Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Illustrations: Caroline Jayne Church

Year: 2002

Publisher: The Chicken House and Scholastic Inc., USA

Age: 2 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 0 43951 840 7

This little book features the beloved, traditional children’s song “Do Your Ears Hang Low?” devoted to their best friends, dogs and now made famous by Barney and Friends.

While the song itself doesn't really seem to mean much, the illustrations in the book add a deeper meaning and an interesting narrative to the song. 

Excerpt

Do your ears hang low?

Do they wobble to and fro?

Can you tie them in a knot?

Can you tie them in a bow?
 

Picnic on a cloud

By Mark Icanberry

Year: 2000

Publisher: Look, Learn and Do Publications

Age: 5 – 10 years

No. of Pages: 48

Book Type: Picture Book, Learning

ISBN:  978 1 89332 702 7

David, his friend Jessica and Newton, their four-legged pal are on a flying adventure. Using the blimp as inspiration, with Professor Alexander’s guidance, they create a flying gondola with an innovative sail of 289 Helium balloons. They fly, float, cruise and finally, have a picnic on a cloud.

This book is more than just a storybook – it features the history, science and construction of air ships tracing its journey from a hot air balloon to dirigibles and finally, blimps. There is also a You Can Do It section at the end of the book to help little ones make a tiny blimp with a straw, a milk carton, thread, Scotch tape and a couple of Helium-filled balloons. :-)

Excerpt

Newton slowly opened his large, lazy eyelids.

David yawned and called from below, “Are you up yet, Newton?”

“Rup,” replied Newton.

The Bobbsey Twins – Freddie and Flossie and the Train Ride

Author: Laura Lee Hope

Illustrator: Chuck Pyle

Year: 2005

Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks, New York

Age: 4 and above                                                

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 1 41690 269 4

Website: Ready to Read

The Bobbsey Twins are back. This time they’re on a train when adventure strikes in the form of their jumpy kitty, Snoop.

Again, it’s from the Ready-to-Read Pre-Level 1 series. The sentences are small and there are plenty of repetitive words and phrases.

The illustrations liven up the text to make this book appealing to young readers. 

Excerpt

Do you want to play, Snoop?

Oops!

Come back, Snoop!

That Bad, Bad Cat (Puffin Young Readers – Level 2)

Text: Claire Masurel

Illustrations: True Kelley

Year: 2002

Publisher: Puffin Young Readers, New York

Age: 3 – 5 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Educational

ISBN:  978 0 44845 813 7

We love these ‘learning to read’ books on cats. It’s one of the first words children learn to read at kindergarten school.

This book has plenty of “cat” in it to encourage a tiny reader. :-)

Excerpt

He spilled milk.

He stole food.

“Bad, bad cat!” his family said. 

‘Click!’ Carrot poses for the Camera

Text: Arleen

Illustrations: Lilli Messina, Wikipedia

Year: 2008

Publisher: Pelangi Books, Malaysia

Age: 4 – 8 years

No. of Pages: 24

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 9 83002 999 3

Carrie’s just received a Polaroid camera as a gift. She wants to click photographs of her mother but she’s busy with cooking. Dad has some work to do too!

Carrie then finds the perfect model with her dog, Carrot.

Other titles in this series include:

• Carrot Loves Carrots
• Carrot Goes to School
• Carrot Gets Lost
• ‘Hicks!’ Carrot has a Hiccup

Excerpt

‘Click! Click! Click!’

After a few more snapshots, Carrot refuses to pose.

She is tired of getting dizzy every time Carrie takes a photo. 

Looking After Gran - Read at home - Level 4

Author: Roderick Hunt

Illustrator: Alex Brychta

Year: 2005

Publisher: Oxford University Press, UK

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 30

ISBN: 978 0 19838 417 5

Website: Read at Home series

The lovable Read at Home series features Floppy, an intelligent and industrious canine.

This story was supposed to be about Gran looking after Floppy while his family is away on a vacation but the tables are turned rather quickly!

The book offers an interesting challenge too – a game to spot the 10 even numbers hidden in the pictures. 

The illustrations are friendly and filled with colorful characters.

