Pig Pig Grows Up

by David McPhail

Pig Pig was the baby of the family and he liked it that way.  All of his brothers and sisters had grown up and left home long ago, but Pig Pig stayed.  He continued to sleep in his crib, eat in his high chair and get pushed in a stroller by his mother.  

Pig Pig's parents tried make him grow up by packing up his baby clothes and buying him a real bed, but Pig Pig screamed and cried until his parents gave in and never spoke about Pig Pig's growing up again.

It wasn't until a misadventure on the way home from the market that Pig Pig realized it was time to grow up.

A lesson to be learned for kids who still want to be babies...and adult children who want the same thing.

image via plaza.rakuten.co.jp

Harry the Dirty Dog

by Gene Zion

illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham

Harry is a white dog with black spots.  Harry really hates getting a bath.  One day when he heard a bath being prepared, he stole the scrub brush, buried it in the backyard, and set out on a filthy adventure.  Returning home at the end of the day, Harry is now a black dog with white spots.  His family doesn't recognize him!  How can he show them who he really is?!

image via galison.com

Big Max

by Kin Platt

illustrated by Robert Lopshire

Big Max seems to me to be a cross between a detective and Mary Poppins.  Big Max is called to investigate the theft of the king's prize elephant, Jumbo, on the eve of Jumbo's birthday.  Can you solve the mystery before "the World's Greatest Detective" can?

This book would probably fall under my favorites because of my memories of having it read to me.  Reading it now I'm not as impressed by it as I was when I was 5.  Still good, but not a current favorite.

My book is the older edition, like the one below, which happens to be the exact cover I was read from as a child.  

images via fantasticfiction.co.uk and librarything.com

"Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"

by Patricia Thomas

illustated by Wallace Tripp

Remembering one vintage book reminds me of another and so on, so I'm just going to give in and go with it.  We'll see how many I can come up with.  Probably no more, now that I'm trying to think of them...

Elephant has such terrible sneezes that the other animals are terrified when he one day announces he feels an itch in his trunk.  His sneezes aren't just bad, they're awful!  He blows the monkeys out of the trees, the stripes off the zebra, and makes the hippopotumus fall on his bottom-us (my kids love that part).  All the animals are devastated when Elephant sneezes.  Fortunately, a little mouse saves the animals from the fate of Elephant's sneeze.  Or does he? 

image via stuartngbooks.com

May I Bring a Friend?

by Beatrice Schenk De Regniers

illustrated by Beni Montresor

One of those books I'm not sure I love because I grew up with it, or if I truly love the story.  I think it's a little of both.  

The queen and king invite their friend to visit.  The friend wonders if he can bring along a friend.  The king and queen are delighted, even when they see the most unusual guests their friend brings along.

One thing's for sure, if you find your own rhymy (?) way to read the book, your kids will soon be "reading" it along with you.

image via coverbrowser.com

Duck! Rabbit!

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld

An idea taken from the classic ambiguous figure by Joseph Jastrow, two characters argue whether the animal they see is a duck or a rabbit.

Remember these?:

Do you see a duck or rabbit?

images via images.indiebound.com and ist-socrates.berkeley.edu 

When Dinosaurs Came With Everything

by Elise Broach

illustrated by David Small

The most fantastic thing that could ever happen to a little boy-- pay for a haircut, get a dinosaur with it.  And not just a little plastic dinosaur, a real dinosaur.  A day full of fun disasters (meaning no one gets eaten), and a book that doesn't end with having to give the dinosaurs back.

I like that one reviewer on Amazon used this book to teach kids that everyone can help out around the house.    

image via juniorlibraryguild.com

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!

by Karen Beaumont

illustrated by David Catrow

Sung to the tune of "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More," a little boy gets into more than just a little trouble...

My kids enjoy finishing the rhyming phrases.

"So I take some red and I paint my..." (turn page to see answer and resulting paint devastation.)

I don't know if I'd recommend this to anyone who thinks their child could get any ideas...

image via alsc.ala.org

Chicken Soup

by Jean Van Leuwen

illustrated by David Gavril

Mrs. Farmer has taken out the big pot!  That can only mean trouble for the chickens, who know that means she is going to be making Chicken Soup.  The chickens scramble for a hiding place with Mr. Farmer in hot pursuit, but little Chickie has a cold and keeps giving away their hiding places with her sneezes.  Chickie is soon to be the one who finds out just what kind of soup Mrs. Farmer is making.

image via davidgavril.com

Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood

by Timothy Knapman

illustrated by Gwen Millward

I don't want to tell you much about this book, except that you'll read the first couple of pages, then go back and read the first page again.  I love books that aren't what you expect.  I think school-aged kids will really get a kick out of this one (especially when they "get it" all by themselves.)

images vis alphabetgardenct.blogspot.com