Books with title The Noisy Book Book and Audiocassette Tape Set

What a difference a new format makes! This "re-imagined" edition of the classic story, originally published as The Mystery of the Missing Red Mitten in 1974, is now in an oversize format with color illustrations, and it seems like a delightful new offering. Annie has lost five mittens this winter, and she's in trouble. She and her dog, Oscar, set out to retrace her steps, through the deep, deep snow. As Annie and Oscar return to where they went sledding and built snow castles, the day's high jinks appear inset in boxes. They follow a bird, and the boxed action becomes Annie's imaginings: the bird has used her mitten for its nest; a mouse is using it for a sleeping bag. Annie wonders if it might be easier to grow new mittens; she thinks about planting her remaining mitten so she'll have a mitten tree next summer with enough mittens to give away on holidays. But when the sun comes out, and the snowman she has made begins melting, the mitten makes its appearance as a snowman's heart. Kellogg really outdoes himself with pictures that are filled with good cheer, warm spirits, and happy daydreams. He captures the way the light looks on a winter's day, and he also shows the way a room glows at Christmas when it's lit by candlelight. A book that's upbeat and touching by turns.

When a fierce storm destroys the tree that housed the Rabbit-Bunn, Hoot-Toowit, and Buzz families, Mr. Bear packs his trusty baby buggy full of tools and heads out to the rescue. Though most of his efforts to put things right are more valiant than effective, his heart is clearly in the right place, and with a little luck, he gets everyone back to his house safely. Once the storm passes, Mrs. Bear works her magic, mending hive and nest. Love of family and friends is evident in both the text and the illustrations, and the happily-ever-after factor is strong. With all the natural disasters in the world, the fire and earthquake drills, and the tornado and hurricane watches, this reassuring book could be just the thing to encourage discussion or to comfort nervous youngsters. Gliori's watercolor cartoons are a delightful blend of warmth, color, humor, and detail. The double-page spreads of Mr. Bear trudging uphill against the driving rain are very effective as is the depiction of his cozy home and the intricate bark on the trees. Though some may find the family names cutesy, the text has a simplicity and directness sure to appeal to the audience for whom this book was carefully crafted. A genuine, warm-and-fuzzy read.

The sun may be setting, but the wackiness is escalating on the shores of the farm pond. "Wheeeee!" proclaims a wide-eyed frog as it jets into the air, "Can you dance like me?" A duck, a pig, and a sheep are the first animals to rise to the challenge, and Mitton, building up the momentum, begins by patterning their respective responses in cumulative verse. As more and more critters join in, each proud of its own inimitable style ("Playful Pony began to prance. Donkey drummed his hoofbeat dance"), Mitton shifts the narrative's structure to move the action resolutely forward toward a literally splashy climax, in which everyone falls in the water. Parker-Rees ratchets up the goofiness of his kinetic watercolor cartoons by giving his animal stars the arm and leg extensions of ballerinas but the bodies of couch potatoes; their faces radiate an infectious silliness. The typography, too, enters into the spirit by shimmying and bouncing through the full-bleed spreads. Kids will likely want to dance or chant along.

Portly is trying to find his true self. He was born a hippopotamus, but is sick of wading in water and eating boring old grass. Searching for new possibilities, he sets off on a quest where he encounters a herd of rhinoceros, a bat, an elephant, and a giraffe, and transforms himself into a hippo-gir-ele-bat-onoceros. Each new identity has comical, albeit unsuccessful consequences. His adventures make him long for the grass and cool waters of home. Portly and his parents are glad to be reunited, but when he sees a monkey swinging from tree to tree, he knows his explorations must continue. The artist uses bright, sunny colors, portraying this jungle fantasy through large, eye-catching paintings. Portly's multifaceted personality is well illustrated. While the theme is far from new, children will enjoy the humorous tale and will identify with Portly's desire to try out new personas. A smooth flowing, witty text gives this tale good storytime potential.

