Picture Book Parade

Option 1:

• What picture books did you read this month?
• Which squares did you fill?
• Which squares are you having trouble with?
• How many until you bingo?
• Do you have suggestions for other participants?

Option 2:

• What picture books did you read this month?
• Which categories did you check off your list?
• What is your goal? How close are you to meeting that goal?
• Which categories are you having trouble with?
• Do you have suggestions for other participants?

Option 3:

• What picture books did you read this month?
• Which letters have you read?
• How many more to go until you've read the alphabet?
• Which letters are you having trouble with? 
• Do you have suggestions for other participants? 

First, I want to say how EXCITED I am that so many people have signed up for this challenge so far!!!
Alex, Jamie, Darlene, Gloria, Ronyell, Cassie, Sue, Liz, Katie, SueFitz, Emma, Gretchen, Joanne, Beverly, Rona, Julie, MamaWantsHerBooks, Cheryl, Christine, BookishRealm, Carrie, Fiction State of Mind, Alison (Laces), Tia Hillary, Rose D, Tobe.Buffenbarger, JLS Hall, Holly. 

You can answer as many or as few of these questions in the comments of this 'parade' post. You can leave links to reviews if you like.

My own update/answers:

What picture books did you read this month? I read 10 books.

Rain. Robert Kalan. Illustrated by Donald Crews. 1978. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]
When Spring Comes. Kevin Henkes. Illustrated by Laura Dronzek. 2016.  40 pages. [Source: Library]
Vincent and the Night. Adele Enersen. 2015. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
Ideas Are All Around. Philip C. Stead. 2016. 48 pages. [Source: Library]
Freight Train. Donald Crews. 1978. 26 pages. [Source: Borrowed]
The Bossier Baby. Marla Frazee. 2016. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
Olive and the Embarrassing Gift. Tor Freeman. 2014. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Mother Bruce. Ryan T. Higgins. 2015. Disney-Hyperion. 44 pages. [Source: Library]
The Little Grumpy Cat That Wouldn't. Illustrated by Steph Laberis. 2016. Random House. 24 pages. [Source: Gift]
The Boss Baby. Marla Frazee. 2010. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

Favorite(s) so far: Marla Frazee's Boss Baby and Bossier Baby!


© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Rain

Rain. Robert Kalan. Illustrated by Donald Crews. 1978. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Blue sky. Yellow sun. White clouds. Gray clouds. No sun. Gray sky. Rain.

Premise/plot: Rain is a simple concept book for young children. It's a book about the weather, and, a book about colors. The rain coming down from the gray clouds--the word rain over and over again.

My thoughts: I really like this one. I do. I am most familiar with Donald Crews' Freight Train. And by familiar, I mean essentially have it memorized. This one has a very similar feel. Is it my favorite picture book about rain? Probably not. That would be UMBRELLA by Taro Yashima. But it still works and is worth reading.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

When Spring Comes

When Spring Comes. Kevin Henkes. Illustrated by Laura Dronzek. 2016.  40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Before Spring comes, the trees look like black sticks against the sky. But if you wait, Spring will bring leaves and blossoms.

Premise/plot: How do you know when spring is here? Kevin Henkes' new picture books presents the many, many first signs of spring to young readers. Some of the signs: melting snow, rain, rain, and more rain, new green grass, blooming flowers, etc.

My thoughts: I like this one. The text is good. But I really loved, loved, loved the illustrations. I especially loved seeing the three white kittens pop up throughout the book. 

My favorite line(s):

"Spring can come quickly or slowly. It changes its mind a lot."

"When Spring is finally here to stay, you might think you are done waiting, but you are not...
Now you have to wait for Summer."

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Vincent and the Night

Vincent and the Night. Adele Enersen. 2015. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: One evening, Vincent decided he didn't want to go to bed.

Premise/plot: The author uses photographs of her son, Vincent, to tell a story of a baby who did not want to go to sleep. These are illustrated photographs. For example, one photo shows him playing a drawn violin. Another photo shows him with a drawn water hose. The illustrations are cute, cute, super-cute. For readers--of any age--that finds babies irresistible and precious this one is worth seeking out.

My thoughts: Confession: I love, love, love babies. I don't mind super-cute!!! This one worked well for me.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Ideas Are All Around

Ideas Are All Around. Philip C. Stead. 2016. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Today outside my house the sunflower opened up. "Hello Sunflower!" I planted it from a packet of very old seeds. There were a lot of seeds but only this one grew.

Premise/plot: A writer and his dog, Wednesday, walk their neighborhood together. The writer is supposed to be writing, but is all out of ideas. The dog is a dog eager for a walk regardless of what the writer needs to be doing. Both want OUT. This book celebrates LITTLE MOMENTS. I was going to say it celebrated procrastination, but, that would only be slightly true. It is all about the PRESENT, being in the moment, an awareness of the NOW.

Throughout the book, there are photographs AND illustrations.

My thoughts: Ideas Are All Around is not a great storybook. It isn't. But. If you're looking for a book about prewriting or even journaling this might be a good example. It gives readers a glimpse into one day--just one afternoon--into the life of a writer. Do writers ever run out of ideas? Do writers ever get tired of writing? Do writers ever procrastinate? Do writers ever struggle with getting words on paper?

Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 1 out of 5
Photographs: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 15

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews