Last year around this time I posted about Things That Have Made Me Cry Lately.
It kind of hit a nerve. I won’t lie, these long Pittsburgh winters bring me down. I am desperate to see a flower, eat a fresh vegetable, walk around barefoot, ride my bike, dig in my yard, swim and generally loll about in the sunshine without 87 layers of clothes on.
The thing is, when this post drops (as the kids say) I’ll be on my way to Key West.
It’s kind of hard to be Captain Bringdown in the Florida Keys. So instead of making everyone sad, I figured I’d make everyone giggle. Here are some books I stumbled upon in the children’s room that maybe made me laugh more than I should.
The Day the Crayons Quit & The Day the Crayons Came Home, Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers
Crayons have feelings, too, in this funny back-to-school story illustrated by the creator of Stuck and This Moose Belongs to Me –now a #1 New York Times bestseller! Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Beige Crayon is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown Crayon. Black wants to be used for more than just outlining. Blue needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking–each believes he is the true color of the sun. What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?
The Book With No Pictures, B.J. Novak
You might think a book with no pictures seems boring and serious. Except . . . here’s how books work. Everything written on the page has to be said by the person reading it aloud. Even if the words say . . . BLORK. Or BLUURF. Even if the words are a preposterous song about eating ants for breakfast, or just a list of astonishingly goofy sounds like BLAGGITY BLAGGITY and GLIBBITY GLOBBITY. Cleverly irreverent and irresistibly silly, The Book with No Pictures is one that kids will beg to hear again and again (And parents will be happy to oblige.).
The Adventures of Beekle, Dan Santat
Winner of the 2015 Caldecott Medal This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and–at long last–is given his special name: Beekle. New York Times bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Dan Santat combines classic storytelling with breathtaking art, creating an unforgettable tale about friendship, imagination, and the courage to find one’s place in the world.
You’re Finally Here, Mélanie Watt
Hooray! You’re finally here! But where were you? A bunny bounces through a range of emotions in this funny picture book about how difficult it is to wait. At first he’s ecstatic that you, the reader, has arrived. But then he can’t help letting you know that waiting for you took too long, was way too boring, and even became insulting. The bunny is ready to forgive everything if you will promise to stay. But hold on–he has to take a phone call. Wait! Come back! Where are you going? Underneath this book’s silly, in-your-face humor are feelings true to every child who has had to wait for someone’s attention.
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Mo Willems
Wilbur is different from the other Naked Mole Rats in his Colony, because he wears clothes (and he likes it!). But what will happen when Grandpah, the oldest, wisest, and most naked Naked Mole Rat ever discovers Wilbur’s secret? Funnyman and three-time Caldecott Honoree Mo Willems exposes the naked truth about being yourself and wearing it well.
Okay, okay. ONE sad thing. The Only Child by Guojing
Happy Spring!
suzy
Eleventh Stack 