Three Picture Books for the Youngest Readers (and their Parents) from Sleeping Bear Press + Two Giveaways!

 Congratulations to Danielle Hammelef who won the ARC of Between Sam and Me. Stay tuned! You'll have another chance to win an ARC in October.

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The holidays will be here before you know it and my shelves are overflowing with Sleeping Bear Press Books to review and give away. Win them now and stash them for presents later. I'll do my best to get them into as many hands as possible!

WELCOME TO THE WORLD

Helen Foster James is no stranger to my blog. Her series of "Love and Family" books (my title, not hers!) feature animal characters who adore their little ones. Welcome to the World is no exception.

Mommy and Daddy Squirrel welcome their new arrival into their lives with nicknames such as sunshine, smiley, and cutie. 

I love the soft, pastel illustrations by Petra Brown that almost beg you to touch them. I particularly like how she showed where baby squirrel sleeps. 

Little squirrel plays with toys that readers will recognize are just like their own; and sings and dances with her parents --just like people do! 

And at the end of the day, little squirrel is surrounded by those who love her.

This book would make a lovely baby present (or new parent or grandparent gift); the spot in the front of the book for a photo of Baby's First Days waits for the perfect picture. 

UNICORN YOGA

In this unique first book on yoga, little ones will learn eleven poses as modeled by three unicorns--an instructor and two "assistants" who can more or less accomplish the poses. 

Yoga is for everybody...and for every body. Big, small, young, old. The practice makes us strong and graceful.

Cow Pose instructions are to the point:  Roll up onto your hands and knees and take a deep breath in through your nose. Drop your belly, lift your tail, and look up. What child won't love lifting his tail??

Forward-Fold Pose provides interesting challenges for unicorns and kids.

And then of course, afterward, everyone gets to rest in Relaxation Pose.

The back matter includes information and definitions. Unicorn Yoga is written by the mother and daughter team, Gina Cascone and Bryony Williams Sheppard. I wondered about their choice of subject material, and found the answer on their website:

Because yoga provides so many benefits, it seems only logical to introduce the practice to children as early as possible.  So, we approached our editor with a picture book to do just that. She shared it with the wonderfully creative team at Sleeping Bear Press and came back to us with the idea that unicorns might encourage children to become engaged.

The concept was not as far-fetched as our editor feared we might find it. After all, both yogis and unicorns are joyful, playful, and magical. There is an even more concrete correlation. In the Indus River Valley, in India, five-thousand-year-old bronze seals have been found; some depicting yogis and some depicting unicorns.

The fun illustrations are by Jennifer Sattler, another fine illustrator whom I have featured on my blog before. 

SING SOME MORE

This humorous book is about four bird friends who love to sing. Their "voices" not only are filled with musical vocabulary (that is defined in the back matter) but are also brimming with a desire to Sing Some More.

Written by Deborah Diesen and illustrated by Howard Gray, each page feels the birds' poetic rhythm. Toddlers will quickly learn to chime in on the "chorus."

We're the birds that make the music 

that you hear up in the trees,

And we vocalize with gusto 

as we hit the notes with ease.

The birds wake a family up and follow them to their picnic.

We perform our songs for others

And we hope they'll sing along.

We have tunes for all occasions,

And our harmonies are strong.

We create new music daily.

And it never comes out wrong.

The birds leave each page with the refrain of, "And when we're DONE?" that is answered on the next page with, "We sing some more!"

After a busy day of "singing from their hearts," the birds FINALLY admit they are tired. 

Well actually...

I think we're really done." (says the Robin).

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired." (says the Cardinal).

"Time to call it a day." (says the Wren).

"Good night!" (says the Blue Jay).

But in the end, they're not done because they promise that tomorrow, 

GIVEAWAY

I am giving away Unicorn Yoga and Sing Some More. In your comment please indicate your preference. Leave me your email address if you are new to my blog. Speaking of which--if you're visiting my blog for the first time, sign up to follow my blog and I'll enter your name twice! (If you're uncomfortable leaving your email address, you can contact me here.) Giveaway ends on September 25.