Painted Words

Ever since Peter moved away (We Are Best Friends, 1982), he and his best friend Robert have kept in touch. Now that they’re together during Peter’s visit, the boys learn that while some things have changed, others, happily, have stayed the same.

Did you know that corn is a grass? Early American Indian farmers figured out how to cultivate corn and shared their knowledge with the European settlers. Easy to read language and crisp illustrations provide a glimpse into the importance of corn throughout history.

Children are encouraged to explore their world and their five senses in this informative and engaging introduction to sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound.

A little boy loves to push buttons and they’re everywhere: on the telephone, on his umbrella, on toys, and more. But when his finger is sore, he discovers books and blocks don’t involve buttons! Signature illustrations are used in this rhythmic book.

A child goes quietly out to the garden where he can almost hear the creatures respond to his curiosity about their actions. The narrator then gathers food for a picnic with “my friends.” Suggestions for making a “quiet garden” conclude this tranquil book.

Brief retellings of Greek myths and a brief introduction to the gods and goddesses are presented in this thin, attractive volume. Though not as comprehensive as the d’Aulaires book, this is a useful beginning point.

Once, long ago, a young man named John Chapman traveled the United States. Not only did he like being with his own thoughts, he liked apples and so helped plant apple trees wherever he traveled gaining a nickname and planting seeds for an orchard of stories. Johnny Appleseed comes alive in simple but expressive illustrations showing how one person can change the look of a country.