Hairy Maclary From Donaldson's Dairy {5 Days of Picture Books}

Welcome to day five of beautiful picture books you can read over and over. Lynley Dodd was first introduced to our family when we moved to New Zealand and she is a firm favourite around here.  Her books can be read over and over and over again.  Whenever I find her books I snatch them up and bring them home. 

Hairy Maclary From Donaldson's Dairy

• Format Paperback | 32 pages
• Dimensions 188 x 251 x 4mm | 128g
• Publication date 10 Jul 2014
• Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
• Publication City/Country London, United Kingdom
• Language English
• Illustrations note w. numerous col. ill.
• ISBN10 0723278059
• ISBN13 9780723278054

From Book Depository: "Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy is the hilarious rhyming classic by Lynley Dodd. Hairy Maclary goes off for a walk in town, followed by doggish friends of all shapes and sizes. One by one they join Hairy Maclary until they meet SCARFACE CLAW! Scarface Claw is the toughest Tom in town, and causes all the others to run for home. The brilliant cumulative rhyme and terrific pictures of this story has turned it into a classic - and it is still one of the most popular picture books today."

Here are a few others by Lynley Dodd we have enjoyed:

• Slinky Malinki's Christmas Crackers - Festive preparations are being made in Slinky Malinki's house and the rapscallion, mischievous cat is most curious about the Christmas tree. With its reindeer, ribbons, baubles and bells, it's too tempting a treat for Slinky not to investigate. So Slinky Malinki, with mischievous glee, creeps out from the shadows to climb up the tree...
•  Scarface Claw - Big, bullying tom cat, Scarface Claw, Hairy Maclary's arch-enemy, is at the centre of this story. But like most bullies, Scarface turns out to be not quite as tough as he and the other animals think when he is scared by his own reflection.
• Hairy Maclary's Rumpus At The Vet  - Hairy Maclary is waiting to see the vet with lots of other pets. Then something happens to turn the waiting room into a kerfuffling scramble of paws, a tangle of bodies and a jumble of jaws . . . what can be the matter? Another rumbustious, rhyming romp with Hairy Maclary
• Schnitzel Von Krumm Forget-Me-Not  - Schnitzel von Krumm's family is going on holiday. It's all of a puzzle to Schnitzel and soon his meddling leads to a spot of bother.
• Slinky Malinki Catflaps  - Slinky Malinki wakes from a cosy sleep, stretches and slips out through the catflap and into the night. He's soon joined by his friends Greywacke Jones, Butterball Brown, the Poppadum kittens and the rest of the gang. Hobnobbing happily on the wall,ten in a row, the cats are disturbed by the crotchety Scarface Claw. The cats hiss and yowl until all the neighbours complain. Scarface slopes off and Slinky Malinki invites his friends home to sit in front of the fire, hobnobbing happily, ten in a row.
• Hairy Maclary's Showbusiness  - When Hairy Maclary bounces and pounces his way into the cat show, his flustering and blustering bring a very unexpected result . . . Another rollicking, rhyming adventure with Hairy Maclary (from Donaldson's Dairy) and friends
• Slinky Malinki  - Slinky Malinki steals anything from a clothes peg, to a slipper, to a string of sausages, to a clock! Our hero is a BAD cat! The story is told in wonderful rhyme and through pictures full of life and movement.

In all honesty I could go on listing books as I haven't met a Lynley Dodd book I didn't like!  Be sure to take a look through all the books she has published.  I often wonder if my families taste for ryhming sentances come from these clever books...

Do you have a children's author you like who enjoys ryming words?

Richard Scarry's What Do People Do all Day? {5 Days of Picture Books}

With Covid-19 stay home policies enacted globaly many young families have found themselves indoors. This in turn has inspired me to share some of my favourite picture books with you.  Please take heart, Quarantine-schooling is not the norm for homeschooling families either.

Today I would like to introduce Richard Scarry to you.  His books are full of hidden treasures and your children will spend hours combing through his gorgeous books.

