Books with author Ruth Ohi

Pig, Chicken and Cow love the warm and cozy barn Girl made for them out of Popsicle® sticks. Even though Girl forgot to make a door, the three toy animals think their home is perfect. The only thing that isn’t perfect is Dog. He lives outside, but his drool makes it feel as if it’s raining in the barn. One day, Pig and Chicken decide to go exploring, leaving Cow behind. Before long, Cow hears a drooly, snorty sort of sound, followed by a crash as the barn tips over. Dog is very big, and Cow is terrified—but she really has nothing to fear. All Dog wants to do is play, as Pig and Chicken discover during a daring rescue. Dog becomes a friend. Best of all, now that two sticks have been knocked free, their barn is indeed perfect—front door and all. With her trademark economy of words and expressive characters, Ruth Ohi has created a refreshing, toddler-friendly story about making friends.

Ruth Ohi's new tale of a little guinea pig and her bossy friend. Clara the guinea pig loves purple, triangles, and tuna. She also loves making new friends, and that's why she's thrilled when a classmate says to her, "Let's be best friends!" Madison is bold and glamorous and soon bossy the girls are inseparable. Madison even lets Clara clean up all her toys after they play together. But Madison's demands begin piling up. Why, she asks, does Clara wear the same purple dress every day? And why does she always eat triangle-shaped tuna sandwiches? It's not long before Clara's lunches aren't nearly as much fun, and her favorite outfit stays in the closet. When Clara loses a treasured stone because a Madison-approved dress lacks pockets (the purple dress has big ones), she decides to go back to the things she likes. Her true self once again, Clara is amazed to discover that being herself not only makes her a new friend, but also helps her to keep an old one: Madison. From this charming tale of rich details and memorable characters, children will recognize the experience of having a friend and will glean important knowledge from Clara's gently learned wisdom.

Two brothers discover that with a little pretending, a couch can be anything. For Burt and his little brother, spending time on the couch is anything but boring. After all, with a bit of imagination, a couch can go through some remarkable transformations. And so the boys ride the couch like a horse and envision a cowboy pursuit. Later the sofa doubles as a pirate ship battling stormy seas. But when some stage-couch theatrics end in tears, it's up to Burt to rescue his little brother's feelings... and restore the fun. Ruth Ohi draws on her cast of guinea pig characters, introduced in Clara and the Bossy, to tell an innovative tale for younger children. Ohi's rhyming text makes for read-aloud fun, while her gentle illustrations cleverly show first the reality and then the boys' imagined worlds. A pitch-perfect mix of playtime fun with a hint of sibling bickering makes The Couch Was a Castle as honest as it is imaginative.

A little book about the big bond between two young sisters: Sister in the kitchen. Sister in my room. Sister in a box. Sister going zoom. Whew. Being a sibling is about many things: sharing, having fun together, and sometimes not getting along. Me and My Sister lets readers experience all these things through the activities of two young sisters. Together they have fun making a mess in the kitchen, but the fun is over when little sister invades big sis's room. All is well again as an empty box becomes a shared new toy, but big sister is not as happy about sharing her doll. Despite the troubles and because of the fun, the day ends with two tired sisters and the quiet sharing of a bedtime story. Goodnight! In Me and My Sister, Ruth Ohi brings her remarkable visual talents together with her special way with words. Her gentle, expressive illustrations complement the easy, rhyming text to create a story that is simple in language but rich in feeling. Me and My Sister will be familiar, comforting, and wholly endearing to siblings of any age.

Pig, Chicken and Cow love the warm and cozy barn Girl made for them out of Popsicle® sticks. Even though Girl forgot to make a door, the three toy animals think their home is perfect. The only thing that isn’t perfect is Dog. He lives outside, but his drool makes it feel as if it’s raining in the barn. One day, Pig and Chicken decide to go exploring, leaving Cow behind. Before long, Cow hears a drooly, snorty sort of sound, followed by a crash as the barn tips over. Dog is very big, and Cow is terrified—but she really has nothing to fear. All Dog wants to do is play, as Pig and Chicken discover during a daring rescue. Dog becomes a friend. Best of all, now that two sticks have been knocked free, their barn is indeed perfect—front door and all. With her trademark economy of words and expressive characters, Ruth Ohi has created a refreshing, toddler-friendly story about making friends.

