We’re sharing three new picture books with you today, each centered on an animal, and all sure to bring a smile to an animal loving child’s face.
For the youngest of children, Suzanne McGinness’s My Bear Griz is a simple story of the love a child can have for a stuffed animal that brings the animal to life, at least in the child’s eyes. The little boy in the story tells of his adventures with Griz, which are illustrated in gorgeous ink and watercolor art. Have your child grab his own favorite stuffed animal, and break open this lovely book for a quiet read together.
If you think a grizzly bear makes for a fabulous imaginary pet, how about a rhino? Jon Agee’s latest release, My Rhinoceros, brings whimsy to what most might imagine as one of the least exciting animals at the zoo. When chosen as a pet, the rhinoceros disappoints his young owner, who finds that he doesn’t do much. But wait until the end, because this boy’s rhinoceros may just end up saving the day in a funny situation that can only occur in an Agee story!
The zoo is the setting for Batty, by Sarah Dyer, a picture book about a resident bat who feels somewhat neglected by the zoo’s visitors. The penguins, gorillas and lions garner lots of attention, so he visits them to see what it feels like. He doesn’t feel quite right in any of those exhibits, though, so he flies back home, disappointed and lonely. Will he be lonely forever? Of course not, for a pleasant surprise awaits him. Kids will giggle at the pages that show Batty’s upside down perspective on the world around him.
Dawn’s love of picture books is shared with her preschool students and own young children. It’s also given weekly star treatment on her blog, in a feature called friday’s five.