Summary: After having raised her children in a purple bucked shoe, mama mouse wants to relax in a hot bath and take a long nap but is interrupted by several other characters who want to move in with her. Savvy mama mouse suggests options for the visitors and end up creating Shoe Town.
Personal Response: I can certainly identify with little mama mouse when she wants to rest after experiencing a long day. The rhymed text goes great with the colorful illustrations. It's a great book for young readers to enjoy.
Summary: After eating the same thing every day, year after year, Big Brown Rooster decides to look for his great-grandmother's cookbook. With the help of his friends, Turtle, Iguana, and Pig, they create the most woderful, magnificent strawberry shortcake in the world.
Personal Response: I liked how the author related the main character with the famous Little Red Hen. The book also had cooking tips on every page and included the strawberry shortcake recipe as the last page.
Summary: Suddenly, the harmony underground life of the praire dogcommunity is interrupted by a tennis ball which is taken it's fuzz for use of fashion. While everyone in the community is wearing the fuzz on their hair, as wardrope or costumes, and shoes, Big Bark is not interested in all the commotion. Secretly, though, Big Bark wants to find himself completely covered in the fuzz and one day gives in. He steals all the fuzz and while running away is snatched by a pretator. The community realizes the trouble Big Bark is in and puts their differences aside to help.
Personal Response: I loved how the author used different medias for the illustrations. The various use of blue tones and browns captured the luminescent green glow of a real tennis ball. The book was compiled with both horizontal and vertical pages making the reader feel underground.
Summary: After meeting each other in art school, Vincent invites Henri to visit him on the country for an unforgettable stay. Henri realizes that putting up with ants during a picnic and sleeping without a pillow is not comfortable at all. When Vincent visits the city where Henri is from, he decides the city isn't for him either. Both dogs decide to visit the seashore and each would bring their own things to remain friends forever.
Personal Response: The illustrator was quite creative when using the art style of Vincent van Gogh and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in the illustrations as explained on the back of the book. I also liked how the author took the time to define each French word and phrases used throughout the story.
Summary: Merl the cat lives in a perfect home with people that love him and only him, but his luck is about to change. When a new puppy arrives, Merl has to learn to accept him and share everything that was once his. At the end, Merl learns that acceptance is not too bad because he gains a new friend.
Personal Response: The heartwarming message of acceptance is much needed in today's society. This book makes my hear melt with it's close up illustrations of the puppy. It's a great book to read to young children who are experiencing a change at home or school.
Summary: After driving him crazy with all the commotion, Bird sends out Dog to the countryside to find a cow. Since Dog doesn't know what a cow is, he ends up in trouble with a chicken, a pig, and a donkey. He finally makes a friend that helps him get back to the city and learns his new friend is known as Cow.
Personal Response: Another great animal adventure filled with vivid illustrations and halarious text. Onomatopoeia plays an amazing role that make young readers repeat the sounds over and over again.
