Our Latest Library Finds

Our latest trip to the library has yielded another round of pleasant reads.  A few days later, we have already devoured, er, I mean read, most of them.  Five of these library finds are...

The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, illustrated by Robert Ingpen.  If you've read this previous post, then you already know how much I adore The Wind in the Willows.  Finding this particular edition with such beautiful illustrations to accompany the story line was like finding a treasure.  Though, in all fairness, I didn't have to dig for it.  The librarian had set it out on the 'new books' display table.  I just happened to walk by and see it, and whisk it to the check-out counter along with our other finds. 


Books About People:
Pish, Posh, Said Hieronymus Bosch, by Nancy Willard - The odd title and fanciful art work on the cover of this book caught my eye.  Though I was not very familiar with Hiernoymus Bosch or his art work, I thought it might be fun to explore with the children.  The book tells the tale of Bosch's house keeper becoming disgusted with the odd creatures and lifestyle of Bosch.  She quits, but is beckoned to return by those very same odd creatures.  The story is far fetched and imaginative.  The rhythmic wording is playful as well.  This is not an ordinary read aloud, but more of an imaginative experience.  If you like the whimsical style of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the nonsense of his poem, Jabberwocky, then this book might be one you'd enjoy.  I happen to dislike most, possibly all, of Carroll's works.  However, I didn't mind the nonsense in Pish, Posh, Said Hieronymus Bosch.  Perhaps it was the brevity of the book or the interesting illustrations by the Dillons which are reminiscent of Bosch's style.

The Year I Didn't Go to School, by Giselle Potter - Want to read a book about a true story about a family who travels to Italy for a year to perform in outdoor theaters?  Then, this amusing picture book might be the read for you.  Told from the perspective of a seven year old girl, the story follows the family through Italy.  Many adventures await them, including getting their truck stuck in the narrow streets and living with a houseful of circus people.


Books About Animals:
If I Ran the Dog Show: All About Dogs, by Tish Rabe - Another book from the series of The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library that tickled our fancy and was jammed pack with fun facts.  This one describes dogs of all sorts.  Reading through with my youngest, we learned about different breeds, teeth, paws, and ear shapes.  We even read about how dogs see, smell, and hear.  Personally, I learned what dewlaps are.  {Dewlaps are the excess skin under the neck.}

Homer the Library Cat, by Reeve Lindbergh describes the quest of a cat named Homer who one day, while waiting for his owner to return, falls out a window.  His journey takes him to the noisy streets to the fire station, then the train yard, and finally to a quiet place, the library.  Guess who he finds there?  That's right, his quiet owner is the town librarian.  My youngest son liked this picture book more for the noises described in the text than the quiet theme.



Linked to Read Aloud Thursday at Hope Is the Word