Picture Book Roundup for July

Here are a few picture books that caught my eye this hot July ... enjoy!

• Crum, Shutta. 2011. Mine! Ill. by Patrice Barton. New York: Knopf.

With expressions of glee, surprise and joy, two toddlers and a dog creating mayhem in the house are accompanied by the book's only necessary word,

"Mine." "Mine, mine, mine, ..."

The illustrations are soft-edged and gentle, yet action-packed as the siblings and dog playfully squabble over a pile of toys. The rosy-cheeked baby is too cute for words! I love it!

• Daly, Cathleen. Prudence Wants a Pet. Ill. by Stephen Michael King. New York: Roaring Brook.

Simply colored ink drawings on white space are the backdrop for poor Prudence, who wants a pet - desperately.

"No," says Dad, "pets cost too much to keep." "No," says Mom, "pets make noise."

But these arguments do not stop the determined Prudence. She chooses a branch for a pet, then a twig, and even an old shoe.

Its name is Formal Footwear. She found the same written on its inside.
She puts Formal Footwear on a leash and takes him for a walk around the block.
The neighbors find Formal Footwear very interesting. Prudence shows them all the tricks she has taught Formal Footwear. Formal Footwear is a smart shoe.

She's so desperate, she even tries out her brother, Milo, for a pet. "She feeds him seeds and grass."
This is a hysterical look at a poor girl's quest for a pet. Will her parents (shown from a kids' eye view of waist down) relent?  They'll have to.  Prudence is impossible to resist!

And finally,

• Owen, Karen and Barroux. 2011. I Could Be, You Could Be. Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books.

No white space here, just the brilliant colors of a child's boundless imagination,

I could be an alien with a funny face,
You could be an astronaut zooming into space.

Short and sweet with one sentence or less per page and brightly painted illustrations that will be easily recognized by even the youngest of children. Perfect for sharing or storytime.
I'll have another roundup of back-to-school themed books shortly.