The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson and Illustrated by Marcellus Hall

The horse loves hay, the chickens need feed, the geese munch on corn, the hogs devour slop, the dog eats treats, but the cow loves…COOKIES?

With an original twist on the ordinary barnyard book, the latest read-aloud from bestselling author Karma Wilson is a clever exploration of a curious incident on the farm. As the farmer makes his rounds each day, most of the animals chew on the foods a young reader would expect. But when it’s time to feed the cow, she feasts on a special treat. Wilson’s signature style and Marcellus Hall’s spirited watercolors will delight children on and off the farm–because when it comes down to it, who doesn’t love milk and cookies?

The Cow Loves Cookies was a Cybils Picture Book Finalist for 2010, the first year I judged in the awards program, and while reading it our family absolutely fell in love with it. Karma Wilson is most well known for her Bear Snores On series, but I think this may be our family’s favorite of her books.

Pick Up The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson and Illustrated by Marcellus Hall:

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Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!

Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What Are Patterns? by Jane Brocket

When something is repeated or set out in a special order, it creates a pattern. Patterns can be made with shapes, colors, objects, and numbers. Making patterns and spotting them is fun. Let’s look around to see what patterns we can find!

With this series, British blogger and crafter Jane Brocket brings the qualities for which she is known—vivid colors, beautiful photographs, and engaging writing—to children’s books. Her fresh approach to basic concepts will delight young children, parents, librarians, and teachers.

Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What Are Patterns? is part of a series we featured during our feature of it’s publisher, Lerner Publishing Group. The author and photographer Jane Brocket is a favorite of ours for non-fiction picture books. This is definitely a fun and insightful series kiddos will love!

Other books in this series:

Pick Up Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What Are Patterns? by Jane Brocket:

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Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!

Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters and Illustrated by Polly Dunbar

Sit back and savor a superb collection of more than sixty poems by a wide range of talented writers, from Margaret Wise Brown to Gertrude Stein, Langston Hughes to A. A. Milne. Greeting the morning, enjoying the adventures of the day, cuddling up to a cozy bedtime — these are poems that highlight the moments of a toddler’s world from dawn to dusk. Carefully gathered by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters and delightfully illustrated by Polly Dunbar, HERE’S A LITTLE POEM offers a comprehensive introduction to some remarkable poets, even as it captures a very young child’s intense delight in the experiences and rituals of every new day.

This exuberant celebration of poetry is an essential book for every young one’s library and a georgeous gift to be both shared and treasured.

For our family it’s all about the illustrations in this one. Polly Dunbar is fabulous and if you haven’t read her Tilly & Friends series I’d highly encourage you to! We’ve reviewed that entire series and loved every single one. Polly also has an adorable website you simply must check out!

Pick It Up:

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Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!

Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion and Illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham

Harry is a white dog with black spots who loves everything . . . except baths. So one day before bath time, Harry runs away. He plays outside all day long, digging and sliding in everything from garden soil to pavement tar. By the time he returns home, Harry is so dirty he looks like a black dog with white spots. His family doesn’t even recognize him!

A little bit of fun…who doesn’t love Betty White? I found this delightful little video of Betty White reading this classic picture book, Harry the Dirty Dog:

Pick Up Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion and Illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham:

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Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!

No, David! by David Shannon

When author and artist David Shannon was five years old, he wrote a semi-autobiographical story of a little kid who broke all his mother’s rules. He chewed with his mouth open (and full of food), he jumped on the furniture, and he broke his mother’s vase! As a result, all David ever heard his mother say was “No, David!” Here is his story.

A Caldecott Honor in 1999 as well as receiving numerous other awards including being listed as an ALA Notable Children’s Book for Younger Readers in that same year.

We had the opportunity of seeing David at the LA Times Festival of Books two years ago and he talked about this very popular book. It was incredible to hear about his mother’s influence on his artistic career despite his mischievous ways. No, David! has certain images that come directly from a box of illustrations his mother collected when he was very very young. It’s amazing!

Pick Up No, David! by David Shannon:

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Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!

Freight Train by Donald Crews

Clear bright illustrations show all the cars of a train bringing the reader the excitement of movement through day and night, country and city.

Winner of a Caldecott Honor in 1979.

There’s also an iPhone Book app for Freight Train that incorporates the sequel, Inside Freight Train, as well. Take a look at the book trailer:

Pick Up Freight Train by Donald Crews:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!