Mouse's Night Before Christmas by Tracey Corderoy (Children's Picture Book Review)

 

Mouse's Night Before Christmas
by Tracey Corderoy
Published by Nosy Crow Ltd
on October 13, 2019
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 2 - 5 years

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Synopsis:
It's Christmas Eve, and everyone is fast asleep except for a lonely mouse that lives in the grandfather clock. When Santa arrives, lost in a blizzard and called by Mouse's wish, it's Mouse who is there to show Santa the way. 

Our Thoughts:

This adorably illustrated picture book has many similarities to the classic  'Twas the Night Before Christmas' rhyme, but this gorgeously illustrated picture book but looks a little closer into the well-known story, at the mouse that lives at the bottom of the grandfather clock. This cute little mouse has a special Christmas wish and when Santa loses his way, Mouse knows just how to help!  

This is a sweet little Christmas Eve story with lovely illustrations that takes us on an adventure with Santa and has a heartwarming ending!

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All Around Bustletown: Summer by Rotraut Susanne Berner (Children's Picture Book Review)

We received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review or mention. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Summer
(All Around Bustletown #3)
by Rotraut Susanne Berner
Published by Prestel Junior
on April 21, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Seasons
Length: 14 pages
Ages: 2 - 5 years

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Synopsis:
It's summer and that means flowers, picnics, thunderstorms, and bike rides.
As kids pore over these oversized spreads, they will delight in identifying the same characters on each page as they walk, play, jog, and roller skate--from homes to parks to office buildings and rail stations. In the tradition of Richard Scarry and Where's Waldo, this book encourages kids to return again and again to these charming spreads. All kinds of summer activities come alive in these endearing drawings that provide endless entertainment and spark engaging conversations. 

Our Thoughts:
It's Summertime in Bustletown! 

Everyone is ready for summer in Bustletown! The townsfolk are busy bustling about, going to and fro, having junk sales and meeting friends, attending birthdays at the park, and more!

This is one in a fantastic seasonal board book quartet and is both a look-and-find and a create-a-story with tons of details to keep you busy exploring and conversing about what is going on for hours.

There's so much to do with these books!
They are quite unique with wordless pages filled with people and animals and locations. The very back of the book introduces some of the people and animals within the book and gives you a hint at what they are doing or where they are going so that you can follow them throughout the book. You are free to follow and narrate for any of the characters included and there's plenty of people, places, and little things to notice!

My five year old loves coming back to these books to explore them again and again. Each time, she seems to notice more and more.
I personally love that we can have time-consuming fun with these books but also real-world discussions.  We get to explore the inner workings of a town, the comings and goings of a diverse community, and even how a town can change and expand.
There's no end to the ways you can 'read' books like this!


Check out the rest of this seasonal series:

Spring, Fall, & Winter
 

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All Around Bustletown: Spring by Rotraut Susanne Berner (Children's Picture Book Review)

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

All Around Bustletown: Spring
by Rotraut Susanne Berner
Published by Prestel Junior

on November 12, 2019
(first published 2004)

Genre: Children's, Picture Book 
Length: 14 pages 
Ages: 2 - 5 years

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Synopsis:
It's springtime in this charming, busy town and there is a lot going on! A house gets a top-to-bottom spring cleaning and farm fields are being prepared for planting. People are shopping, commuting to work, constructing buildings, and meeting friends. If you look closer, you'll recognize the same characters appear on every page, each with their own story. There's Wilfred the jogger slipping on a banana peel and his friend Erica who comes to help him. Three cheerful nuns shop, chat, and share a snack at the cafe. A stork surveys all the activity from the sky while a mischievous fox scampers through the streets. In the tradition of Richard Scarry and Where's Waldo, this book encourages kids to return again and again to each spread, following along with the characters and inventing their own stories. They'll recognize parts of their own world, while also learning about the endless ways we live, work, and play in the spring.

Our Thoughts:

Spring has come to Bustletown and all of its inhabitants are eager to be outside! It's no wonder with all the beauty of blooming trees and fields of flowers. Some stroll, some run, some have a destination, and others enjoy the day and wander. From rural farmlands to the bustling town center, you can follow the many characters through the pages of this book and see all that is going on in Bustletown!

The All Around Bustletown quartet is a unique look-and-tell board book series that spans from season to season in one bustling little fictional town. These illustrated books are wordless but the back of the book prompts you to meet some of the people within the book and tells you what they are doing so you can follow their story throughout Bustletown! 

