Community Helpers: Where Do We Get It?

Daily, we eat. We buy groceries - canned goods, produce, baking supplies, and more. We cook them, often keeping children busy in another room, though we occasionally involve them. the whole business is a little removed from them. We sometimes go to restaurants, where someone else cooks behind closed doors, food appearing even more mysteriously than at home. So how to lead them to understanding and appreciating all the hard work behind these meals they eat (or refuse)? How to explain the logisitics, the late-night shelf-stocking, the care and pride that goes into supplying food for us?

Here are a handful of books of community helpers that illuminate the goings-on in stores, groceries, and restaurants, a great way to show kids what it takes to get a dinner on their table. Not only will you bring them to greater understanding of the world around them, but you will expand their vocabulary and maybe - just maybe - even get a little appreciation at mealtime. Maybe.

Stores:

The Candystore Man, by Jonathan London, ill. Kevin O'Malley

This book is more ode to a superpopular neighbourhood character than it is a look at how the man runs his store, but part of what makes him so special is his engagement with his community. He treats the winning football team to milkshakes and pinball, takes a blind boy to a basketball game, and shells out on Hallowe'en, not to mention being on cool cat. The story is written in a be-bop beat, as if in tribute to the candy store man's obvious love for all things jazzy, and O'Mally's illustrations would add fun to a funeral, so while a bit slight on the actual job involved, it's a winner for sharing at storytime.

A Fruit & Vegetable Man, by Roni Schotter, ill. Jeanette Winter

Ruby is a greengrocder who takes great pride in his work, choosing the best produce, stacking it artistically, and serving his customers well. New arrival Sun Ho soon becomes a young admirer of Ruby, who is much beloved in the neighbourhood, and asks Ruby to show him how he does it. Ruby takes him along on a day, teaching him how to choose, haggle, stack, and serve, all of which pays off when he for the first time becomes to sick to open the store for a few days. When he returns, he finds that Sun Ho and his family have been taking care of business for him, and decides that he can at last retire, leaving the community in good hands. This is a nice bok about taking pride in your work and serving your customers with integrity, and it really shows the dedication in some of those mainstays of the world around us.

The Storekeeper, by Tracey Campbell Pearson

This homey book follows the day of a general store proprieter who opens early, orders new stock, sorts mail, shelves product, and serves donuts while she helps out pretty much everyone in town wanting one thing or another. It is simply told, with some detail added in the cute drawings, but shows how busy it is to keep a small business running. There may not be too many small general stores left in the world, but I think it can translate to many a small business owner!

Groceries:

Market Day, by Lois Ehlert

This book shows a farming family loading up and going into town for market day, and is told in rhyme. The illustrations are a bit strange, but really interesting - a collage of folk art items that give the whole thing a sort of Central or South American feel. While this is not how a lot of North America has ben typically buying its food, the farmer's market is on the rise, and families who frequent them might really enjoy this relatable glimpse into their food's suppliers.

Feast For 10, by Cathryn Falwell

A family gets ready for a big family dinner in this cute counting book, starting with a trip to the grocery store, and continuing with the preparation of the meal. The paper-and-cloth collage illustrations are terrific, and I love the level of detail. It feels jut like any family outing to the grocer's, with one of the five children riding on the cart, others helping gather the ingredients for dinner. I also love it when a picture book features of family of colour without the story being about that, and this family is a good-looking one, to be sure.

The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza), by Philemon Sturges, ill. Amy Walrod

This urban take on the familiar tale of the little red hen is a winner. In it, the hen decides to make a pizza, and as she discovers the many things she will need and doesn't have, she is, as expected, given no help by her friends, who are out playing in the street. Instead, she runs out to the hardware store, the supermarkt, and the delicatessen to get what she neds, cooks it up herself, and in the end, breaks with th traditional tale and shares it with her shiftless friends. They repay her kindness by helping with th dishes, showing that they are no complete do-nothings after all. The story is definitely a fun retelling, but what pushes it into fantastic trritory is the comedic details in the paper collage illustrations - the selections and labels of the food in her pantry alone make it worth taking this treat home to share.

Restaurants:

Piggy's Pancake Parlour, by David McPhail

This is found in the picture book section, but it is sort of a picture-early chapter hybrid, as it is much more text-heavy than you average picture, and divided into chapters for easily reading it over a few nights of storytime, if you wish. In it we meet piggy, and discover how he learned to cook pancakes, how he met fox, and how the two of them went on to open a pancake restaurant together, including the story of how they experimented with having a model train deliver the pancakes to customers, but found it easier to do by hand in the end. It's a lovely book, a tale of friendship and work paying off in something wonderful, and a good story overall. McPhail's typically beautiful and finely detailed illustrations make the whole thing sing.

Big Jimmy's Kum Kau Chinese Take Out, by Ted Lewin

A young boy takes us with him as he spends the day helping out at his dad's chinese takeout restaurant. We see the ingredients delivered, the kitchen cleaned and the cooking stations prepared, the meat and vegetables chopped, and huge bowls of rice and noodles made ready. The boy folds menus while he waits for opening time, and once they do open up, the rush begins. Phones ring and woks sizzle as the boy helps stuff bags with orders, bringing them out to customers, and taking a moment to eat after the lunch rush. At the end of the day, though, he eats his favourite - pizza! Lewin's incredibly gorgeous watercolours bring this work to life, and in an artis's note at the end he notes that the restaurant is a real place in Brooklyn, and that the paintings were done from photographs he took, though the people are fictional and added in from other sources. It is, in a word, a prfect look into the running of a busy chinese restaurant.

Originally posted on Better Than a Playdate.

The Beast Within

A child's anger is unlike an adults. It's less of a quick snap or slow burn, and more of a wild rage. Anger can bring a child to a place where they can't hear or reason, can't stop themselves, can scarcely even catch a breath to howl anew. It's hard for adults to really understand the force of those emotions, but some authors get it and have portrayed it admirably in their work.

I'll bet your child can relate - which also makes these books a great way to talk to them about this powerful emotion at a calmer time. Your child might feel more understood, and you might even just be able to work out some strategies for communicating when your child feels this way and for how you can help him or her return to earth. And who doesn't want that?

When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry, by Molly Bang

This critically acclaimed book was one of the early entries in this category of books that look unblinkingly at how out of control a child's anger can really get. In it, bold, swirling colours illustrate Sophie's wild emotions perfectly as she works through her anger and lets it out. Bang has a real feel for how a strong emotion can carry a child to a different place, and she has chosen a powerful way to express it in this book.

That Makes Me Mad!, by Stephen Kroll, ill. Christine Davenier

Nina explains in this book the things - the many things, some of them seemingly inconsequential to a grown-up, and some familiar, frustrating things - that make her mad.Each instance is illustrated in a little vignette that owes something to comic book sequencing and perfectly capture the expressions and postures of an irritated child. A lot of the circumstances will look familiar, as they happen within the family setting, which makes this all the more approachable. And in the end? Being able to tell her mom about how angry she is, in the end, turns out to be a big help. I like this book a lot - it reminds us of our children's feelings and how even in a warm, loving home, they are bound to get trodden on, and gives a nice, reassuring way to come back together as the storm passes over.

Angry Dragon, by Thierry Robberecht, ill Philippe Goossens

This book may be of particular interest to parents of boys, as the two above both feature girls. In this book, a boy turns into a dragon, taking on an angry red colour, fiercely hurling angry words and stomping about until he can return to being a boy and reconcile with his parents. In terms of illustrating how a child often has to feel their anger all burned away and spent before they can accept a parent's comfort, this is spot on. It also shows the kind of imagination that some children have, which I always appreciate.

If You're Angry and You Know It, by Cecily Kaiser, ill. Cary Pillo

This early reader turns the familiar song If You're Happy and You Know It into a song about dealing with your anger. Illustrations set up common school situations that might make a child feel angry, while the song suggests a technique for showing your anger, ie. "you're angry and you know it, stomp your feet." The suggestions are designed to let off steam, for the most part, and while we might not be thrilled with kids going around stomping, it certainly beats some of the other responses that young children lean towards in moments of rage, so for that, I quite like it. The book wraps up with a verse that assures children that they will then be happy once again. A nice tool for showing more appropriate ways to demonstrate anger, especially for those who are frequently frustrated.

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

Making a Spectacle of Yourself

I first wore glasses when I was a mere three years old. Having had a three-year-old now, I'm not sure how my mother ever kept them on me. In fact, I would guess that a lot of children have some difficulty adjusting to glasses. They are, let's face it, a sort of weird thing to have on. You see them and feel them on your face, and for someone accustomed to being unencumbered by them, not so great. Now, of course, there are extremely cute specs for little kids, far removed from the ugly plastic things of the 19mumblemumbles, but still, hard to get used to for some.

So we parents, we emphasize the need for them, we keep after them, and all the things that parents must do. But putting a positive spin on them is something that we can turn to authors for a little help with. Need some books to help put things in perspective or help the bespectacled future look a little brighter? Here you go. You're welcome.

Baby Duck and the Bad Eyeglasses, by Amy Hest, ill. Jill Barton

Baby Duck does NOT like her new eyeglasses. she worries that they might fall off, and that they look ugly, and begins to feel sorry for herself. Grampa, who also sports specs, tests her limits and she discovers that she can do all her favourite things with them, still, AND read clearly. All good. This installment in the cute baby duck series takes the typically reassuring tone of these books, with her always-understanding Grampa making things okay. I like how he gets her. And while these books hover on the edge of too-cute, they usually come down on the right side, and certainly sit well with young kids of toddler age.

Spectacles, by Ellen Raskin

A young girl keeps seeing strange things everywhere, until her parents are sure she needs glasses. She is not convinced, but they take her to pick some anyhow, and she gets some terrific ones from the fantastic selection available. Suddenly, things look different... at least, as long as she keeps them on. This book is great fun and features Raskin's signature quirky style. It is (so sadly!) out of print, but I mention it because if you can lay hands on it, is is well worth the search. It was a favourite of this specs-sporting child, back in the day.

Glasses: Who Needs 'Em?, by Lane Smith

This frequent Jon Scieszka collaborator takes on this topic alone in a typically offbeat picture book.It treads familiar territory - coming to grips with the need for glasses and realizing they aren't so bad - but Smith adds his own brand of humour and his angular but slightly fuzzy, dark-toned illustrations. What sets this book apart from the others here is that it has, I think, much greater boy appeal than most books on the subject.

Glasses for D.W., by Marc Brown

One of the side benefits of series books is that you can use them to tackle a number of topics, and here Marc Brown uses his phenomenally successful Arthur series to talk about glasses. D.W., it seems, wants glasses just like Arthur, and is pretending she can't see. She thinks they would be cool! This is lightweight, to be sure, but the different, more positive perspective could be a nice change from all the angst that can surround them.

Robin's New Glasses, by Christine C. Jones, ill. Ji Sun Lee

When Robin goes to get her new glasses, she is nervous, and wondered if things would change. They do, in fact - for the better! She scored some cute new rims in her favourite colour, so she loves how they look. Better still, she can see everything! This is a very simple little book, but her upbeat delght with her new specs is refreshing, and the young girl herself rendered in simple line drawings that keep this cute, but not overly so.

Bumposaurus, by Penny McKinlay, ill. Britta Teckentrup

Once a dinasaur was born so near-sighted, he was named Bumposaurus for his tendency to run into things. After a series of misadventures and mistakes culminates in his nearly getting eaten by a T. Rex he mistook for his mother, his loving family decides to take action. Enter Grandma, who lets him try on her glasses and opens up a whole new world to the little reptile. Cute and sweet (but not icky sweet), this little guy shows what a difference clear sight can make.

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

The Name Game

kitten kitten bo bitten, fee fi fo fitten, mee my mo mitten, kitten...

By now, my own bundle, so far known as The Bun, should have arrived. And hopefully, been named. I say hopefully because, well, around our house, the naming of babies is a long, arduous process. And other bloggers I know say it was tough for them, too. So how do you explain this to the sibling-to-be who may, as Pumpkinpie did, have her own ideas about being involved in the naming? How do you explain why a name is so important? Well, if you're me... you rely on someone else. Someone more articulate. Someone published.

Here are a few good stories about how we get and adapt to the names our parents choose for use.

Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes

Chrysanthemum's parents chose what they were certain was the perfect name, and until she started school, she loved it, too. When she becomes the target of mean girls and it turns into a source of teasing, though, she dreams of other, less flowery names (like Jane). Her parents try to reassure her, being as loving as they can, but what really turns things around is the introduction of the music teacher, Miss Delphinium Twinkle, whose name is everything Chrysanthemum's is and who is considering that very name for her soon-to-be-born babe. Turns out, the mean girls would love the name Chrysanthemum after all. Need I even elaborate about Henkes' usual genius with handling social situations for young children and showing loving, supportive environments for the exploration of such things? I thought not.

