Peepo! by Janet & Allan Ahlberg (also called Peek-a-Boo!) is one of my favorite books for the baby to young toddler range. Publishers wisely went the practical route and in addition to standard paper editions, made it available as a board book for durability in itty-bitty (sticky) hands.

The illustrations are reminiscent of 1930s/1940s Britain and are full of details that you can discover with your little readers.

The story of a baby’s day is told in rhyme:

Here’s a little baby
One, two, three
Stands in his cot (or Sits in his high chair etc.)
What does he see?

A series of holes captioned with “PEEPO!” give a peek at the next page, giving a hint to what’s there and what the baby sees. Turn the page and the hole frames the baby while you read what the baby sees.

The rhyming text, the fabulous illustrations and the element of peek-a-book surprise make Peepo! an enjoyable book to read to little ones and it is sure the appeal to the littlest book lovers in your family.

Here’s a little baby
One, two, three
Fast asleep and dreaming
What did he see?

I had never read Matilda and we’re about halfway through now. Last night we read the chapter about Bruce Bogtrotter. I thought Bogtrotter (which is also a nasty nickname for an Irishman) was going to turn out to be a horrid little boy or just another hapless victim of the scary headmistress, Ms Trunchbull – who threw the hammer for Britain in the Olympics.

However, it was a wonderful chapter. In front of the entire school at assembly, Bogtrotter is accused of stealing a slice of Trunchbull’s private chocolate cake, and he is indeed guilty of this crime. The evil headmistress produces a huge chocolate cake and orders Bogtrotter, a plump, round boy, to eat the cake…all of it, every last bit.

The boy starts off slowly and the assembled children immediately start whispering that he’s going to be sick very soon. But Bogtrotter keeps going. When he’s halfway through the cake, Dahl writes a wonderful few paragraphs about how the boy gets into his stride, into an eating rhythm, and that he’s attempting to climb a mountain and defeat the headmistress. The watching children also sense the tide is turning and they are willing their unlikely hero to keep going. Someone yells out: “Come on Brucie, you do it.”

Bogtrotter clears the entire cake and the children cheer. Trunchbull picks up the plate and smashes it on his head, and stomps out of the hall.

Bruce Bogtrotter is now one of my heroes of literature.

Lola the hamster wakes up with special words on her tongue. She wants to say them but Daddy is off to work, Mommy is too busy, the bus is too noisy and the teacher is holding another child. All day long the words build up in Lola, puffing up her cheeks as they try to come out.

Poor Lola gets more and more frustrated throughout the day as she can’t say her special words. By the time she’s back at home with Mommy and Daddy, she’s too annoyed to say anything. But when prompted by her parents, Lola bursts out with “I love you, I love you! I love you so much!”

The words work their magic and Lola receives hugs and kisses.

Snuggled up in bed, Lola is happy and contented and feels the words on her tongue ready for the next day.

Carl Norac does a really good job of expressing the frustration a small child feels when they have something important to say but lack the opportunity to say it. Claude Dubois‘ charming illustrations clearly show the emotions in Lola’s face – everything from sleepiness, dismay and annoyance, right to utter glee. (Nothing beats the scowling face of Lola as she is sulking though!)

I Love You So Much is a sweet little story that reminds us as adults that sometimes little kids need to say something that is very important to them. It also provides a good opportunity to say, “I love you” for no particular reason at all, just because you do.

50 Below Zero is a good example of this.  It’s written in a manner that is perfect for storytelling. You can’t help but get into it and sound out a silly “zzzzz-zzzzz-zzzzz-zzzzz-zzzzz” to show that Jason is sleeping or say an overly dramatic “craaaazy” as you’d imagine the little boy doing.

Jason is a little boy who is repeatedly wakened throughout the night by unusual noises. He gets out of bed to discover the noise was caused by his sleep-walking father who has gotten himself into some amusing predicaments.  Each time, Jason wakes up his father who jumps up and runs around three times before heading back to bed.

When Jason finds his father outside in the freezing cold, he comes up with very creative solutions to get his dad back inside and to prevent any further “episodes”.

Each page has some repetition that little kids get right into.  There’s also the perfect amount of silliness that will most certainly invoke laughter as will Michael Martchenko‘s illustrations.

I’d highly recommend picking up a copy of 50 Below Zero and any other Robert Munsch book for that matter. Munsch books lend themselves well to being read aloud and they make it a really enjoyable experience for both children and adults.

Right now, if you live in Canada or the USA, you can enter for your chance to win a  copy of 50 Below Zero signed by Robert Munsch! Please visit our contest page for more information and to enter.

William’s Doll is the story of a little boy who wishes to have a doll. His brother calls him a sissy, his father  buys him a basketball and train set but William’s desire for a doll doesn’t lessen.

In comes good ol’ Grandma who understands William, takes him to the toy shop and together they get the doll.

William’s father, upset by this, asks, “Why does he need a doll?” and Grandma kindly explains, “so that when he’s a father like you, he’ll know how to take care of his baby and feed him and love him and bring him the things he wants, like a doll so that he can practice being a father. ”

I like William’s Doll because it’s not preachy or harsh in its message. Zolotow gently challenges gender stereotypes through a story that reminds us of the individuality of children, their needs and desires. It also teaches children that they may not be understood by everyone but that is okay and there will be someone out there who will offer support.

The images are quaint and perhaps a bit “old-fashioned” in style but this doesn’t detract from the book in any way.  Newer editions also have brightened up the colours a bit.

I’m pleased that even after 36 years since publication, William’s Doll is still a popular title in children’s books.

(The Reading to Kids website has some great discussion questions and activities for this book. Check it out!)

The brightly coloured images  will attract, and keep, the attention of young children as will the simple rhyming.

Cowlick! is a story about two little boys who wake up with, you guessed it, cowlicks! While the little boys are asleep a cow sneaks into their room and plants a kiss…Sluuurrpp…Sluuurrpp…Cowlick! The cow sneaks off before she’s caught and the little boys wake up with “Once-flat hair now standing tall”.

I think there’s a bit of a missed opportunity within the story. The  “Sluuurrpp…Sluuurrpp…” is very popular with kids and they thrive on repetition so an additional slurp or two wouldn’t have gone amiss.

The reading level for Cowlick! is stated as Ages 4-8 but I’d say it’s more suited to very young children, in the 18 months to 3 years age range. The bright pictures and short story will hold their attention and the slurping will be sure to get a few giggles out of them.