ROBINSON, Michelle. What to Do if an Elephant Stands on Your Foot. illus. by Peter H. Reynolds. Dial. July 2012. ISBN 9780803733985. JLG Level: P+: Primary (Grades K-1)
Little ones will quickly identify with the young explorer on safari who just can’t seem to stay out of his own way! In this title featuring run-ins with elephants, alligators, and monkeys, readers will enjoy the build up to the book’s very funny finish. Reynolds’s illustrations are the perfect goofy complement to first time author Robinson’s prose.

SIEGEL, Randy. My Snake Blake. illus. by Serge Bloch. Roaring Brook. June 2012. ISBN 9781596435841. JLG Level: P: Primary (Grades K-1)
It takes a special family to welcome a snake to their home, and an equally special snake to convince them that he will make a great addition. This snake literally gets them at “hello”—which he spells out with his body to the astonishment of all! Bloch’s illustrations quiver and shiver right off the pages, bringing energy to Siegel’s story of one very talented snake.

STOEKE, Janet Morgan. Pip’s Trip: The Loopy Coop Hens. Dial. 2012. ISBN 9780803737082. JLG Level: P+: Primary (Grades K-1)
Hens Pip, Midge, and Dot live the good life on the farm, but occasionally experience wanderlust. Pip forms a plan for the trio to jump in the back of the farmer’s truck for a trip, but the minute the engine starts, Midge and Dot bail. Pip endures (under a blanket) and when the noise and shaking stops, she emerges triumphant. Problem is, the truck never moved—the farmer was just working on the engine! Pip’s pals still think she’s the bravest hen ever, and readers will be wondering what future adventures await the friends.

FREEDMAN, Deborah. Blue Chicken. Viking, 2011. ISBN 9780670012930. JLG Level: K: Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K)
Hilarity (and messiness) follows one adventurous chicken that jumps out of the frame of a bucolic barnyard scene and into a can of blue paint. It seems that nothing escapes getting splashed with blue, including the other farm animals, who are none too pleased. Curiosity results in a cure when the chicken pokes its head into one more jar, and the contents wash away the paint. Freedman’s artful and bold illustrations work well with her carefully chosen words.

MEISEL, Paul. See Me Run. Holiday House. 2011. ISBN 9780823423491. JLG Level: P+: Primary (Grades K-1)
A romp in the dog park turns out to more exciting than Meisel’s goofy and exuberant canines can even imagine! When the dogs discover a cache of bones, they think they’ve hit the jackpot. That is, until the bones magically reassemble themselves and become a Tyrannosaurus Rex. This 2012 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book is sure to delight early readers.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

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