Picture Books with Lessons & Fun

Disclosure: I was sent these books to review free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review.

I have to make a confession. I have an awful problem. I am a book hoarder and I'm teaching Hazel to be one as well. And the worse thing is I haven't been sharing them with you. My review shelves are overflowing so I am going to be sharing several groupings of books the next few days. For now I am going some picture books which have interesting lessons and one is just fun. The first is the second book in the Growing With God Series by Janis Cox, Kingdom of Thrim. 

I reviewed the first in the series, Tadeo Turtle. Janis writes this story about a doll maker who is happy in his colorful community that is filled with the beauty of God's creation (nature). One day a man comes to offer the doll maker a chance to sell his dolls around the world by moving to a city and creating the dolls there. The doll maker jumps at the chance but when he arrives in the city his inspiration is gone. He prays to God for help and he realizes he misses being in the beautiful community and surrounded by nature. He finds a way to help the others around him find their own happiness and return home and continue his own work. 

This story has many lesson built into it. Janis provides some activities to go along with it including follow up lessons. The artwork throughout the book is beautiful and powerful. The city is dark and gloomy and Thrim is beautiful and colorful. I love the lessons of consulting God and being with nature. I hope you will check this beautiful book out!!

Our next book is Prince Preemie: A Tale of a Tiny Puppy Who Arrives Early by Jewel Kats and illustrated by Claudia Marie Lenart. This book eases the worries of a premature birth and learning to accept the new baby as normal. It helps deal with so many of the issues that come up with a premature baby from not being able to bring the baby home right away and perhaps not being completely ready to bring the baby home. The illustrations are all down with needle felted characters and they are beautiful!! This book is perfect for the family of a premature child or just to learn about them a bit.

Our next book is a fun one. Mitford the giraffe is back and still in the world of fashion, but now he is solving the problems of the celebrities out in Hollywood. In Donald Robertson's Mitford at the Hollywood Zoo, Mitford has been sent to help his magazine's cover model, but more stars find him for help. Can Mitford help them all before the Academy Zoowards? In the Mitford books, Donald pokes fun of the fashion world as well as Hollywood. These are the perfect books for star struck kids to have a bit of a reality check It also has the lesson of following ones dreams. They are also a wonderful introduction to satire.

Our next book is not new, but Candlewick Press is re-releasing it this month for its 25th anniversary. The book is Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. In this story there a lazy farmer who stays in bed all day and the duck does all the work. Duck takes care of the animals, the crops, the house and the farmer. That is until one day when the farm animals have had enough and kick the lazy farmer out of bed and chase him off the farm. Then all the animals help with caring for the farm and live at the farm happily. 

I hope you will check out these fun picture books. We have been enjoying them!! Stay tuned for some more book sharings!!