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London has to be my favorite city. Every street you pass, there's just so much to see and do. Salvatore Rubbino, author/illustrator of the acclaimed picture book A Walk in New York, has completed a companion book, this one featuring the city where he resides. A mother and daughter alight from a double-decker bus just in time to hear Big Ben striking eleven. The pair explore the city, starting with a stroll through St. James's Park. They go past Buckingham Palace, visit Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, and St. Paul's Cathedral. They tour the Bank of England and the Tower of London and finally take a ferry on the Thames back to where they started.

A Walk in London is jammed with interesting tidbits. Did you know:

Buckingham Palace has its own post office?
More planes fly over London than any other city in the world?
A whisper on one side of St. Paul's Cathedral's dome can be heard 105 feet away?

Rubbino's lively illustrations are equally impressive, filled as they are with detail upon detail. The spread showcasing St. James's Park focuses on tourists taking photos and feeding the water fowl in the lake, while in the background cricket players are at bat. A foldout of the Thames gives readers a panoramic view of the many buildings along both river banks. There's way too much info to absorb in one sitting, so, like the city itself, this book bears repeated visits.

A Walk in London
by Salvatore Rubbino
Candlewick Press, 40 pages
Published: 2011

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Random books from the shelves this week folks! Enjoy!

My Mom is Trying to Ruin My Life is written by Kate Feiffer and illustrated by Diane Goode. This is one of those books that all librarians should have on-hand for a read aloud. Seriously hilarious stuff here!

A young girl describes exactly the way her mother (and then her father) try their best to ruin her life... and then what they would do if she ran away. As she rants and raves, the girl suddenly has a pretty eye-opening look into what life would be like if she didn't have parents at all!

Laugh-out-loud funny and great for a read aloud, especially if you can do sarcasm well. A perfect choice for older-kid story times and for home shelves. The illustrations are really cute and I love the pink and green color scheme. Highly recommended by moi!

My Mom is Trying to Ruin My Life
Kate Feiffer
32 pages
Picture book
Simon & Schuster
9781416941002
March 2009

Hello My Name is Bob, written and illustrated by Linas Alsenas is another great "sarcasm-ish" read aloud. Bob is a hilarious character that just made me giggle from page one (and the hubby really liked him too!), with his slow way of living and his love of all things quiet.

Bob and Jack are very different friends. Bob is quiet, Jack is not. Bob loves his quiet time, Jack does not. Bob really enjoys sitting, counting toothpicks...and more sitting. Jack likes to surf, explore...and be wild! Though the pair is totally different, Bob explains how they can be great friends by sharing their interests and time together.

Bob is written SO well! When reading this aloud I used a dull, mono-tone voice for him and a faster paced voice for describing Jack, which made my husband laugh...I'm sure if he laughed, kids will too! Very nice for teaching about different kinds of friends and that there is no right or wrong way to personalities. I definitely enjoyed this one.

Great for libraries and as a read aloud!

Hello My Name is Bob
Linas Alsenas
32 pages
Picture Book
Scholastic
9780545052443
February 2009

Finally, we have the charming A Walk in New York, written and illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino. Filled with fun facts about New York City, as well as a nice story, this would be a nice choice for those thinking of traveling with the family to the city and wanting to give their kiddos an introduction.

A father and son act as our tour guides, as they see the sights around New York City. Each destination includes a child-like description of the location and has a smattering of facts all around the page. Educational, yet simplistic enough for the little ones. We see the Empire State Building, the New York Public Library, Macy's, Broadway, and many other places, as the pair enjoys their trip into the city.

I loved that this was a learning experience within a picture book. Not so much that it would be called non-fiction, but there was still a bit more "meat" than a typical picture book. Very enjoyable and highly recommended for libraries.

A Walk in New York
Salvatore Rubbino
40 pages
Picture Book
Candlewick
9780763638559
April 2009

To learn more or to purchase click on any book cover above to link to Amazon.

Have a great Saturday!

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Salvatore Rubbino

painting in gouache for A Walk in New York
Look inside the book

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