These books are quite unique, being a mixture of a look-and-find and a chance to create your own story kind of book depending on who you choose to focus on and follow throughout the pages. Both human and animal characters can be found with their own stories, sometimes crossing paths with the other characters. There's no end to the fun you can have with these books!

The illustration style is tons of fun with plenty of detail on each page to get lost in even if you aren't searching for or following the characters. There are cutaway buildings that give us a peek into all the inner workings of the homes and businesses, which reminds me of the old Richard Scarry books so much. There's also a lot of depth to each page, with plenty of characters and buildings in the forefront but if you look beyond, you will see a whole world progressing around this quaint little town!

This cute and original series will keep you and your children busy for hours. They are the kind of books that you can come back to time and time again and still find new little details to amaze and interest. This is a great introduction to the world around us, how it works, and the types of people in it as well! Even better, you can learn about the people of Bustletown throughout the four different seasons! 

Be sure to check out the entire series!

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We Love Babies by Jill Esbaum (Children's Nonfiction Book Review)

We received a physical copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

We Love Babies!
by Jill Esbaum
Published by National Geographic Society
on December 31, 2019
Genre: Children's, Nonfiction
Length: 40 pages
Ages: 2 - 5 years

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Synopsis:
A wonderfully playful picture book showcasing adorable baby animals and celebrating their glorious diversity, from "paws and claws and little flippers" to "feet that look like fuzzy slippers!"

This hilarious picture book with rollicking, rhyming text reads like a crowd-pleasing call, pumping up readers' excitement for the cutest baby animals ever. Illustrated with lively National Geographic photography, We Love Babies! presents furred, feathered, and finned baby animals of all shapes and sizes. Whimsical cartoon cheerleaders add to the fun, popping up throughout the book to lead fans in the irresistible refrain: "We love babies, yes we do, we love babies, how about you?"

Our Thoughts:
Who's ready to spread the love for Valentine's Day?

We Love Babies features animal babies from all over the world along with poetic text that describes them and why we tend to love them! 

Who doesn't love baby animals?!

This super cute book has so many adorable babies to look at--from geckos to hippos to jerboas--to keep your little one busy (and in love)!

There are also little illustrated animals that act as cheerleaders and have their own thought bubbles to jump in from time to time exclaiming what they love about the animals mentioned.

At the very end, there is a 'Meet the Babies' spread that shows each and every featured species paired with their name and what the special baby name is if they have one!

This adorable little book will delight your animal-loving Little Ones!

Many thanks to the publisher for providing us with a copy of this book! We loved it!

More like this:

This Book is Cute! by Sarah Wassner Flynn
Animal Ark by Joel Sartore & Kwame Alexander

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Looking For Yesterday by Alison Jay (Picture Book Review)

Looking For Yesterday

by Alison Jay
Published by Candlewick Press
on August 20, 2019
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 2 - 5 years

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Synopsis:
If yesterday was the best day ever, wouldn't it be great to find a way to repeat it? A whimsical tale about happiness with sure appeal for science-minded kids --and wise grandparents-- everywhere.

What could beat yesterday's perfect day at the fair? Maybe nothing, one boy thinks, and he wishes he could go back and do it again. So he puts all his scientific knowledge to work, from stars to time machines to wormholes (is it possible he could find one in his garden?). He thinks that maybe Grandad could help him. But Grandad, in sharing some memories from his own past, reminds him that every new day brings the chance of a new adventure. With quirky illustrations imparting a sense of wonder, Alison Jay takes a fanciful look at being content in the here and now. 

Our Thoughts:

Looking for Yesterday is a sweet story of a boy who wants to go back to yesterday (the very best day,) and his grandfather, who shows the boy that there are many amazing days both behind and ahead of us! 

This book will greatly appeal to curious and scientifically minded children and adults with its quirky mentions and illustrations of time machines, rocket ships, and wormholes.  

The inclusion of an older grandparent that has a lifetime of stories of their own helps put time and our want to relive the past into a perspective that is easily understood and also makes this a great story for grandparents to gift to their grandchildren, or just to read together! 

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful introduction to time --or, today, tomorrow, and yesterday-- with fun and quirky illustrations throughout. I've encountered Alison Jay's style in picture books before but was pleasantly surprised by the 'scientific focus' and all the extra detail!

