"When it comes to books about napping, the Wood team cannot beat their own The Napping House, and while their love for their pug is obvious, in terms of fun (or even interesting) dog books, almost anything can beat this. (Picture book. 3-7)"
A dog's life is a tough one, as evidenced by Duffy's busy day, which consists mostly of naps punctuated by meals.
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"A high-voltage stimulus package that encourages close observation of and imaginative thinking about nature, not to mention playing with print to express ideas. (Picture book. 18 mos.-6) "
This depiction of the stratosphere in its ever-shifting splendor offers a catalog of concepts for young readers.
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"Children will enjoy looking and finding bone shapes everywhere and will hope that his mistress will give him more than the offered carrot, broccoli, squash and peas—from endpapers to endpapers, a most satisfying well-earned bone. (Picture book. 3-5)"
"While the plot is a trifle thin, the hyper-realistic artwork, the bright colors, the spelling puzzles and the inventive use of letters within the text will no doubt appeal to children just becoming familiar with their ABCs. (Picture book. 3-5)"
In the newest installment of Audrey and Bruce Wood's alphabet series, Charley goes to visit his grandparents for the summer, and his lowercase letters go on vacation to Alphabet City, the place where they were born.
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"Despite bright hues, bold graphics and a simple text that introduces sequencing as well as colors, this isn't one of the Woods' better efforts. (Picture book. 3-5)"
Awkward modeling mars the Photoshop-generated art of this otherwise slickly produced concept vehicle.
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"Still, it may be a stretch to call this a concept book. (Picture book. 5-7)"
Twenty-five lowercase letters go in search of the runaway Little x in the sequel to Alphabet Adventure (2001) by this mother-and-son team.
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"Sharing with others, even when it's hard, is truly an important lesson, and Mouse's small heart grows three sizes in this touching tale. (Picture book. 2-7)"
The little mouse who didn't want to share in The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear (1984) returns to celebrate Christmas in this delightful sequel from Audrey Wood and Don Wood.
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"This super-sized volume has a thoughtful design with the text printed on ivory paper with a narrow rust border, adding an old-fashioned touch to a story that will be popular wherever young cowboys hang their hats. (Picture book. 5-10)"
This longer Christmas story is set in the old West on the small ranch of a widow named Della and her son, Evan.
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"A song, "Root Children Sleep," completes the package. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)"
Wood (A Cowboy Christmas, 2001, etc.) has retold—and refashioned—a century-old German tale into an engaging, romantic story of the seasons.
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"Like their classic Napping House (1984) and King Bidgood's in the Bathtub (1985), this is a mesmerizing combination of clever, broadly tongue-in-cheek storytelling and elaborate, stylish art. (Picture book. 6-9)"
The Woods really crank up the wattage for this joy-filled tale of a frog who finds a way to share his bliss.
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"They have an electric palette just this side of garish, will make readers want to reach inside the pages and pull the characters out, and vastly reward rereadings. (Picture book. 4-9)"
From the Toy Story school of 3-D computer animation comes this intergalactic Christmas drama from Wood (Sweet Dream Pie, p. 120, etc.) and son.
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"After the tall-tale build-up to the pie's alleged effects, the monsters amount to little more than a burp of indigestion. (Picture book. 4-8)"
People in houses are upended, and cats and dogs tumble down Willobee Street when Ma Brindle gets out her ``extra-large utensils,'' scratches up some dough, and rolls out a crust for her famous Sweet Dream Pie.
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"The juxtaposition of these borders and extremely realistic paintings of the birds can be startling, but appealing. (Picture book. 3-7)"
Wood (The Bunyans, 1996, etc.) covers 14 birds from North America in their natural habitat in this sumptuously illustrated, visually busy picture book.
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"Wood's text is short and direct, Shannon sprinkles his landscapes with tiny details that make his doll-like figures all the more towering, and together they make the best match since Anne Isaacs and Paul Zelinsky teamed up for Swamp Angel (1995). (Picture book/folklore. 5-8)"
It is not widely known that Paul Bunyan had a wife and two children—much less that they created Kentucky's Mammoth Caves, California's Big Sur, the Rocky Mountains, and several other ``natural'' wonders—including, some say, the huge face photographed by Viking I on the surface of Mars.
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The Woods (The Tickleoctopus, 1994, etc.) are at it again with their zany humor that will tickle some and offend others. ``Although I'm a liar my story is true—There's an end in every beginning.
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"It's just unfortunate that it often seems so derivative. (Picture book. 4-9)"
While Mrs. Jenkins helps Patrick's parents paint their house, she gives Patrick her special tools to work with; a week later, Patrick invites his parents and Mrs. Jenkins on a tour of his new place, a kind of magical amusement park consisting of endless fantasy rooms—the Small Creature Garden, the Bubble Room, the Food Room, the Jumping Room—through which the family and Mrs. Jenkins pass, not without adventures.
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"The grandeur of the compositions—the goddess in majestic poses, with her drapery flying about her, the play of light on water and in the sky, the scenes of innocence and beauty in this newly formed world— contributes to an impressive piece of work. (Picture book. 5-10)"
In appropriately poeticized language, Wood (The Tickleoctopus, 1994, etc.) relates some of the captivating legends of the Chumash Indians—how they were created on the island of Limuw, 40 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara, by Hutash, the earth goddess; how they got fire; and how, having grown too numerous and noisy, some were transplanted onto the mainland over a rainbow bridge.
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"Point made, with raucous good humor. (Picture book. 3-8)"
Life is grim for Bup; hoping to save him from the dire fates of his three sibs, his parents trap him in the cave when they go hunting.
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"Logic is obviously not the intent here; kids may pick up a few pointers on manners, but mostly it's just for fun—and fun it surely is, especially with Wood's outlandishly caricatured giants and prim, righteous little maid to expand the exaggerated humor. (Picture book. 3-8)"
For Beatrix the butter maid and her best friend Gerda (a cow), life is idyllic—until the two are kidnapped by a pair of hulking giants who declare their intention of eating them.
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The characters in Wood's sunny, simple pen and watercolor illustrations fairly bounce off the page in this exuberant cumulative rhyme.
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"These exuberant, plumb little pigs are real charmers. (Picture book. 3-7)"
``I've got two/fat little piggies''—thumb-sized porkers perched, on opposing pages, on the thumbs of a pair of chubby hands, ``two smart/little piggies''—the index fingers are now extended and two more tiny pigs are added, one orating and one with his nose in a book.
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