What's New at the Library

By Leslie Colin Tribble

Ok, I'll admit it. I kind of cheat when I write these posts about new books. I work in the cataloging department of our county library so I get to see all the BRAND NEW kids books when they come in. Best day of the month is when the new shipment of kid lit comes in. I hope you enjoy this little selection - I know I loved all these books!

I Will Love You Anyway by Mick Inkpen, Illustrated by Chloe Inkpen
I've been a Mick Inkpen fan for a long time - I read his book to my children ages ago. What's not to love about this author? First, he has the perfect writer name, second he generally writes about animals. Win-win for me right there,

Inkpen's latest book is a collaboration with his daughter Chloe. It's about a puppy who is a handful, wreaking havoc upon his family, This particular puppy has a tendency to Run Away (an ongoing issue in the book). I loved these lines, "I steal your glove. I steal your shoe. I steal your socks. They smell of you." That is still my life with my now four year old puppy! Plus my dog still runs away (now he comes home though. . .  when he's hungry.) Mick Inkpen completely understands a puppy's character and anyone, adult or child, who has owned a dog will appreciate this quick, rhythmic read.

I Am (Not) Scared by Anna Kang, Illustrated by Christopher Weyant

This book features two bear-like fuzzy creatures who first appeared in Kang's, You Are (Not) Small. The friends talk about the many things that might be scary, ending with snakes and roller coasters. And where do they find themselves? At the amusement park, watching a snake ride a roller coaster. On they hop and soon discover that sometimes scary things can be fun. This is just a fun lap-time read, but could be a great help for children facing a potentially scary situation or event. Sometimes things aren't as bad as we make them out to be.

Rain by Sam Usher
What I first noticed about this book were the raised rain drops on the cover. That give a tactile foreshadowing of all the rain-filled adventures to come. The book opens with a boy and his grandfather waiting out a rain storm. But the rain doesn't stop, which is reflected in the double page spreads of what's happening outside their home. The boy reads books of sea dragons, and ships, and floating cities with boatmen to pass the time. He can't wait to get outside for an adventure! Grandfather is busy writing, but suddenly needs to post a very important letter. Luckily the rain has stopped. The two step out into a magical world, all thanks to the rain. Waiting is sometimes a good thing.

Bunny's Book Club by Annie Silvestro, Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Anyone who loves libraries will love this book. The first hint of the story line is on the cover spread with an illustration of a wonderful old library check out card and pocket. Patrons who have checked out this book include Bunny, Bear, Porcupine and Raccoon. I'm hooked! Our hero is Bunny, who loves books. He spends all summer listening in during story hour in the garden. But fall comes and story time moves inside the library. Bunny is convinced he can't live without books so one night, he searches and searches until he discovers the book drop, and inside the library he falls. Night after night, book after book Bunny raids the library, filling his burrow with his treasures. Soon his friends drop by and catch the reading bug. But what happens when they all visit the library and are discovered by the librarian? Bunny's Book Club is a sweet read filled with the love of books and the all important carrot muffins.

Watersong by Tim McCanna, Illustrated by Richard Smythe
This was my favorite of all these books. The lyrical language and simple but poignant pictures won my heart. It helped that it was raining when I read this book - the lovely words caught the emotion and energy of the rainstorm perfectly. This is a book that begs to be read out loud - "Drip, drop, plip, plop," with every page a perfection of rhyme and rhythm. The main character, a fox, runs through the storm as it builds until he is forced to seek shelter. The danger passes and fox comes out to find a rainbow and the safety of family. Children will love reading along, quietly at first then louder and louder as the storm builds. This book has 53 words, all of them descriptors of water action - spitter, spatter, slosh, babble, bubble, wham, crash. A final page of back matter with a smattering of information about foxes, watersheds, ecosystems and the water cycle round out this wonderful book. Simple, sweet, emotion-laden, and informative - this is the book we all wish we'd written.