The Learning Umbrella

Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems, is a sequel to a book we haven’t read yet.  It stands alone, however, and is really funny.  A girl heads off to school happy with her totally unique and special stuffed animal, only to confront another almost identical bunny in the arms of another girl.  That night at home, she makes a horrible discovery!  For any parent who has ever had to go out of their way to retrieve that special something for a child, this book will make you giggle a bit.

Albert the Fix-It Man by Janet Lord and Julie Paschkis is a very sweet story about a man who goes out of his way to help others, and how everyone comes together to take care of him when he is sick.

Stone Soup by Jon Muth is another quality book by this author.  Very good!

Sergio Makes a Splash by Edel Rodriguez was perfect for my water shy children.  This South American penguin is afraid to jump in when his class goes for their swimming lesson, but then he just goes ahead and does it.  With lots of floaties, of course.

Salmon Forest by David Suzuki tells the story of a little girl and her father going to the forest to learn the story of how the salmon and the forest need each other.  It is well-told and educational, and points to all the interdependence of this ecosystem, including the people.

The Brave Little Seamstress by Mary Pope Osbourne and Giselle Potter, is a funny book.  I remember the Mickey Mouse cartoon “The Brave Little Tailor”, and this is based on the same story.  There are parts that don’t really make sense, but overall it is funny and it’s nice to see the gender reversed for the hero.

Lucky Monkey, Unlucky Monkey by James Kaczman is a satire of children’s books that don’t make sense, including little commentary bubbles that point out the cliches along the storyline.  One monkey has a ridiculously lucky day, while another has a horrible day.  The next day, they step out of their houses to see their luck has reversed.

Hugo and Miles in I’ve Painted Everything by Scott Magoon has some really lovely illustrations.  After running out of things to paint, two friends go to Paris to find new inspiration.  In the end, they discover that you just have to look at the same things in new ways, and you’ll never run out of things to paint.