The Name Jar, by Yangsook Choi

Unhei has just moved from Korea, and is unsure about her name. She gets teased on the school bus, and resolves to choose an American name. Yet her Korean family and the community see her name as beautiful. She tries a few new names in the mirror, but none feel right. At school, she finds a jar full of name ideas on her desk from her classmates - names of family members and story characters and more. As she becomes more comfortable, and with the help of one classmate's interest, she chooses to keep her name and teach the others to say it properly. This is a lovely tale of fitting in and coming to appreciate your own name, something that any child with an unusual name (like Chrysanthemum, above) might appreciate.

A Perfect Name, by Charlene Costanzo, ill. LeUyen Pham

Mama and Papa Hippo are struggling to name their baby daughter - and her naming ceremony is tomorrow. The problem is, there are so many beautiful names, and they all mean lovely, appropriate things. How to pick just two? They try them out on her, with no result. They try considering her personality, with too many results. In the end, it is her splashing in the water at the ceremony itself that inspires her perfect name. A cute take on the trials and tribulations of choosing a name, this easy tale is illustrated with wonderful illustrations full of joy.

How I Named The Baby, by Linda Shute

For my money, this is the one that best explains all the ins and outs of baby naming. In this family, they are working together to find a perfect name for either a boy or a girl (they don't know which it will be), and the older boy (future sibling) is part of the process. All the same things that most parents take into consideration are here - they are looking for a name that is not too old, but not too new, has a meaning they can live with, is not too fancy, but not too short. They find inspiration in many places along the way - the name might have a family connection, could be biblical, could come from a naming book or the name of a hero, could be a floral name... They find that they like different names, as we tend to do in my house (ahem, Misterpie!), but in the end, they find names that they feel are just right. It's a great explanation of how complicated it can be, yet very endearing and child-friendly.

You may also want to check out the baby naming books in your library's adult non-fiction section at 929.4!

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

A Dog is a Kid's Best Friend

We are a cat family around the 'Pie household, but this has not stopped Pumpkinpie from being a serious dog lover. She drags around a kennel-worth of stuffed puppies, calling them her babies, gets the giggles around real dogs, pretends to be a dog, is learning about different breeds, and loves to hear a good doggy tale.

As much as I am not a dog lover and won't be getting a dog just to please her, I understand because I love cats the same way - I was aching for one as a young hcild, and delighted when my family broke down and took one in. Pumpkinpie, on the flip side, has been told to her apparent delight that she can have her own dog when she is grown. So meanwhile, those great dog stories will just have to suffice...

Here are a few for those who love dogs, whether or not they may even consider choosing one of their own as a pet.

Aggie and Ben, by Lori Ries, ill. Frank W. Dormer

Ben's dad had a surprise - Ben was going to get to choose a pet! he considers carefully the relative merits of various animals, and selects a dog her names Aggie. The second chapter of this sweet Beginning Reader shows him learning about being a dog from Aggie, and the last chapter has them fighting monsters at bedtime. It's sweet, but simple, perfect for the new reader or a shared read-aloud story.

"Let's Get a Pup!", said Kate, by Bob Graham

Kate wakes her parents one morning with this exclamation, and they skip breakfast in their hurry to get to the pound. They see lots of dogs there, but none are quite right until they see Dave. He's just what they are looking for. And then, on their way out, they see Rosie - Rosie, who is not young, or cute, or energetic, but gets to her feet stiffly, politely, and wins their hearts. They can't take all the dogs, they rationalize, and go home, where they sleep fitfully, until the next morning, when they skip breakfast again in their hurry to bring Rosie home with them and make their house feel complete. This book is simply great - cute, heartwarming, slightly undertold, and full of details that make the family real, like dad's stubble, mom's nose-ring, and the way they watch TV together with their feet on the dog.

The follow-up to this book, "The Trouble With Dogs..." Said Dad shows the family struggling to get hold of puppy Dave's wild behaviour until they run into a hard-core trainer who nearly breaks the pup's spirit - until Dave wins him over and they all agree to let him be as he is.

The Stray Dog, by Marc Simont

Told in few words and terrific, easy illustrations, this tale follows a family on picnic who encounter a stray. The two children play with and even name the stray dog they find in the park and want to take him home. They don't, but he is on the family's minds all week. While picknicking again the next Saturday, they see Willy, the stray, being chased by a dogcatcher. The children run after them and with some quick thinking, rescue him from the pound by claiming him for their own.

DogKu, by Andrew Clements, ill. Tim Bowers

Told in haiku and illustrations, this is the tale of a dog in search of a home. When a mother spies him outside of the door and lets him in, he immediately seems to become part of the family. He is given a name, meets the neighbouring dogs, runs errands and, of course, gets into trouble. But that evening, there is a family meeting, and a tense wait - ending in dad's return with all the essentials of doghood. Mooch is home at last.

Clifford, The Big Red Dog, by Norman Bridwell

This old classic was a favourite of mine as a kid, and the animated series has only served to make it more popular. It is, of course, about Emily Elizabeth's enormous canine companion and the joys of having him as a pet. The prequel, Clifford, the Small Red Puppy is also a hit with Pumpkinpie, explaining how he ended up so big and the family ended up on Birdwell Island. Though the TV show could make some people less open to these books and though they are in some ways dated, they are still a cute pair for sharing.

Pigeon Wants a Puppy, by Mo Willems

Poor pigeon. He didn't get the drive the bus, didn't get to stay up late, and had to share his hot dog. Will he manage to get his latest wish, a puppy? After all, he's wanted one forever, or at least since last Tuesday. He promises to take care of it, play tennis with it, give it plenty of water and sunshine... But when faced with an actual puppy? He's not so enamoured. Perhaps a walrus? Not quite as bratty or tantrum-y as his previous books, but just as fun for sharing with kids, this newest pigeon book is a sure-fire hit. I just bought it to take home for Pumpkinpie, actually. It's only fair - she's not getting a puppy, after all.