What Do People Do All Day ?

• For ages 0-5
• Format Paperback | 64 pages
• Dimensions 220 x 280 x 5mm | 280g
• Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
• Language English
• Illustrations note chiefly col. Illustrations
• ISBN10 0007353693
• ISBN13 9780007353699

This book was first published over 50 years ago and is still loved by children all over the world.  It's currently got a best sellers rank of 729! Every single page is full of things to discover.

From Book Depository: "Everyone is busy in Busytown - from train drivers to doctors, from mothers to sailors, in police stations and on fire engines. Follow lots of busy people working through their busy days! Captain Salty and his crew are getting ready to go on a voyage; Doctor Lion is busy at the hospital; Sergeant Murphy is working hard to keep things safe and peaceful; and engineers are building new roads. Packed full of activity and funny details to discover, this celebration of Busytown and its inhabitants will keep curious minds occupied for hours on end!"

Here are a couple of other titles by Richard Scarry we have enjoyed over the years:

• Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You Book - The animal residents of Busytown learn useful lessons about manners, thoughtfulness, and caring
• Richard Scarry's Bedtime Stories - Five funny tales featuring Lowly Worm, Huckle Cat,
  Bananas Gorilla, and the rest of Scarry's memorable menagerie are collected in
  a sleepytime anthology.
• The Best Little Word Book Ever!  - Huckle Cat, Lowly Worm, and their Busytown friends star in "Richard Scarry's Best Little Word Book Ever!" Illustrated in Scarry's signature style, it offers over two hundred names for objects both familiar and new, grouped by subject, theme, and setting. This book is perfect for reinforcing a child's knowledge of the world and further expanding his or her universe.
• Good Night, Little Bear  - First a story, and then a kiss from Mother Bear, and Father Bear carries Little Bear to bed. And that's when the fun begins...
• Richard Scarry's Cars And Trucks  - Tweet! goes the policeman's whistle. All the trucks stop. The beloved Richard Scarry gives readers an exciting array of vehicles in this classic Little Golden Book from 1959.
• Richard Scarry's Postman Pig And His Busy Neighbors  - Join Richard Scarry's beloved Postman Pig for a day of discovery and adventure! With deliveries to the police station, the doctor's office, the library, and many more, young readers will see how those in their communities go about the day.
• Richard Scarry's The Country Mouse and the City Mouse  - Featuring The Country Mouse and the City Mouse, The Fox and the Crow, and The Dog and His Bone. 

Do you have any fabulous children's authors of picture books to recommend?

Blessings
Chareen

Mike Mulligan and More A Virginai Lee Burton Treasury {5 Days of Picture Books}

Before I started on my home school journey I visited many homeschooling families to see what they were using.  After many months I settled on using Sonlight Curriculum to begin our journey.  Over the years I have used many different curriculum options however we've always seemed to migrate back to my first option.  When Nathaniel was little we used the pre-school package from Sonlight and in this package we received Mike Mulligan and More A Virginai Lee Burton Treasury.

This is one of the most beautiful picture book compendiums I own. I loved reading these stories over and over and over again. The pictures are gorgeous and the characters are lovely. Each charater brings honour to living a simple life with integrity. Each hero exhibits determination and a graceful adaptation to the changes life brings their way.   Each story in this treasury is complete and unabridged.

• For ages 0-5
• Format Hardback | 208 pages
• Dimensions 216 x 238 x 16mm | 1,016.05g
• Publication date 28 Oct 2002
• Publisher HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
• Language English
• Illustrations note Illustrations, unspecified
• ISBN10 061825627X
• ISBN13 9780618256273 

Books in the Treasury

The Little House was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1943.
From Book Depository: "The Little House, a poignant story of a cute country cottage that becomes engulfed by the city that grows up around it. The house has an expressive face of windows and doors, and even the feelings of a person, so she's sad when she's surrounded by the dirty, noisy city's hustle and bustle: "She missed the field of daisies / and the apple trees dancing in the moonlight." Fortunately, there's a happy ending, as the house is taken back to the country where she belongs."

