Book Finder

When Old MacDonald tires of cutting his large suburban lawn, he gets a goat and then a very smart little red hen. When compost and manure are added — and in spite of neighbors’ concerns — MacDonald has a thriving farm to everyone’s delight! This lively, rhyming tale with its exaggerated illustrations just may inspire suburban and perhaps urban gardening.

Sophisticated readers will appreciate the snippets of presidential history presented in a variety of poetic forms. Illustrations, reminiscent of political cartoons, range in tone from serious to silly. Additional information about the office and the individual presidents concludes this appealing and surprisingly informative collection (which includes the sitting POTUS).

A small ladybug loves to hide — and she does it well in each familiar scene. “Yoo-hoo, Ladybug? Where are you?” She’s hiding behind the teddy bear, tucked in a box, and other places in this brightly illustrated, rhyming hide-and-seek book for younger children.

Twenty familiar and some lesser-known rhymes are just right for sharing. Actions are shown in small pictograms that accompany each line. One fingerplay appears on each double page with gentle, idealized illustration for a collection perfect for sharing.

Feel the lamb’s wool, then lift the umbrella to find lambs. There are lambs of all types and in many moods doing lots of things. Staccato, rhyming, catchy text is accompanied by expressive images of lively lambs that encourage active engagement with each page.

Skinny Doug is Bonnie and Ben’s favorite babysitter. When he shares a familiar bedtime rhyme, their chant encourages him to share even more ditties until everyone is finally tucked in. Traditional verses appear in the rhythmic, imaginatively illustrated rhyming text.

A single poem from Langston Hughes’ collection, The Dream Keeper and Other Poems (Knopf; 0679883479) has been reinterpreted in stunning, stylized illustrations that correspond to lines from the poem. The poem is presented in its entirety at the end along with a brief overview of Hughes’ life and inspiration for the poem.

If you can pat a cake, why not a peach or a cold and bumpy pickle? How about a fuzzy caterpillar crawling on your knee? A well-known rhyme expands into a tactile exploration of a toddler’s world. [Amazon]

Follow a girl as she discovers a forest and its treasures through the seasons. Crisp, realistic illustrations and the varied, evocative short poems invite young readers to “Remember/I am Forest,/Remember/I am here.”

Billy is thrilled that it’s the first day of school. Mr. Booth, a no-nonsense teacher, however, doesn’t buy why Billy is covered in dirt. Billy’s outlandish stories delight the other kids but not the teacher! The rhyming text and cartoon-like illustrations speed to a very satisfying conclusion.

Each of four sections (chants, spells, laments, praise songs) celebrate the power of words that are intended to bring comfort, humor, hope and more. Sophisticated readers will appreciate the texture of those words and the stylized illustrations which appear in a handsome package.

Ten princess tales are retold in verse accompanied by highly detailed illustrations that encourage close examination. The lush illustrations place princesses in unique settings, affirming their universal appeal. “The Princess and the Frog”, for example, is set in China; the princess whose sleep is disturbed by a single pea under many mattresses appears in an African county.

Poems intended for two voices celebrate nature and how its creatures are interrelated. Seeds helicopter, hitchhike and travel by bird; worms snack; snails leave trails and more in playful verses made more accessible by the large, colorful, almost whimsical illustrations.

The watermelon seed that skitters across the page becomes a concrete poem and  is just one of the funny poetic forms in this collection. The humor in each short poem (from riddles to haiku) is heightened by comic black/white illustrations.

Well-known poems are recast as puzzlers that can only be solved by using math. From easy to difficult, math and poems are sure to delight both mathematicians and poetry lovers.

In a worthy companion volume to Heart to Heart (opens in a new window), poetry and the varied pieces of art from around the globe that inspired it are presented.

Poets respond in writing to a piece of art to create a unique fusion of image and literature. Rich imagery is presented visually and textually, prime to share aloud.

Rich language and inspired collage illustrations are used to present 16 imaginative creatures, each combining the familiar and exceptional. Meet “Slobsters” that are “…slovenly/SLOBSTERS are crude…”, “Jollyfish” with infectious humor and “buoyant effervescence”, and many more.

Jamie’s day goes from a “purple kind of mood/Cold-plum eating…” to a gray and yellow and finally back to plum. The use of colors to describe moods associated with familiar family goings-on is enhanced by stylized illustrations and lively, lyrical language.

The original form of poetry (introduced in Mirror Mirror (opens in a new window)) is again used to present different perspectives on the same topic. Characters large and small — from the Emperor in a birthday suit to tiny Thumbelina — a clever form and lush illustrations bring well known characters into focus.

Everyday activities and family members can be laughable especially when presented in short, light verse. Add to the mixture comic illustrations and the thin, liberally illustrated collection of humorous poetry is ready for independent reading or for sharing aloud.

Expertly executed watercolors and free verse introduce a variety of cats and their distinctive personalities on double page spreads. From Peony, the tiny cat made large by fluffy fur to playful Simon to the lover cat Romeo, word and image capture each distinctive feline.

There’s something for every member of the family in this carefully selected and expertly performed poetry by a well-known mother-daughter team.

The seasons of a year are presented in realistic illustrations and thoughtful, evocative haikus. A brief note about the form is followed by a final poem: “Earth circles the sun/spinning a tapestry of/days, months, seasons — life.”