MacDuff Moves In, by Rosemary Wells, ill Susan Jeffers

In this first of the MacDuff series, the little white terrier arrives in the home of Fred and Lucy by pure happenstance, having fallen out of the back of a dogcatcher's truck late one miserable, rainy night. For the first time, he was welcomed rather than chased away, and he was fed and washed. The pair worry that they can't keep him, though, and are all set to return him to the pound, when they find themselves avoiding actually going there. Instead, they bring him home and settle in with him, taking his name from a tin of biscuits. In the books to follow, McDuff has various adventures, and the family even grows to include a new baby. (Perhaps McDuff could use one of these books for that occasion!) I love Jeffers' retro illustrations for these books, as well as Fred and Lucy's loving care.

Find these and other great animal tales at your local public library!

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

Baby Talk

Here at Playdate, we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our editor's new bundle of joy. HBM has been working on through it, and is counting the minutes at this point, if she hasn't already delivered by the time I hit publish. She's not alone, either. There are plenty of other bloggers out there who, right this very moment are gestating siblings or settling in with their new additions, and that's just among the ones I know.

Well, I can't offer these wonderful mamas much personal help, but I can offer them the help I know how best to give - suggestions for books about new babies to share with the older siblings. Books that can help explain what's happening or about to, books that share the joy of a new baby, but also books that acknowledge the many and varied feelings a sibling is bound to have. There will no doubt be a lot of talking about these things ahead, and sometimes, a book can be a useful tool to help guide the discussion, start the discussion, or anticipate questions to come.

So in honour of all these spring babies, here are a whole flock of books, both story and informational, to help the ball roll smoothly. Best of luck, ladies!

The Answer Books

The New Baby At Your House, by Joanna Cole, ill. Margaret Miller

This book starts with an extensive note to parents about this big change in their older child's life, before it goes on to speak directly to the child. It adresses a whole host of topics from discovering that a mother is pregnant to her hospital stay, and what a newborn looks like, umbilical stump included (blech!). It talks about what a baby can do (including a breastfeeding mom - yay!), how a sibling can help out, and how it might make the sibling feel to see the baby getting so much attention. It also talks about the joys of being bigger, about how families need to teach babies, and about how someday, the baby can become a playmate. This book is thorough, speaks in language that is accessible but not patronizing, and asks occasional questions, while stressing how much parents love their big children, too. Miller's photographs are simple and plentiful, showing lots of different families, so that most children will see themselves somewhere in here. This may be one of my favourites, although it seems like it would work best once the baby arrives, or at least is pretty darn close to joining the family.

A Baby's Coming to Your House!, by Shelley Moore Thomas, ill. Eric Futran

This book talks about different ways that babies come, all the stuff that they come with, and the way the relatives and parents might act. It talks about how to hold the baby, how the baby will act, what it will eat, and how the sibling can help. Thomas acknowledges that siblings will get less attention, but stresses that parents will still have time for them, and that brothers and sisters will help teach the baby everything it will know. It ends on a note of teaching the baby about family and love, and suggests that this will make the sibling happy to have the new baby. While this isn't my very favourite, to be honest, it does cover a lot of the things a sibling needs to know, with nice photographic accompaniment, so I would still say it is a useful one and include it.

What to Expect When Mommy's Having a Baby, by Heidi Murkoff, ill. Laura Rader

Angus the answer dog gives answers to a lot of the basic questions that kids will have, in terms that even young ones will understand. Questions include where the baby is, how it gets there, how it grows and eats, what it does in there, why mommy might not feel well and visits the doctor so much, and how the baby gets out. Much as I was prepared not to love a book that starts out with a little mascot, I found it very accessible and straightforward. It uses language like "uterus," "sperm," and "vagina," while not going into graphic detail, which makes for a nice balance of proper but appropriate information. The illustrations are also fun, with a picture book feel, but not too cute. The only things I didn't love were the absence of information on c-sections for those who have them, and the fact that the book ends at birth. Luckily, there is a followup: What to Expect when the New Baby Comes Home, by the same team.

The Story Books

Mothers Are Like That, by Carol Carrick, ill. Paul Carrick

While this book ostensibly talks about what mothers are like and what they do, it also serves to show the ways in which new babies need to be cared for and will grow. The illustrations show animal mothers caring for their young - including nursing them - and ends on an image of a human mother tucking her baby into bed, making the connection between mothers of all species. It's sweet and gentle without straying into the icky or saccharine, and a nice way to start to talk with children about what it's like to have a baby.

Where Did That Baby Come From?, by Debi Gliori

A bewildered sibling ponders whence the new baby, complete with editorials about how weird it is, and about not getting another, or perhaps returning it. It's kind of funny, or at least a light way to acknowledge that a new baby might not be an immediate hit. In the end, though, the baby's cry arouses a different instinct, and the sibling wants to help. Following that, a magical baby laugh makes the sibling want to repeat whatever created it, and suddenly, the wonder of babies starts to sink in. Cute, but not sappy.

Julius, Baby of the World, by Kevin Henkes

Before Julius was born, Lilly was the best big sister in the world. But after he actually appeared, things changed. She was not pleased with the new interloper who had her parents so captivated, and she showed it in unpleasant ways. No matter how hard her parents tried to make her feel special, she behaved terribly towards the new baby, and ultimately, spent quite some time in time out. It didn't help when relatives showered him with attention at his party - until one cousin says disparaging things about him, and rouses Lilly to his defense. And she finds that when she points out all his good features, she actually means it. It goes without saying that I would love this book, because, well, Kevin Henkes, but I also love the brutal honesty about Lilly's behaviour and reactions. This is no sweet, glossing-it-over version of a child's reaction, but that is Lilly - outrageous, over the top, and totally putting it all out on the table. Ya gotta love that, even while you're horrified.

Baby Talk, by Fred Hiatt, ill. Mark Graham

The new baby's crying seems to be telling Joey's mother what the baby wants, but not Joey. His mother offers him chances to help out, but he is not interested. His family suggests that he try to talk back to the baby when it babbles, and he does, earning himself a smile. After that, he talk with the new baby often, and even ends up "translating" for his family. Helping out brings him into contact with the little one, and they form a bond by the end of this simple, sweet picture book.

It's All About Me!, by Nancy Cote

A very simple rhyming book about a young boy who is "the best," according to his parents. When he hears a baby boy is on the way, though, he is not so thrilled at losing his centre-of-the-universe status. He is not thrilled with the baby - I cry /I'm sad /I get so mad /I wish he'd go away - until the smiling baby starts to grow on him and he starts to take on his role of big brother. When a third is on the way, then, he anticipates how that little brother will feel, and what he will tell him. It is a nice one for a younger child in both its simplicity and in the way it shows how the boy grew from a baby, and then how the new baby behaves once it arrives.

