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32 pp.
| Holiday
| February, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8234-1968-5$16.95
(4)
PS
Illustrated by
Kay Chorao.
To avoid bedtime, Ted insists that he's not a baby but an animal; it’s Dad’s job to identify the animal based on Ted's behavior (quacking, hopping, etc.). The repetitive game ("Try and guess what I am instead") is matched with illustrations that are sweet, if overly similar: again and again, pajama-clad Ted and the featured animal romp with a colorful ribbon against a white backdrop.
32 pp.
| Holiday
| March, 2009
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8234-1924-1$16.95
(3)
PS
Illustrated by
Kay Chorao.
Lyrical repetitive text encourages a child to fall asleep then dream about nature and its changes throughout the year ("It's time to sleep. / It's time to dream / of lazy summer days...of cool autumn winds"). Soft full-page watercolor, colored-pencil, and gouache illustrations reflect the text's descriptions, while black silhouette spot illustrations show the family's comforting nighttime routine.
32 pp.
| Hyperion
| January, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7868-1898-3$16.99
(4)
PS
Illustrated by
Kay Chorao.
An intergenerational family of eight bunnies is ready for vacation but not for traveling. When their one suitcase won't shut, they wear the extra clothes--but "such a harebrained plan won't do!" Eventually they do manage to get out the door. Told in occasionally forced rhyme, the story is bolstered by Chorao's engaging illustrations.
32 pp.
| Hyperion
| January, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7868-1612-5$16.99
(4)
PS
Illustrated by
Kay Chorao.
Busy double-page spreads filled with springtime colors illustrate this tale about counting and cooperation, as eight bunnies hop, skip, and jump their way into the garden, then back to the kitchen to make a stew. Although the cheerful rhyme falters in places, the bunnies' evening picnic makes a satisfying end to the story.
32 pp.
| Harcourt/Gulliver
| April, 2005
|
TradeISBN 0-15-201813-1$16.00
(4)
PS
Illustrated by
Kay Chorao.
While holding her granddaughter on her knee, Grandma tells the story of Maddy's birth. On the day when the baby was in a hurry to be born, parents hurried to the hospital and Grandma hurried to meet the baby. Illustrated with soft watercolors, this story, though a bit precious, turns anxious anticipation into loving appreciation of the excitement surrounding birth.
32 pp.
| Harcourt/Gulliver
| May, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-15-216347-6$$16.00
(4)
PS
Illustrated by
Kay Chorao.
A little boy ponders all the animal homes that are well suited to their owners but don't work for humans. Chorao's childlike illustrations, of the boy tangled in the sticks of a beaver home and huddled on the branches of a sycamore tree, are quite humorous. The text nicely incorporates facts about nature, but with its awkward rhymes it is not as strong as the art.
32 pp.
| Holt
| April, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-8050-6486-9$$15.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Kay Chorao.
As Rosie waits with her aunt for her parents to come home, the young squirrel imagines several terrible scenarios that may hinder their safe return. Yet, with each scary vision, the brave Rosie creatively saves her parents from such dangers as a tiger, sea serpent, and fox. The playful illustrations capture the reality of Rosie's fear and her ability to overcome such worries.
32 pp.
| Holt
| January, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-8050-5711-0$$16.00
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Kay Chorao.
A gentle, rhyming text with a repeated refrain describes an idyllic rural area where nature sounds, scents, and sights lull the residents to sleep each night. Chorao's accomplished gouache artwork sets the scene, showing children picking wildflowers and swinging in the trees. Crickets, birds, and frogs are also featured in the illustrations, which work successfully with the text to create a harmonious vision of country life.