Waiting for Winter, by Sebastian Meschenmoser

Meschenmoser,Sebastian. Waiting for Winter. Kane Miller, 2009. 56 pages. $15.99, ISBN 978-1-935279-04-4

AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
It's winter, and Squirrel, Hedgehog, and Bear have decided to wait to watch the first snowfall.  They have never seen snow before, and so are looking for something that resembles the description provided by Deer, who explained that snow is "white and wet and cold and soft".  Each animal finds an object which fits some of these requirements.  As they sit staring at Bear's choice (an old white sock), the real thing begins to fall.  Even though certain pages contain a large amount of text, others are wordless, making this book enjoyable for toddlers and preschoolers alike.  The colored pencil drawings are tenderly done in blacks, browns, and a wonderful orange-red for Squirrel.  They are appropriately a tad scruffy around the edges, as they depict, after all, wild animals. This humorous and highly recommended book is a great subtle reminder to children to be thorough when trying to find items to meet a certain set of criteria, a skill that will help them later in life.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
This book could be shared at toddler storytime along with other books concerning the coming of winter, such as Here Comes Jack Frost by Kazuno Kohara, and Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep!, by Maureen Wright.

A Weekend with Wendell, by Kevin Henkes

Henkes, Kevin. A Weekend with Wendell. Greenwillow Books, 1995. 32 pages. $6.99, ISBN 0-688-06325-X

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book 

REVIEW 
Wendell is staying with Sophie for the weekend, and things are not going well.  He only wants to play games where he makes all the rules, he wakes Sophie up, tries to scare her, and ruins her crayons, just to list a few examples of his annoying behavior.  Not surprisingly, Sophie is counting the minutes before Wendell's mother returns to pick him up.  On the last day of the visit, however, Sophie asserts herself, declaring that she will make the rules of their next game of make-believe.  Finally experiencing a taste of his own medicine and likely touched by Sophie's tenderness to him when she sees that he is hurt, Wendell's attitude changes and the two become friends.  Sweet painted illustrations reveal the characters' emotional states.  This is a very funny look at a topic which is important for 3 and 4 year-olds, namely how to compromise and share in friendships.  The repetitive pattern of the plot heightens its accessibility to young children.  A highly recommended gem of a book.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
At one point in the story, Wendell leaves Sophie's crayons on the porch and they melt.  In a special visit to the library kitchen, children can watch librarians melt old crayons in a microwave and pour the result into candy molds of various shapes.  Children can help decide which colors to melt together.

A Splendid Friend, Indeed, by Suzanne Bloom

Bloom, Suzanne. A Splendid Friend, Indeed. Boyds Mills Press, 2005. 32 pages. $8.95, ISBN 978-1590784884

AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW

As Bear is reading a book, Goose starts climbing his huge body.  He ends up at Bear's head, where he asks, “What are you doing?  Are you reading?”  Goose can’t help himself, as his favorite pasttime is chatting.  Bear prefers solitary silent activities such as reading books, writing, and thinking, and is at first annoyed by Goose’s questions, although he tolerates them.  However, when Goose writes a note to Bear, referring to him as “my splendid friend,” Bear is touched and joyful.  Due to its few words per page, engaging multi-shade blue and white illustrations, and the irresistible character of Goose, this book is very highly recommended for 1 and 2 year-olds.  This is a wonderfully humorous look at the theme of friendship.

Henry and the Crazed Chicken Pirates, by Carolyn Crimi

Crimi, Carolyn. Henry and the Crazed Chicken Pirates. Illustrated by John Manders. Candlewick Press, 2009. 40 pages. $15.99, ISBN 978-0-7636-3601-2

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
Life for Henry and the other Buccaneer Bunnies has been peaceful for quite some time, until the day Henry finds a threatening letter in a bottle which reads in part, "We're coming to steal all yer loot....BOWK!  Sincerely, Yer worst enemies".  Of cautious nature, Henry is quite concerned about the note and decides to prepare for a possible attack through research and writing down his plans. His rabbit friends all think he's silly for worrying, but when the crazed chicken pirates actually do arrive, Henry is ready to save the day.  This is a rollicking fun book for 3 and 4 year-olds, full of adventure and laugh-out-loud humor.  Children will enjoy the comically drawn rabbits and chickens in their swashbuckling outfits, wigs, and exaggerrated features.  This book is recommended for its positive message about reading, planning in advance, and believing in oneself.

