TWO NEW PICTURE BOOKS TO CHECK OUT!

I have been on vacation but I came home to two delightful new picture books. I think you will enjoy them also, so check your local library to see if they are on the shelves - though they would both make lovely gifts if you want to purchase them!

 

Negative Cat written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall; published August 31, 2021.  For some kids, learning to read is a true struggle. And reading out loud, in particular, can seem like torture. Parents correct; other kids laugh; teachers just don't have the time....  In many libraries and animal shelters, there are programs where kids can read to a very non-judgmental audience - an animal! We had dogs at my library and it was always so exciting to see kids that struggled with reading gain self-confidence by reading to one of our trained therapy dogs! Which brings me to Negative Cat. Our young protagonist has been begging for a cat FOREVER! His parents finally say, "Yes!" But there are a few conditions - he has to take care of the cat, he has to write to his grandmother, he has to keep his room clean, and he has to read twenty minutes every day. Yes, yes, yes! He will do all those things - even though he really struggles with reading. Off to the shelter to pick out his cat! And there he is - orange striped Max! Picking a new pet is a risky proposition. You never quite know how things are going to turn out. And Max - he causes a few problems. He throws up on the rug. He poops in the hall. He eats the flowers. And he's not very playful. In fact, he spends a lot of his time staring at the wall! The rest of the family wants to give up on Max and mom even calls the animal shelter about taking Max back! But the boy does not give up on his negative cat - he quickly does all of his chores and then sits down and starts to read -- and magically, Max curls up and listens! This inspires visits to the local shelter by the boy's class so everyone can read to the cats - which helps the readers and the cats! And even though Max is still mostly a negative cat, he has found his perfect owner. The author includes a note about her own negative cat and also visiting many local shelters to read to and draw cats. I loved this book! It covers a lot of topics including the responsibility of adopting a pet and also the honest struggles some kids face learning to read. Hopefully it will inspire many people to read to their pets and take the opportunity to find a place where they can read to shelter animals also. 

 

Bear is a Bear by Jonathan Stutzman; illustrated by Dan Santat; published September 14, 2021. This book will give you all the feels! It is the story of a bear who is presented to a young girl. Even though you know that this is a stuffed bear, Dan Santat has drawn it as a real bear throughout most of the book. We follow the young girl as she grows up and how bear is a part of all the things that she does. Inevitably, she outgrows bear but he is too well-loved to part with forever. He is stored in a trunk - "a memory ... covered in dust." But since our bear "is a bear full of love", he is not forgotten and is soon retrieved from his attic hiding place. This is such a sweet story about cherished stuffies and growing up. I loved the lyrical writing and Dan Santat's illustrations are, as always, wonderful. The expressions on Bear's face are delightful. This would make a lovely baby gift! With an appropriate stuffy to go along with it, of course!