Oonga Boonga, by Frieda Wishinsky, ill. see below

This book is available in two different editions, with different illustrators: Carol Thompson for one, Michael Martchenko for the other. In it, the new baby is disconsolate. The parents and relatives and neighbours have tried everything. And then the big brother comes home and say, simply, "Oonga boonga, Louise." Smiles break out, and he goes out to play until the next crisis. It's a simple story, but one aimed at making the big sibling feel invaluable and helpful, and kids love it. It's not a unique story, of course - Phyllis Root's fantastic What Baby Wants (ill. Jill Barton) uses much the same theme, but allows kids to chime in - it's a favourite of mine, in fact, but it's a less direct telling of the same sort of tale.

Other Great Baby Books

Want some more images of babies and what they do? Maybe in a nice sturdy format for a young one? Penny Gentieu has a number of books (both picture and board) of babies filled with cute photographs of babies doing baby things. Margaret Miller has a similar set of board books about babies. These are great both for siblings and for babies, who love to look at other babies. Also look for Helen Oxenbury's books (also soem in picture, some in board) about what babies do, illustrated in her cute, simple style.

Find these and a stroller-full of other great baby books at your local public library!

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

Lovey Love

They love the loveys, don't they? I think a lovey is a wonderful thing - built in comfort and security, easing of transitions, something to tell their troubles too. I encouraged Pumpkinpie's attachment to her loveys, and even bought duplicates in case of loss. Let's face it, loveys are as good for the parent as they are for the child for quite some time.

But then comes trouble. Maybe the lovey gets lost - what to do? Or maybe that sweet toddler gets a little older, and the time has come that you think maybe they should get ready to at least leave the lovey at home, if not detach themselves from the now-worn and grubby object altogether. Or maybe you think the lovey is fine at home, but your now-older child starts wondering if his friends will think it's babyish. It can be an emotional tug-of-war, figuring out how to handle this stuff, how to walk a line between encouraging your child towards growing, respecting their lovey love, soothing fears or sorrow, and figuring out what you think is acceptable in what circumstances.

Of course, as always, I like to share a story about another child and their lovey troubles. Here is a nice little sampling.

Owen, by Kevin Henkes

Owen loved his blankie. It went wherever Owen went. They played together, slept together, and ate together. But the neighbour started to point out that Owen was getting older and ready for school. What to do about the blankie? None of her suggestions turn out very well, nor do they turn Owen off his blankie. It's Owens' mother, who finally finds a way to make blankie into something more acceptable to tote around with him. This story is, of cuorse, cute and funny and rings true, and it also shows a compromise - a way to accept Owen's attachment, but repackage it for his move into the realm of older kids.

No More Blanket for Lambkin!, by Bernette Ford, ill. Sam Williams

Lambkin's friend ever-so-gently, yet firmly, takes lambkin's dirty, much-loved blanket, and plays laundry with it. Once it dries, it is found to be riddled with small holes, so the friend takes it, ties a ribbon and a couple of knots, and transforms the blanket from a tattered cover to a sweet lambie doll much better suited to playing. Not a total removal, but this story gives another option - make it into something else. A pillow, framed art background, stuffed toy? A nice way for a blanket to end up.

Ira Sleeps Over, by Bernard Waber

Ira is a big kid - big enough for a lseepover with his friend Reggie. But Ira still sleeps with his bear. He agonizes over whether to take it or not - will Reggie laugh and call him a baby? His sister thinks so, his parents don't. Turns out in the end, he's not alone in still clinging to an old favourite while trying to pass himself off a more grown up than he might feel sometimes. This story is reassuring to kids who wonder if they are the only one who still like some of the remnanats of early childhood - they are not alone, no matter what the other kids like to pretend. It can do a person good to know that other people worry about this stuff, too. This is a classic - and one of my childhood favourites, too.

Dogger, by Shirley Hughes

Dave's big sister sleeps with lots of stuffed animals, but not Dave. He only loves Dogger. So when Dogger gets lost, then found, then bought by mistake off a rummage sale table, Dave is beside himself. What would he do without Dogger? Luckily, Dave's sister understands, and trades her lovely, newly-won bear to get Dogger back. This book is filled with the love of the young boy, the panic and despair of missing his lovey, and the heartwarming action of his sister. Hughes' trademark details and warm colours bring the whole thing to life perfectly. Just lovely.

Find these and other tales of growing up at your local public library!

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

Friends Through Rough Weather

I love a story about friends, and think they are important in helping show children how friends can support each other. But sometimes the waters of friendship grow choppy, and hard to navigate. We talk to our kids, of course, and encourage them to come to us when they have troubles, but it can be good for them to know ahead of time that these storms, too, will probably pass over. These stories show some different scenarios in which friends might find themselves at odds, but come back together in the end.

Sunshine and Storm, by Elisabeth Jones and James Coplestone

Sunshine, and orange cat, and Storm, a black dog, are friends. But when Storm comes in from a wet walk in the rain and shakes himself all over Sunshine, she is none too pleased. And when she hisses at him, he runs away, feeling hurt. They stay apart for a bit, each feeling bad, until they reunite and forgive each other. Sweet without being too lesson-y, this book features unusual and expressive paintings.

Lily's Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin Henkes

Lily is very excited about her new purse, glasses, and quarters - so excited that she can't keep quiet about them and gets in trouble with her teacher. She loves her teacher, but now she is angry, and she leaves a nasty note in his book bag. She feels terrible afterwards, though, and learns to say sorry, to make it up with a new, nicer note, and to move forward, a little wiser. While not a friend book, I include this to show a similar scenario involving another person who will be prominent in your child's life for a significant portion of it!