Sleepy Boy, by Polly Kanevsky

Kanevsky, Polly. Sleepy Boy. Illustrated by Stephanie Anderson. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006. 32 pages. $15.95, ISBN 978-0689867354

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW 
A little boy has had a full day, including a visit to the zoo, and is having trouble falling asleep.  He has gone through all the bedtime rituals, but still cannot somehow close his eyes and head off to dreamland.  In almost every charcoal and watercolor illustration we see a small lion cub lingering, hinting at the great impression that the day had on the boy.  The boy's father interacts tenderly with him, holding him and stroking his hair as he coaxes him to sleep.  This book is recommended for the way in which its illustrations and text create a calming atmosphere conducive to encouraging sleep in children.  Even though the illustrations could perhaps contain a bit more variety, the softness of their lines is soothing.  The father's calm requests that his son just "shut one eye" and "now shut the other eye," interspersed with detailed descriptions of the sensations that the boy is feeling, come together in an almost rhythmic way that make this a good bedtime story for 3 and 4 year-olds.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
This is a good song to accompany this book at preschool storytime, as it concerns bedtime and a mother animal and her child:

          LISTEN TO THE TREE BEAR

          Listen to the tree bear,
          Crying in the night,
          Crying for his mammy
          In the pale moonlight.
         
          What will his mammy do
          When she hears him cry?
          She'll tuck him in a coco pod
          And sing a lullaby.
          She'll tuck him in a coco pod
          And sing a lullaby.

The Secret Life of Walter Kitty, by Barbara Jean Hicks

Hicks, Barbara Jean. The Secret Life of Walter Kitty. Illustrated by Dan Santat. Alfred A. Knopf, 2007. 40 pages. $16.99, ISBN  978-0-375-83196-6

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
Walter the housecat reveals to us that although his "Person", Mrs. Biddle, doesn't realize, his name is actually "Fang".  Although his tame daily activities and demeanor couldn't be more disconnected from such a dangerous name, he has vivid waking dreams of an alter ago in which with much derring-do, he usually saves the day.  He is sometimes a swashbuckling pirate, sometimes an Indiana Jones-style adventurer, and sometimes Catzilla.  He does admit that he loves Mrs. Biddle after all, however.  This book, although not deeply meaningful, is humorous, and 3 and 4-year-old children will enjoy the contrast between Walter's real and imaginary worlds.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Here is a song that could be done as a fingerplay after reading this book aloud during preschool storytime:

          THE BIG BLACK CAT

          The little mice are creeping, creeping, creeping,
          The little mice are creeping, alll through the house.

          The big black cat goes stalking, stalking, stalking,
          The big black cat goes stalking, all through the house.

          The little mice go scampering, scampering, scampering,
          The little mice go scampering, all through the house.

Rain Play, by Cynthia Cotten

Cotten, Cynthia. Rain Play. Illustrated by Javka Steptoe. Henry Holt & Company, 2008. 32 pages. $16,95, ISBN 978-8050-6795-8

AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
As this rhyming story begins, a group of children are playing at a park playground.  Suddenly, the sky grows dark and the weather changes.  Cotten writes, "Rain begins.  Cools our skins.  Raindrops splatter. People scatter."  The children continue playing for a while, stomping in puddles and making boats, among other things.  But when the storm begins in earnest, Dad appears in his car to scoop up his children and take them home.  The painted paper collage illustrations in this book are quite striking and the illustrator has achieved interesting shading effects, it appears by possibly wrinkling the paper at some point in the creative process.  The text per page is minimal, yet rhythmic and descriptive. For example, "Make a boat. Watch it float. A leaf's a cup.  Fill it up."  For its stunning visuals and brief text that moves the story along like poetry, this book is a great pick for 1 and 2 year-olds.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Share this story aloud at toddler storytime along with some nonfiction books about rain and storms.

