Description: Have you ever had a grumpy day and not known why? Penguin is having a grumpy day like that. No matter what he does, he just can't shake it! Sometimes the only thing left to do is wash the grumpy day away and start over.

Review: We all have bad days where we are moody, sad, and grumpy. We can easily sympathize with Penguin who is in a very bad mood. He simply can't shake his grumpiness. He stomps inside and begins shedding layers. Off come the "grumpy boots," "grumpy overalls," even his "grumpy underpants." Unfortunately taking off his grumpy clothes doesn't put him in a better mood. He tries several things to help him feel better. After a nice cold shower, putting on some cozy pajamas, having a warm cup of cocoa to drink, reading his favorite book, and having a teddy bear by his side soon melts Penguin's grumpiness away. frown But not even stripping down to his birthday suit can brighten his disposition. 
 The simple text and illustrations captures Penguin's emotions. Younger readers will have a great time laughing at Penguin as he tries to brighten up his mood. The images and texts brighten as Penguin gets better and things start to look up. It's nice reminder that bad moods and bad days thankfully don't last forever. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades PreK-1.

If you like this book try: Leave Me Alone! by Vera Brosgol


Description: Your baby's first word will be ..."Dada!"  Right? Everyone knows that fathers wage a secret campaign to ensure that their babies' first word is "Dada!" But how does it work?
One of the most popular entertainers in the world and NBC's The Tonight Show host, Jimmy Fallon, shows you how.

Review: I'm a fan of the Tonight Show so I decided to check out Jimmy Fallon's picture book. While the illustrations are cute, there really is no story. It's a repetitive narrative of a male parent trying to get his child to say Dada as his/her first word and failing miserably. It was funny for the first few pages but then it got old really quick.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades PreK-1.

If you like this book try: Me and Dad by Maria Catherine, Because I'm Your Dad by Ahmet Zappa


Description:  Hearing, smelling, seeing, touching, tasting--our five senses allow us to experience the world in so many ways! With our ears we hear the birds sing; with our nose we smell the stinky cheese; with our eyes we see the moon and stars (and sometimes glasses help us see even better!); with our skin we feel the rain (and learn not to touch the hot stove!); and with our tongue we can taste our favorite foods.

Review: This is a great introduction to the five senses for younger readers. The author presents the five senses in a large-format featuring several small pictures of children on every spacious double-page spread. Each of the book’s five sections focuses on one of the senses, illustrated by a large, multicultural cast of toddler and preschool characters which was really nice to see. Like the simple texts, the illustrations are also whimsical and charming. The white space on the pages allow the reader to focus on the individual characters displaying the senses will help younger readers make the connection between the action and the senses.  I Hear a Pickle would be a great read-aloud and also very effective if used one on one.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades PreK-1.

If you like this book try: My Five Senses by Aliki, Taste the Clouds by Rita Marshall, Hello, Ocean! by Pam Munoz,