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From Story Time: Summer Week 5

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Stories in the Park
By Jane Breskin Zalben
New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2012. Picture Book.

Janson the mouse, who lives in a museum, becomes an acclaimed artist by copying the styles of paintings she sees there. Includes notes about the artists and works featured. --Editor

Stories in the Park
Gray
Written by Laura Dockrill
Illustrated by Lauren Child
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2024. Picture Book.

Some days you may feel sunshine yellow or orange-balloon bright. Other days you're gray, or even night-sky black-like a dark scribble on a page, a storm in the clouds, or a puddle in the road. Gray is when you don't feel like yourself, or like you don't belong. But however you feel, there are big hugs (red) and loving lullabies (blue) waiting, and even the grayest sidewalk is a canvas for you to fill with the colors you choose. A tender narration from British spoken-word poet Laura Dockrill and subtle, spare artwork from former UK Children's Laureate Lauren Child offer a comforting read for young children that addresses feelings of sadness and assures them that they are never alone. --Publisher

Canopy Capers and Summer Story Time
Poppy's Perfect Crayons
By Sally Anne Garland
Minneapolis, MN: Beaming Books, 2024.

Poppy does not want to ruin her pristine crayons, so her friends lend her their used ones, but no one has the color she needs. --Editor

Canopy Capers and Summer Story Time
The Last Two Crayons
Written by Leah Freeman-Haskin
Illustrated by Shantala Robinson
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2023. Picture Book. 

Sienna looks forward to drawing a picture for her school's spring art show, until she ends up with the last two crayons... By the time Sienna arrives at the art table in her classroom, all the crayons are gone except dark brown and light brown. Now how can she make a special picture for the art show? Andy teases that all she'll be able to draw is mud and dog poop. Her teacher tries to cheer her up, telling her that lots of wonderful things are brown. So Sienna imagines some of her favorite things -- her grandma's rose garden, her new bicycle, rainbows -- but none of them are brown! Her friends remind her that chocolate ice cream is brown, and so is the grizzly bear at the zoo. Sienna draws both, with the help of her friends, but neither picture seems special enough. In the end, inspired by an early memory, Sienna comes up with her own idea for a drawing that's perfect for the art show. The Last Two Crayons looks at the beautiful world of brown, with a heartwarming and empowering ending that celebrates diversity, creativity and family.

No Book Babies this week in observance of Independence Day.







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