Doing storytime is, for me, one of the best aspects of working in a library. And those of us lucky enough to lead storytimes have our favourite crowd-pleasers - picture books that are fun to read and that have wonderful illustrations.
Here are a few of my favourites. You should try reading them to the young people in your life.
One Dog Canoe by Mary Casanova, illustrated by Ard Hoyt, is a delightful story full of animals that can be found in Canada. The language is beautiful and a pleasure to read. Have some fun and read it with different voices for all of the animals. "Silently we glided under silver webs of dew. Wolf peered from the pines. 'Can I come too?'"
What! Cried Granny: An Almost Bedtime Story by Kate Lum, illustrated by Adrian Johnson, is a look at a boy's first sleepover at his amazing granny's house. The key is to really emphasize the "What?!?" of the granny. It's great to read at bedtime, or anytime at all.
A Boy and his Bunny by Sean Bryan, illustrated by Tom Murphy, is a story I like to do with a stuffed rabbit on my head (this will make more sense when you read the book, and the animal on the head really gets kids' attention). It's a fun rhyming story about a boy who wakes up one morning with a bunny on his head and discovers all the things he can do with this bunny, named Fred, on his head. "Books can be read with a bunny on your head. Peanut butter can be spread with a bunny on your head."
Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, is about a non-conformist penguin who wears loud, flowery shirts while his peers wear bow ties. He does things differently and, in the end, he saves the day. "Tacky was an odd bird but a very nice bird to have around." This story is perfect for kindergarten-age kids and thereabouts.
My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza is best for kindergarten kids and older. It tells the tale of an intelligent pig who outwits a wolf whose dinner plans feature pork. In a surprising twist, the pig not only escapes but gets a free spa day.
Where's my Teddy? by Jez Alborough is a rhyming story that's silly and fun to read, and has great pictures - especially the one with the giant bear and the tiny teddy.
Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas is another silly story about a cowboy who is not so brave after all. Be sure to read this with your best cowboy twang and sing the lullaby with heart. This could be a bedtime story, unless it's just too exciting. Try it in the daytime to see. This book is perfect for preschoolers and up.
Many of these authors have written other books, so if you like one of these books, check to see what else they have on offer. There may be lessons learned while reading these books, or perhaps not - the point is to enjoy the story.
A Good Read is a column by Tri-City librarians that is published on Wednesdays. Lynda Watson works at Terry Fox Library in Port Coquitlam.