The title of Rylant's exuberant tale is an understatement, for when "those relatives" came, they came en masse and they came for an extended stay. Their anticipation at seeing kin during their long, long drive and finally hugging them "against their wrinkled Virginia clothes" set the tone for this welcome family reunion, a visit that never wears thin. The relatives are depicted as a support system to help a fatherless family with all the things that need to be done in and around their house. In down-to-earth language that harbors strong emotion, Rylant recounts the festive celebration of the relatives' stay and the ensuing sadness when they depart. The relatives in question are a large rural brood, depicted, in Gammell's joyous color pencil drawings, as running the gamut from porcine to scrawny, old to young, and rowdy to silent. In pictures of this group hugging, eating, and sleeping, the unspoken closeness of the unnamed relatives can be felt. These softly colored pictures, which capture the spirit of the brief text, are large enough for sharing in groups -- a use of this warm book that seems particularly appropriate.

The fun and frustration of a winter's day are energetically described in this brightly illustrated picture book: "Frozen noses / Tingly toeses / Sniffle, snuffle / Winter's cold!" Instead of using only standard picture-book words, Carr uses a rather sophisticated vocabulary. Words such as quiver, veer, and collide are folded so effortlessly into the rhyme that it seems a wonder such language isn't used more often in books for the very young. The collage illustrations, which appear to be paper or felt, feature a multiracial trio of friends whose brightly colored clothing contrasts nicely with the gray snow and sky. The book starts with a snowball fight and a sleigh ride and ends, as all winter days should, with a soothing cup of hot cocoa and a nap.

Charles Fuge, the acclaimed artist of I Know a Rhino, Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball, and It's a Monster Party, is back with another winner that's sure to become a favorite with kids-and their parents. Not only does it have the cutest illustrations ever, but the story is one dear to children's hearts: the importance of a loving, protective father. A cuddly little bear has a tale to tell about his dad, "the roughest, toughest, biggest, strongest dad in the whole jungle." The real fun is in the illustrations of cute cubs marching behind and listening- and running off one by one in fear as they hear that Daddy has teeth sharper than an alligator, more claws than an eagle, and can roar as loud as a lion. But when the little bear finds himself alone and gets scared, it's Papa who comes to save the day. The final illustration -with Daddy carrying his smiling cub, will warm any heart.

The author and the illustrator of Bugs! and Skunks! present another hilarious book with a slapstick rhyme, this one about snakes taking over a small boy's world. The creepy creatures start off as a heap under his bed; then they slink down the stairs, shimmy up the walls, hide, and jump out of books and cabinets. Words and pictures wallow in the shudders. Maybe snakes do have some uses: as garden hoses, for cleaning ears, as nifty stethoscopes. But just as the boy is getting used to the invaders, he opens up the shutter to find a huge glaring eye, and then a great, terrifying boa squishes him in its coils. Is that final close-up a capture or an embrace? Munsinger's ink-and-watercolor images extend the silliness. They are packed with nonsense detail and yet clear and accessible for preschoolers, who will recognize the creepy delight of slimy monsters hissing in their ears.

The jungle is usually a peaceful place but not when Clovis, a small tiger, is around. He loves to sneak up on the animals and startle them with the "roaringest" roar in the world. One day, while he is sipping at a stream, the animals turn the tables and join in a cacophonous clamor that jolts him right up a tree. A truce is declared and the jungle settles down in peace again-well, "most of the time." The lively rhythmic text, which takes full advantage of alliteration and repetition, makes this book a storyteller's delight. Children will relish joining in with the tiger's roar and the refrain, "Suddenly-there was Clovis!" as the page is turned from a scene of peaceful somnolence to one of chaos. Taylor's full-color, cartoon illustrations can be overly busy-they are most successful when the artist uses double-page spreads and particularly excellent in capturing the moment of flurried surprise that results from the roar. This title is appropriate both for group sharing and one-on-one reading. Clovis's enthusiasm for the surprise will strike a chord with youngsters, and the lesson about "doing unto others-" will resonate with both adults and children who share this tale.