February’s Top Picks in Picture Books

Ready Rabbit Gets Ready!, by Brenna Maloney
Maloney, who specializes in stuffed sock creations, introduces her latest and most lively character, Ready Rabbit, in this delightful story. This is indeed Ready Rabbit’s first book, but, chances are, you’ve met somebody like him before. It’s a weekday morning in Ready Rabbit’s house, and Momma is reminding him to pick up his toys and get ready for school. But Ready Rabbit’s full of energy and his imagination is humming—there are so many other fun things to do, like building spaceships, donning costumes, and riding a make-believe motorcycle. Spontaneous, imaginative Ready Rabbit will appeal to preschoolers who occasionally have a hard time sticking with the morning routine. Parents will love the creative compromise that eventually gets little Ready Rabbit on the bus and headed toward a great day at school.

Click, Clack, Peep!, by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin
If your kiddos can’t get enough of Click, Clack, series and you’re ready for a new addition to the collection, pick up Click, Clack, Peep! After agonizing anticipation, a duckling has finally hatched in Farmer Brown’s barn. The little fuzzball is certainly adorable, as all the barnyard animals agree, but, unfortunately, the duckling’s peep, peep, peeping, is keeping everybody from sleep, sleep, sleeping. Illustrations of bleary-eyed cows and hens attempting to coax the restless duckling to sleep will have adults chuckling, and children will love the rhythmic prose.

Smick!, by Doreen Cronin and Juana Medina
Cronin, a master of simple, satisfying storytelling, teams up with Juana Medina, a captivating illustrator who here creates drawings that look like crayon strokes. The two bring us Smick, a carefree dog who’s ready for fun and aims to please. Smick is after a stick when he’s distracted by a tiny bird. Will he gobble it up? A tense moment follows until it becomes clear that Smick and the bird are destined for lifelong friendship. This sweet, spare tale of unlikely friendship and fun is sure to delight your little reader again and again.

What Do You Do With an Idea?, by Kobi Yamada and Mae Besom
Coming up with a new idea is exciting, but sharing it with the world can be scary. This story follows one child and his brilliant idea on a very exciting journey. As the child grows and gains confidence, so does his idea. When the time is right, the idea is released into the world, and black and white illustrations suddenly come to life in big, bold color. Reminiscent of Shel Silverstein and Maurice Sendak, this is an exceptionally inspirational tale for adults and children alike, and destined to become a classic.

Please, Mr. Panda, by Steve Antony
Mr. Panda has a box of doughnuts that he wants to share with his friends. He politely offers the brightly colored pastries to a diverse mix of animals, including a penguin, a skunk, an ostrich and an orca, but not one uses her manners. Finally, when Mr. Panda meets a lemur, he hears “please” and “thank you.” In return, Mr. Panda presents him with the entire box, for as we find out later, Mr. Panda doesn’t even care for doughnuts! With bold illustrations and spare prose that keep the mood light and playful, Antony offers a delightful primer on manners your children will ask for repeatedly.

Pete the Cat: Cavecat Pete, by James Dean
Pete the Cat fans new and old will love digging into this prehistoric adventure featuring their favorite fast-talking, singing feline. Friendly Pete, who can pal around with almost anybody, is right at home with the dinosaurs and socializes with all types—herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. However, when he tries to plan a picnic to include all his new friends, he has a hard time planning the menu, organizing activities, and helping everyone get along. Will Pete figure out what crowd-pleasing fare and fun will work for this colorful group? Blast back in time with Pete tonight, and don’t miss the sticker fun is included at the end of the book.

Goose, by Laura Wall
Sophie is a lot like other little girls—she loves make-believe play, dress-up, and the swings at the park. But she wishes she had a friend to share her fun with. So when a goose waddles onto the playground one afternoon and utters an amiable “honk!”, Sophie understands that Goose is ready to play. They spend all afternoon together, until Goose realizes that the other geese are leaving without her. Tearfully, girl and goose part ways, but they are reunited the next day, when Sophie’s mom allows Goose to come home with them forever. Whimsical illustrations and a heartwarming plot make it difficult not to fall in love with these two sweet characters.

Paddington in the Garden, by Michael Bond and R.W. Alley
As any Paddington fan would agree, there’s only one thing better than marmalade—a new edition of a classic Paddington book! Paddington has just been given a small parcel of land in the Brown’s backyard at thirty-two Windsor Gardens, and he intends to cultivate a very special garden, all on his own. As expected, chaos follows in the small bear’s wake, and through a series of misadventures and misunderstandings, the site becomes very interesting indeed. This is an essential addition to any Paddington enthusiast’s shelf.

How do Dinosaurs Stay Safe?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Over the years, Yolen’s and Teague’s lovable dinosaurs have likely taught your young readers a lot of real-world tips on sharing, showing emotions, and minding manners through fun (but meaningful) rhymes and silly (but accurate) illustrations. Their new book covering safety should go down just as easily. As readers discover from the very first page, dinosaurs may be big, and some may even be terrifying, but they sure know how to stay safe. For example, Cearadactylus holds Mama’s hand and crosses with the light, Majungasaurus never swims out of Papa’s sight, Agustinia always wears his bike helmet, and Concavenator never forgets to bring water on a long walk. Lessons presented here will start essential conversations between parents and children, and children will love learning from their favorite prehistoric characters.
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