Horace and Morris, But Mostly Dolores and

Horace and Morris Join the Chorus (But What About Dolores?), by James Howe, ill. Amy Walrod

In the first book, the boys join a boys-only club, and Dolores decides to join a girls-only club in response. None of them are happy where they are, though, and they miss their adventures together. But one day, Dolores makes a different decision, one that brings them back together, and even adds a couple of new but like-minded mice to their group. The five friend start a new club - where anyone adventurous is welcome. In the second book, the boys get into the choir, but Dolores is left out, and feels it keenly. She writes a note to the music teacher to express herself, and he discovers that she has a talent for lyrics, if not for singing. She is included in the choral performance of her own work, having taken some lessnos from the choir's Moustro. These situations are common childhood troubles - every kid know that being left out feels pretty bad - but come to nice resolutions. There is a great sense of humour in these works (by the author of the Bunnicula series of chapter books), and the illustrations of fun and quirky enough to suit the mice perfectly. Pumpkinpie has been loving these.

Duck & Goose and Duck, Duck, Goose, by Tad Hills

In the introductory book, a favourite of mine, Duck and Goose fall out over the ownership of an egg they find in the park. Neither will relinquish it, so they find themselves stuck together for a while, during which time they grow pretty close, and by the time they figure out the egg is not an egg, they are ready to play together as great friends. The second book finds them navigating the introduction of a third party. The new little duck has Duck pretty excited, and Goose pretty cranky, until she wears thin on Duck, too, who misses Goose and sets off to find him. In the end, the two team up again, bonding over things they enjoy in common. Again, these two books explore some pretty familiar childhood terrain, but show a child that friends can figure out a way to come back together, even if they find themselves feeling angry, left out, or jealous. These books in particular are simple and sweet, yet vibrant and amusing enough to appeal to a nice range of kids.

Find these and other great tales of friendship at your local public library!

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

Scary Monsters, Super Creeps

My daughter is beginning to worry about monsters and nightmares and dragons and other fear-inducing creatures of the night. It's the age - imagination blooms and magical thinking takes hold about three, and monsters are as much a part of that as dressup. But perhaps they might feel better with a few stories about other kids with the same troubles, and they might even get a few suggestions about how to deal. Try these:

Go Away Big Green Monster!, by Ed Emberley

This book breaks down the big green monster - literally - telling each part to go away, one at a time, until he is gone. Also a cute way to introduce colours of face parts, this gives kids a great tool for banishing the spooky things that inhabit their mind's eye. I would give this warning - apparently, it helps to warm the kid up a bit and introduce it as silly, or show a page with only a partial face and have them guess, because Pumpkinpie figured out it was a monster book as a toddler, and won't let me open it, even two years later. Yeesh.

The Nightmare In My Closet and

The Alligator Under My Bed, by Mercer Mayer

The Nightmare was a massive hit back in the day, and remains a great classic, even spawning a short movie, while the sequel, Alligator, takes on another popular fear among the Very Small. The nightmare begins with a spooky monster in the closet and a boy barracading himself in his bed, with blanket, pop gun, and helmet for protection. As it turns out when he decides to take on the monster and shoots it with his pop gun, the monster is scared, and starts crying. So the boy tucks him into his own bed, and makes friends with his own haint. This was a favourite of mine as a kid, in fact, and I introduced it to Pumpkinpie this weekend in the interests of market research. She was edging away at first, worried about the monster, but I kept reading, and as soon as she heard the monster crying, she was intrigued, and scooted back over to see what was going on. She loved it, and now we are playing mommy and baby nightmare. Crazy kid.

Leonardo, the Terrible Monster, by Mo Willems

Leonardo was a terrible monster. He never scared anyone. He thought he scared Sam, specially selected for his skittishness, but it turned out he was just unhappy. So Leonardo decided that if he was a terrible monster, perhaps he could try being a great friend, instead. Cute and non-threatening, this is another winner from kidlit's current darling (well-deserved), though a lesser-known offering. Easily survived the Skittish Pumpkinipe test.

Milo Mouse and the Scary Monster, Louis Baum, ill. Sue Hellard

This boko is a gentler tale about a little mouse who night after night dreams of a horrible creature chasing him. Each night he receives another tip on how to get a good sleep, but none seem to help. Instead, he finds a "happy place" and one night, he remembers it in his dream, waking up. What he discovers is that a tiny little mouse keeps disturbing his sleep, wanting to play. It's a little cute, perhaps, but it might be a better direction for a kid ilke mine, who doesn't even want to open the green monster book above. Sigh.

Find these and other books for facing your fears at your local public library!

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

Imaginary Friends

Like Calvin has Hobbes, children sometimes have imaginary friends. It can freak parents out, a child talking about someone who isn't there, about things their "friend" said, because let's face it - we want our children to have imagination, but where is the line between that and, say, voices? Relax, it's pretty common. And a helpful tool for them, too - I had imaginary friends to play games with, as an only child, and I turned out okay (hush up, you over there!).

But how do we handle it? Indulge them? Ignore it? Tell them not to be silly? How about asking them to let us in on their imaginary world, so we can get a sense of what's going on in there? After all, their minds are pretty interesting. You will, no doubt, be shocked to hear I have a few stories about imaginary friends that might be nice shared reading, but also just might open up the discussion for you.

Jessica, by Kevin Henkes

(Hey, I haven't had a Kevin Henkes on here for a while, plus, it's a good one about Just This Thing. Be quiet. Or should I say - Shhh!) Ruthie Simms has a best friend Jessica. She may be imaginary, but she's a terrific companion (and occasional scapegoat). Even though Ruthie's parents insist she's not real, she is to Ruthie. And so she goes to kindergarten with her, where Ruthie is suddenly faced with a dilemma. The problem is solved, however, when the real live girl in front of her introduces herself - as Jessica. And now she really does have a best friend.

My Dinosaur, by Mark Alan Weatherby

A young girl waits for her dinosaur at night and has a wild and magical romp through the forest, dipping into the river, reaching past the treetops, and playing games of hide-and-seek. As day breaks, she returns to bed, and morning finds her yawning over her Cheerios. The pictures in this book are just wonderful, suffused with moonlight, the dinosaur just gentle enough not to frighten, and the girl's face alive with joy.

Clara and Asha, by Eric Rohmann

Clara's imaginary friend Asha plays with her in a range of scenarios, including in the bathtub, at Hallowe'en, and at her tea parties. She is just the friend a girl needs, though we learn at the end that she is not Asha's only pretend friend... Gorgeously illustrated and sweetly low-key in tone.

