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I love her. Am I too old for dolls?
Alimrose Rag Doll available at http://www.peanutgallery.com.au
She would make a good companion while reading this fantastic take on the classic written by Melissa Sweet.
Spoon
by Amy Krauss Rosenthal
Hyperion 2009
“All my friends have it so much better than me.” Who hasn’t sang that song at least once or twice?
This feeling of incompleteness is at the center of our story, where young Spoon is in desperate need of someone to polish his ego. The illustrator provides a glimpse of the exciting times had by the other folks that share the cutlery drawer. We’re shown forks lassoing spaghetti, chopsticks that tango among the sushi rolls with precision, and knives happily spreading jam on bread. All culinary feats never, ever achieved with a spoon.
Lucky for him, Mama Spoon is around to reassure her boy that life is indeed grand for their kind. She helps Spoon work through his envy of the other utensils by pointing out what makes him special. “Your friends will never be able to twirl around in a mug or relax in a hot cup of tea.” And she’s right, you can’t eat ice cream with a knife.
Mama Spoon ponders to her son, “I wonder if you realize just how lucky you are?” Everyone needs someone to remind them of this time to time, and Rosenthal’s Spoon aims to tell parents that their children need to be tenderly polished not unlike little Spoon.
And of course, the book doesn’t end without some spooning.
Spork
by Kyo Maclear
Kids Can Press 2010
Spork stuck out. His mother a spoon, his father a fork, which made him one of a kind in the kitchen drawer they called home. He routinely gets asked, “What are you anyway?” an experience taken from multiracial author Kyo Maclear’s own life.
A sweet faced little guy. Too round for some, too pointy for others, but perfect in circumstances where nothing else would do. He’s like the kid who never gets picked at kickball. That is, until a new and very messy customer comes to the table giving Spork a chance to prove his utility.
With very similar messages and formats, it would be easy to confuse Rosenthal’s Spoon with Maclear’s Spork. Both books have style and endearing cartoonish leads, but the lovely mixed media illustrations in Spork make it my favorite to look through.
Close to a year ago, I was a fresh out the maternity ward mama. Those first few weeks are so full. You will be as exhausted as you are in love, and there’s a whole lot of love.
You are at the mercy of your newborn. There is no doubt who is in charge. It’s the baby.
Last year, Maria Frazee illustrated All the World, which although everyone else seemed to adore, it only made me want to vomit up three decade old shards of my We Are the World cassette. The sap wasn’t her fault, she just drew the pictures- and got a big fat Caldecott Honor medal for it.
But man, The Boss Baby is spot on. It’s got new parents pegged. And once you’ve figured out the mystery that is your new bundle, you will find it funny too.
Love the executive onesie and adorable ending.
Hubert: The Caterpillar Who Thought He Was A Mustache
by Wendy Stang and Susan Richards published 1967
I read the most wonderful picture book by Alice McLerran this morning. I was curious from the unusual title so I gave it a look see and highly recommend that you do too. 
Roxaboxen is based on a true story of a little patch of land in Yuma, Arizon that a group of children claimed with their own imaginations. The illustrations depict a simple town lovingly outlined with bits of rock and pottery.
Over many years of repeated visits to their beloved retreat, the inhabitants of Roxaboxen developed a currency, built homes out of discarded materials, had a cactus-filled jail for traffic violators, elected a mayor, sold ice cream and bread, had horses, played cars, and war.
Can you imagine? Children playing unsupervised with broken glass, and no one perished, except for the iguana for which they built a cemetary complete with a gravemarker and flowers.
This book made me so nostalgic for the hours of imaginary outdoor play I put in as a girl. I am definitely buying a personal copy of this one to inspire my child to create such a rich place in our own backyard.
According to children’s book author, Mo Willems there are three things you need to know about naked mole rats before reading his new book Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: 
- They are a little bit rat.
- They are a little bit mole.
- They are all naked.
Now you are ready. Wilbur isn’t your typical mole rat. He’s not afraid to buck the norm. He likes to get dapper and doesn’t care who frowns upon it. The other mole rats can’t stand it though, they are like your crazy uncle at Thanksgiving who can’t believe you are vegetarian and keeps asking you if you want some turkey. The other mole rats are made so uncomfortable by Wilbur’s individuality that they decide to turn him in to the highest law of naked mole rat land. Will Wilbur be forced to give up his fashion freedom? Only the wise Grand-pah can decide.
The other book that arrived in our boxes of new and wonderful things today (that isn’t quite new it, it was published in October) is a part of the Elephant & Piggie series. The main characters are the Odd Couple of children’s literature and never fail to make me giggle.
Gerald, (Elephant) is goofy and loving, always ready to cheer up or calm down uptight and demanding Piggie. The books are done in a deadpan comic style with only one frame of action per page and include varied challenges for the two such as a bird landing on Piggie’s head, in the appropriately named, ”There is a Bird on My Head” or what to wear to a costume party, “I am Invited to a party”.
In “Are You Ready to Play Outside” Gerald and Piggie are all set for a day outdoors when… it starts to rain. Piggie is miffed and as usual Gerald comes to the rescue, I won’t spoil the chuckle by telling you how. I will however tell you that it has dancing worms! Be on the lookout.
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