Today's vintage children's book for your viewing pleasure is Country Crossing. I'm not familiar with the work of Ted Rand, but this book is quite a nice introduction. I love all the night time illustrations - so good. The author, Jim Aylesworth, was a primary grade teacher who learned a lot by reading stories to his students and decided to write children's stories, which launched another career for him.
With the way this book is illustrated, you really need to see the entire page spread. Wish I could have scanned all the pages, there is a nice sequence to them, but I had to pick and choose as it required extra work in photoshop. This book is much wider than it is tall, so my scans are really wide, they'll fill up your screen! It pains me to make the scans too small - you can't see the details! So don't forget to click on the pics, so my work is not for naught.
Blackaby, Susan. Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox. Illus. by Carmen Segovia. Sterling, 2011.
Ages 4-7.
If you’re seeking a whimsical read-aloud for Groundhog’s Day, you’ve found it. Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox sparkles with wit and sly charm. Brownie is a clever groundhog that meets a hungry would-be predator on a cloudy February 2nd. The fox tells her, “Hold still…. I’m trying to eat you for breakfast.” Brownie’s flip response is that it’ s simply too late for breakfast. The two find they both hate to wait. Brownie suggests the fox work up an appetite by clearing the snow off the pond. Segovia’s humorous image shows the fox putting his fluffy tail to good use. Alas, after all that effort, it’s too late for lunch, says Brownie. Then the tricky groundhog leads the fox to a tree and winds her scarf around and around the fox, binding him to the trunk.
Brownie’s little heart is touched, though, as she hears the fox’s plaintive cries. She decides it’s time to share what’s in her basket: cocoa and cinnamon toast. The crumbs attract a robin — the first sign of spring! The two new friends leave for home, pondering their next adventure. The illustrator’s note describes how Segovia first conceived of this engaging character one winter as she sketched a groundhog. Her wintry palette, splashed with the fox’s red, is as refreshing as that impromptu picnic.
Enhance a snowy story with the cold facts, perfectly described and displayed in 
Cassino, Mark and Jon Nelson. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder.. Chronicle, 2009. Ages 4-9. You’ll be singing songs of snow, glorious snow after reading this snappy little informative book. Cassino and Nelson reveal the scientific nature of snow by using an accessible format featuring a brief fact in a large type size, then giving details in smaller text. Readers will learn of the three major types of crystals (star-shaped, plate and columnar), as well as other interesting facts. (It’s the molecular structure of water that creates the six-sided crystals, for instance.) The superb illustrations include both spectacular photographs that beg to be shared and Aoyagi’s ink and watercolor diagrams that show how a crystal develops from a speck of soil, pollen, or other substance, and then develops into an intricate six-sided beauty. Also noteworthy are the clear instructions on catching and examining snow crystals — just the trick for getting readers to venture outside to explore wintry wonders.
More and More Snow …
Alarcon, Francisco X. Iguanas in the Snow and Other Winter Poems. illus. by Maya Christina Gonzalez. Children’s Book Press, 2001. Fresh poems, often written with an unusual perspective, grace bright and beautiful pages showcasing poems in both Spanish and in English.
Andersen, Hans Christian. The Snow Queen. Trans. and retold by Naomi Lewis. Illus. by Christian Birmingham. Candlewick, 2008. Ages 8-10. Don’t miss Andersen’s most beautiful fairy tale, a source of inspiration for C.S. Lewis and other fantasy writers. Of the many versions available, Lewis’s is the one you want. This memorable wintry tale begs to be read aloud: “The cloak and cap were made of snow, and the driver ah, she was a lad
By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: November 29, 2010
The littlest ones should not miss out on any fun Christmas reading. There are plenty of sturdy-paged board books for babies and toddlers to get their hands on. Getting the full sensory experience is the beginning step of reading; so let him grab, drag, chew, and flip through these fun holiday stories.
Jingle-Jingle
by Nicola Smee
Reading level: Ages 0-5
Board book: 26 pages
Publisher: Boxer Books; Brdbk edition (October 5, 2010)
Publisher’s synopsis: The beloved characters from Smee’s Clip-Clop are off on a wild and wintry ride. Mr. Horse has invited all the barnyard animals into his sleigh, and Cat, Dog, Pig, and Duck couldn’t be more excited. Soon, they’re holding on tight and dashing through the snow with bells jingle-jingling all the way. Over the fields they fly-but when they reach the hill, everyone wants to slide down
even Mr. Horse, of course. Is there room for them all? Like the happy Mr. Horse, toddlers will think “THAT WAS SO COOL!”
Add this book to your collection: Jingle-Jingle
The Gingerbread Man
by Jim Aylesworth (Author), Barbara McClintock (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 0-5
Board book: 32 pages
Publisher: Cartwheel Books; Brdbk Rep edition (September 1, 2010)
Publisher’s synopsis: This irresistible retelling of the Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth and illustrated by Barbara McClintock is now in board book format for the first time, and it’s a perfect treat for cookie lovers everywhere. Children enjoy chiming in with Aylesworth’s charming, rollicking refrains, accompanied by whimsical animal images and a delicious recipe for gingerbread men. (Note: the text has been adapted to fit board book format)
Add this book to your collection: The Gingerbread Man
Duck & Goose, It’s Time for Christmas
by Tad Hills
Reading level: Ages 0-3
Board book: 22 pages
Publisher: Schwartz &
The holidays are in full swing and I think it's a great time to start really showcasing some great books for your family to share during the holiday season. Enjoy!
The Mitten, one of my all-time favorite wintery stories, has been retold by Jim Aylesworth and illustrated by Barbara McClintock.
If you don't know the story already, it features one little boy who loses his mitten and a whole bunch of animals that make themselves nice and cozy inside of that lost mitten, piling in and piling in until that mitten bursts, leaving the boy flabbergasted when he finds it.
Kids are huge fans of this sweet-and-silly story, leaving them giggling as more and more animals try to find a cozy bed within that tiny mitten. It always made a great read aloud, no matter the version or the author (and there are lots of versions out there!). Pick this one up for story time or just to read aloud with the family. And don't forget to make the hot cocoa recipe provided on the jacket!
The Mitten
Retold by Jim Aylesworth
32 pages
Picture Book
Scholastic Press
9780439925440
October 2009
Review copy provided by publisher
A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas, written by Ralph Covert and G. Riley Mills and illustrated by Wilson Swain certainly takes the story of the nutcracker to a whole other level, with the ultimate imagination journey mixed in.
We have a bratty boy that just wants to play his video game who happens to be told the story of the nutcracker by his old neighbor. Next thing the boy knows, the Nutcracker is alive and helping to save him from the evil Mouse King. Oh yeah, and the Nutcracker is a girl!
Silly, imaginative, and quite a bit of fun, this would make a nice read aloud with your older kiddos. Really, who wouldn't like a book filled with a land made of candy?!
This one comes with a cool cd of songs and a reading of the book by the author.
A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas
Ralph Covert and G. Riley Mills
40 pages
Picture Book
Chronicle Books
9780811861113
October 2009
Review copy received from publisher
As a teacher, I loved reading your reccommendations! I can’t wait to find the Groundhog’s day book you suggested at the top. It’s always a fun holiday to celebrate because, frankly, we’re all just looking for something fun to celebrate between Christmas and Easter! Thanks!
You’re very welcome! It does seem as if spring is far away, doesn’t it? I’d love to hear how this goes over with your students.