Image by Madalin Calita from Pixabay
The weather outside might still be “frightful,” depending on where you live. Currently I know that many people across the country are dealing with an artic blast (brrrr!).
Cold weather means that children can’t spend as much time outside as they should. They need to find indoor activities to keep them busy and entertained. This is a great time to encourage your child to get in some reading.
Sadly, not many children read these days. I work with children and many of them don’t read AT ALL. How can that be? When I was their age I couldn’t get enough books. I read all the time. I even have most of my favorite books from my youth in my bookcase. My children read them too and Lord willing, my future grandchildren too.
I blame technology for children having no interest in reading. They rather waste their free time on video games and on smartphone and tablets. Sigh…
I think the key to encourage reading is providing children with books they will enjoy. That is how I got my son to read. I knew what kinds of books he liked and I made sure to offer him those kinds of books.
If you are looking for some great books to get your child reading, or if your child already loves to read, here are some titles from Simon and Schuster you might want to check out.
The first three books are by author Aaron Reynolds and illustrator Peter Brown.
I have read the Creepy Crayon! book, and I love it (it’s funny – especially the illustrations). I didn’t know that the author and illustrator collaborated on other books. If your child is a fan of Creepy Crayon!, they are going to love Creepy Carrots! and Creepy Pair of Underwear! Kids are going to laugh out loud reading these books. The illustrations make them even funnier.
Creepy Carrots!
Written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Peter Brown.
In this Caldecott Honor and winning picture book, The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch as a rabbit fears his favorite treats are out to get him.
Imagine a rabbit… who loves to eat carrots (as rabbits do) being afraid of them?
Jasper Rabbit loves to eat carrots everywhere he goes… until they day they start to follow him around…
Creepy Pair of Underwear!
Written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Peter Brown.
From the celebrated team behind Creepy Carrots!, Aaron Reynolds and Caldecott Honor winner Peter Brown, comes a hilarious (and just a little creepy) story of a brave rabbit and a very weird pair of underwear.
Imagine being afraid of just about everything, and being given a pair of underwear that glow a bright green. How weird would that be. Poor Jasper Rabbit can’t get rid of them no matter what he does.
Kids are going to laugh out loud with this silly, fun to read book.
Creepy Crayon!
Written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Peter Brown.
A #1 New York Times bestseller! From the team behind the New York Times bestselling Creepy Carrots! and Creepy Pair of Underwear! comes the third in this hilariously spooky series about a young rabbit and his peculiar encounters—featuring a sinister crayon!
At first Jasper Rabbit is having a bad day. He’s not doing well at school. Then he finds the most perfect crayon you can imagine – a purple one. Suddenly his day gets a hundred times better, that is until this perfect crayon starts acting…creepy.
Rocket Puppies
Written and illustrated by William Joyce.
From the bestselling creator of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore comes a delightfully zany picture book about puppies too adorable to resist who battle the heavy case of the blues spreading across the world.
The whole world seems sad, people, bugs, birds… you name it. What can be done to turn those frowns upside down? Well simply bring in some adorable and silly puppies of course. You can’t help but be happy when you see puppies (I love animals… they all make me smile).
I love the colored pencil-looking illustrations in this book.
Just Try It!
Written by Phil Rosenthal and illustrated by Luke Flowers.
An instant New York Times bestseller From Netflix star and New York Times bestselling author Phil Rosenthal and his daughter Lily comes a hilarious picture book about a food-loving dad encouraging his picky eater daughter to just try something new.
Parents are going to totally relate to this book.
Phil wants Lil to try different foods. How would you know if you like something if you don’t try it? I tell my husband that all the time (he refuses to try any kind of seafood). Phil tries to get Lil to “expand her palate” at a food truck event, but Lil wants no part of it. She likes what she likes.
It’s funny that she likes pasta with no sauce. My son was the same way. He’d only eat pasta with butter, even at restaurants.
Someone Just Like You
Written by Helen Docherty and illustrated by David Roberts.
From celebrated picture book author Helen Docherty and the bestselling illustrator of the Questioneers series, David Roberts, comes a vitally important picture book encouraging empathy by showing we’re more similar than different.
I really enjoy this book. He teaches children that they have someone out in the world who are just like them – they might look similar and enjoy the same things. It’s a great way to make children not feel “different.” It’s also a great book about kindness.
