Esther's Library


Here's what's on the Shelf in the Kid's Section:


For more great books about pets and wildlife, browse through the Bookworm Hole collection.

 

Have any special animal books or great children's book sites you'd like to recommend? Drop Esther an e-mail message at lilbun@verizon.net.


 

 The Bookshop Dog, Cynthis Rylant. Blue Sky Press, New York, 1996.

Martha Jane worked in a bookstore with her human companion, the bookstore's owner. Her mom loved her so much she took Martha Jane everywhere with her and even renamed her store Martha Jane's Bookstore. Naturally, being a very conscientious dog, Martha Jane was always there to greet customers. She was so popular with the people who came into the store that many of them came in just to visit her.

Everyone was very happy until one day Martha Jane's mom had to go to the hospital to have her tonsils out and the hospital wouldn't allow dogs - not even very special ones.

Soon everyone is competing to be Martha Jane's sitter. The policeman, the postman, the band director begin to act just as silly as the children who want to have the bookshop dog stay with them. Who will Martha Jane choose?

Cynthia Rylant's simple, charming tale of the bookstore dog is brightly brought to life by her colorful, cheery illustrations. And, of course, in the end everyone is very happy once more.

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 The Guinea Pig ABC, Kate Duke, E.P. Dutton, New York, 1983.

 What Would a Guinea Pig Do? Kate Duke, E.P. Dutton, New York, 1988.

Guinea Pigs! They're always into something. Kate Duke's GPs, clever little rascals that they are, are busy balancing their ABCs and cooking up some delightfully delicious recipes for fun and mischief.

If you've ever wondered what a guinea pig would do if he wanted to clean up his house, or bake a cake, or be like someone else - and who hasn't? - you'll find out in What Would a Guinea Pig Do? In The Guinea Pig ABC book, Duke's daffy piggies demonstrate their letters in characteristically imaginative ways. It's all good clean, guinea pig fun.

 

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Rabbit-Cadabra!

James Howe, illus. by Alan Daniel

Morrow Junior Books, New York, 1993

Bunnicula is certainly working on some evil deed to pull out of his hat when the Amazing Karlovsky comes to town. Everyone in town will be there to see the great magician's act and Bunnicula will have them right where he wants them. At least that's what the ever panicking Chester the Cat thought.

Chester and the family's dogs Howie and Harold already knew that the seemingly innocent bunny was really a vampire rabbit who mysteriously drained the vegetables of their color late at night. Prepared to spring to the rescue, the threesome carefully crafted their own plan to save the town from whatever the sinister Bunnicula had in store for them.

Naturally, things don't work out quite as Chester hopes, but the magic show is definitely one the townspeople won't soon forget.

Other Bunnicula Adventures: Howliday Inn, Return to Howliday Inn, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, Nightly-Nightmare.

 

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A Garden of Whales

Maggie Steincrohn Davis, illus. Jennifer Barrett O'Connell

Camden House Pub., Charlotte, VT, 1993


At night, in his tub, a child dreams of living in the sea with the whales. "Magnificent Whales. Mysterious Whales. Mystical, Musical, Mountainous Whales" who were singing their heartsongs and telling how they came to live in the sea.

But deep inside the dream, the boy feels danger surrounding the whales. The Garden of Whales weaves a beautiful, dreamlike tale of how a child and his friends come together to save the whales by cultivating a secret garden. In the garden they plant the tears of the whales, and from these seeds, the whales are reborn.

Maggie Steincrohn Davis' richly lyrical poetry, complemented by Jennifer Barrett O'Connell's imaginative dream imagery evoke a timeless mythical world in which people and animals live together and understand each other's language.

Described by Publisher Weekly as "a contemporary 'Kubla Khan' for kids," A Garden of Whales is the recipient of the Vermont Publishers Association Merit Award.

A portion of the proceeds from the book go to the Earth Island Institute, an organization dedicated to developing innovative projects for the conservation, preservation, and restoration of the global environment.

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Koko's Kitten

Koko is probably the most famous gorilla in the world because she learned to speak to people in sign language. A lot of skeptics found it hard to deny the ability of animals to communicate, to think, and to feel emotions because of her.

But what Koko had to say is more important that her mere ability to talk to us. She showed us that love, tenderness, sorrow and joy are universal. She showed us her soul.

For her birthday, her human friends asked her what gifts she would like. One of her most surprising requests was for a kitten. Her friend, Francine, had been reading her the stories of Puss in Boots and The Three Little Kittens. Now Koko wanted a real cat to take care of. She chose a tailless tabby kitten and named him All Ball. She loved her kitten and never treated it roughly even when he sometimes bit her. "Koko love Ball," she signed.

But one day All Ball wandered into the street and was hit by a car. When Koko was told, she didn't respond at first, but later when she was alone she let out several loud cries. Looking at a picture of a gray tabby weeks later she signed "Cry, sad, frown." But the following Christmas she again requested a cat. She wanted a Manx. When her new kitten arrived she cradled it in her arms. "Baby," she signed, and she was very happy.

 Koko's Kitten, Dr. Francine Patterson, photos by Ronald H. Cohn, Scholastic Inc., New York, 1985.

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Obviously, nobunny is better at teaching youngsters the basics of letters, numbers, colors, and shapes, than rabbits! These are some of my favorite books for kiddies who like to learn from the best. And everybunny has lots of fun in the process, getting into all kinds of mischief along the way. First, black and white rabbit explores the ABCs, spilling lots of messy ink and colorful paints in the process. Next, brown rabbit investigates some very interesting shapes with a box of lovely balloons.

 

 

 

Rabbit books, Alan Baker. Kingfisher Books, New York, 1994

 

 

Gray rabbit finds adventure in some nice piles of clay. He builds a whole menager of wiggly, squiggly critters.

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, white rabbit tries on a rainbow of colors

by dipping into some red, yellow, and blue paint.

Also by Alan Baker: Little Rabbit's Bedtime, 1998

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 Dog People, Joseph Bruchac, illus. Murv Jacob. Fulcrum Kids, Golden, CO, 1995
Almost 10,000 years ago, in the place we know as northern New England, a group of Abenaki Indians who called themselves the Only People lived among 13 Dawn Land communities. Dogs were very important to the Only People - as they are to us today - but back then, dogs were also Dog People. These special beings has chosen to devote their lives to people, and were brave and loving and loyal just like our dogs. Except in their own special secret place, they were people just like us.

This a collection of six Abenaki stories about some children and their dogs and the fun and adventures they have together. Joseph Bruchac, who's written the stories down for us, is a well-known Abenaki storyteller himself, so he knows all about the Dog People. My favorite story is about how Gluskabe, the Storyteller and transformer hero, called all the animals together to tell them of the coming of the People. After all the other fierce animals had said how they would treat the People, only the Dog was left. Gluskabe asked him what he would do when they arrived. Dog said "I will be their greatest friend." And that's just what happened!

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 Stellaluna, Janell Cannon. Harcourt Brace, Orlando, FL, 1993

Stellaluna is a baby fruit bat. He mother carried her as she flew off in search of food every night, but one night, dodging a swooping owl on the prowl, her mother dropped her, and Stella end up in a soft nest of starling babies.

This is a very heartwarming story about how Stellaluna adapted to her new home but eventually learned about her true nature. The drawings are really beautiful - you'll never think bats are ugly again after you read Stellaluna's story. And if you want to learn even more about bats, there's a bunch of bat facts at the end of the book. Did you know that almost one quarter of all the mammal species in the world are bats?!!

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