A prairie chicken named Mary McBlinken, “heard a rumbling and a grumbling and a tumbling” fearing that “a stampede’s a comin’!” Others join her to alert Cowboy Stan and Red Dog Dan to the impending danger. Almost sidetracked by a tricky coyote, Stan and Dan save the day and stop the rumbling of Mary’s tummy. A take-off of “Chicken Little” is made even more humorous by rib-tickling illustrations.
Prairie Chicken Little
When Nelly May takes a job as housekeeper for Lord Ignasius Pinkwinkle, she must learn a new vocabulary. Lord Pinkwinkle becomes “Most Excellent of All Masters,” his bed a “restful slumberific” and so on — until she must put it all together to save the Master and his home. Jauntily illustrated, a fresh version of an old English tale is sure to engage children.
Nelly Has Her Say
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.
Seeds, Bees, Butterflies and More! Poems for Two Voices
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.
Stardines Swim High Across the Sky and Other Poems
What’s a “wordle”? The title uses wordles. “Reindeer” and “rain dear” are wordles. Get it? Readers will be inspired to make up their own as they go through the clever language and comically illustrated wordles presented.
I Scream Ice Scream! A Book of Wordles
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.
Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems
Willy’s barbeque is about the best around, even attracting green, 3-eyed, barbeque-loving aliens! Laughs abound in the rhyming tale and swirling, understated illustrations and its surprise ending.
Take Me to Your BBQ
Mary’s little lamb is well known, but Maria lives in Peru and has a fleecy llama. The well-known cadence in English and Spanish and fresh illustrations present the familiar in a lively new setting.
Maria Had a Little Llama / Maria Tenia una Llama Pequena
A bee sounds like “BUZZ’ in English, but “SURR’ in Swedish and “ZZZ’ in Italian. Many animals sounds from different countries (with a national flag) are presented in lighthearted illustrations and large typeface.
Animals Speak
Stunning, realistic illustrations of frogs and onomatopoeic language combine to present frogs and their songs from around the world. A brief warning about threats to frogs’ environments and additional information conclude this engaging book just right to read aloud.
Frog Song
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.”
The Year Comes Round: Haiku through the Seasons
Unique observances for everything from rats to limericks are celebrated in a variety of poems and poetic forms. When combined with comic illustrations, the lighthearted collection is sure to keep readers chuckling from cover to cover.
World Rat Day: Poems About Real Holidays You’ve Never Heard Of
Textured borders contain each double-page illustration which places the familiar cumulative song on an African savannah. Rebuses are included in the body of the book and again in a key; music is also included to make this version ideal for sharing.
There Was a Tree
Circles, squares, triangles, ovals and stars are all around! The rhyming text incorporates Spanish words which are defined in illustrations reminiscent of folk art. A glossary of Spanish words concludes this engaging glimpse into Mexican culture.
Round Is a Tortilla: A Book of Shapes
Stripes are found in nature in a variety of flora and fauna in many habitats. From exotic to domestic, revel in observing stripes in carefully crafted illustrations and lyrical text. Additional information and a playful call to match animal with stripe ends this handsome volume.
Stripes of All Types
Rain spoils Max and Ruby (and friends) outdoor plans but their clever grandmother’s treasure hunt more than makes up for it. Clues in the form of traditional rhymes are numbered, hidden beneath small but sturdy flaps as well as in the spot art are sure to make this a modern classic.
Max and Ruby’s Treasure Hunt
Homographs make sense in context. A word wall of words that are spelled alike but are pronounced differently (depending on the context in which they are used) may be developed inspired by this funny animal-filled “zoo.”
Zoola Palooza: A Book of Homographs
A cumulative poem (in the cadence of “The House that Jack Built”) chronicles the work and life of Mexican potter, Juan Quezada. Words could center around the culture, the potting process, or art & artists.
The Pot that Juan Built
There are many kinds of sounds. Use this book as a jumping off point for loud sounds, onomatopoeic sounds, or use The Quiet Book (Houghton) for the opposite of loud. These books might also inspire a word wall for emotions (e.g., how does this kind of quiet/loud make you feel?).
The Loud Book
Are animals and their familiar animal sounds really trying to say another word in English? (For example, “When a hoses says NEIGH,/does she really mean HAY?”) Word walls could be made of rhyming words (or word families) or of animal sounds in English as well as what animals say in other languages.
Say What?
One animal’s claim is followed by others who are successively bigger, smaller, etc., each using rich (and richer) descriptors.
Big, Bigger, Biggest
Easier to read poems focus on weather and seasons.
Weather: Poems for All Seasons
The stylish child whose love of words has become the basis of a series of books shares her love of words in this alphabetically arranged picture book glossary. Humorous illustrations are sure to generate additional words to describe Nancy’s fancy, chic, attractive world.
Fancy Nancy’s Favorite Fancy Words: From Accessories to Zany
Silly rhymes about silly activities make the words jump off the page, complemented by humorous illustrations.