This week we had some brand-new books to read!  The first one was called Panda Pants; its young protagonist desperately wants to wear pants, even though Mama insists that pandas never wear pants.  How to resolve this little argument??  Read the story to find out!

Next we read Billions of Bricks: a Counting Book About Building.  This story did have lots of bricks in it, but fortuntely we didn’t have to count them all!  Bricks are used in so many ways and in so many places; they are so common that we never think about how they’re made or who puts them all in place.  Lots of action-packed illustrations show us how those billions of bricks are put to good use.  Rhyming and repetitive text had us all chanting the words!

Swallow the Leader is another new counting book, and follows the fate of some little fish who are playing a game, but then get a bit more than they bargained for.  Not to worry, it all has a happy ending.  Sharks are always a surefire hit in picture books, and this one was no exception!

Thunder Boy Jr. isn’t a new title, but it was new to me!  It’s about a young boy who’s been named after his father, but wishes he had his own name that truly reflects who he is.  The boy thinks about what he might like to be called, and in the end he and his dad solve the problem in a way satisfactory to all.  Large, beautifully expressive illustrations add to the enjoyment of this story of a loving family.  We did have some fun coming up with new names for ourselves that reflect what we like to do or how we think of ourselves; one child was “Runs Fast;” another “Swings High!”  What about you?  If you could change your name, what would you want it to be?

Happy Thanksgiving to all!