City Dog, by Karla Kuskin

Kuskin, Karla. City Dog. Clarion Books, 1994. 32 pages. $14.95, ISBN 0-395-66138-2

AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
In very simple text and panoramic watercolor images, this story tells us about the first experience of a city dog in the countryside and at the seaside.  For the first time, she is able to run unbound by the city's organization and simply enjoy a whole new set of sights, such as trees, crabs, and waves.  At the end of the day, she and her family return home.  This book is recommended as it nicely encourages in children an excitement about exploring environments different to their immediate surroundings.  The family's return home at the end of the day lends a sense of security important to young children. However, while the watercolor illustrations are attractive, the depictions of the dog could have been a bit more detailed and interesting. But this does not detract from the fact that this is a very appropriate book for 1 and 2 year-olds.

Woolbur, by Leslie Helakoski

Helakoski, Leslie. Woolbur. Illustrated by Lee Harper. HarperCollins, 2008. 32 pages. $17.99, ISBN 978-0-06-084727-2  

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
Woolbur is a free-thinking young sheep.  While the other lambs keep away from the herding dogs, he runs with them.  While the other lambs are practicing dyeing yarn, Wilbur tints himself a deep blue.  While the others his age are all practicing weaving, he adds to his own forelock some lengths of yellow yarn.  His parents, "Maa" and "Paa" despair and try to get him to change his ways, but Wilbur's response to their concern is always just continued pride in himself.  When they finally present him with a demand to conform, Wilbur comes up with a creative solution.  Funny illustrations of a very content Woolbur add to the humor in the text.  This is a great read-aloud for 3 and 4 year-olds who are individualistic, and hopefully a little encouragement for the followers to dare to be different a little more.  Children will enjoy repeating Wilbur's response to his parents' shocked response to everything he does differently: "I know...isn't it great?"

Don't Forget I Love You, by Miriam Moss

Moss, Miriam. Don't Forget I Love You. Illustrated by Anna Currey. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2004. 32 pages. $15.99, ISBN 0-8037-2920-0

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds
GENRE
Picture book 

REVIEW
Billy the bear is holding up his and his mother's departure for nursery school one morning because he keeps turning his attention to his stuffed rabbit doll, who of course has not been helping matters by hiding, refusing to eat his eggs, and buttoning his clothing wrong.  But finally Billy and his mom are off.  Unfortunately, Billy drops his lunchbox on the way, leading to Mama's placing of Rabbit in her bag for safe-keeping during the clean-up.  Dropping off Billy late at school, Mama accidentally leaves with the toy still in her bag and without remembering to say "I love you" to Billy.  The day at school just doesn't start off right for Billy, but suddenly the school door swings open and a welcome visitor appears.  This is an excellent story for 3 and 4 year olds, and will help them make the transition from home to preschool.  They will be reassured that their parents and caregivers always love them, and will always return.  This is also a nice reminder to both parents and children of the importance of telling your loved ones that you care.  Softly-edged watercolor paintings round out the story's charm.

Millie Waits for the Mail, by Alexander Steffensmeier

Steffensmeier, Alexander. Millie Waits for the Mail Title in Caps. Walker & Company, 2007. 32 pages. $16.95, ISBN 978-0-8027-9663-9

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
Millie is a cow who looks forward to the arrival of the mail carrier every day -- so she can scare him half out of his mind.  Every morning she finds a new hiding place, and every morning she is successful in frightening the postman, usually damaging the deliveries for the farmer in the process.  One day, the mail carrier decides that enough is enough, and tries make a friend by personally sending Millie her first package of her own, in the hope that things may then improve.  Of course, there are comic results from this attempt, but Millie is touched by the mail carrier's effort, and becomes a great helper to him as a result.  This book is highly recommended for 3 and 4 year-olds for its zany humor, creative plot, and the fun details in the illustrations.  This book also contains a healthy switch of the usual gender roles in picture books, as this time the farmer is a strong and capable woman.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Here is a rhyme that can accompany this book at preschool storytime:

          MAILMAN, MAILMAN

          Mailman, Mailman,
          Do your duty.
          Send this letter
          To my cutie.

