Tweak, Tweak

Eve Bunting and Sergio Ruzzler (illustrator) have created an adorable book appropriate for kids Ivy's age and younger (12-18 month range is perfect as well).  Little elephant is walking with his mommy and holding onto her tail.  When he encounters an animal doing something, he tweaks his mommy's tail and asks if he can do the action too.  He discovers he might not be able to do everything, but there is a lot a young elephant can do!  Read Tweak, Tweak.  

Brownie and Pearl

Ivy has a doll named Pearl, the real reason behind getting into this fabulous series!  There are only a few words per page, and the illustrations are bold and vibrant.  Brownie is a fun-loving girl whose best pal is her kitty, Pearl.  Brownie and Pearl go on/experience all sorts of adventures - shopping, seeing the sites, a party, a walk, playing dress up, etc.  This series would be appropriate for the 12-18 month range as well!

Welcome Home, Mouse

Elisa Kleven has created an adorable character - Stanley the elephant.  Poor Stanley just wants to help to be helpful, but he is a bit clumsy.  On the way to buy tomatoes for his mom, he accidentally knocks over and destroys mouse's house.  Stanley offers to make mouse a new house after he gets the tomatoes for his mom.  As the two complete the errand, Stanley sees many things that might make a new house.  Will Stanley be able to make a house delicate enough for a mouse?  Find out in Welcome Home, Mouse.

Sally's Great Balloon Adventure

Stephen Huneck has created a lovely series about a lovable dog named Sally.  Sally is a black lab who goes to the vet, on a hot air balloon, to the mountains, to a farm, and many more places.  There are only a few words per page with beautiful colored wood cuts.  In this Sally adventure, our heroine follows the scent of delicious chicken into a hot air balloon.  Sally tugs on the hanging rope, and she is airborne!  Will Sally ever get home to her family?  Find out in Sally's Great Balloon Adventure!

When Stella Was Very, Very Small

Stella is an engaging young girl who has grown a great deal from her baby days.  When Stella was very, very small, she saw the world in her own unique way.  Now that she is bigger, she is ready to pass along her expertise to her little brother, Sam.  Ivy loves reading stories about toddlers growing out of babyhood and sharing their knowledge with babies.  (Probably due to the new babies at daycare!)  Marie-Louise Gay created an engaging character in When Stella Was Very, Very Small.

When Stella was very, very small, 
she thought she was a turtle.

Then she thought she was a goldfish...
But being a dog was even better.  

Katie Discovers Summer

Liesbet Slegers reminds me of Leslie Patricelli.  She has simple drawings with simple plots that appeal to kids.  Ivy has requested Katie Discovers Summer multiple times.  Katie does all kinds of fun things with her mom and dad, culminating in a picnic dinner outside.  The pictures are vibrant and engaging.  We found out that this series has quite a few books.  Katie even gains a new BFF in Katie's Big Move, Kevin.

Good Night, Little Bear

Ivy loves to play hide and seek.  Once when at her Grandpa's and Grannie Frannie's house, she threw a towel over her head and shouted, "Find me!".  When everyone acted confused as to her whereabouts, she pressed a button on her new owl keychain.  The towel glowed a ghostly blue color and hooted!  The more obvious the spot - the funnier it is to Ms. Ivy.  I suppose this is why she adores Patricia and Richard Scarry's Good Night, Little Bear.  Little bear is hiding on his papa's head, but papa and mama cannot seem to find him.  It is a great story for any toddlers in the hide and seek phase!

The Moon

Today at the library Ivy pulled this book off the shelf and said, "I love this book!  The moon has a face like a clock on the wall!"  We have not taken out Robert Louis Stevenson's The Moon since the summer.  I am not sure how she remembered it.  The illustrations accompanying the poem are lovely - by Tracey Campbell Pearson.  The poem originally appeared in A Child's Garden of Verses, 1885.  Stevenson is Ivy's first famous poet!

The moon has a face like a clock in the hall;
She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
On streets and fields and harbour quays,
And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.