Children's Books: Baby & Pre-School Books

ALWAYS
by Ann Stott. Lovely, sweet color illustraitons by Matt Phelan. Condition: NEW 2008 Candlewick hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: Children everywhere will be comforted by this universal tale, in which a young boy is assured that his mother loves him — no matter what he does. "Do you love me when I finger-paint with toothpaste on the bathroom mirror?" As he goes through a day, a child asks his mother for reassurance with a series of questions. Does she love him when he's gentle? Does she love him when he's not? Does she love him when he jumps in puddles wearing his new sneakers? Simple, charming, and disarming, Ann Stott's story will resonate with little listeners and adults alike. Matt Phelan's funny, poignant drawings capture the child's behavior, both good and bad, and the mother's unconditional love. Questions welcome Ages 2 - 8. [1 copy available]
$ 4.59 + $ 2.999 media shipping.

ANTLER, BEAR CANOE: A Northwoods Alphabet Year
text and adorable illustrations by Betsy Bowen. Condition: NEW 1995 Little Brown soft cover, first printing. Content: An alphabet book that is novel in overall concept, ABC words, and illustrations. Bowen has taken as her theme ordinary life in the Minnesota northwoods from January ("Aa" for "Antler") to December ("Zz" for "Zero" temperature). Each letter-word pair is accompanied by a brief, explanatory anecdote. Above it is a -page full-color woodblock illustration that contains true-to-life details that increase effectiveness. There are good find-it-in-the-picture text clues for pre-readers, while older children--especially those familiar with northwoods life--will reread and enjoy the book for Bowen's bold accuracy of concept and presentation. Ages 4 - 8. [1 copy available]
$ 5.00 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

ARMADILLO RAY (INSCRIBED COPY)
by John Beifuss. The illustrationsby Peggy Turley are in wonderful Southwestern colors and appear "petroglyph-like." Condition: INSCRIBED by the Author and the Illustator on the Title Page. Gently pre-read 1995 Chronicle Books hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ, first edition, first printing. Content: This is the story of Ray, the existential Armadillo. An amusing title set in the southwestern desert of the United States. Upon seeing the moon in the night sky, Ray wonders what the marvelous object is made of and how it can change shape. Seeking answers to his questions, the armadillo asks the opinions of several animals. A serpent says that the moon is a coiled snake, a prairie dog says it is the hole of a burrow, and a rooster claims it is a giant egg. Finally, a wise owl gives the armadillo the answers he is seeking, talking until a new day dawns. As the sun rises, a satisfied Ray falls asleep. The brightly patterned oil-pastel illustrations are bold and charming, as both the colors and characters convey the wonder and mystery of desert life. A page of scientific facts about the moon and another devoted to cultural legends pertaining to it follow the story. I think this would make a great kids cartoon series - PBS! are you listening? [1 copy available]
$ 4.49 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

ARMADILLO RAY
by John Beifuss. The illustrationsby Peggy Turley are in wonderful Southwestern colors and appear "petroglyph-like." Condition: NEW 1995 Chronicle Books hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: This is the story of Ray, the existential Armadillo. An amusing title set in the southwestern desert of the United States. Upon seeing the moon in the night sky, Ray wonders what the marvelous object is made of and how it can change shape. Seeking answers to his questions, the armadillo asks the opinions of several animals. A serpent says that the moon is a coiled snake, a prairie dog says it is the hole of a burrow, and a rooster claims it is a giant egg. Finally, a wise owl gives the armadillo the answers he is seeking, talking until a new day dawns. As the sun rises, a satisfied Ray falls asleep. The brightly patterned oil-pastel illustrations are bold and charming, as both the colors and characters convey the wonder and mystery of desert life. A page of scientific facts about the moon and another devoted to cultural legends pertaining to it follow the story. I think this would make a great kids cartoon series - PBS! are you listening? [1 copy available]
$ 5.49 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

BEAR'S SNOWY CAVE (Look & Learn Story Board Book - Picture Window)
story by Katherine Sully. Adorable color illustrations by Daniel Howarth. Thick mylar picture window. Condition: NEW 2008 Paragon hard cover board book, assumed first printing. 3-D effect. 10 pages. Content: A fun look and learn book to learn about what is in a bear's snowy cave - and the cub's first venture outside of the cave. They encounter the Arctic Fox, seals, a walrus, and a white rabbit. Simple text for baby-level ending when Mama catches a fish for dinner. Very cute. [2 copies available]
$ 4.29 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

BYE-BYE, CRIB (Hello Big Bed)
by Alison McGhee. Clever color illustrations by Ross MacDonald. Condition: NEW 2006 Simon & Shuster hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: This is a talae of a child's first rite of passage - from the crib to the big bed. Reviewer: "he author chose to address the fears many children face when they're transitioning to a toddler bed from a crib. I'm a mommy of a two and half year old in addition to being an educator with a background in Children's Literature and I think this is a great book. Most children are afraid of change and transitioning from a place of known comfort to a larger bed can be scary. The author's approach allows for the child to see that he or she is not the only one who has been afraid or resistant to "big beds" and goes even further to illustrate how one such child worked through those fears on his own. This is a sign post of any good children's book: resolution on the terms of the child without some sort of magical or parental intervention. We may think it obscene to depict a big bed as a monster bed, but what's even more obscene is any attempt we may make to play down our child's fears without validating them. This is at truly excellent book." Ages 4+. . [1 copy available]
$ 4.29 + $ 2.999 media shipping.

