More Picture Book Reviews

That Is Not a Good Idea! by Mo Willems is a cute tale told in the style of an old school silent film. There is one black page that has white sentences on it and a frame around the words while on the opposite page there are characters acting out the story. Every three pages there are little chicks warning a character that something is a bad idea, but the chracter falls into the trap anyway. The little chicks are quite endearing and don't worry, you'll still be surprised by the ending. The easy sentences and repeating concepts are great for children 4-8 years old.

Miss Fox's Class Goes Green written by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Anne Kennedy has lovely tips on the front and back cover for people who wish to be kinder to the environment. The book gently explains what being "green" means and it's not that someone is feeling sick. The book gives simple ideas for how people can be green with making minimal effort. It was nice to see some of the ideas. A lot of them were very basic, but I really like the idea of having a toy swap instead of throwing them. This book is great for children up to ages 8, but even I learned something by reading it.

If You Give A Cat A Cupcake is written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. Who knew cats were so much work? The story tells of a cat who was given a cupcake and of course asks for sprinkles. One thing leads to another and another until the day is spent and the little girl is exhausted, but it doesn't end there because when they get home from a long day the little girl makes the mistake of giving the cat a cupcake. This is a cute book with adorable pictures. There are simple words and sentences making this book good for kids up to 8 years old.

From the man who brought you Marvel 1602 and The Graveyard Book Neil Gaiman works with Dave McKean to bring you a picture book called  Crazy Hair. This book is about a man with some crazy hair where inside this hair you never know what you'll find. The book has a fantastical quality common to Gaiman books with pictures to match. This book is also good for children up to ages 8.

Pirates Guide To First Grade is written by James Preller and illustrated by Greg Ruth. This story is about a boy who imagines a world of pirates all around him. His bus is his ship and his teacher is his Captain and imaginary pirates follow him everywhere. He struggles with first grade until his captain takes an interest in him and encourages him through pirate related education. This book is a fun read, but it does make school sound like a drag until his teacher takes a special interest in him. Also the grammar in the book is that of pirates so parents may be hearing things like, shiver me timbers at the breakfast table. This book is entertaining for children up to 8 years old.