#BookReview: Good Morning, Grumple by Victoria Allenby, Manon Gauthier

  Not every child greets the new day with enthusiasm. Those who don't are called Grumples, and they must be dealt with carefully. Sing very softly, tickle one pinky toe, kiss the scrunched-up forehead. And then a big hug and a singing rhyme to see in the day. Even Grumples cannot resist. There are many going-to-bed books, but Good Morning, Grumple is a unique look at the celebration of morning. Manon Gauthier's endearing collage illustrations capture the love between a mother and child, even in cranky moments. Parents will find Victoria Allenby's droll story in verse to be a perfect accompaniment to the beginning of the day, and a gentle way to turn their own Grumples into children again. 

Little Fox, Lost by Nicole Snitselaar, Alicia Padrón #BookReview @PajamaPress1

    Little Fox s paw prints make such beautiful pictures in the newly fallen snow. Left here, right there, around that fallen branch he scatters them throughout the forest until, too late, he finds he can t retrace his steps back home. Lost and afraid, Little Fox wants to agree when a kind, old owl offers to fly ahead and guide him. But Mama Fox has warned him often: If ever you are lost, my child, / don t let a stranger guide you. / Be still and I will search the wild / until I am beside you. In gentle, expressive text, Nicola Snitselaar spins a tale that goes far beyond a simple stranger danger warning. Her Little Fox, equipped with his own ingenuity as well as his mother s wisdom, cleverly finds a way for the other animals to attract Mama Fox s attention while keeping himself safe. Alicia Padron renders this resilient Little Fox and his forest companions in soft watercolors, their rounded shapes and endearing features easing any anxiety that little listeners might feel about being lost."