Oh, happy day! Author Nancy Shaw and illustrator Margot Apple have collaborated once again to create another splendid book in their highly acclaimed Sheep in a Jeep series – Sheep Go to Sleep (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015).
Sheep Go to Sleep is a charming story about a dutiful sheepdog’s struggle to herd those silly sheep to bed, and what a restless and demanding bunch they are! Before they can rest, they need drinks of water and special blankets and on and on… Then, when the precious collie is at the point of exhaustion, the moment comes when those sheep finally surrender and snuggle down to sleep.
As are all of the books in the Sheep in a Jeep series, Sheep Go the Sleep is perfectly crafted for the young child in the most whimsical, comical, and heart-warming way. Don’t wait until May 5th when this newest book in the series arrives on bookstore shelves – preorder the book now! And while you’ll at it, pick up a copy of the Sheep that started it all – Sheep in a Jeep.
Looking for a good book? No matter if you are big or small, there’s nothing better than finding the next book in a favorite series written by a favorite author. For readers in the early-elementary grades, one of the most popular – and delightful – series is the BABY MOUSE books written by Jennifer L. Holm and illustrated graphic-style by Jennifer’s brother, Matt.
Try the newest award-winning, book number #18 in this series: HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY MOUSE.(Random House Books for Young Readers, 2014)
Already this book has been chosen by young readers as a 2015 Children’s Choice Book award finalist.
The author, Jennifer L. Holm, is a three-time Newbery-honor award winner and for good reason, her books are wonderful. Jennifer and Matt are also the creators of the SQUISH series. My very favorite is one of Jennifer’s first books, the historical novel for the middle-grade reader, OUR ONLY MAY AMELIA. Set in Washington in 1899 the reader follows the delightful story-telling of May Amelia Jackson, a pioneer girl with seven older brothers and a love for adventure and mis-adventures!
For more best-books, take a look at the whole list of this year’s Children’s Choice Book Awards Finalists. Yes, you will find HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY MOUSE and five books in each age category. These books have been chosen as “best” by the thousands of children who have read them. For more information and the full list of books, read more here:
Looking for a series for the very young listeners? A new series just out are the PUMPKINHEADS board books, colorfully illustrated and simply written, but each tell an engaging story.
Each book has a simple value embedded within the story. A variety of child characters are each working through typical preschool child problems and concerns, for example:
CARMIN CARES, (no littering, keep the playground clean), ELLA’S TOYS (and Ella does NOT want to share), LOVE MONSTER LULU who likes to tease the dog, chase the cat and make life rather annoying for everyone, and SAGE’S SONG – fun to sing along, listen to the music all around you.
Each book is printed on kid-tough paper from sustainable forests. The books were created, written, and designed by Karen Kilpatrick and illustrated by a variety of Pumpkinhead storyboard artists, Matthew Wilson and Tara Campbell leading the way. The Pumpkinhead website link is http://www.pumpkinheads.com/
Jack’s scatterbrained parents did it – again. Hilarious action and dangerous rapids rule the day in Jack at the Helm (Darby Creek Publishing) by Lisa Doan, the third and final book in the Berenson Schemes Series.
The Berenson’s high hopes to make their fortune while not losing Jack – once again – to fend for himself in a foreign territory, fail. Plans are for Jack’s parents to become co-Dalai Lamas of Nosnereb, their newly created religion (Nosnereb is Berenson spelled backward) and to purchase a monastery in Shangrilala, Nepal. However, after a series of unfortunate events, Jack is stranded and forced to survive the treachery of the rugged Himalayan River. But this time, things are different.
Reluctant readers are sure to be with Jack every step of the way as he climbs onto a beaten-up old raft and goes down-river to battle crocodiles, rocks, and rapids in search of his missing parents.
When farm animals make their way into a picture book, you can usually be certain that good fun’s ahead. When those animals happen to be the notorious Duck, Sheep, and Cows from Cronin and Lewin’s CLICK, CLACK, MOO: Cows That Type, you can be assured of plenty of giggle-worthy shenanigans. This time, Duck has his eye on winning 1st prize at the county fair talent show – a (slightly used) trampoline. With deadpan humor and Lewin’s comical illustrations, DOOBY DOOBY MOO is another winner by this talented author/illustrator duo.
