series, this volume is designed for beginning readers. The text features simple words in rhyming couplets written in large font. The title is sure to hold appeal for early readers, especially those who enjoy humor, animals, and/or aliens. Recommended for libraries serving primary age students.

Picture Book          Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

Elem. – This Book Will Get You to Sleep

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John, Jory. This Book Will Get You to Sleep. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2022. 978-0-374-31130-8. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

A charismatic, orange kangaroo narrates this story with one goal in mind: to get the reader to sleep. He tries many different tactics, most of which are outrageous and hilarious. For instance, he suggests that rumbling monster trucks, blaring car alarms, or screaming electric guitars might make the reader tired. He tries chants, magic tricks, and other strategies until he finally resorts to suggesting that the reader count sheep. There is a problem; however, these sheep are being chased by dragons! When all of the excitement fails to put the reader to sleep, the narrator suggests reading something less fun instead. Bold illustrations and colorful text add to the rowdiness of the story. A humorous tale with a refreshing take on bedtime drama, this book is sure to elicit plenty of laughs from young children. 

THOUGHTS: I love how interactive this book is, inviting readers to answer questions posed by the kangaroo (“You tired yet???” “You asleep yet???” “You dreaming yet???”).  The audience is also encouraged to participate in various chants throughout the story. Pair this with other stories about falling asleep, such as Drew Daywalt’s Sleepy, the Goodnight Buddy (2018) or Dev Petty’s I Don’t Want to Go to Sleep (2018). This book quickly will become a bedtime favorite!

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

Elem. – A Gift for Nana

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Smith, Lane. A Gift for Nana. Random House Studio, 2022. 978-0-593-43033-0. Unpaged. $18.99. PreK-2.

Rabbit is on a quest to find the perfect gift for his Nana. He travels through the forest, across a lake, onto rocky shores, and up a mountain. Along the way, he meets other creatures who make suggestions for a perfect gift, all of which Rabbit turns down with reasons why Nana wouldn’t like them. The journey is long and arduous, but Rabbit eventually discovers the perfect gift and returns to his Nana’s house with it. An endearing story that showcases the unconditional love between grandchildren and their grandparents, this book would be perfect for a read-aloud or a heartwarming bedtime story. 

THOUGHTS: I adored this sweet story! The mixed media illustrations by award-winning illustrator Lane Smith manage to evoke a variety of feelings and emotions throughout the story. More muted tones at the beginning of Rabbit’s long journey give way to brighter, more comforting tones by the time he returns home to Nana. An element of humor is also embedded in the story, as Rabbit eats some of his gift before he even makes it back to Nana. Any library that serves young children would not be disappointed with this title.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member