Books with author Jonathan London 194

Today Little Hippo is playing firefighter. But as Firefighter Hippo pedals his fire truck through the jungle, he gets trapped in a mud hole, tangled in tall grass, and stuck on a hill. That's nothing compared to the biggest surprise of all-a real fire. It's a good thing the little firefighter knows exactly what to do. Following Little Hippo's popular debut, Here Comes Doctor Hippo offer children another warm and satisfying Little Hippo story.

Little Wolf, pup of Gray Wolf and White Wolf, bounds into the world and through the seasons in this new children’s picture book. Inside the safety of the den, through fields of wildflowers, and in birch shimmering in an autumn moon’s glow, Van Zyle’s paintings depict Little Wolf’s adventures through a variety of perspectives from close-up portraits to sweeping action scenes. Jonathan London’s lyrical prose imparts a wisdom to the text, endearing the reader to the pup and creating a suspenseful read-aloud.

In this rollicking and warm picture book, rhyming couplets catalog things that a puppy-person and his mother enjoy over the course of a day, such as hiding places and wild chases, and read-alouds and sunset clouds. Schmidt's double-page watercolor illustrations are effective from a distance and depict this active pair with vigorous and varying perspectives. They sing, jump, hug, and have fun together right up till bedtime. While literal-minded young listeners may wonder how that little guy can read a big chapter book or where the hiding places and park slides are since they're not depicted, the overwhelming energy of the book prevails. Preschoolers will relate to London's selection of cheerful activities and will no doubt want to add things they love to do with their moms.

Ka-splash! Head to the river, where a frolicsome bunch of otters plays all year round in a nonfiction story sprinkled with facts — and loaded with fun.It’s spring, and a litter of baby river otters emerges from a den . . . to play! Follow the otters through the seasons as they chase one another, slide down a mudbank, jump in a pile of leaves, and learn to swim. Even while catching fish for their dinner or grooming themselves in the snow, otters love to play — and Jonathan London’s lively text and Meilo So’s fluid watercolors invite you to share in the joy.