          Don't you stop
          And don't delay.
          Get it to her
          Right away.

When Sophie Gets Angry -- Really, Really Angry, by Molly Bang

Bang, Molly. When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry. Scholastic, 1999. 34 pages. $9.95, ISBN 0590189794

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book  

REVIEW
Sophie is a young child prone to fits of anger, and experiences one when she learns that she must share her stuffed gorilla with her sister. Her anger is depicted vividly in blazing reds and blues, and household and outside items change their shape and natural positions as a reflection of the intensity of her feeling. Sophie finds, however, that climbing a tree and enjoying the beauty of nature soothes her frustration, and she is then able to rejoin and enjoy her family once again. Few words per page make this book accessible to 1 and 2 year-olds, but the topic of soothing one's own angry feelings is more appropriate for 3 and 4 year-olds. This Caldecott honoree is a must-read-aloud for this older age group, as it accurately depicts in illustrations what is so often difficult for children of this age to describe in words.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
As suggested by the book's author, after reading this book aloud at preschool storytime, ask children to talk about what they do to get over their anger.

Tuesday, by David Wiesner

Wiesner, David. Tuesday. Clarion Books, 1991. 30 pages. $7.99, ISBN 0395551137

AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
As this Caldecott winner opens, a group of frogs, previously sleeping peacefully, are awakened by their lily pads' sudden levitation. The frogs are of course at first quite surprised, but eventually adjust to this development and settle in for their ride above marsh and suburbs, enjoying their new perspective, and the chance to scare a crow and a dog, wave to a man eating a late snack in his kitchen, and watch some television while an elderly woman sleeps. To me, the implications of this story are that anything is possible and that more amazing things happen in this world than most of us are aware. Tuesday is almost completely wordless, with the exception of the noting of the time and date on certain pages. For this reason, I feel that it's a great pick for all ages of young children, who can make up their own stories as they take in the illustrations.  The painted illustrations in their nighttime greens, purples, and blues with softly edged background images are lovely, but may be a bit too busy for babies, however. 

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
This book can be shared at toddler storytime along with some nonfiction books about frogs.

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!, by Mo Willems

Willems, Mo. The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! Hyperion Books for Children, 2004. 40 pages. $14.99, ISBN 0-7868-1869-7

AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW 
As this story opens, Willems’ pigeon hero finds a hot dog, which he looks forward to scarfing down all by himself. This plan is threatened, however, when a duckling appears and begins asking a series of questions about the dog. Pigeon eventually begins to feel guilty about not offering to share the snack, and his distress leads to a hysterical scene in which he grapples with this moral dilemma.  In eight small cells over a two-page spread, Pigeon alternately paces, flaps, and sits overwhelmed, thinking aloud, "It's MY hot dog, right!? MINE! MINE! MINE!....I can't take it anymore!  What am I supposed to do?"  Readers will find out his decision and should pay close attention to Duckling's revealing last remark.  The minimal amount of text in this book and the simple yet fun cartoon drawings are perfect for 1 and 2 year olds. Pastel colors outlined in black pencil make for appealing images, and Willems manages to convey a range of emotions through Pigeon's expressive eyelid: from excitement, to suspicion, to full tantrum. A truly funny book which older children will love as well.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Here is a fingerplay related to sharing to accompany this book at toddler storytime:

          HERE'S A CUP

          Here's a cup,
          (cup one hand)

          And here's a cup,
          (cup the other hand)

          And here's a pot of tea.
          (make a teapot with 3 of the middle fingers bent over,
          thumb and little finger stuck out for spout and handle)

          Pour a cup,
          (make motion of pouring)

          And pour a cup,
          (make motion of pouring)

          And drink it up with me.
          (pretend to drink out of "cup")

Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold

Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach. Crown, 1991. 32 pages. $15.00, ISBN 0-517-58030-6

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
Ringgold based this Caldecott honoree and King Award winner on her childhood memories of growing up in Harlem.  As the book begins, we are immediately transported into narrator eight-year-old Cassie Louise Lightfoot's imagination as she declares, "I will always remember when the stars fell down around me and lifted me up above the George Washington Bridge." In a completely absorbing folk style, Ringgold paints in peaches, corals, and pale green-blues against deeper blue nighttime skies.  It is revealed that the Bridge is important to Cassie's family history and relates to her touching wish for a better life for her father and mother.  The social climate of the time the picture book takes place, which appears to be the late 1930s, is included in the text, as Cassie states, "Well, Daddy is going to own that building, 'cause I'm gonna fly over it and give it to him.  Then it won't matter that he's not in their old union, or whether he's colored or a half-breed Indian, like they say."  This book is a tour-de-force -- words, images, and themes create a powerful story together -- and is very highly recommended for three and four year olds, athough the imaginations of younger children will also take flight based purely on the illustrations.  An image of Ringgold's stunning Tar Beach story quilt and an informative article about her follows the story text.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Due to the book's focus on flight, the following is a possible action rhyme to pair with it at preschool storytime:

          BIRDS

          If I were a bird, I'd sing a song,
          (tuck hands in armpits to represent wings) 
         
          And fly about the whole day long.
          (stretch arms out at sides and rock body as if flying)
         
          And when the night came,
          (give yourself a hug and make shivering motion)
         
          Go to rest, up in my cozy little nest.
          (flap arms and them cup hands to form nest)

The Hello, Goodbye Window, by Norton Juster

Juster, Norton. The Hello, Goodbye Window. Illustrated by Chris Raschka. Michael Di Capua Books/Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. 32 pages. $15.95, ISBN 978-0786809141

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
In her own words and illustrated by exuberant paintings with many childlike elements, a very young girl tells us all about the many special qualities and uses of a window in her grandparents’ house.  She calls this kitchen window at Nanna and Poppa’s house the “Hello Goodbye” window, stating that it “looks like a regular window but it’s not”.  Through this window, she greets her grandparents as she arrives, sees what’s going on outside, looks at it as a mirror with her grandpa, and finds a myriad number of other uses, to do with both the real and imaginary world. Throughout the book, the window also serves as a vehicle through which we learn about all the things that our narrator does with Nanna and Poppa at their house, and one can see how much they treasure her.  This Caldecott Award winner is highly recommended for its tribute to the special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren and the imagination, and its reminder to find the joy in simple everyday things.  The focus on a multiracial family is a highly positive aspect of the work. It is quite a lengthy picture book, and for this reason is recommended for three and four year olds wth good attention spans.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Read this aloud as part of a special Grandparents' Day celebration at the library (first Sunday after Labor Day), including grandparents reading additional stories aloud, and grandparents and grandchildren making crafts together.

In the Small, Small Pond, by Denise Fleming

Fleming, Denise. In the Small, Small Pond, 1993. 32 pages. $24.95, ISBN 0-8050-2264-3

AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW

This Caldecott honoree, a feast for the senses, describes the abundance of life in a little pond in words and pictures.  Several aspects about this book make it perfect for one to two year olds.  First of all, there are only four words on each two-page spread describing the activities of each animal.  Secondly, each of these phrases follows the same verb-verb-noun-verb pattern, such as “hover, shiver, wings quiver” or “circle, swirl, whirligigs twirl”.  And of course, the originality of Fleming’s artwork, created with colored cotton pulp and stencils, is enough to awakne anyone’s sense of wonder.  Striking blues, greens, and yellows of grasses, sky, and the pond itself form the backdrop for multi-hued images of brown and white geese swimming, purple fireflies skimming, and red lobsters crawling.  With its closing lines of “cold night, sleep tight, small, small pond”, this could even serve as a bedtime book.  Colorful dreams will be inspired by the images within.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
A good pond-related rhyme to pair with this book at toddler storytime is:

