“On a gloomy, dripping, rain-boots-required kind of day, Kid is ready to stay inside, warm and dry, and play video games. But to Dog, Kid’s arrival home means only one thing: it’s time for WALKIES!”
From Booklist:
“This soggy and exuberant romp… [is] a wet and wonderful tale of pet ownership.”
Review:
Author/illustrator, Estrela Lourenço, perfectly portrays the power of nature to change our mood in Walkies: A Dog’s Tale, a charmingly illustrated wordless picture book from Page Street Kids.
When a child comes home on a rainy day all they want to do is dry off and enjoy some downtime in front of a screen.
Expressive, sequential art makes this a relatable title for all pet lovers; and the perfect title for pre-readers, reluctant readers, and English language learners to tackle the art of storytelling on their own.
In the picture book, Gwendolyn’s Pet Gardenby Anne Renaud, we know the problem from the opening line: “Gwendolyn Newberry-Fretz wanted a pet.” A very relatable problem indeed. Yet, Gwendolyn’s parents are not on board with the pet idea and, instead, get her some dirt which “smells of possibilities” to them. Gwendolyn thinks it smells like a swamp! Yet, once the garden gets underway, she reconsiders how she feels about this compromise.
Rashin Kheiriyeh’sillustrations peppered with bright accents pull you into Gwendolyn’s world, whether she’s suggesting various pets or plotting her planter. I feel the joys of gardening including the excitement of watching plants grow from seed.
I like how the back matter ties it all together, explaining what’s needed for kids to start their own gardens. Seed-lending libraries are explained and encouraged—a concept I hope catches on as well as the book-lending libraries we have in many neighborhoods. The idea of repurposing no-longer-needed library card catalog cabinets to house seeds brilliant!
Kelly Bennettand Noah Z. Jones, author and illustrator of Not Norman, have teamed up again for its sequel called Norman: One Amazing Goldfish!But you don’t need to have read the first book to know immediately that Norman is something special.
Norman’s owner, the story’s narrator, is proud of his talented fish and wants “everyone to know it,” so it’s no surprise that he enters the upcoming Pet-O-Rama where he can demonstrate how truly awesome Norman is.
Kids will love all the cool tricks that Norman can perform on command including swimming in circles, blowing bubbles and a flip through a hoop that’s pretty impressive. But the pièce de résistance is how, when Norman’s owner plays a particular song on the tuba, Norman can sing and dance to it. This goldfish has got the moves and the Pet-O-Rama participants and attendees will be blown away by him. But the competition is fierce with bunnies, dogs, snakes, and lizards all going for glory.
When it’s finally Norman and his owner’s turn in the spotlight, the goldfish appears to freeze up, hide and not respond to his cues. Remembering his nervous feelings from that very morning, Norman’s owner realizes that the goldfish is experiencing stage fright. With a welcome whisper of encouragement and a performance tip to turn the tide from his human friend, Norman not only completes the practiced routine, he wows the crowd and judges to capture the prize.
Bennett’s story about helping a friend in a time of need and lifting their spirits offers a wonderful opportunity for parents to discuss what a friendship encompasses. It’s also a gentle exposure to stage fright or speaking in front of a class—fears many young children might have—and how a compassionate friend can make all the difference in conquering that fear. Coupled with Jones’s vibrant, deeply saturated cartoon-like art, Bennett’s funny and sweet look at friendship through the eyes of a child and his pet goldfish, is a definite winner.
