City Dog, Country Frog

Ivy has been rereading old favorites since moving.  However, this week we were able to go to the library only to discover a new "friend"- City Dog, Country Frog. When City Dog goes to the country for the first time, he meets a new friend - Country Frog.  As the seasons pass, the two friends introduce each other to their favorite games - fetching, hopping, etc.  When City Dog visits the country in winter, he is not able to find his friend.  Will frog return in the spring?  This is a rather heartbreaking tale of friendship, loss, and the ultimate renewal of the spirit.  I was quite surprised to find Ivy fascinated by it.  She, in fact, keeps returning to the desolate winter pages when City Dog is mournfully waiting for his friend.  Although a bit depressing in nature, the beautiful water colors and uplifting ending make the story engaging.  I was surprised to find this book to be by the author Mo Williams.  He is known for his more lighthearted books such as his pigeon series. 

Small Pig

This seemingly simple story seems to be packed with meaning for Ivy.   She just loves small pig, a plucky little fellow who loves mud.  When the farmer's wife decides to clean everything including the pig pen, small pig sets off to find a new home with mud.  When he finally discovers "mud" in the city, it is not quite what it seems.  Read about small pig's adventures in Arnold Lobel's Small Pig.  

Purplicious

Earlier on the blog Ivy favorably reviewed Pinkalicious.  Lately Ivy has been wanting to hear Victoria and Elizabeth Kann's Purplicious.  Pinkalicious is being teased by all the kids at school.  Pink is passé - the new pink is black.  Pinkalicious stands by her color until all of her friends desert her.  Her loneliness causes her to reconsider her love of all things pink.  Will Pinkalicious abandon her pink principles and begin wearing black?  Find out in Purplicious!

Because I Could Not Stop My Bike

Ivy has memorized parts of over twenty poems thanks to Karen Shapiro.  Karen has written parodies  of famous poems appropriate for children.  Instead of Dickenson's "Because I Could Not Stop For Death", a young girl tells a story called "Because I Could Not Stop My Bike".  All the poems follow the same rhyme scheme and meter as the original poem.  My personal favorite is "Macaroni and Cheese", a parody of Poe's "Annabelle Lee".  Ivy's favorite (a parody of Blayke) opens with:

Tiger, Tiger
Took a Bite
Out of my dessert last night.  

Ballerina Swan

Although I am not much of a dancer, what girl can resist a ballet-loving swan?  Sophie, a graceful swan, spends her days staring longingly into Madam Myrtle's dance studio from her nearby pond.  When she finally gathers enough nerve to sneak into the studio, Sophie is shooed away.  When a new young teacher enters the scene, Sophie is able to join the girls!  Will she be able to perform in the school's production of Swan Lake?  Find out in Allegra Kent's Ballerina Swan.

The Dollhouse Fairy

Ivy just loves fairies and dollhouses - the perfect combo for Jane Ray's The Dollhouse Fairy.  There is nothing young Rose loves more than working on her dollhouse with her dad.

When her father takes ill one Saturday, Rose is left to deal with her grief.  A fairy with a hurt wing shows up in her dollhouse filling Rose's empty days with mischievous antics and fairy fun.  When Rose's father returns the fairy mysteriously disappears.  What a wonderful look at how adolescents handle grief!  The pictures are just lovely.

Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and Squeak is an adorable twist on childhood fears by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud (illustrated by Susan Banta).  Bubble is a "sort-of" new big sister with a "sort-of" new little sister, Squeak. One night Bubble is having trouble going to bed due to the usual assortment of toddler issues - monsters, the dark, thirst, etc.  Instead of owning these things as her own worries/needs, young Bubble has her mother practice what to do when Squeak is big enough to have trouble going to sleep for the same reasons.  It turns out that Bubble still needs her mommy much more than she thinks.  However, it is nothing that cannot be solved with a good snuggle and a delicious hot chocolate with marshmallows made into the shape of snowmen.