DREAMTIME: A BOOK OF LULLABIES
selected by Belinda Hollyer. Simply beautiful watercolor illustrations by Robin Bell Corfield. Condition: NEW 1999 Viking hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first American edition, first printing. Inside front end pages decorated with a setting sun; the back end pages with a rising moom. Just lovely. Content: Hollyer's brilliant collection of night poems and lullabies and Corfield's perfectly matched watercolors combine to form an artistic whole that expresses all of the magic of settling down to sleep. The poems range from pre-bedtime pleading ("Can't I just finish this game please?/When a game's once begun/It's a pity never to find out/Whether you've lost or won" in Eleanor Farjeon's "Bedtime") through bedtime rituals ("Hug me gentle, hug me strong,/hug me short and hug me long./Now it's time to put away/all the pieces of today" from Russell Hoban's "Getting-Ready-Lullaby") to nodding off to sleep ("The storm shall not wake thee, nor shark overtake thee,/Asleep in the arms of the slow-swinging seas" in Rudyard Kipling's "The White Seal's Lullaby"). To read this book is to savor the sure use of words by master poets gathered by a master anthologist. No young child should drift off without a reading from this book or a look at its ethereal landscapes, certain charms for sweet dreams. Ages 1+. [1 copy available]
$ 4.50 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

FOR PETE'S SAKE
text and beautiful color illustrations by Ellen Stoll Walsh. Condition: UNREAD 2000 Harcourt soft cover (stapled wraps), second printing. Intended as a school supplemental reader. Content: A gentle and amusing story about an alligator who believes himself to be a flamingo, despite all evidence to the contrary, and his total and unconditional acceptance by his flamingo friends. The notion that we do not need to be alike to enjoy one anothers' company is nicely expressed and beautifully illustrated by Walsh's collages that employ papers of gloriously varied textures. Simple enough for a three or four-year-old to grasp and attractive enough for adults to respond to, this picture book is an all-around winner. Preschool. [1copy available]
$ 3.00 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU (Board Book)
by Sam McBratney. Sweet, soft color illustrations by Anita Jeram. Condition: NEW 2002 Candlewick hardcover (board book), first Board Book edition, first printing. Content: How much can you love someone? Little Nutbrown Hare wants to show Big Nutbrown Hare how very much he loves him - but love as big as his is very harad to measure! Reviewer: "This is truly the greatest love story ever. The first time I read this, I cried. I have not found another children's book that has moved me so. It expresses exactly how I feel about my daughters. I recommend this book, even as a gift, for all new and loving mothers. Read it to your babies in and out of the womb." and "With wonderful illustrations by Anita Jeram, this little gem reassures a small rabbit that his parent loves him greatly. This book is a good choice for parents of toddlers and preschoolers." Ages 2 - 5. [1 copy only]
$ 4.50 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES AND TOES. . .
adorable color illustrations by Annie Kubler. "Sheet music" on back of book. Condition: NEW 2003 Child's Play hardcover (board book), 13th printing. Content: Abbreviated traditional, action rhyme/song (music supplied) introducing eight parts of the body. Realistic colour illustrations modelling babies doing actions. Reviewer: "while illustrated songs seem like an odd choice sometimes to adults, little kids LOVE them. Invariably, they are the ones my two year old brings to me again and again. They are also the first books that kids are able to memorize. This is important because they like to pull them out when they are playing independently, and model reading on their own. What a satisfying experience for a pre-reader! Plus, for parents for whom it doesn't come as naturally to bring music into their children's lives, these sorts of books are a great way to do so. This book does an excellent job of being really clear with the pictures lining up the words and the body parts. The first line, she gives each body part it's very own page, so that they can be large and really obvious -- the little animal on the page mirroring the same body part as the baby is also very adorable." [1 copy only]
$ 4.00 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

HIDING
by Shirley Hughes. Adorable color illustrations by the Author. Condition: NEW 1996 Candlewick soft cover, first printing. Content: Hughes explores and extends what initially looks like a simple concept: At first, a child plays peekaboo with a toddler who's gazing raptly at the cushion from behind which she declares ``You can't see me''; then they play hide-and-seek, in which the place of concealment is a secret. Then Hughes progesses, depicting hiding as a solitary game or, in an adult's case, as a way to grab a moment of peace (``Mom hides behind a book''). Animals appear, as do things that seem to hide, like the moon, or are said to hide, like flowers in winter. To Hughes's usual complement of amiable and perceptive watercolors of the same pair of children in a variety of cozily comfortable scenes are added depictions of the pair enacting 18 more verbs on the endpapers. Ages 2 - 6. [1 copy only]
$ 2.49 + $ 3.00 media shipping.

