Book Review Friday: Stories that you can share with the little ones in your life

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The Ottawa blogosphere contains numerous book review sites that are dedicated to young adult novels and, to a lesser extent, poetry.  What is less common, however, is to find online reviews by Ottawa bloggers for children's books.  That is why this edition of Book Review Friday will focus on some titles that you can share with your little ones.

Children's Books

Kids in the Capital blog recently published a post that contains several recommendations for children's books that are available from the Ottawa Public Library.  While I recommend that you link to the original post in order to see all of the titles, here are some books that caught my attention.

The Inside Tree by Linda Smith tells the story of Mr. Potter, a kind man who decides to bring his dog and a tree inside his cozy home, only to discover that this decision has unexpected consequences.

"Brimming with vocabulary, this humourous story will have little ones guessing what will happen next," writes Kids in the Capital.  "The illustrations capture the craziness of the situation, with Mr. Potter singled out in a bright orange and red striped pattern on every page."

Scooter in the Outside by Anne Bowen is about a dog named Scooter who is walked each day by his owner Lucy.  During his walks, the curious Scooter wants to peak around the corner to see what is there.  However, when he finally gets his chance, he realizes that he is not quite ready yet to be in the world all on his own.

"This is a fantastic read-aloud book, as the text is full of super-fun things to say!" says Kids in the Capital. "Children will like Scooters curious nature and will learn about making careful decisions. The illustrations are bright and cheerful and the story has a happy ending to an outdoor adventure!"

Not a Box by Antoinette Portis is about an imaginative little rabbit who knows that a box is not just a box.  With this story children can learn to let their creativity roam free.

"The minimalism of the line drawn illustrations will appeal to even very young children, while the text will inspire readers to stretch their own imagination," says Kids in the Capital. "I love that the cover is brown and rough like a piece of cardboard!