Early Years (ages 2-6)

Sad, The Dog

A clever little dog christens himself “Sad” when his humans fail to give him a name. Although they feed him and wash him, they don’t appreciate his many gifts, like his love of singing (“stop that yapping!”). When the people move away and leave Sad behind, Sad is heartbroken. But then a new family with a young boy arrives at Sad’s house in a big truck. Although Sad is initially frightened, it soon becomes clear that the boy is just the right person to make a dog’s life complete with playtime, treats, and a brand-new name: Lucky.

The Sea Tiger

The Sea Tiger is Oscar’s best friend and Oscar’s only friend. They do everything together: explore the ocean, visit the sea circus, even hitch a ride to the surface to look at the stars. But Oscar is shy, and so it’s up to the Sea Tiger to help him find other friends.

Worms

A small boy is so bored at a dinner with the executives from his father’s company, he thinks he might just die of boredom! So he’s happy to help when his father asks him to bring in the salads from the kitchen. However, when the boy looks at the beautifully prepared shrimp salads laid out to be served to the guests, he gets a strange idea.

A Great Big Cuddle

In this exuberant compilation, Michael Rosen invites children to joyfully celebrate sounds and the infinite possibilities of language. Nonsense verses with the feel of classic nursery rhymes tickle the ear and set feet tapping while expressive illustrations by Chris Riddell illuminate the larger-than-life characters. With subject matter that runs the gamut of a child’s emotional range from hungry and angry to wiggly and giggly, these thirty-six clever poems will delight little listeners.