Published by Candlewick

Summary:  “How do you choose a favorite, a best? Which would you pick before all the rest?” This book whimsically explores how to make a decision.  Children are pictured trying to pick a favorite dog, tree, cake, and hat. Sometimes they weigh the variables carefully, other times they follow their heart with an instinctive choice.  There may be more than one favorite, or no favorites at all. And many times you can make another choice. “From here to the sea to the sky up above–there are so many things in this world you can love.”  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  This deceptively simple book could open up a lot of interesting conversations about choices we make.  The rhymes are catchy and the watercolor illustrations are fun and full of action.

Cons:  Why is it so hard to make up your mind?

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Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Every night, Rabbit listens to the traffic on a distant road and dreams of traveling.  He lives vicariously through old Dog, who used to travel all over the country on his motorbike.  Dog loves to share his stories, and Rabbit loves to hear them. Then one day, Dog is gone, and the motorbike comes to live with Rabbit.  The seasons pass, and the motorbike sits quietly while Rabbit goes about his chores. Then one night, he dreams of the bike’s engine howling.  The next morning, he tells the bike, “Just down the road.” But the road is longer than Rabbit anticipates, and it’s a long time until he returns home, full of stories of his own to share with a new friend.  48 pages; ages 4-9.

Pros:  A deceptively quiet and simple story about slowly moving on from loss and overcoming your fears.  This book was as thought-provoking for me as I imagine it would be for any 6-year-old.

Cons:  Dog’s death is described so subtly that kids might miss it.

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Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  At the beginning of winter, Little Snow’s mother makes him a new feather bed, reminding him not to jump on it.  Of course, the minute her back is turned, he can’t resist, bouncing on the bed until feathers start to spill from it.  All winter long, he jumps whenever he can, feathers leaking out each time. One time, the bed rips open: “What a lot of feathers fell that day!”  The illustration on that page moves from Little Snow’s bed to a city block blanketed in snow. Ah-ha! Little Snow and his mother live up in the clouds, and the feathers are snow.  On the last page, Little Snow’s mother has discovered the featherless bed, and the boy is unrepentant: “Aren’t you glad? Now all we have to do is fill it again next winter!” 40 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  This follow-up to Lin’s Caldecott Honor book A Big Mooncake for Little Star has the same feel of a myth or folktale with a child and parent pairing that will be familiar to young readers.  Perfect as a bedtime or winter read-aloud.

Cons:  The story and illustrations aren’t quite as rich as A Big Mooncake.

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Published by Neal Porter Books

Summary:  The first four pages are wordless illustrations, showing a child riding on a train, then pulling the string for a stop.  Emerging, the child declares, “I know what it’s like to be small in the city.” For a few pages, the narrator describes that experience–it’s loud, people don’t see you, it can be hard to know the right thing to do.  Then, “But I know you. You’ll be all right. If you want, I can give you some advice.” It sounds like the subject in question is homeless, as the advice is all about avoiding dark alleyways and resting under a warm dryer vent.  But then, “In the park I have a favorite bench. Sometimes my friend is there….You could sit on her lap and she will pet you.” The child posts a sign for a lost cat, and it all becomes clear. There’s a warm hug from Mom waiting at home, and the final page shows cat prints in the snow, opening up the possibility that the cat has returned.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Wow, this book really packs a punch with some pretty spare text.  I like that the ending is ambiguous but with a hint of optimism. The illustrations are perfect, with the blurry snowscapes that could be the result of teary eyes.

Cons:  This seemed a bit dark for several pages, which could worry some listeners.

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  A girl tries to stall bedtime by asking a series of difficult questions, but her father is always one step ahead of her.  “Why is the ocean blue?” “Every night, when you go to sleep, the fish take out guitars. They sing sad songs and cry blue tears.”  While none of the answers is accurate, they show a great deal of imagination. When the girl explodes with sixteen questions on a two-page spread, her father tells her it’s time to go to sleep.  Why? “Because there are some things we can only see with our eyes closed.” 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I love Mac Barnett–who doesn’t?–but my favorite part of this book is Isabelle Arsenault’s illustrations, brimming with imagination but with a muted palette perfect for nighttime.  Showing a jumble of shells, animals, planets, and a guitar in the girl’s bedroom hints at the inquisitive minds that are part of this family. A perfect bedtime story.

Cons:  All those marbles scattered on the floor seem like a nighttime hazard.

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