Great Picture Books on Differences

I did not begin this blog attempting to go through the alphabet.  However, I realized today that my first few posts were A, B, and C.  So for now I will carry on in alphabetical order.

Where to even begin on this topic?  There is so much wonderful literature focusing on differences. The variations are staggering, but the overlying message is the same: different is good, just be who you are and be proud.  This is very important to me as a mother.  

I want my kids to be who they are - I only want to help them become good, kind people.  My girl loves pink and everything princess - me being a tomboy from a young age, this has been difficult to handle.  But I embrace her for who she is.  My boy is not into trucks and dinosaurs, like most boys.  If it involves music and dance - he loves it.  I went to see the Broadway musical Spiderman Turn Off the Dark and brought home the soundtrack.  He suddenly loves Spiderman.  My husband and I love him all the more for this.

Embrace the differences.  I would love for my children to grow up knowing how meaningful this is.

Miss Spider's Tea Party by David Kirk

(see also my page Best Book & Learning App's - this is available in a mobile version)

We love this book (and the app). No one wants to attend Miss Spider's Tea Party as they are scared that Miss Spider is going to eat them. But Miss Spider may not be what they assume.

Woolbur by Leslie Helakoski, illustrated by Lee Harper

I Like Myself!  by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by David Catrow

Be yourself, love yourself.  It's okay to be different as long as you are true to yourself.

The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler, illustrated by David Lee Csicsko

Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Scott Magoon

Spork  by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

Great companion books that can teach children about utensils and differences at the same time.  Both are adorable books with very nice messages.

Our favorite author has two fabulous books about making new friends and accepting that they are different: 
Swim, Little Wombat, Swim! by Charles Fuge
It's a Monster Party! by Tasha Pym, illustrated by Charles Fuge

Other notable books dealing with differences and individuality:
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

Zero by Kathryn Otoshi

Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Suki the Very Loud Bunny by Carmela & Steven D'Amico

Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan

"Slowly, slowly, slowly," said the sloth by Eric Carle

My Princess Boy: a Mom's Story About a Young Boy Who Loves to Dress Up by Cheryl Kilodavis, illustrated by Suzanne DeSimone

We love new books at our house - if you love any other literature on this topic, please share!

Great Picture Books for Bullying

I don't feel this topic can be covered too early in a child's life.  Bullying is such a large part of our current society.  I believe the best way to combat it is to show children at a young age how horrible it can be.  Bullying and peer pressure can be so detrimental to a person of any age and I feel the following books are helping my children understand these concepts. I want to teach my children compassion and empathy and that it is okay to stand up for others and to be yourself.

There is an added benefit to reading picture books to your children.  Not only do they learn, but we learn as well.  I have learned new, subtle methods for dealing with anger.  I have learned to be more careful what I say and show my children more compassion.  Very often we forget that they are always listening and look to us to learn the most important values in life.  I have felt that by reading picture books and focusing on these topics our whole family has grown and learned and is far better for it.

These books all deal with bullying in a little different manner.  At the top of our list is: 

Hats by Kevin Luthardt
This is a nearly wordless story, but quite effective.  My kids were very moved when the boy is nice to the bully, in essence befriending him.  It is very simple for young children to be able to grasp the concept of bullying.

Jungle Bullies by Steven Kroll, illustrated by Vincent Nguyen
To get what they want, the larger jungle animals bully the smaller ones until Mama Monkey shows them all the benefits of sharing. We enjoy this book thoroughly.  It is a frequent request at our house.  A highlight is the repetitive saying that features: "...please share it with me as a friend, don't be mean to me again."  Vincent Nguyen's animal illustrations are very expressive.  As always the kids adore the animals, but take away so much more from the story.

Monster Mama by Liz Rosenberg, illustrated by Steven Gammell
Patrick Edward's fierce monster mother helps him deal with some obnoxious bullies. Beautiful illustrations. It is similar in theory to Jungle Bullies, but quite different as a whole.

Pinduli by Janell Cannon 

A beautiful story full of animals, Pinduli faces bullies.  The book is also about loving yourself and how Pinduli comes to realize that he is special, even though bullies tell him otherwise.  By the author/illustrator of Stellaluna.

Noni Says No by Heather Hartt-Sussman, illustrated by Genevieve Cote
Not focused on bullying, but on asserting yourself.  Noni can't say no, so people (even friends) take advantage of that.  She has to learn how to assert herself.  The illustrations are fun and the lesson stirs interesting conversations.  

Other Honorable Mentions for Bullying/Peer Pressure:

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
Please Don't Tease Tootsie by Margaret Chamberlain 
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patti Lovell, illustrated by David Catrow
One by Kathryn Otoshi

A few more indepth books on the topic of bullying from one of our favorite local Wisconsin authors: 
A Weekend With Wendell
Chester's Way
Chrysanthemum

We love new books at our house - if you love any other literature on this topic, please share!

