BookSpring volunteer reviewer Barbara Campos is back with another round of reviews! From books that emphasize the value of kindness to a love for animals, these works are sure to elevate the quality of your child’s home library. Read on for Barbara’s take!
Moo, Baa, La La La! By Sandra Boynton
Moo, Baa, La La La! is a light-hearted, silly picture book that introduces young children to different animals and the sounds they make. The book is written in rhyme and the illustrations of the animals are simple, cute cartoons, so it’s a lot of fun to read. This book has been a children’s favorite since it was first published more than 35 years ago! Recommended for kids up to three years old.
The Bad Seed By Jory John
The book’s title borrows from the colloquialism “a bad seed”, meaning a bad person. This book is a lot of fun because the main character is literally a bad seed – a bad sunflower seed to be exact! He isn’t very nice to any of the other characters in the book, who happen to be peanuts, sesame seeds, cashews and pistachios, just to name a few. We learn that the Bad Seed has been through some challenging times that have made him sad, and have caused his bad attitude and behavior. The Bad Seed eventually decides that he wants to change his ways and become a more considerate, polite, and caring individual. The beginnings of the Bad Seed’s evolution from bad to good are heartwarming. This book is a great choice for kids from 4 – 8 years old.
Not a Box By Antoinette Portis
An adorable bunny has a plain, four-sided box, so plain in fact, that it’s illustrated as a basic rectangle with four connecting lines. The bunny is incredibly creative, and whenever he stands in, next to, in front of or behind the box, amazing things start to happen! The box becomes a race car that he drives, a ship that he sails, a hot air balloon that carries him up into the clouds, and a huge mountain that the he climbs all the way to the snow-capped summit! The bunny can go anywhere and become anything he wants to be – even a robot or a fire-fighter – using just the box and his imagination! Not a Box is an entertaining read, and would be a great choice for kids up to three years old.