Picture books that you need to read, especially if you are a grown up

Picture books rock! 

 

Yes, they are always fun for children.  Yes, they take us back to a time when we snuggled up with someone as they read to us before bedtime.  But really, as grown ups, we need to get back to a good picture book.  At our Grown Up Book Fair at Payette Brewing, we had lots of people reading some of our most favorite children's books, hand-picked by Rebecca C. It was the BEST!!

 

So, if you missed the Grown Up Book Fair, did not check out our picture books while you were there, or simply feel that you need some jolly fun in your life, here is a list:

 

Do Not Lick This Book by Idan Ben-Barak

Min is a microbe. She is small. Very small. In fact, so small that you'd need to look through a microscope to see her. Or you can simply open this book and take Min on an adventure to amazing places she's never seen before--like the icy glaciers of your tooth or the twisted, tangled jungle of your shirt.

Fish and Crab by Marianna Coppo

Fish and Crab are best friends, always there for each other. When it's time for bed, Crab is ready to go to sleep, but Fish is still wide awake, wondering: What is that noise--that ooh, ooh? What if aliens abduct us as we sleep? What if it rains frogs? What if . . . so many things?!

I Eat Poop:  A Dung Beetle Story by Mark Pett

Dougie has a secret: he's not a ground beetle. He's a dung beetle, and he loves eating poop. But he does not think his classmates will understand.  Will they or won't they? (Laugh out loud funny!)

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise

Since the day he hatched, Owl dreamed of becoming a real knight. He may not be the biggest or the strongest, but his sharp nocturnal instincts can help protect the castle, especially since many knights have recently gone missing. While holding guard during Knight Night Watch, Owl is faced with the ultimate trial--a frightening intruder. It's a daunting duel by any measure. But what Owl lacks in size, he makes up for in good ideas.

Not a Monster by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez

An axolotl may look like one, but it is certainly Not a Monster. This curious creature, made popular by Minecraft, is actually a salamander that will never lose its gills or fins. Not a Monster explores the traits of the axolotl, the Aztec origin myth about the species, and the way pollution is affecting its natural habitat: the canals of Xochimilco in Mexico City.

Pretty Perfect Kitty-Corn by Shannon Hale

Unicorn wants to be as perfect as everyone seems to think he is, so when he embarrasses himself in front of Kitty he is afraid Kitty will no longer want to be friends with a not-so-perfect Unicorn.

Boobies by Nancy Vo

A cheeky celebration of boobies -- the blue-footed avian sort and the more familiar kind that we find on our own bodies.

Randy the Badly Drawn Beautiful Horse by TL McBeth

Randy knows he's a beautiful horse--everyone says so. From his silky coat to his perfect smile to his very name, reserved only for the most special of creatures, Randy is beyond compare. This laugh-out-loud picture book plays with expectations and takes you inside a child's imaginary world, through construction-paper mountains, popsicle-stick forests, and sandpaper deserts. Readers are sure to fall for this maybe-not-so-beautiful but wholly endearing character.

We Don't Lose our Class Goldfish (A Penelope Rex Book) by Ryan Higgins

Penelope Rex has one fear: Walter, the class goldfish. So when Mrs. Noodleman tells the kids that they'll be taking turns bringing Walter home, Penelope gets carried away by her anxious imagination. The weekend has a rocky start--from Walter ominously licking his lips to a sleepless night where the fish's bowl appears to move closer and closer to Penelope's bed. But then Walter goes missing! Penelope must face her fear to find him and realizes along the way that there's more to Walter than his chomping jaws.

A Spoonful of Frogs by Casey Lyall

A witch's favorite treat is frog soup. Luckily, it's healthy and easy to make. To give it that extra kick and a pop of color, the key ingredient is a spoonful of frogs. But how do you keep the frogs on the spoon? They hop, they leap, they hide . . . and they escape. What is a poor witch to do?

 

And after you have read the books, always always look under the paper cover at the "undies".  You may be very pleasantly surprised....