Saturday, March 26, 2016

Little Tree by Loren Long

Little tree is reluctant to give up his leaves and doesn't grow as a result. All the other trees grow up and shadow him out until he comes willing to drop his leaves one fall. My daughter loves this tale, but the allegory is lost on her. This is a good one if you're working on giving up a pacifier or similar.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown

This Indian fable is retold in beautiful woodcuts. A magic hermit transforms a mouse to keep him safe, and then transforms him back to teach the mouse a lesson about humility. We are all large and small depending on your perspective.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

The Princess and the Giant by Caryl Hart and Sarah Warburton

This is another one about kindness. The Princess can't sleep because a giant up a beanstalk is making too much noise. The towns people want to fight with him. She finds a way to sooth him.  It's cool in some other ways (mom, the queen, chops wood, for example). I'm not crazy about it bring written in verse, but others probably love that.

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown

Cool artwork illustrates a familiar story (to many of us) of a tiger who feels like himself being wild in the wilderness but at home with his friends in the city. Fortunately in the story and real life, the city develops a balance between people expressing their true selves and conforming to social norms.