Our Absolute Favorite Author/Illustrator

I have always loved books. My entire life I have been fascinated with them, the beauty of them.  I was an advanced reader at a young age and just wouldn't put books down.  I still find myself doing that, although in the past few years it is usually Childrens' Picture books that catch my fancy.  Of course, these do combine two of my favorite things: literature and art.  


Picture books can be truly engaging, educational and beautiful.  My husband and I spend a lot of time reading books to our children, ages 2 and 5.  They in turn spend a lot of time curled up with their favorite books.  Our 5 year old, Greysen, is just grasping basic reading skills, so a whole new world of reading is opening up to him.  Camden, our precocious 2 year old, will rarely sit still, but loves to sit in front of the bookcase and "read" all of the books - her often word-for-word retelling is amazing.


I think books hold an amazing power for children to learn and grow.  Not simply for the language skills, but also the life lessons.  I will try to label all of the books that I post so that the topics covered are easier to access.  My local librarians are incredibly helpful when it's come to finding books on particular topics: sharing, anger, loss, bullying.  I have looked in the past for a website to help me find great books within these topics, but have found none.  If you know of any, please share them here.  


What better way to start this blog than with our favorite author/illustrator, Charles Fuge. This does not cover one particular topic, but we enjoy his books so thoroughly that he must be the first thing that we share.

I believe our first encounter with Charles Fuge was with his book I Know a Rhino.  We happened upon it at the local library and oh what fun!  


"I know a Rhino, We like to take tea, I have two sugars, and Rhino has three"


Very simple rhyming and fun animal illustrations.  That is probably what we love most about Fuge's books.  I don't know a child that doesn't adore animals and his illustrations certainly make the animals adorable.  


Sadly, this book is out of print, but you can find it at the library or in used format (that's where I got our copy).


When I discover an author/illustrator that I love, I enjoy searching out their other literature.  We have found that we like (and subsequently own) nearly everything that Fuge has written/illustrated.  

Bedtime Hullabaloo! is by far our favorite book.  Written by David Conway and illustrated by Charles Fuge, Bedtime Hullabaloo! is just so much darn fun.  While I've read some critics feel that the alliteration and wordplay is uneven, my whole family thinks it is great fun.  


"One night on the silly savannah a ludicrous leopard is leapfrogging to bed..."


Greysen and Camden can recite the whole book (and can tell someone when they've read it incorrectly!).  We plan to share it at a Campfire Stories event at our library this week.


Once again, Fuge's illustrations are playful and amusing images of animals.  

We have read every book on the list below of Fuge's works and loved them all.  His earlier works are not as playful, the animal illustrations are a little more realistic, but still beautiful.   We usually give gifts of books and those pictured here are top choice!

Greysen and Camden's review of all of the above books: "We love the animals and the stories that have stuffed animals.  We love the animals.  We love the animals!"

I tried to label each book as to the main topics or themes covered.  I will likely revisit many of these books in future posts.  

Charles Fuge Illustrated Books
Title	Author	Labels
Whale is Stuck/Whale Gets Stuck	Hayles, Karen	cooperation, problem solving
Flea's Best Friend	Fuge, Charles	dogs
Dinosaurs! : a spot-the-difference puzzle book	Parker, Steve	puzzle
Sam's Sneaker Search	O'Brien, Claire	lost, found, shoes
My dad!	Fuge, Charles	dad, father
It's a Monster Party!	Pym, Tasha	differences, new friends
I Know a Rhino	Fuge, Charles	bedtime, animals, rhyme
Trumpet: the little elephant with a big temper	Clarke, Jane	temper, tantrum, anger
I Love It When You Smile	McBratney, Sam	bad day, bad mood, smiling
Yes We Can!	McBratney, Sam	individuality, friendship
This is the Way	Fuge, Charles	animal sounds, animal actions
Yip!Snap!Yap!	Fuge, Charles	sounds
Astonishing Animal ABC	Fuge, Charles	ABC, alphabet, animals
Bedtime Hullabaloo	Conway, David	bedtime
Three Little Dinosaurs	Fuge, Charles	flight, dinosaurs, friends
Wombat Series:
Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball	Churchill, Vicki	favorite things, bedtime
Found You, Little Womat!	McAllister, Angela	getting lost, being found
Swim, Little Wombat, Swim!	Fuge, Charles	making new friends, differences
Where To, Little Wombat!	Fuge, Charles	adventure, home
The Adventures of Little Wombat	multiple	(includes the first four books)
Watch Out, Little Wombat!	Fuge, Charles	imagination, monsters
Gilbert Series:
Gilbert the Great	Clarke, Jane	loss, making new friends
Gilbert in Deep	Clarke, Jane	fearless, danger, adventure
Gilbert the Hero	Clarke, Jane	baby, brother