Other titles in the Read at Home series include:

• Funny Fish
• Silly Races
• Dad’s Birthday
• Poor Old Rabbit
• I Can Trick a Tiger
• Floppy and the Bone
• The Old Tree Stump, Review here
• The Real Floppy
• The Spaceship
• Hungry Floppy
• Husky Adventure

Excerpt

Gran was away for a long time. The tide started to come in. A wave splashed the front wheel.

Then a wave splashed the back wheel.

“Gran has parked too close to the sea!” thought Floppy.

“I must find Gran,” thought Floppy.

He ran into town as fast as he could.

Madeline and her dog

Author: John Bemelmans Marciano

Illustrator: JT Morrow

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Puffin Young Readers, New York

Year: 2011

ISBN: 978-0-60623-128-2

Television series: Madeline

A short and sweet story of Madeline and her pup Genevieve. Genevieve thinks nothing of poking her head into a garbage bin or fishing in the river. However, Miss Clavel thinks the pup needs a bath.

John Marciano’s (Madeline's creator, Ludwig Marciano's grandson) rhyming prose is reminiscent of the original Madeline books, making her an endearing friend for little children all over the world.

Excerpt

Genevieve gets her dearest wish. 

From the river, she pulls a fish!

“Pee-Yew!” say the people all around.

“That is one dirty, stinky hound!”

Miss Clavel says, “We must go right away

and wash this dog without delay!”


Other Madeline titles 

• A Madeline Treasury
• Madeline's Christmas
• Madeline's Rescue
• Madeline's Tea Party
• Madeline says Merci: The Always-Be-Polite Book
• Madeline Loves Animals
• Madeline at the White House
• Mad about Madeline: The Complete Tales

A Pet for a Princess: Step into Reading - 2

Text: Melissa Lagonegro

Illustrations: Atelier Philippe Harchy

Year: 2005

Publisher: Random House Children's Books, New York

Website: Step into reading

Age: 4 - 5 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Educational 

ISBN:  978 0 73642 280 3

This delightful Disney Princess book inspired by the beloved blockbuster Aladdin features Princess Jasmine and her very first encounter with Rajah, the pet tiger given as a gift by the king.

This is a Step into Reading Level - 2 book. The small sentences and full-page illustrations encourage children to indulge in reading.

Excerpt

Jasmine and Rajah did many things together.

They sat in the sun.

They watched butterflies.

They played lots of games.

Jasmine took good care of Rajah. 

‘Hicks!’ Carrot has a Hiccup!

Author: Arleen

Illustrator: Lilli Messina, Wikipedia

Year: 2008

Publisher: Pelangi Books, Malaysia

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN:  978 9 83002 998 6

Meet Carrie, a little girl and Carrot, her kind dog who has orange fur.

One day, while playing, Carrot, hears a strange sound, “Hicks!” She tries all kinds of tricks to get rid of it until she runs out of ideas.

She’s finally offered a bowl of carrot juice and the strange sounds disappear.

She hears them again when her beloved Carrie gets back from school. She offers Carrie the remaining juice in her bowl.

Other titles in this series include:

• Carrot Loves Carrots
• Carrot Goes to School
• Carrot Gets Lost
• ‘Click!’ Carrot Poses for the Camera

Excerpt

Suddenly, ‘Hicks!’

Carrot is surprised.

She stops playing and wonders.

“What is this sound?”

Then, ‘Hicks! Hicks!’

The Dog Who Cried Wolf

By Keiko Kasza

Year: 2005

Publisher: Puffin Books, New York

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 0 14241 305 0 

We might never know if dogs have aspirations but Moka, the protagonist of this book certainly has developed a new ambition – to be a wolf. Soon, he tires of his little mistress’ attempts at dressing him up in silly clothes for her tea parties. One day, he finds the opportunity and runs away to freedom!

He, then, finds that the wild and free life of wolves is over-rated.

Hilarious. :-)

Excerpt

Soon, Moka got hungry. “No problem!” he cried.

“I’ll hunt for my food, just like the wolves do.”

And off he went.

But a rabbit outran him. A skunk sprayed him.