*Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster (2012)

*Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster by Michelle Nelson-Schmidt (2012) is a book for my bedside table. Here’s a story that persons of any age can relate to. Adult versions of this theme appear on bookstore shelves in a wide variety of disguises. Nelson-Schmidt has distilled the basic idea into an easy to remember rhyme. “Some Whatif Monsters like to hang out, and fill up our heads with worry and doubt.” Yep. After a cute little Whatif Monster nags Jonathan all through the first half of the book, Jonathan pushes back. “But what if you’re wrong?” he asks, and refutes every one of the Whatif Monster’s worries. 

*The Lost Horse (1998)

*The Lost Horse by Ed Young (1998) is a Chinese proverb. I didn’t recognize it from the cover, but after only a few pages it became clear that Young had illustrated a story I only partially remembered. A wise man named Sai perceives events as possibly good but also possibly not. When his horse runs away during a storm, his neighbors view this as a terrible loss. But, the horse returns with a second horse for Sei. Is this good fortune? Maybe. Maybe not. The proverb continues in this way, ultimately ending with Sei’s son spared from going to war. It’s a curious proverb that Young’s collage in pastel and watercolor brings brilliantly to life.

What Teachers Can’t Do (2002)

What Teachers Can’t Do by Douglas Wood (2002) is a fun twist on a well worn theme. Doug Cushman’s dinosaurs complement the silliness of the text. “Teachers can spell ‘Mississippi’ and ‘encyclopedia.’ But they can’t spell ‘CAT.’” Of course, they don’t spell cat or add 2+2 because they want their students to. Teachers can’t sit in little chairs or go down the tube slide either. And we can see there’s no way Cushman’s teacher dinosaurs with those enormous tails can do much. Luckily, this is one of a series. I look forward to reading what Moms and Dads can’t do.

We Adopted You, Benjamin Koo (1989)

In We Adopted You, Benjamin Koo by Linda Walvoord Girard (1989), Benjamin describes his journey from an orphanage in Korea. (I assume he means South Korea.) Life is lovely until second grade when he suddenly realizes he looks different from his parents and peers. He’s angry. A school counselor helps Benjamin process the fact that his parents are not his biological parents. “How do you know a duck is a duck?” she asks. The answer is “it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck and acts like a duck.” Benjamin has a real mom in his adopted family for the same reason. Life is still difficult though because classmates diss him and adult strangers are confused by his multi racial family. His sister is adopted from Brazil. On the last page, Benjamin gives advice to any reader who may also be adopted. “You might have been born somewhere else or look different from your parents, but that has nothing to do with love.” Linda Shute’s illustrations complement the text nicely. 

llama llama gram and grandpa (2015)

llama  llama gram and grandpa by Anna Dewdney (2015) takes on the challenge of staying overnight with grandparents. Dewdney does a nice job with rhyme: “A glass of milk. A yummy snack. Now it’s time to go unpack. Mama’s picture in a frame. Different. Also just the same.” And Dewdney finds a way to make this version of a classic childhood adventure her own. Early on, Llama discovers that a favorite plushie was not packed. It’s a worry the entire first day. But grandpa saves the day, or rather night. It’s a satisfying ending.

Easter Surprise (1991)

Easter Surprise by Catherine Stock (1991) is a lovely book “in the author’s characteristically soft, glowing watercolors highlighted by colored pencil.” How can one repeat the classic story of an Easter egg hunt? Stock begins with her illustrations. The cover art prompted me to pick up her book. In Stock’s version, a mother and two children spend Easter weekend at a cabin by a lake. They decorate eggs and go on a hunt for sweet treats. There are no other adults or families in this story, which made me wonder how this lone parent managed to arrange the weekend activities all by herself. There’s no religious references here. The text is minimal and the font slightly large. It’s a visually pleasing story without conflict or disappointment.

Curious George at the Aquarium (2007)

Curious George at the Aquarium by Margret & H.A. Rey (2007) has little monkey George--you guessed it--creating havoc at an aquarium. Can George wait (alone) for the man in the yellow hat to buy tickets for them? Of course not! George climbs over a wall to follow the sound of a splash and he delights in discovering Beluga whales, a variety of fish, a “do not touch” display of live crabs, and so on. He joins the penguins to share in their comical play, and that’s when the predictable drama takes off. We can smile because Curious George redeems himself in the end.