 Maybelle the Cable Car is based on actual historical events in San Francisco.  It chronicals the city's efforts to keep the cable cars running.  The story shows how the voice fo the people can be heard in the true spirit of democracy to achieve good things.

Katy and the Big Snow illustrates how important even the smallest jobs really are.
From Book Depository: "Katy, a brave and untiring tractor, who pushes a bulldozer in the summer and a snowplow in the winter, makes it possible for the townspeople to do their jobs. In this enduring winter favorite from the Caldecott Medal winner Burton, Katy the snowplow finally gets her chance to shine when a blizzard blankets the city and everyone is relying on Katy to help dig out. Children love sharing Katy's shining moment of glory and will inevitably admire her "chug, chug, chug" endurance."

 Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel 
From Amazon: "Mike and his trusty steam shovel, Mary Anne, dig deep canals for boats to travel through, cut mountain passes for trains, and hollow out cellars for city skyscrapers -- the very symbol of industrial America. But with progress come new machines, and soon the inseparable duo are out of work. Mike believes that Mary Anne can dig as much in a day as one hundred men can dig in a week, and the two have one last chance to prove it and save Mary Anne from the scrap heap. What happens next in the small town of Popperville is a testament to their friendship, and to old-fashioned hard work and ingenuity."

Do you have a picture book author who has impacted your home or childhood to recommend?

My Nest is Best {5 Days of Picture Books}

I've been contemplating the "Stay Home Stay Safe" mantra that is currently our social norm. One of the things I've come to realise is that I have had the privledge of staying home for the last three decades.  My home is my haven and I love to be here.  However this isolation is NOT our normal.  I am missing my home educating friends and their famlies. I am missing my family.  I am missing my community.  However I am greatful for the blessings that I do have.    Dwelling on what I don't have is not healthy.  We are created to think and meditate on the good things we do have and as such it's time to start listing the positives of the Stay Home Mandate we are living through.

Yesterday I shared five picture books to read out loud.  Today I'd like to share one of my favourites:  My Nest is Best by P.D. Eastman.

{Please note that the links below to Book Depository are affiliate links.  You will not pay more for the books however I will receive a commision should you choose to purchase a book from them} 

My Nest is Best 

• For ages 0-5
• Format Board book | 14 pages
• Dimensions 150.88 x 212.85 x 14.48mm | 244.94g
• Publication date 24 May 2005
• Publisher Random House USA Inc
• Imprint Random House Books for Young Readers
• Language English
• Illustrations note Colour Illustrations
• ISBN10 037583267X
• ISBN13 9780375832673 

About PD Eastman

• He is an author/illustrator of children's books
• Trained at the National Academy of Design
• Sold more than 30 million books
• Was in the army with Theodor Geisel who became known as Dr. Seuss

Other Titles by PD Eastman

• Are You My Mother?
• Go, Dog. Go!
• The Best Nest
• Sam and the Firefly
• Red, Stop! Green, Go! 
• Flap Your Wings 
• Big Dog . . . Little Dog 
• The Alphabet Book 
• Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary 

Do you have a favourite picture book Author?

Picture Books to Read out Loud {5 Days of Picture Books}

A few weeks back Sonlight asked:  Name a picture book that you never tire of reading aloud.  Since many of us are now in isolation and Quarantine-schooling I thought I'd share some of the suggestions with you.

{Please note that the links below to Book Depository are affiliate links.  You will not pay more for the books however I will receive a commision should you choose to purchase a book from them} 

"Stand Back," said the elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"

Blueberries for Sal

Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel

Are You My Mother?

 

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Have you read any of these?  We have read and enjoyed a few of them over the years and I'm certainly looking forward to reading them to my grand children one day.

What are your favourite read aloud picture books?