Tag: touch and feel

February 2025 Picture Book Spotlight: Friendship Reads

- Brittany Leave a comment

Happy February! In February, I usually read books about love or hugging and kissing. This year, I wanted to focus on the people that get us through this crazy and beautiful life, our friends. February is centered around love but it is also centered around friendship and who doesn’t love a good story about friends?! Below are the titles that I am sharing in my storytime outreach stops!

You Will Be My Friend
by Peter Brown

Lucy wakes up excited, today is the day that she will make a new friend! After sharing her big news with her mom, Lucy sets out on her journey through the forest to find a new friend who will do cartwheels, have a picnic, climb trees, go swimming, and have a dance party with her! After many unsuccessful attempts at making friends, Lucy is about to give up when she is greeted with an unexpected friend!

Peter Brown is so popular right now with his hit The Wild Robot becoming a box office smash! This story not only highlights Brown’s artistic talent but also how he can make a reader feel all emotions in one sitting! I highly recommend this title and really, honestly, anything written by Peter Brown is going to be absolute gold!

My Best Friend
by Rob Hodgson

Mouse introduces readers to his very best friend, Owl. Owl is so attentive, making sure that Mouse is always fed and is always there when Mouse needs him. In fact, sometimes, Owl is there even when Mouse doesn’t need him. Sometimes Mouse just wants some space and alone time. Oh well, I guess that is what happens when you have a very best friend, they are just always there for you.

This tongue in cheek book has grownups snickering while explaining to children the circle of life. Don’t worry, no mice were harmed in the creation of this book.

 

Fiona’s Friends
by Dr. John Hutton, photographs by Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Fiona, the adorable hippo calf introduces readers to all of her little friends living in the Cincinnati Zoo in this short board book. Young readers will have the opportunity to identify animals that they know (tigers, cheetahs) and meet some less known animals as well!

The photographs in this short story are adorable! My favorite part is at the end, there is a wrap up of all of the baby animals the readers met in the story to help associate names and animals.

Flora and Friends ABC
by Molly Idle

Join the adorable Flora as she introduces readers to the ABC’s through birds! This beautifully illustrated lift and flap book engages readers young and less young!

As I share this story with my partners, it is fun to see the teachers also get excited. We have also learned about some new birds together! Did you know that there is an umbrella bird? So cute!

 

 

Let’s Be Friends
by Leah Osakwe, illustrated by Becky Paige

Friends make everything better. In this beautiful board book, follow children as they share all of the amazing ways friends make the world brighter.

With colorful illustrations, my storytime kiddos have really enjoyed this title!

 

My Best Friend is a Giraffe
by Siân Roberts

In this touch and feel book, young readers are able to engage with the book while learning about Giraffe’s characteristics.

While reading this title, we discussed opposites while touching the different textures on the pages. This is a quick read and very cute!

 

Making a Friend 
by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Alison Friend

Beaver is great at making things. Exhibit A: he made his own lodge! Exhibit B: he constructed a slide outside of the lodge leading directly into the lake. Exhibit C: he knitted his own stripy socks! What Beaver struggles with is making a friend. For some reason, he has a hard time connecting with others. One day, Beaver decides that he is going to make a friend out of snow and enlists Raccoon for help.

This is a wonderful story of friendship and a great life lesson. Sometimes it just takes connecting with one person to create a bond that lasts a lifetime.

My New Friend is so Fun!
by Mo Willems

Gerald and Snake become really concerned that their best friends are hanging out without them. At first it is totally fine, Brian the Bat is super great and so is Piggie, then all of a sudden, Gerald and Snake begin to worry that their best friends will decide that they have more fun with each other than they do with Gerald and Snake. Intent to put a stop to this new friendship, Gerald and Snake are met with a surprise!

I love Elephant and Piggie books. I love narrating them and I love the joy that they spark in young people!

 

 

Have you read any of these titles? I would love to hear about what you thought of them in the comments!

November Picture Book Spotlight: DINOSAUR TAKE OVER!

- Brittany Leave a comment

Happy NovembROAR!! This month, I am excited to share some delightful Dinosaurific stories to share with your favorite little velociraptor in your life!

Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs by Byron Barton
In prehistoric days there were many different kinds of dinosaurs, big and small, those with spikes and those with long, sharp teeth.
– provided by our catalog

 

 

Never Touch the Dinosaurs by Rosie Greening
This roar-some counting book is perfect for young children. There’s plenty to explore in this innovative board book with silicone textures and silly rhyming text. Little ones will love learning to count down from five as they explore the amazing bumpy dinosaurs on every page.
– provided by our catalog

 

 

 

Penelope and the Problem with Pets by Ryan T. Higgins
Penelope Rex gets a saber-toothed tiger for her first pet, but find ‘Mittens’ a lot to handle.
-provided by our catalog

 

 

Tea Rex by Molly Idle
Cordelia and her brother host a tea party for an unusual guest–a T-Rex!
– provided by our catalog

 

 

 

 

The Dinos on the Bus by Peter Miller illustrated by Tony Neal
The Wheels on the Bus transforms into the squeals on the bus as the little dinos travel up and down, round and round, all through the land. Packed full of actions to join in, with a calming ending to wind down after all the excitement, this is the perfect first picture book to enjoy together. Young readers will stomp their feet and clap their hands in delight as they sing along with this fun-filled, dinosaur reinvention of this popular rhyme!
– provided by our catalog

D is for Dinosaur by Christopher Robbins illustrated by Volha Kaliaha
Take a trip back in time to the Mesozoic Era when dinosaurs walked the earth! With G for giganotosaurus, P for pachycephalosaurus, and X for xenoceratops, the ABCs have never been so T-riffic! Every little dino lover will have a roaring good time learning dinosaur names all the way down to zalmoxes.
– provided by our catalog

 

That’s Not My Dinosaur by Fiona Watt
Turn the pages and touch the patches of different textures to develop sensory and language awareness.
– provided by our catalog

 

 

 

Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems
Edwina is well-known in her neighborhood, she plays with kids, she bakes delicious chocolate chip cookies and helps old ladies cross the street. She is well-loved by everyone except for one person: Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie. He knows for a fact that dinosaurs are extinct and tries to convince everyone that they are. What happens when Edwina finds out?
– provided by our catalog

 

Have you read any of these titles? I would love to hear about what you thought of them in the comments!

August Picture Books Spotlight: Unicorns!

- Brittany Leave a comment

From time to time, I take special requests for themes from the young people that I visit for storytimes. Last month, I had a request for unicorn books and this month, I am so excited to deliver some really delightful titles to our storytime sites! Below are some of my favorites this year!

Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey
Author of the beloved Pig the Pug series, Blabey delivers another delightful story in rhyme! Thelma is a pony who dreams of a life in the spotlight. After a chance encounter with a paint and glitter truck, Thelma embarks on a lifestyle of the rich and famous. The illustrations are a delight as is the story itself, definitely fun for the whole family.

 

Twinkle, Twinkle Unicorn by Jeffrey Burton and illustrated by Zoe Waring
A magical take on a beloved nursery rhyme, this story gives the ability to change the words and not the vibe! This board book is so great to share with young ones as it is not only a story in rhyme, but it can be sung. Singing is a great way to begin those super important early literacy skills.

 

You Don’t Want a Unicorn by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Liz Climo
You might be thinking that having a pet unicorn would be awesome. I mean, yes, but, unicorns do not make very good pets. Unicorns are so messy and what nobody talks about is that when they get lonely, chaos ensues! This story is so much fun to share and I will forever keep it in my lineup when unicorns are a part of the theme!

 

There’s a Unicorn in Your Book by Tom Fletcher and illustrated by Greg Abbott
Unicorns love to sing and spread joy but our friend unicorn is having a hard time in this story. Through interactive prompts, young readers help unicorn overcome what is bothering him! My kiddos at home and those that I get to read to all enjoy having the ability to help read the book! The illustrations are adorable and the content teaches about anxiety, consent, and the importance of friendships!

Unicorns are Real! by Holly Hatam
Unicorns are made of magic, glitter, hugs and kisses and so much more! Learn more about unicorns in this adorably illustrated board book sure to delight young readers.

 

Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima
Kelp was born in the ocean among the narwhals but never quite fit in. Kelp’s tusk wasn’t long enough, he was a poor swimmer, and did not like the same food that his narwhal family loved. One day after being swept into a current, Kelp discovers a mysterious being in the distance that looks like him! This story also have gorgeous illustrations and shows the kiddos that you really can have it all sometimes!

 

Today I’ll Be a Unicorn by Dana Simpson
One day a young girl wakes up and decides that she wants to be a unicorn like her best friend! Throughout the story, the child shares just what she would do once a unicorn. The story takes a turn when a unicorn’s diet is introduced! Do you want to be a unicorn or give up your favorite food?! This story was short and adorable!

 

That’s Not my Unicorn by Fiona Watt
Meet five beautiful unicorns, one is the author’s unicorn but the other’s are not! This touch and feel book was well-received by my storytime kiddos and my daughter has loved everything that Watt has ever written!

 

Have you read any of these titles? I would love to hear about what you thought of them in the comments!