Colorful Stories for Preschoolers

One thing that every child needs to know before starting school is their colors.  So this week I'm sharing some of my favorite pictures books about colors . . . .

Bear Sees Colors by Karma Wilson
While taking a walk with Mouse, Bear meets many other friends and sees colors everywhere.

The Black Book of Colors by Merena Cottin
 This title invites readers to imagine living without sight through remarkable illustrations done with raised lines and descriptions of colors based on imagery. Braille letters accompany the illustrations and a full Braille alphabet offers sighted readers help reading along with their fingers.

Warthogs Paint: A Messy Color Book by Pamela Duncan Edwards
As some warthogs spend a rainy day painting their kitchen, they make a mess and learn about mixing colors.

Press Here by Herve Tullet
Instructs the reader on how to interact with the illustrations to manipulate yellow, blue, and red dots.

Vincent Paints His House by Tedd Arnold
In this playful picture book homage to artist Vincent van Gogh, a house gets a brilliantly colorful paint job.


More Books --
April Wilson's Magpie Magic: A Tale of Colorful Mischief by April Wilson
Baby Shoes by Dashka Slater
The Black and White Factory by Eric Telchin
Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett
Blue Goose by Nancy Tafuri
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Dog's Colorful Day by Emma Dodd
Elmer by David McKee
Freight Train by Donald Crews
Hello, Red Fox by Eric Carle
I Like Black and White by Barbara Jean Hicks
I Know a Wee Piggy by Kim Norman
I Spy on the Farm by Edward Gibbs
It's an Orange Aardvark! by Michael Hall
Kitten Red, Yellow, Blue by Peter Catalanotto
Lemons Are Not Red by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Magic Colors by Patrick George
Mis Colores, I Mundo = My Colors, My World by Maya Christina Gonzalez
Ned's New Home by KEvin Tseng
Nighty-Night, Little Green Monster by Ed Emberley
A Penguin Story by Antoinette Portis
Pirate Nap: A Book of Colors by Danna Smith
Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall
Red, Red, Red by Valeri Gorbachev
Red Sings from the Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman
The Wonders of the Color Wheel by Charles Ghigna

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through October 27, 2017.

Books That Inspire the Imagination

To be able to use our imaginations is one of our best abilities.  Books and stories are great ways to get our imaginations going.  Here are some of my favorite books that inspire imagination in kids and adults . . .

My Garden by Kevin Henkes
After helping her mother weed, water, and chase the rabbits from their garden, a young girl imagines her dream garden complete with jellybean bushes, chocolate rabbits, and tomatoes the size of beach balls.

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett
Sam and Dave are sure they will discover something exciting if they just keep digging their hole.

Dog Blue by Polly Dunbar
Bertie, who loves the color blue and really wants a dog, finally gets his wish even though the dog he meets is white with black spots.

Press Here by Herve Tullet
Instructs the reader on how to interact with the illustrations to manipulate yellow, blue, and red dots.

Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
An imaginative young pig shows some of the many things that a stick can be.


More Imaginative Books --
Amelia's Fantastic Flight by Rose Bursik
The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man by Micheal Chabon
Big Plans by Bob Shea
The Birthday Box: Happy Birthday to Me! by Leslie Patricelli
Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas
Dragon Dancing by Carole Lexa Schaeffer
Edward and the Pirates by David McPhail
For Just One Day by Laura Leuck
If I Were a Jungle Animal by Amanda Ellery
Imagine a Night by Rob Gonsalves
The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larwen
I'm Bored! by Michael Ian Black
Lizzie Nonsense by Jan Ormerod
Madlenka's Dog by Peter Sis
Meet My Staff by Patricia Marx
Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta
On My Way to the Bath by Sara Maizes
One Busy Day by Lola Schaefer
Pirate Nap: A Book of Colors by Danna Smith
Pockets by Jennifer Armstrong
Rain Fish by Lois Ehlert
Shape Shift by Joyce Hesselberth
Snow Day! by Lester Laminack
Tap to Play by Salina Yoon
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
What If? by Jonathan Shipton

Check out these books on display at the Arnold Branch through July 29, 2016.

Interactive Books for Young Children

There is a trend that is growing of picture books that are interactive with the children reading them.  The books address the readers directly and instruct them to do certain activities or actions.  Check out these great examples of interactive picture books . . .

Press Here by Herve Tullet
Instructs the reader on how to interact with the illustrations to manipulate yellow, blue, and red dots.

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett
The reader is invited to count the animals that have frightened the monkeys off the pages.

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas
A ladybug invites the reader to play a game of "let's pretend."

Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj
Important secrets about how best to live a cat's life will be revealed only to those who can prove that they are genuine cats.

The Big Blue Spot by Peter Holwitz
A spot realizes that it is lonely and asks the reader of the book to help it find a friend.