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

Bullies, Bossies, and Other Pests

It surprising to parents of three-year-olds that bullying and bossing and social games start early. Preschoolers are beginning to navigate this stuff, even before they get to kindergarten, and it can be painful to watch, even in the early stages. There is, however, more and more interest and awareness around bullying now than ever before, and with that comes a handful of picture books. Myself, I look for light-hearted, story-based, not-too-earnest ways of talking about bullying and being a good friend. These stories really don't talk in a direct way about what bullying is and how to deal with it, but rather offer a little tale, and in reading, I take the opportunity to comment on what is happening and ask questions of Pumpkinpie. "How do you think she feels right now?" "What do you think she could do?" Talking early and often is a great way to start the discussion and keep it going, and a book is always a nice, non-threatening place to begin.

This crop should open discussion with kids who still enjoy picture books, say from ages 3 to 8 or so, pretty easily. For early readers (about grades 2-3) who may want to read books on this theme by themselves, try simple chapter books Super Emma by Sally Warner or Jake Drake, Bully Buster, by Andrew Clements. (For more serious cases, though, there are books in the parenting section to help parents deal with the situation, especially for parents of older children, who may be facing more extreme degrees of bullying.)

Clara and The Bossy, by Ruth Ohi

Clara is happy to have a new friend, until Madison begins to criticize everything she does, and hurts another kid's feelings. She thinks about this one night, and decides that she needs to be herself more than she needs one more friend. She goes her own way, and soon enough, Madison follows, reformed.

A Weekend With Wendell, by Kevin Henkes

When Wendell shows up and spends the weekend terrorizing Sophie, she is at her wit's end. Finally, antagonism turns to friendship after Sophie gives him a taste of his own medicine. Once she gets her own back, the two find themselves having a great time together, and a whole new dynamic is in place.

Hooway for Wodney Wat, by Helen Lester, ill. Lynn Munsinger

The new rodent in class, Camilla Capybara is horrible. A know-it-all and a bully, she intimidates every other creature in class. When Rodney, who cannot say his R's, has to take a turn leading Simon Says, he totally defeats camilla, who doesn't understand his directions, not knowing about his speech. In the end, she disappears into the sunset, going "west" (instead of going to rest). What I love in particular about this book is that his weakness, for which he was teased at first, is the thing that makes him a hero to the others in the end, and his victory is not born of any bad behaviour on his part. It is a little simple, of course, and doesn't offer a solution per se, but it is nice for the underdog to be a hero and show her up.

Goggles, by Ezra Jack Keats

Proving that bullying is certainly nothing new, this classic title from Keats shows two young boys tricking a groups of bigger boys to avoid them when the bigger boys are picking on them. Features Keats' trademark urban setting and Peter, his frequent main character.

Is It Because?, by Tony Ross

One that promotes thinking about the root of bullying, and why the bully acts as he does. It is a tiny bit silly, to encourage a laugh and lighten the mood as you talk about something frightening. This encouraging empathy is a nice approach, though I think a child might want it paired with a book where the underdog triumphs, as well, to give a little lift of spirits and so that all the attention is not on the attention-seeking bully, as usual.

Duck, Duck, Goose, by Tad Hills

When Thistle, a new duck, moves into the neighbourhood, Duck is pretty excited - until he and Goose try to play with Thistle and discover that Thistle is pushy and bossy and overly competitive and in general, no fun to play with. While Goose tries to be a good sport for a while, eventually he and Duck give up, and fool the little duck into napping while they play their own games. (This is a followup to Duck & Goose, one of my favourite picture books of last year's crop.)

Ker-Splash!, by George O'Connor

This junior graphic book makes liberal use of the comic format and the superhero fantasies of the young to take on the topic of bullying. Set at the beach, a pair of kids pick on the younger brother of one of them, and then find themselves the target of a bigger bully. Seeing the parallel, they apologize the the little guy, and the three of them team up to defeat the big boy by distraction and teamwork. While the bully is avoided and doesn't get official comeuppance, the crab inching towards his sand-seated bottom in the last frame Delivers a snide and satisfying snicker.

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

Feelings, Nothing More Than Feelings

Emotions are a tough thing to explain sometimes, being so very intangible. An illustration of facial expression certainly helps, as do examples of when you might feel a certain way. These books have a few novel ways to address the discussion, and help children learn to identify and name their feelings.

My Many-Coloured Days, by Dr. Seuss, ill. Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

This book uses the idea of feeling like different animals and colours to talk about emotions, and the swirling paintings carry the mood even further. Example: When my days are happy pink, it's great to jump and just not think! He even mentions "mixed-up days" when a child might not know what they feel, which I haven't seen elsewhere. In the end though, the book reassures that no matter what our mood, we go back to being ourselves.

Walter Was Worried, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

This book uses a few devices to help bring forth and express different feelings. Each child has a different reaction to different types of weather, and both the weather and the face are illustrated. The fact that the letters of the emotion are painted into the form of the face is a bit gimmicky, but can be totally overlooked unless you have one of those children who likes to find things in pictures (as Pumpkinpie does). Example: Walter was worried when the sky grew dark. This book goes through a nice range of emotions as the weather grows first wilder, then clears up, and the chldren react accordingly.

How Are You Peeling?: Foods with Moods, by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers

Easily dismissed as a novelty item, I actually quite like this book, in which fruit and veg are turned into creatures with extremely communicative faces. I like the simplicity of the text, and the clarity of the facial expressions, and I like that the tone is light and there is some giggle factor. It's a great way to get kids trying out making those faces themselves, and seeing what they look like on you. The physicality of that exercise can really help make the connection between the face and the feeling.

Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day, by Jamie Lee Curtis, ill. Laura Cornell

As I've written before, Curtis is one of the celeb authors that gets it right for kids, and this book is a fun one. What I like most about it is that each mood - and there is a wide range - is illustrated with a jaunty rhyme about some of the things that might help create that mood or some of the kinds of reactions a kid might have while feeling that way.

Sometimes I Feel Awful, by Joan Singleton Prestine, ill. Virginia Kylberg

This story of a crummy day is told by a young girl who has trouble expressing her feelings. As she looks back on how her day went from good to bad to worse, she identifies in each episode what made her feel bad, how she reacted, and what she could have said to make the person involved understand her. It is a bit on the heavy-handed side in terms of the reptitive message that she was not making herself understood, something I normally hate in a picture book. In this case, though, I think it does something useful and tricky - models how a child might put feelings into words. This skill is so useful, I give the message-y aspect a pass here. (Also, I found myself extra touched by the expressiveness of the girl's face, as she looks quite a lot like my Pumkinpie. Aww.)