Four figures make their way through a nighttime forest until…”Look! a bird.” When the smallest one calls out, “hello, birdie” the other three are quick to reprimand – “shh…SHH!…we have a plan.” Quietly the three approach the brightly colored bird. “ready one… ready two… ready three…GO!” While the three land in a big tumbly mess, the bird easily escapes. And so it goes as the foursome follow the bird up a tree and over a river, each time with similar results. But the littlest one really does know what he’s doing. Offering a handful of bread, it isn’t long before he’s surrounded by not one, but dozens of birds. The three pull out their nets for one last “ready one… ready two… ready th… RUN AWAY!” Off they go again, angry birds on their heels. Until… “Look! a squirrel…SHH! we have a plan.” Bold, colorful illustrations add to the visual humor and make this a book kids and adults will enjoy reading over and over again.
A new, wonderfully silly, hot-off the award lists picture book is KID SHERIFF AND THE TERRIBLE TOADS, written by Bob Shea and Lane Smith. Toad problems in Drywater Gulch! Serious toad problems: “thievin’, lootin’, and hollerin/, steal-your-gold never-say –thank you outlaw toad problem.” Hope for Dry Gulch arrives in the boots of Sheriff Ryan, a bit young you might think, seven years old, but he knows dinosaurs. Yes, dinosaurs and paleontology. Knowing paleontology turns out to be exactly what is needed. You got to read it to believe it.
GOOD NIGHT LOON is a just plain silly, tummy-laughing-till-hurting delight.
We all can close our eyes and see the soothing, green pages of GOOD NIGHT MOON.
GOODNIGHT LOON by Abe Sauer and illustrated by Nathaniel Davauer is a north woods silly-giggly version with a Big Blue OX jumping over the loon watched by three fat walleyes eating rhubarb pies. Don’t worry, there’s Tater Tots for those not excited about rhubarb. GOOD NIGHT LOON is fun for the big folks and ancient voyageurs who enjoy reading between loony lines.
Now we know what the North Folks do during those long, dark snow-covered winters.
And one more for giggles and laughs. My very favorite picture book that makes me laugh out loud even after a zillion readings is – TO MARKET, TO MARKET written by Anne Miranda and illustrated by infamously-delightful, Janet Stevens. Two terrific imaginations have created page after page of hilarious words and images. “To market, to market to buy a live TROUT. Home again …Uh-oh! The goose was let out.” The pigs in the frig, the hen’s in the oven…and where’s that lamb now?
It’s February. Here in Texas we are in the throes of an especially wet and gray winter. Add to that the dismal international current events, and it becomes all too clear that we need a good long laugh. Below you will find a few of my favorite books that evoke hilarity in children (and adults) of all ages.
When the bus driver takes a break, a persistent pigeon demands to be allowed to take the driver’s place. The story that follows captures the essence of a toddler demanding the impossible with the ensuing tantrum. Adults will love reading about the Pigeon’s craziness and kids will love the invitation to respond to the Pigeon’s ridiculous requests.
When Duncan opens his crayon box, he is surprised to find the colors refusing to work. Through a series of letters, Duncan learns of the crayon’s problems and complaints. Luckily for the crayons, Duncan devises a perfect solution. A hilarious read aloud that is appropriate for ages five and up.
When Jeremy Jacob spies a pirate ship during his distracted family’s trip to the beach, he’s overjoyed to meet Braid Beard and his crew. And who wouldn’t be? As Jeremy learns, pirates don’t have to eat vegetables or even brush their teeth. The rollicking pirate dialect paired with David Shannon’s boisterous illustrations make for a book that children will return to time and time again.
