Dogs, a pig and an eagle - three animal stories

I don't want a posh dog! by Emma Dodd



Brief, rhyming text and big, bold illustrations help us see all the kinds of dogs this little girl can do without: snappy dogs, gruff dogs, speedy dogs, itchy scritchy scratchy dogs. She wants a dog that knows her in a crowd, will play with her and a dog she can call her own.



I like the rhythm and rhyme of the words and the happy ending. Emma Dodd's illustrations are fun and make me smile every time I read this book. Enjoy this with your 4-6 year old.





Little Oink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal



Little Oink is such a nice, neat pig, and that is the problem. Pigs are messy and during mess up time, they have to make messes. Little Oink thinks about his friends who are allowed to clean their rooms; he wants to do that, too. But, no. Little pig has to unmake his bed, throw his clothes on the floor - it is almost too much for him.



I love this, the third book by Amy Rosenthal. Make sure you read Little Pea and Little Hoot for two more funny little stories. And these stories are for ALL AGES. The older you are, the funnier the story. Younger children may not immediately sense the irony; older children will want to explain it to you!






Hook by Ed Young

The first thing you need to know is that Ed Young won a Caldecott Medal for Lon Po Po, two Caldecott Honor Medals for The Emperor and Seven Blind Mice. He has been nominated twice for the Hans Christian Anderson Award - the highest international recognition for Children's Literature. This is is newest book and it is a fun read.

An abadonded egg is found by a young boy who puts it under a hen. The hatchling is clearly not a chick. The story is a very visual one, as the reader can easily see that the hen is trying to raise an eagle chick with her brood.

Ed Young is a storyteller who does not need many words to tell a good story. Take your time and share this very short book with your 4-7 year old.