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All Around Bustletown: Winter by Rotraut Susanne Berner (Picture Book Review)

We received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

All Around Bustletown: Winter
by Rotraut Susanne Berner
Published by Prestel Junior
on September 3, 2019
Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Board Book
Length: 14 pages
Ages: 2 - 5 years

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BookDepository

Synopsis:
Welcome to Bustletown! There's so much to see. So many places to go to. Explore the market square. Stop by the train station. Skate on the pond. Even in winter, people and animals go about their busy lives: Anne misses the bus again, Lena's parrot goes on a little trip, and someone lost their red wallet...

Our Thoughts:

Just one in a seasonal quartet, All Around Bustletown: Winter takes us on a journey throughout a cozy little town in winter, showing us a snowy day that turns the town white and all the people bustling about on their daily errands! 

All around Bustletown is a unique extra-large board book without words (except on signs around town) that can be both a story you create yourself with endless possibilities or a look-and-find! Or both! 

The very back of the book shows several characters that are featured in the illustrated pages (as shown in this photo), stating their names and what they are doing, which helps prompt you to search for and follow them throughout the pages. You can easily make up and/or continue stories for the many characters shown throughout the book.

There is no end to the detail in these illustrated pages! You can spend a great amount of time absorbed in each page looking at everything there is to see or you can move quickly through the book following the characters! 

One thing I love about these kinds of books is that you can 'read' it over and over and almost always find something new. There is so much to notice that you might have previously overlooked!

It's also a great interactive book for those kiddos that want to be part of the story rather than just listen to it! My daughter and I always have a fun time with these kinds of books and I've found that they keep her interest for much longer than a typical storybook so that's a big win from me!

More like this:

Bucketloads of Friends: A Look and Find Book by Mia Cassany & Miguel Bustos

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The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz (Picture Book Review)

The Ugly Pumpkin

by Dave Horowitz
Published by Putnam Juvenile
on August 18, 2005
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 40 pages

Ages: 2 - 6 years

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Synopsis:
No one wants to take home the Ugly Pumpkin. Sure, he doesn't look like any of the other pumpkins, but why does everyone have to tease him so much? The poor, lonely pumpkin goes in search of a place where he'll fit in - and finally discovers the truth about who he is and where he belongs.

Our Thoughts:
This is a touching story about an ugly pumpkin that never gets picked to be a jack-o-lantern. He's tired of being teased and tricked so off he goes to find his place in the world, leaving October behind and heading into November where he finds where he truly belongs and celebrates Thanksgiving with a group of great new friends.

The Ugly Pumpkin reminds me so much of Hans Christian Andersons' 'The Ugly Duckling' has important themes about kindness, self-esteem, and finding where you fit in. I think it's a great story to teach kids about bullying and acceptance.

This story is set between October and November (and the two popular holidays within each,) with illustrations that reflect the season and holidays, making this a great Autumn read! I think it would be a great story to read before going to a pumpkin-picking farm that has both pumpkins and squash!

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Hoo Hoo Who? by Mary Maier & Lauren Horton (Picture Book Review)

I received a free physical copy of this picture book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hoo Hoo Who?

by Mary Maier

and Lauren Horton

Published by Building Block Press

on February 7, 2019 
Length: 32 pages

Ages: 2-5 years

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Synopsis:

It's time for Mouse's Surprise Party, but Owl's glasses are broken. It's a good thing you came along! Can you use the clues to help Owl figure out which guest is at the door? Hoo hoo who could it be?

In this catchy and interactive book, children are encouraged to take part in the story and use expressive language to respond to Owl's WHO questions. With engaging opportunities on every page, children will be excited to read this story again and again. Who doesn't love to yell "Surprise!" and sing "Happy Birthday"?

The bold and distinctive illustrations are refreshing for parents and particularly enthralling for children who will be naturally drawn to the curvy and circular shapes. 

My Thoughts:

Owl is hosting Mouse's birthday party, but her glasses are broken and she needs our help to keep track of the other guests. Can you guess hoo hoo who is coming to the party?

This surprise party themed book is perfect for a read-aloud story time with it's easily repeated words and rhyming question prompts.
There are many chances for little listeners to interact and join in on all the repetitive animal sounds and even a chance to sing the birthday song at the end!

My toddler has asked several times to read this and is always ready to shout out which animal has come to the surprise party after Owl has given her clues. 

We loved the bright and festive illustrations with all the excess 'confetti' that made it feel like we were really gearing up for a surprise party! 

This picture book is tall (9"x12") and has big, bold artwork and text that make it easier to see from a distance, which is why I think this would be perfect for group story time!  

Thank you for visiting!
Happy reading!