A Few More Favorites... Funny and Fabulous

CAMERON KIDS, 2023

Here's another post with brief notes about three recently-read books you will not want to miss. All feature humor and memorable characters, but are otherwise quite distinct from each other. What they share in common is that all are smile-inducing delights for  readers and those who share them with kids. 

First up is a poetry collection with a delightful theme: What if animals wore pants? No, not the way pet owners often make such choices for their animal-family members. These are wild/natural habitat animals and the assumptions is that they would choose what suits them best. 

Animals In Pants is written by Suzy Levinson and illustrated by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell. This poetry collection offers many takes on an absurd premise- what if animals wear pants? Or other clothing. The delightful concept invites close consideration of the text (outstanding poems in a variety of formats by the very talented poet, Suzy Levinson) and examination of the colorful and interpretive illustrations in each case. The forms range from haiku to limericks to parodies of song lyrics to Shakespearean lines and many more. Many offer rhymes but all present suitable and superb language. 

In each case the selection of animal subjects and poetry forms is intentional and well-suited (pardon that pun). Each also reveals solid information about the subject animal, as with the squirrel, whose darting, sprinting, climbing habits require what else-- a track suit!

Get this one into the hands of young readers, and be prepared to laugh along!

G.P.Putnam's Sons,
2023

Another animal character wins hearts in FENWAY AND THE GREAT ESCAPE, written by Victoria J. Coe and illustrated by Joanne Lew Vriethoff. Fenway is a truly appealing dog (speaking as a dog-lover) and that is true whether you enjoy dog stories or not. Told through Fenway's voice and perspective, he is devoted to his "short human" but also is a curious, adventurous character by nature. The humor emerges from this distinct point of view and mitigates some of the anxious worry that might emerge when his opportunity to run free results in his getting separated from his "short human". In his case, he not only attempts to make that connection again but to prevent his human from "wandering off" and getting lost again. This is a beginning chapter book series kids will really enjoy across many ages, with enough plot and character complexity to lay the groundwork for longer/older novels.

Simon Spotlight, 2023

Here's a pre-level-one, earliest independent reader that captures attention, maximizes the humor, and launches the "Critter-Cam" series. KITTY-CAM is written my Margi Palatine and illustrated by award-winning Dan Yaccarino. This earliest introduction to reading independently is a delightful way to empower those beginners with the joys of books and reading. That creative team of Palatini and Yaccarino provides tons of personality and pacing with their page-turning choices of words, perspectives, and fun emotional reactions captured in the assumed "go-pro" style head-cam worn by Kitty. This has everything going for it, including re-read-ability and appeal even after more complex skills develop. Each spread merits close looks, since the images are CLOSE-UP and offering some valuable subtext to this very simple story:

First sentences:

Jump, Kitty. Jump. 

Jump. Jump. 

Dunk, Kitty. Dunk. 

Dunk. Dunk. Dunk. 

The fact that this launches a simple series of "critter cam" titles invites those eager little readers to move forward with laughter and a love of books.