It is the holiday season, and I’m thinking about what to give to the special people in my life. It will come as no surprise that books are my go-to gift. I came across a few new children’s books this year that I found particularly enjoyable, and I’m adding these to my list of “books to gift.” Maybe you can use this list as inspiration for your own gifting or to get some ideas of what to check out from the library and read to the children in your life.
Cece Bell Presents Animal Albums From A to Z, opens a new window
I’m not sure where to start in describing this book. It’s an ABC book but so much deeper than any ABC book I’ve seen. In the introduction, Bell sets up a wildly inventive backstory about animal bands (yes, musical bands made up only of animals) and their albums that have mostly been lost to time. For each letter of the alphabet, there is an animal “artist” that matches the letter (Ella Fountaine the elephant for E, Rascal Ratt the rat for R), the musical style of the artist matches the letter (easy listening for E, rockabilly for R), every song on the “album” list features the letter, and the “record label” on the record cover matches the letter (Eye See You Records, Reasonable Records). Each letter has a two-page spread in the book with the album cover, a full list of songs on the album, and lyrics from one song (an original written by Bell). Beyond the incredible creativity employed to focus every aspect of each animal artist’s album on a single letter of the alphabet, Bell also invented a brief history for each artist, which appears in the backmatter. The songs that have full lyrics in the book were recorded and can be heard online at animalalbums.com., opens a new window This book is truly enjoyable for all ages. Young children will be engaged by the illustrations and alliteration of the text, older children will be amazed by all the details to discover, and the adults in their lives will get a kick out of the call-back to the days of vinyl.
Dot! Scribble! Go!, opens a new window by Hervé Tullet
Tullet’s previous books Press Here,, opens a new window Mix it Up!, opens a new window and Let’s Play!, opens a new window are some of my favorite books for preschool children. Tullet’s books are fun and interactive, making the reading experience as enjoyable for the adult reading the book as it is for the child listening and interacting with it. Tullet’s latest title, Dot! Scribble! Go! is in the same vein as my other favorites, instructing children to touch the page in designated places then turn the page to see what magical things have happened with color and shape. Tullet knows his audience and their sensory needs: the text is simple, and the illustrations are mostly primary colors on a white background. The premise and the design of these books are timeless, an important characteristic for me when choosing a book to give to a child.
I Am Wriggly, opens a new window by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Robert Starling
With its clear, bold illustrations and short text, this book is a great fit for babies to toddlers. The sparse text is perfectly suited to the short attention spans of those under three, who will also be visually engaged by the colorful images. The energetic bunny in this book is the titular wriggly one, and each page describes a different way that energy comes out with a bouncy rhyming cadence of the text. The bunny’s “whiskers wiggle” and “ears jiggle." The bunny jiggles spoons and joggles balloons. This lively picture book is perfect for reading to a young child sitting on your lap, where you can easily engage the baby in the action of the book by gently wiggling the child’s ears, bouncing them on your lap, and mimicking the other actions of the adorable bunny.
Darcie Caswell is Director of Youth Services at CRRL. This column originally appeared in The Free Lance-Star newspaper.
