friday's five

March is turning out to be quite an eventful month, with the passing of my grandfather, a last-minute trip to CT (more on these later), a bout of the flu (still underway, thanks to DayQuil for allowing me to be upright right now), and a super surprise amazing trip to come next weekend (be sure there will be more on that!). In the midst of all this craziness, we're still trying to keep up our daily reading together, because my kids rely on order and routine, which reading helps provide, along with some fabulous entertainment. Here are five new-to-us books we've been enjoying, care of our local library:

1. except if by Jim Averbeck -- I'm a huge fan of the format of this book. Every time you think you know what's happening, some key component of the story changes, taking it in a different direction. This makes for a fabulous read aloud (which is why I used it during my recent talk with the undergrad literacy development class), and it definitely encourages interaction from the children listening to it being read. The illustrations are simple but adorable, making this one just perfect all around.

2. Zero by Kathryn Otoshi -- Think you've got problems? Zero has a great big whole in her middle, and her value is nothing compared to the other numbers. So, she goes about trying to change to be more like the others, but sadly, nothing works. Can she find value in still being Zero? This story of self-worth is told in a unique way, making it less didactic and more thoughtful and entertaining. The bold brush strokes that make the numbers pop off the pages, bringing color and brightness to the basic layout of the pages.

3. Cats' Night Out by Caroline Stutson, illustrated by J. Klassen -- Two by two these wild and crazy dancing cats come out to bust a move. There's some samba, some tango, some tap, some foxtrot and more to that trumpet riff. Cool for learning to count by twos and for talking about different dance styles. The illustrations are darkly toned since it is nighttime outside, and the serious expressions on the cats' faces are hilarious! Be sure to look for the corresponding numbers on each page!

4. Tony Baloney by Pam Munoz Ryan, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham -- Silly macaroni penguin, Tony Baloney. He might not love trouble, but it always seems to find and love him. Add a Big Sister Baloney who likes to be "Boss of the World," and you have a funny story that many kids can certainly relate to. (I think Pudge in particular... Boss of the World often describes Red's role in their playing...) Bright cartoonish illustrations match the fun, fast-paced text.

5. Jake Goes Peanuts by Michael Wright -- With one extremely picky eater, and one little brother anxious to follow in his older brother's footsteps, this book hit a nerve with us. Jake loves peanut butter- to an extreme- so his parents decide to take it to the ultimate extreme by cooking every single meal with peanut butter. We're talking peanut butter rice and peanut butter pot roast. Will Jake be in heaven? Maybe... or maybe not. For the grown-ups reading this one, be sure to look for the humor in the small details, like a photo of a certain U.S. president stuck on the fridge. Funny stuff!


Happy to share what we're reading,