Skip to main content

Five Faves: Picture Books You Can Sing

 Lots of kids LOVE to sing! I do as well, which is why I love books that are set to popular songs or are variations of nursery rhymes. These authors and illustrators are very creative in how they change up these songs to create something familiar, yet different. My only problem is remembering to slow down so I don't sing too fast to enjoy the pictures!

Hush, Little Rocket
Written by Mo O'Hara
Illustrated by Alexandra Cook
New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Picture Book.

It's hard to go to sleep without a good story to imagine. Set to the tune of "Hush, Little Baby," Hush, Little Rocket will help fill your little one's head with images of this rocket blasting off through the solar system. Making sure to introduce the different planets seen along the way, this is a great bedtime book for any future space explorers. Back matter gives more information about the solar system for those who are interested.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Winter Night
Written by Megan Litwin
Illustrated by Nneka Myers
New York: Clarion Books, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, 2022. Picture Book.

Warm up the chilly evenings with this book set to the familiar song "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." Twinkle, Twinkle, Winter Night celebrates the cozy atmosphere of winter and all that makes the season magical. Curl up with your child to see if they can find all the different glowing lights in the darkest time of year.

Written by Kalee Gwarjanski
Illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic
New York: Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2024. Picture Book.

There's more to farms than barnyard animals! Set to the kid-favorite "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," Miss MacDonald Has a Farm highlights all the things that grow on a farm, and all the work that goes into producing food. Whether it's a "weed-weed here" or a "pick-pick there," children will see that there's a lot that Miss MacDonald has to do to make sure her farm "E-I-E-I-Grows!"

The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round
Written by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
Illustrated by Lorian Tu
New York: Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2021. Picture Book.

Would you rather be on a bus or eating a delicious Chinese meal? I know my answer, but whatever you chose, this take on "The Wheels on the Bus" is sure to delight. The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round is a fun sampling of sounds, smells, and tastes that accompany a Chinese family making dinner. There is also explanations of food etiquette in the back of the book. 

The Rattlin' Bog
Written by Jessica Law
Illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald
Concord, MA: Barefoot Books, 2024. Picture Book.

This illustrated version of the traditional Irish folk song shows the biodiversity of the bog. Different plants and animals are highlighted in the cumulative verses of The Rattlin' Bog. It is fun to sing along and see if you can remember all the animals that were featured on earlier pages. If you're not familiar with this song, back matter includes sheet music and this book comes with a CD to help you learn the song.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...

Dog Man Read Alikes

Dog Man  is a popular graphic novel for middle graders all about the adventures of a half-man, half-dog police officer. With 14 books in the series, many readers can't get enough of these hilarious stories! If your child is looking for more books like Dog Man, here are some great options to try out.  Dex Dingo: World's Best Greatest Ever... Inventor By Greg Foley Los Angeles: Disney-Hyperion, 2024. Comic. 157 pages.  Dex Dingo doesn't know what he wants to do when he grows up. His classmates all seem to know, but he just doesn't feel like he is the BEST at anything. When a class assignment challenges him to figure out what he wants to be, he decides he wants to become the world's best ever inventor! Filled with beautifully drawn spreads and kid-approved humor, this book is sure to please any Dog Man fan.  Troubling Tonsils Written by Aaron Reynolds Illustrated by Peter Brown  New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. Fiction. 71 pages.  ...

Five Faves: New Dragon Chapter Books for Middle Grade

As a kid I was OBSESSED (all caps!) with dragons.  Dragons can be scary, majestic, loyal, greedy, but what they all have in common is how fun they are to read about!  Check out the dragon books below for some fun new reads! Dad Rock Dragon Quest Written by Joan Reardon New York : Aladdin, 2025. Fiction. 342 pgs. Dad Rock Dragon Quest follows 12-year-old aspiring rockstar Zadie Drake, whose summer plans to bond with her super cool, if sometimes absent, daredevil park ranger dad get complicated when her mom’s boring new boyfriend tags along. After they arrive at her dad’s cabin, a poacher kidnaps her dad’s ice-breathing dragon, revealing her dad's secret role protecting magical creatures and thrusting the family into a high-stakes rescue mission. Along the way, Zadie begins to rethink her relationships with both her father and her mom’s boyfriend.  Dragonborn Written by Struan Murrya New York, NY : Dutton Children's Books, 2025. Fiction. 320 pgs. Dragonborn  follows 1...