Chapter Books Skinnybones by Barbara Park
The late and sorely missed Barbara Park is famous for her Junie B. Jones series but this book for slightly older readers is also a gem. Poor Alex can never catch a break. From being caught in a lie by his mom to being the worst player in his Little League team, Alex is always in trouble. Alex is a wonderful underdog to cheer for while laughing at the ridiculous situations he gets himself into.
For the past twenty years Melissa Buron has worked as a librarian and teacher for young people in Africa, Europe and the United States. In addition, she is an author, blogger and journalist. You can find here, or on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (@melissaburon). Contact her with your favorite funny books or just to say “hi!”
Berenson Schemes Book Giveaway! Leave a comment and you could win signed copies of Jack the Castaway and Jack and the Wild Life.
Here’s more of what makes Lisa tick.
FLH: Jack is the practical, responsible one, and clearly his parents are not, which is unexpected and hilarious. How have your young readers responded to this role reversal?
LD: Kids like that they are in on the joke. They can see that Richard and Claire’s ideas are bound to go wrong, and they know what they would do in a similar situation. And, it’s fun to imagine having parents like them – no rules and as much candy as you want!
The other appealing thing is the survival story aspect – kids can consider what they would do with the supplies Jack is left with each time he’s lost. There is no right or wrong way to use the supplies – Jack picks one way, but there are multiple variations on what might be done with each item.
FLH: What’s the most fun thing about writing about Jack and his parents?
LD: Well, it’s always fun to devise the new way that Jack will be lost. Richard and Claire Berenson really want to be good parents, so when they lose Jack they take steps to make sure that particular thing doesn’t happen again. But like a leaky dam, as soon as they plug one hole, another one bursts out.
FLH: Who are you most like… Jack or his parents?
LD: Oh, as I said, I’m Richard and Claire. I think everybody is born with a risk-taking temperament and mine has always been on the high side. I backpacked alone from Morocco to Kenya before cell phones, quit a good paying job to move to the Caribbean and teach scuba diving, and opened a restaurant without ever having worked in a restaurant (or cooked much). The times when I have been terrified are the times I’ve felt most alive.
FLH: Given his parental experience, do you think Jack will ever have kids of his own some day?
LD: Absolutely he will. And when he does, he will be torn between implementing what he learned about risk-taking, but also wanting to be the parent he wished for – the ultimate helicopter parent.
FLH: What’s your advice for someone who wants to write a funny story?
Strong humor seems loose and light, as if the writer just scribbled away with not a lot of revising and shaping, but humor is very structured and all about timing. I’m a fan of character-driven humor, so my best advice is to clearly define your humorous character’s worldview. That skewed view, whatever it happens to be, will be the basis for the wit of the story. Also, go back to a passage in any book you read that made you laugh out loud and really look at the structure of it. What was the set up? How did the writer lead you down a primrose path before blindsiding you with something unexpected? Often, a joke falls flat because the set up isn’t right. If you don’t allow the reader time to process the set up then it just doesn’t work. The brain needs to be mentally ready for the punch line.
FLH: What are some of your favorite humorous middle grade books that you’d like to recommend to us?
LD: I love British humor, some are so incredibly witty – The Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ by Sue Townsend, and The Bagthorpe Saga series by Helen Cresswell are two of my favorites. For Americans, I would say my favorite, though the humor is dark, is The Canning Season by Polly Horvath.
Brilliant! Thanks, Lisa!
Now it’s your turn, Readers. What are some of your favorite humorous books? Leave us a comment, and you’ll be entered to win signed copies of Jack the Castaway and Jack and the Wild Life. Good luck!
Frances Lee Hall earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and writes middle-grade fiction for young readers. Find her at www.francesleehall.com and on Twitter @fleehall
Mission Statement
To provide teachers, librarians, and parents with the resources and inspiration to foster a love of reading in kids, K-5.
CARMIN CARES, (no littering, keep the playground clean), ELLA’S TOYS (and Ella does NOT want to share), LOVE MONSTER LULU who likes to tease the dog, chase the cat and make life rather annoying for everyone, and SAGE’S SONG – fun to sing along, listen to the music all around you.
Now we know what the North Folks do during those long, dark snow-covered winters.