Sometimes I Feel Like a Mouse, by Jeanne Modesitt, ill. Robin Spowart

This simple book features a child noting how sometimes they feel like different animals, and then identifying the feeling. Sometimes I feel like a mouse hiding, Shy. The paintings in the books are soft-edged, boldly coloured, and nicely evocative.

Lots of Feelings, by Shelley Rotner

This book features Rotner's signature sunlit, bright photos, and has children showing the faces associated with a nice variety of feelings, some of which I have not seen in other books. There is a nice variety of faces, too, which I appreciate, though some of the faces look quite like the child is approximating, and the emotions then are not quite as clear. Mostly though, this is a nice one for teaching children about expression and how it reflects feelings.

Look for these and other books about feelings at your local library!

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

It's Just My Imagination, Running Wild and Too Fast

I am a big fan of imaginative play for children, and I love to see it reflected in books for children. There is something fun and perfectly evocative of childhood to these titles about imagining games that just makes me smile.

The Couch Was A Castle, by Ruth Ohi

This is a recent favourite in the House of 'Pie. Each page shows a pair imagining a new scenario on the couch, with a small image of the reality and a larger contrasting image of the imaginary version. Great fun.

Toby, What Are You?, by William Steig, ill. Teryl Euvremer

William Steig is a great storyteller, but as it turns out, he also has a silly streak and completely understands the joy of imagining goofy things. In this book, Toby is pretending to be different things, and has his parents guessing. Sometimes they are right, sometimes not, but they have a fun running game right up until he is a cowboy and rides his horse to bed. (I also enjoy Steig's book Pete's a Pizza, in which Pete's parents pretend to make him into a pizza to cheer him up. Comes complete with tickles and silly jokes served deadpan.)

Imagine You Are a Dolphin, by Karen Wallace, ill. Mike Bostock

This book and its companion, Imagine You Are A Crocodile, are not so much books about games of imagination as they are jumping-off-points for such games. Beautiful, informative, and begging for children to run with the imagining they suggest. I could really see a child plunging into the land of make-believe armed with this good window into the lives of either animal.

Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak

The quintessential book about a child's imaginings, in which Max is sent to bed without any supper, imagines himself sailing far away, in and out of nights and days, until he reaches a land where he becomes the beloved king and has the wildest rumpus he could ever desire before finally returning to his home, where his dinner is waiting for him - and it was still hot. Wild, fantastical, and eminently quotable, this gem is a classic for a reason.

Find these and other books of the wild and wonderful at your local library!

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

Twin Titles

Twins - are triplets, for that matter - are on the rise. Yes, there are more of us that are having, well, more of us. And I've found a few cute books about the joys of having more (at once).

Dee and Bee, by Robin Isabel Ahrens, ill. Amanda Haley

These twin girls like to play tricks by switching identities, and fool people throughout the day in harmless ways. A fun frolic à deux.

Twin to Twin, by Margaret O'Hair, ill. Thierry Courtin

A cute rhyming romp through the twin joys and double trouble of having two at once.

Jack and Jake, by Aliki

Through the years, people are always confusing these twins, exasperating their older sister. Even when the boys try to make themselves look different, people get confused. But their sister knows their personalities, and emphasizes that "Jack does thing and says things that only Jack could" and vice versa. A nice reinforcement of the notion that although twins certainly share many things, they are each their own person.

Sweet Jasmine, Nice Jackson, by Robie H. Harris, ill. Michael Emberley

The terrific team behind such older-kid non-fiction titles as It's So Amazing (about birthing babies) and It's Perfectly Normal (about puberty and sex) turn their attention to "What It's Like To Be 2 - And To Be Twins!" This book is also definitely aimed at an older audience - it's a long story with lots of little sidebars about toddler behaviour - and walks through the highs and lows (tantrums, potties, big beds, questions, and so on) of this pair's year until they turn three. It's certainly a nice introduction to toddlers, though, either single or twin, for an older child, especially one with younger kids about.

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.

Tales of Friendship

I love a story about friendship, and there are plenty of great ones around for young children, who are busy learning the ins and outs of this kind of social interaction. Myself, I particularly like stories of sticking together through thick and thin, and that involve acceptance of the quirks of our friends because, let’s face it, people are quirky. Here are a few of my favourite kinds of stories – sweet, but not sappy.

Bravo, Mildred and Ed!
Karen Wagner, ill. Janet Pedersen
When Mildred and Ed have competing engagements on Saturday, each wishes the other could be there, but they find a solution. They practice being alone together all week, and each has a little piece of the other with them. When they get together again after their week of solitude, they are that much stronger, and their reunion all the sweeter.

Horace and Morris But Mostly Dolores
Horace and Morris Join the Chorus (But What About Dolores?)
James Howe, ill. Amy Walrod
Horace, Morris, and Dolores are three of a kind, until the boys decide to join a club that doesn’t admit girls. Dolores, however, isn’t all that suited to the girly-girl Cheese Puffs club, and quits, along another adventurous young mouse, Chloris. They swing by the boys club and pick up both Dolores’s other friends, as well as a fifth to round out their group: Boris, and they build a clubhouse of their own. I love this tale of bucking the established order of things and finding a way to do what they really love together.
In the second story, the trio plan to join the choir but Dolores, who loves singing, doesn’t make the cut. She finds her own way to become part of the show, in the end, and becomes a star. Older kids love these (6-9 or so), for they can relate to the situations well.

Chester’s Way
Kevin Henkes
Chester and Wilson are best friends. They are a strange pair, but they are two peas in a pod. When Lilly moves into the neighbourhood, she "has her own way of doing things," and the boys avoid her until the day she saves them. The three of them teach each other new things, and soon they are always together. A wonderful story about finding out what someone is really about.
And because I love Kevin Henkes so (seriously, I made an ass of myself when he came to visit my library once. Like meeting-a-rock-star-type behaviour.), I would suggest also two of his books about younger children making friends that help them with the transition to kindergarten:
Wemberly Worried
Jessica

George and Martha

George and Martha, Best Friends

(and more)

James Marshall

This hippo pair by the famously goofy Marshall crack me up every time, playing silly tricks on each other and testing the boundaries of their freindship in ridiculous ways. They sort it out by explaining what they didn't like and apologizing, just like we tell our kids, without ever seeming "message-y."

Originally posted on MommyBlogsToronto/Better Than a Playdate.