Picture Book Round-Up -- Picture Books for Everyone

Disclosure: I was sent these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today I am going to clear off my picture book shelf and share with you eight books for younger kids! We will start with a book that is perfect for the new baby or mom. It is To the Moon and Back for You by Emilia Bechrakis Serhant and art by E.G. Keller. The suggested ages for this book is 4 to 8 but I am thinking that is for the child to read the book him or herself. 

This beautiful story is about how far a mother goes to get her baby. Let's face it having/getting a baby is never an easy journey yet it always ends in happiness, love and joy to make the journey well worth it. No matter what your birth or adoption story is this book will hit chords with you.

The words are lyricism and the art is beautiful. I love how the story shares with a child how much a parent will do to have him or her in her life. It is just one of those sweet and feel good books.

Our next book is for those toddlers/preschoolers who refuse to nap. It is No More Naps! by Chris Grabenstein and illustrated by Leo Espinosa. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7. It is about a young girl who does not want to take a nap no matter how tired she is. She shrieks and screams and refuses to close her eyes.  Her father take her for walk in the park in hopes to get her asleep. However she is refusing but all the animals and people around her want her nap and fall asleep. When she finally realizes how great a nap would feel will there be any naps left? 

I love the twist to this story. There are a set number of naps and they can be taken by others. It gives the whole nap argument a brand new twist you haven't heard previously and it does it with so much humor. Kids are sure to love this book and hopefully it will help you win the nap battle.

Our next book is a funny one that kids will love. It is Bad Brows by Jason Carter Eaton and illustrated by Mike Petrik. In this silly book Bernard wakes up one day with big, misbehaving eyebrows. No matter what Bernard does he can't control them. They get crazier and crazier in the book. It is sure to have kids laughing. It is silly and fun and has a little look at family and heredity--but just a glance.

Our next book is Ruby Red Shoes: A Very Aware Hare by Kate Knapp. This is a sweet book recommended for ages 3 to 7. It is a book that would be good for the next step of beginning readers. Ruby is a hare that always wears red shoes. She lives with her grandmother and her grandmother teaches Ruby to be kind and caring to everything. Ruby grows her own food and shares her favorite things. 

The illustrations in the book are just as sweet as the story. It is a welcoming story that will have you all nice and cozy for story time. 

Our next book is Things That Go Away by Beatrice Alemagna. This is a sweet book that shares how many things go away. A wound, tears, steam from a hot coffee, leaves and so many more things always go away. And the book uses a see-through paper like vellum to show the things going away when you turn the special page. This of course adds even more fun to this book. But there is one thing that will never go away--a parent's love for her/his child. Such a big message in a sweet small book. Kids will love the special pages that make things go away and the parent will love the overall message. 

Are you a cat lady? I know I am. We have two cats that we love and keep us company all day long (especially now that we are home on quarantine). Our next book is Cat Ladies by Susi Schaefer. In this fun book the point of view is of the cat. Princess has four ladies that she takes care of. Some cats think four is too many but Princess has different activities she does with each one from grooming, errands, napping and such. Then a stray (young girl) comes into the house and the ladies start to do the activities with the stray and not Princess. Princess gets upset and heads off for a catnap and gets into trouble. It is the stray that helps her and Princess realizes she can have five cat ladies.

This book is fun. I love the point of view of the cat and treating the people the way we treat cats. After all Princess has to care for her ladies. The new girl is a stray. It is a fun twist with fun illustrations. Sure to get any cat loving kid reading along! You can also download some coloring and activity pages at Abrams website to go along with this book!

Our next book actually surprised me. When I saw the title I remembered when Hazel was young and often would strip off her clothes when we were home (or at my parents). She has definitely outgrown that phase now though. The book is Lawrence: The Bunny Who Wanted to Be Naked by Vern Kousky. It is about Lawrence, a young bunny whose mother overdresses him in very funny outfits. Lawrence just wants to be like the other bunnies and animals and not have to wear clothes. His mother on the other hand makes him clothes including new styles (that don't usually work well) and wants him to be warm and have fancy and colorful outfits. She is making the clothes out of love. What is Lawrence to do? How can he stop his mother and her clothes obsession?

After reading this book I realized it was for the kids of parents who dress them in styles they don't like. You know the overly cute clothes or perhaps matching sibling outfits. How do you deal with it? It is a fun book that is recommended for ages 3 to 7. Lawrence is one creative bunny and comes up with the perfect solution.

I saved my favorite book for last. It is This Way, Charlie by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso. It is inspired by a real animal friendship. It takes place on the Open Bud Ranch where animals come to be healed and loved and set free except the ones that are not safe to set free. Jack is a goat there who keeps to himself. He likes his space and everyone on the ranch seems to figure it out except for the new horse named Charlie. Charlie has trouble seeing out of one of his eyes so he is always bumping into things and stumbling. His vision gets worse and he is really annoying Jack. Then Jack finds his courage and guides Charlie to his favorite field and the two become friends. 

The story is so sweet and loving. It is a story about friendship and compassion. I love that it is based an a real animal friendship, and I love that it shares so much about how friends see past each other's differences. It is another sweet book with so much feeling behind it.

So there you have the books that are on my picture book shelf. I hope you will check them out and curl up with your young ones and enjoy some story times while stuck at home!