THE ITSY BITSY SPIDER
retold by and illustrated by Iza Trapani. Adorable and vivid color illustrations. Condition: UNREAD c. 1995 Whispering Coyote soft cover, second printing. Sheet music and all of the verses on the back page. Content: Young children will have a blast with this lively and well-illustrated rendition of an old favorite . Reviewer: "deserves 5 stars just for the illustrations alone; it has all the colors in the rainbow plus a glossy sheen to highlight/accent them! Also the story is so cute and fun to read! I find no flaws whatsoever in this book--period. 10 STAR BOOK!" This book does not have, nor has it ever had, a CD with it. Questions welcome. K - Grade 3. [2 copies available]
$ 4.59 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

MERRY MAGIC-GO-ROUND:
A Reproduction of an Antique Book of Changing Pictues by Ernest Nister
written & illustrated by Ernest Nister. Color illustrations. Condition: Gently pre-read 1982 Intervisual Communications hardcover (pictorial boards), 4th printing. Gift inscription inside front cover. Content: Originally published in 1897, this edition is a faithful reproduction. Children read a poem on the left side of book and can turn the illustration wheel (on the right side of the book) to see a color picture of the line of poetry. Neat! [1 copy available]
$ 4.49 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

MOTHER NIGHT (Hooked on Phonics Book # 28)
text and beautiful, soft color illustrations by Denys Cazet. Condition: NEW 1998 Gateway Learning soft cover, reissue. Content: When Mother Night comes "to shake her dark quilt / and let dreams tumble down," animal parents put their children to sleep. Mother Mouse sings to her children, and they dream of an orchestra of bewigged pigs and hippos; the fox children dream of riding their bucking bronco fourposter to save the ranch from a gigantic Mother Goose. The parents lovingly awaken their children when morning comes and the world is "edged in dawn." The antics of the animals are distinct from the world outside their windows, except during the dream sequences where the real and imagined worlds are joined. Inside their cozy houses, theywear bathrobes, drink tea and cuddle in easy chairs, but outside, Cazet's ( A Fish in His Pocket ) sensitive watercolors portray a world of serene beauty where stars dot the landscape like snow, and black ravens are silhouetted above the pines. Ages 3-6. [1copy available]
$ 1.89 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

MOTHER GOOSE'S LITTLE TREASURES
by Iona Opie & Rosemary Wells. Adorable color animals by Rosemary Wells. Condition: NEW 2007 Candlewick large hard cover and DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: This third collection by Opie and Wells includes 22 less-familiar rhymes. According to Opie's introduction, "…the little treasures in this book…are the most mysterious fragments of our shared memory." Some rhymes are silly ("Little old dog sits under a chair,/Twenty-five grasshoppers/snarled in his hair….") Others are surreal. For example, "Mother, May I?" poses the question, "Mother, may I go out swimming?," which is answered, "Yes, my darling daughter;/Hang your clothes on a hickory limb,/But don't go near the water." Meanwhile, the picture shows a little girl, waist-deep in a pool, pulling a little boat and holding a doll that looks just like the little girl, which does transform this playful verse into something, yes, mysterious. Many of the characters make multiple appearances, and many are Wells's characteristic rabbits and cats. [1copy available]
$ 5.00 + $ 2.99 media shipping.

CHILDREN READING ON A BENCH BOOKPLATES
art by Ewa Mazur. Condition: NEW package of 12 bookplates made by pacaritambo books. The peel-off label stock is heavier than most bookplate materials and is matte and not glossy. They are as perfect as possible, and we feel the subject matter is much different than you can get anywhere else. 4.0" wide x 3.0" high Content: Two children (and their cat) reading on a park bench in pastel watercolors. The boy is reading to the girl who is enjoying a pink lollipop. We can personalize your bookplate (the font is Snell Bllk BT) - just email us the name. Any questions, click here to email us.
$ 4.00 + $ 2.85 first class shipping.

GIRL READING TO MICE BOOKPLATES
by N. Vasilyeva. Condition: NEW package of 12 bookplates made by pacaritambo books. The peel-off label stock is heavier than most bookplate materials and is matte and not glossy. They are as perfect as possible, and we feel the subject matter is much different than you can get anywhere else. 3.0" wide x 4.0" high. Content: This is an old-fashioned bookplate - colors, little girl - well, the whole thing. There are 5 little mice in bed with a sleeping cat at the foot of the bed. The little girl is reading a bedtime story to them. Not for everyone, but I like it. We can personalize your bookplate (the font is Snell Blk BT) - just email us the name. Any questions, click here to email us.
$ 4.00 + $ 2.85 first class shipping.