Running away is a lot more fun when you let your family come too. Sara's quiet Saturday with her little sister Annie ends with a bout of sibling bickering. When Daddy intervenes with some firm words, Sara crossly announces she's running away... and Annie can come too. Soon the girls are in the backyard, where they get Daddy to pitch a tent made with bed sheets. They also let him bring flashlights when it gets darker, make a yummy supper of cheese sandwiches (with the crusts cut off), and read them bedtime stories. With cross words forgotten, and with all the comforts of home, what could make running away better? Mommy, of course, who soon turns up with pillows and blankets for all. Ruth Ohi has created another charming portrait of young sisterhood. Her expressive, tender illustrations and just-right words create an endearing story that will resonate with families everywhere.

There’s nothing quite like spending time with your brother. There are good times to share, messes to make, and, sometimes, bad moods to endure. Me and My Brother lets readers experience all these things through the activities of two young brothers. Together the boys have fun stirring up trouble in the kitchen, playing with daddy in the park, and horsing around in the sandbox. But when afternoon antics turn to tears over a favorite toy, it’s time for some quiet. After a little reading for older brother and a nap for younger, all is well again—and just in time for a pillow fight. A yummy snack rounds out the day. Ruth Ohi blends her gentle visual style with easy, rhyming text to create a simple story that richly conveys the nature of brotherhood. Me and My Brother will be familiar, comforting, and wholly endearing to siblings of any age and to the parents who love them.

How come Cow’s spots are purple, when everybody else’s are gray or brown? Fed up with being different, Cow sets out on a quest to change her spots. Thanks to a gravelly walkway, she soon finds lots of gray to cover the purple. And a squirrel in a tree provides plenty of brown by showering Cow with seeds. But when she arrives back home all big and bunchy and lumpy, Chicken and Pig hardly recognize her. When they finally realize it is Cow, they reassure her that she is their friend—purple spots and all. The adorable Chicken, Pig, Cow—and Dog—are back, and continue to capture the hearts of young readers. The winning combination of simple text, expressive illustrations and lots of humor makes this a perfect choice for toddlers and beginning readers.

There’s nothing quite like spending time with your brother. There are good times to share, messes to make, and, sometimes, bad moods to endure. Me and My Brother lets readers experience all these things through the activities of two young brothers. Together the boys have fun stirring up trouble in the kitchen, playing with daddy in the park, and horsing around in the sandbox. But when afternoon antics turn to tears over a favorite toy, it’s time for some quiet. After a little reading for older brother and a nap for younger, all is well again—and just in time for a pillow fight. A yummy snack rounds out the day. Ruth Ohi blends her gentle visual style with easy, rhyming text to create a simple story that richly conveys the nature of brotherhood. Me and My Brother will be familiar, comforting, and wholly endearing to siblings of any age and to the parents who love them.

Chicken, Pig and Cow are looking for a change. The popsicle-stick barn Girl built for them is great, but sometimes it gets just a little too crowded. So off they go in search of a new house. They soon discover that nestling among fuzzy slippers in the closet is too “linty,” and living under the furniture is too scary! What about Girl’s dollhouse? There’s lots of space and they all get their own room—Chicken’s even has TV. But what seemed perfect turns out to be a lot less desirable than the comforts of home. Maybe their jam-packed barn isn’t so bad after all ... With her simple, humorous style and expressive illustrations, Ruth Ohi brings Chicken, Pig, Cow (and Dog!) back for a second toddler-friendly instalment chronicling the everyday adventures of these lovable characters.

"Time to undress," says Mummy, as she puts out his pajamas and hurries back to her dinner guests. And that's exactly what this little boy is going to do. So one by one, each article of clothing is pulled off and lands in a heap as his pets watch with interest. Then, one by one, each article of clothing finds a new owner as the toddler dresses his pets. A hilarious board book that little ones will love. Young readers will love pointing to each pet as they follow the simple storyline and quickly memorize the rhythmic text. And parents will recognize, in Ruth Ohi's gentle humour, every toddler's delight in escaping the tyranny of clothes.