Dalmartian
Written and illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins
From the bestselling creator of Stumpkin and Vampenguin comes a whimsical picture book about the unexpected friendship that blooms between a boy and a dog of intergalactic origins.
First and foremost, I loved the illustrations. They remind me of another illustrator, but for the life of me I can’t remember which one. It’s similar in style to one of my favorite books as a child.
This is a fun story. I love how they are able to form a relationship, even though the Dalmartian is a bit “quirky” compared to his Earth counterparts.
You Are Not Sleepy!
Written and illustrated by Mark Teague.
From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author-illustrator Mark Teague comes a funny bedtime picture book that is “storytelling hog heaven” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) about a pig who can’t go to sleep no matter how hard he tries!
I think a lot of children, and parents, can relate to this book. It’s hard to get your child to nap. Even if they want to take a nap (tired or not), sometimes our bodies just are not tired. Parents can feel the same way too (I’m like that at night).
Cute story.
Mabel Wants a Friend
Written by Ariel Bernstein and illustrated by Marc Rosenthal.
From the acclaimed duo Ariel Bernstein and Mark Rosenthal comes a new humorous and earnest story about a young fox who learns that making a new friend takes more than just wanting one.
I think this should be mandatory reading for some of my “work kids.” I have one in mind too – she’s a lot like the character Mabel in this book.
Mabel likes to get her own way, but her friend Chester doesn’t always agree. So Mabel thinks she’s better off without him, but soon realizes that making a new friend is not as easy as she thought it would be.
This is a book that shows children the importance of compromising and what it’s like to be a real friend.
Not My Cat
Written by Stacey Patton and illustrated by Acamy Schleikorn
Based on the author’s real experience, this charming and hilarious picture book follows a solitary homeowner who insists she’s much too busy to adopt a stray cat, until the cat adopts her.
We have eight (yes, 8) cats… need I say more.
I know plenty of people who insisted they hated cats, like the charater Stacey Pants in this book. But once they “experience” a cat, they suddenly fall for them. In this case, she doesn’t realize it until the cat disappears.
Make Believers
Written by Ryan Seacrest and illustrated by Bonnie Lui.
From America’s favorite host and media personality, Ryan Seacrest, and his sister, Meredith Seacrest Leach, comes a debut picture book that celebrates the surprising strength of a child’s wild, wonderful imagination and how it can change the whole world.
This is a beautifully illustrated book with rhyming words (kids love that) the teaches kids that there are other types of dreams aside from what you experience at night.
Lovey book.
Both these books feature the characters Bat, Cat and Rat. Both are written by Ame Dickman and illustrated by Mark Teague.
Cozy Home: Three-and-a-Half Stories
Join Bat, Cat, and Rat on their three-and-a-half sweet and silly roommate adventures in this hilarious “gift to reading” (School Library Journal, starred review), the first of a series, from New York Times bestsellers Ame Dyckman and Mark Teague.
Vacation: Three-and-a-Half Stories
In the second book in the Bat, Cat & Rat picture book series from New York Times bestsellers Ame Dyckman and Mark Teague, the roommates try to compromise on vacation plans in three-and-a-half sweet and silly stories.
These books made me laugh. The illustrations are hysterical. Kids will love these book featuring an unlikely trio of friends – a rat, a bat and a cat.
Great stories. Very engaging and fun to read.
There are more books in this series. I love that it’s an ongoing series of adventures (and misadventures) with these comical friends.
King of the World!
Written and illustrated by Ben Clanton.
A mutant potato learns that with great power comes great re-spud-sibility in this second installment of the hilariously silly graphic chapter book series from the bestselling creator of the Narwhal and Jelly books.
First and foremost the main character, a potato, is named “Rot.” Ha Ha.
Rot finds a crown in the mud and when he wear it he feels like he’s the king of the world. Most people would abide by what the king says, but not Rot’s friends. He literally lets the crown to go his head (no pun intended…okay maybe a little).
Little Love Songs
Written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton
This book is PERFECT for Valentine’s Day, especially for little ones.
This interactive book features five recorded songs you and your child can enjoy (and sing) together.
The songs are brief and the lyrics to the songs are found inside the book, along with the classic adorable Sandra Boynton illustrations.
All of these books are available at most retail locations, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Be sure to check out Simon and Schuster to keep up-to-date on new book releases – SimonSchuster.com. You can also follow them on social media.
Kimberly
*I received free copies in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
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