          FUNNY DUCKY

          Waddle, waddle, waddle ducky,
          waddle to the pond.
          (place thumbs in armpits and waddle like a duck)

          Paddle, paddle, paddle ducky,
          paddle round and round.
          (paddle with hands)

          Tail up, head down, funny little duck.
          Tail up, head down, funny little duck.
          (move head downward and place hands behind back to represent tail)

Sumi's First Day of School Ever

Pak, Soyung. Sumi’s First Day of School Ever. Illustrated by Joung Un Kim. Viking, 2003. 32 pages. $15.99, ISBN 0-670-03522-X    

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
Sumi is a young Korean immigrant and it’s her first day of school in America. Her feeling of not knowing how to act in this new environment upon entering the classroom and an incident of teasing from a classmate at first lead her to believe that school is "scary" and "mean".  But her mood quickly improves based on kind treatment from her teacher and another classmate's interest in starting a friendship.  This book is a great choice for three and four year-olds who are hesitant about starting preschool or who have already had a bad experience and need encouragement.  The painted illustrations in washes of green, yellow, and blue are uncomplicated in style, yet convey Sumi's emotions well through facial expression and body posture.  The story is told in a matter of fact and easy-to-follow style, and the inclusion of Sumi's thoughts is a nice component.  Most children will identify with something in this very appealing book.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Here is a simple getting-to-know-each-other song to sing after reading this book aloud at preschool storytime, and to start off subsequent storytimes:

          HERE WE SIT TOGETHER

          Here we sit together, together, together.
          Here we sit together, all here on the floor.
          There's _____ and _____ and _____ etc...   (each child says their name)
          Here we sit together, all here on the floor.

Two Homes, by Claire Masurel

Masurel, Claire. Two homes. Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. Candlewick Press, 2001. 40 pages. $14.99, ISBN 0-7636-0511-5

 AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
A child named Alex, who appears to be 3-4 years old, narrates this story about his post-divorce world. He lives part-time with his mom in the city and part-time with his dad near the ocean. He has two of everything: two bedrooms, two toothbrushes, and friends in each location.  And most important of all, he knows that he always has the love of both of his parents.  Alex's calm acceptance of this living situation and his happiness while going about his day at each home will assist children of divorce. The watercolor and gouache illustrations are warm and inviting and fill each page with lots of interesting details to discover.  A couple of the illustrations may contain too much detail for young 1 year-olds, but the brief text on each page makes for a short story which will be enjoyable for most younger children.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
After reading this story aloud at toddler or preschool storytime, children can follow Alex's lead and create paintings of a parent or another special person in their lives.

Guji Guji, by Chih-Yuan Chen

Chen, Chih-Yuan. Guji Guji. Kane/Miller, 2004. 32 pages. $15.95, ISBN1-929132-67-0

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture Book

REVIEW
Due to Mother Duck's deep absorption in the book she's reading, a crocodile egg rolls into her nest unnoticed, and she raises the baby reptile Guji Guji as one of her own. One day, however, three nasty crocodiles inform Guji Guji that he is not a duck, and ask for his help with catching his duck siblings. This prompts Guji Guji to consider who he is, in this example of the story's humorous and thoughtful text, "'Is it true? Am I a bad crocodile too?'  He looked down into the lake and made a fierce face.  Guji Guji laughed.  He looked ridiculous. 'I am not a bad crocodile. Of course, I'm not exactly a duck either.'" This very highly recommended book skillfully addresses several positive themes, exhibited in Mother Duck’s unconditional acceptance of Guji Guji as her child, Guji Guji’s loyalty to those who accept and love him, and his creative response when he realizes he must protect his duck family.  Heartwarming brown, blue and greenish-gray ink illustrations of the stubby-legged Guji Guji strutting around happily in duck fashion add to the charm of this book. The lengthier text of several pages makes this book appropriate for 3 and 4 year-olds.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Read this story aloud during preschool storytime along with other picture books about hero crocodiles such as Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, by Bernard Waber, as well as a simple nonfiction book about crocodiles.