When Milo’s family moves to a new city, he vows to officially retire from having fun. So he stays inside for days while his little sister, Georgie, yearns to explore the new neighborhood. Finally, Milo ties Georgie to the end of a ball of yarn so she can go out, on one condition: she has to come home when he tugs the string twice. But one day, Georgie isn’t at the end of the string. Which means Milo might just have to step outside and discover everything he’s been missing.
Andrew Larsen’s simple yet evocative story sets the right tone for the youngest children, who can relate to the boy’s disappointment about missing the exciting nighttime game and his fears that he won’t be able to fall asleep. Jacqui Lee’s illustrations in soothing greens and blues are done in a blend of nostalgic and contemporary styles that suit the story’s timelessness. This book provides all of the appeal of the perfect bedtime story: the reassurance of caring parents tucking the boy in and then coming back later to check on him, the bedtime routine, the atmospheric winter night outside while it’s cozy and snug inside, and the promise of dreams come true.
A young girl delights in a visit to her grandpa’s farm. She and her cousins run through the fields, explore the root cellar where the smoked salmon and jars of fruit are stored, swing on a rope out the barn loft window, visit the appaloosa in the corral and tease the neighbor’s pig. The visit is also an opportunity for this child to ask Grandpa what her grandmother, Yahyah, was like, and explore the “secret room,” with its old wooden box of ribbons, medals and photos of Grandpa in uniform.
Waiting out a storm by the highway inspires a name for an unborn baby sister in a tender, exquisitely observed tale from the incomparable Bob Graham.
When Danny McGee, much to his big sister Frannie’s surprise, drinks up the sea with a giant straw, it turns out he’s just getting started. Soon nothing is safe from getting swallowed whole by Danny McGee, not the mountains, not the trees, not even the weather girl on TV!
Raymond the dog is just your regular family pet until, one day, he has a thought: couldn’t he just sit at the table? Isn’t that what families do together? Soon Raymond begins to leave all his canine ways behind, and so do all the other dogs in town. Dogs go to the movies; dogs go out for coffee; and Raymond lands a high-powered journalism job at DOGUE magazine. But is Raymond’s new gig all work and no play? He doesn’t even have time for family dinner! Maybe, just maybe, Raymond misses the dog’s life.
Young Rabbit is a true expert on wheedling a few more minutes out of his weary parents. After all, he’s only just started playing, and he’s built this really cool race track for his cars, and he has to find the tow truck after he crashes into his little sister’s nightstand and knocks something over (waking her up in the process). However, by the time his parents have reached the end of their rope, Rabbit seems to have disappeared. Luckily, a snore from behind the couch gives them the clue they need to finally get that bunny into bed. But guess who’s wide-awake and wanting her oatmeal now!
Left alone to prepare their family’s prize-winning dumplings for the annual cooking contest, the young Kang boys accidentally invent a new dish, “mian tiao,” or noodles, in a tale that includes a cultural note and a recipe for long life noodles.
Hedgehog is terribly busy. She’s washing, she’s cooking, she’s cleaning. One by one, Elephant, Pig, Teddy, and Lottie stop by. They’d like to eat and play; they’d like attention! But for once, Hedgehog doesn’t have time for them. At the end of the day the mystery is solved when Hedgehog introduces all her friends to her newborn treasure.
When an Iraqi family is forced to flee their home, they can’t bear to leave their beloved cat, Kunkush, behind. So they carry him with them from Iraq to Greece, keeping their secret passenger hidden away. But during the crowded boat crossing to Greece, his carrier breaks and the frightened cat runs from the chaos. In one moment, he is gone. After an unsuccessful search, his family has to continue their journey, leaving brokenhearted. A few days later, aid workers in Greece find the lost cat. Knowing how much his family has sacrificed already, they are desperate to reunite them with the cat they love so much. A worldwide community comes together to spread the word on the Internet and in the news media, and after several months the impossible happens—Kunkush’s family is found, and they finally get their happy ending in their new home.
Featured in WOW Review Volume XIII, Issue 3.