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Finklehopper Frog

Author: Irene Livingston

Finkelhopper Frog is headed to a picnic when he bumps into his friend Rube Rabbit who’s on his way to a race. Just then some bullies start giving the Frog trouble. Rube steps in making the bullies think twice. Frog is thankful for the help and decides to come along to the race. They arrive at the race Rube Rabbit notices that the kangaroo will be running and starts getting really nervous. Frog gives him a supportive push, and Ruby gives it her all. She ends up coming in second and at first is a little upset. Fortunately Frog is there to offer some words of wisdom and support. Eventually, Rube understands that the frog is right and shakes the hand of the kangaroo and offers congratulations. I like the message in this book, which is ultimately about friendship and being there for each other no matter what. I also like the emphasis on sportsmanship and always trying your best even if you’re feeling unsure or nervous about it. All of these things are important life lessons! Here’s one quote that really stood out to me: “Oh, Ruby, rabbit!“ Finkel said, “we know what you can do! You do your awesome, flat out best. For that, I’m proud of you! Plus you were worried, just like me, but did it anyway. See, when you go ahead and try, your worries never stay.“ Also, the illustrations are very professional and humorous, accompanied by good writing. The whole book is essentially a poem that tells this story. It’s all written in rhyme and flows very well, which makes it really fun for reading to groups. Definitely recommend checking out this one!

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Macca the Backpacker 

Author: Matt Cosgrove

This is a fun book with amazing illustrations, lots of humor and written in rhyme. It’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser and will surely become everyone’s favorite book on the shelf. It’s about Macca the alpaca who has an amazing group of friends and a wonderful home, but he dreamed of exploring the world. One day he decided to go backpacking so his friends all gave him gifts and helped him pack. Macca set off to climb the highest peak and find some adventure. Along the way there were ups and downs along the way. As the road got harder he would reach for one of the many gifts his friends gave him. When his spirits were low he turned on his Yak friend’s playlist, when it’s steep and muddy he thinks of his gym buddy, and when he is lost he looks at the star map book his friend Dharma gave him. Finally, he got to the top of the mountain where he took a few selfies and started to sketch the view in his book. Without realizing it, he started sketching his friends… In that moment, Macca knew it was time to go home. So he made the journey all the way back and when he finally arrived his friends were waiting and welcoming him home. I love the writing in this book and the illustrations are outstanding. I also love how it highlights the importance and value of having great friends who love you. This book has everything I look for in a children’s book and has quickly become everyone’s favorite. I definitely recommend adding this one to your collection.

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Monkey-House Mouse and the storytime zoo

Author: Terri Tatchell

Such an adorable story about empathy, friendship and gratitude ☺️ beautifully written in rhyme and featuring outstanding illustrations, this one’s a keeper for sure!! 😃 Profits from each book are donated to the conservation of endangered animals 🌍❤️ About a sweet little mouse living in a zoo beneath the monkey house. This mouse loves storytelling, which she enhances with wonderful illustrations. She knows the animals won’t have the chance to explore the outside world, so every night she tells them stories about the world outside the zoo. She crafts stories tailored to each animal’s preferences. For instance the zebras love stories about barnyard adventures and the Lions liked beach tales. She gave them each unique stories each night, much to their delight. However, the mouse falls ill, losing her voice and the ability to draw, leading to a halt in storytime. The absence of her tales leads to a noticeable dip in the zoo’s morale. When she recovers physically but not vocally, the zoo animals come together to give back to the mouse, creating a story for her with their own clumsy but heartfelt attempts. The mouse eventually regains her voice, and is inspired by their heartfelt efforts. They decide to make a new tradition at the zoo every Sunday night when the doors closed … a communal story time led by the animals themselves. A chance for mouse to sit back and enjoy her story-time too. Visit: www.myanimalbooks.com for free activity sheets, videos and lesson plans!!

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