Scary, Scary Halloween

A nice pairing of Eve Bunting and Jan Brett.  This brightly illustrated story is told from an unusual perspective.  All the ghosts and goblins, skeletons and monsters are out and about on Halloween night.

Scary, Scary Halloween

Eve Bunting

pictures by Jan Brett 1988

The Mitten

The Mitten

Alvin Tresselt

illustrated by Yaroslava

Another snowy story illustrated by Yarolava.  This time, a little boy has gone out into the woods to gather sticks when he drops one of his leather mittens.  A little mouse spies it and decides to move in.  Soon she is joined by a coterie of other animals who she generously invites in out of the cold.  Stretched to accommodate a frog, a rabbit, an owl, a fox, a wolf, a boar and a bear, it's finally a little cricket who stretches the mitten to it's breaking point.

When the little boy realizes he's lost his mitten (which at this point has been broken apart by all the animals) he sees a little mouse "scurrying away with a bit of red wool perched on her head.  It looked very much like the lining from the thumb of his missing mitten."  But no matter, for when he gets home his grandmother has knitted him a brand new pair.

Another version of this story is told and illustrated by Jan Brett.  In her version, a grandmother has just knitted a pair of snow white mittens for her grandson and warns him not to lose them.  Of course he drops one in the snow and various animals move in, stretching the mitten to comical proportions!  Her list of animals include a rabbit, mole, badger, hedgehog, fox, owl and bear.  And this time it's the little mouse who tickles the bear's nose causing him to sneeze them all out of the mitten.

The Mitten

adapted and illustrated by Jan Brett 1989

It's a cute Ukrainian folktale and both versions are terrific.  I think I'm partial to Yarolsava's bright graphic illustrations though. 

Christmas Trolls

 Christmas Trolls

Jan Brett 2000

Another fun book by Jan Brett with her Nordic illustrations.  Off in the woods a pair of trolls have been stealing Christmas decorations and presents.  They don't understand what Christmas means, so it's up to the little girl Treva to tell them and show them.  Like so many other Brett books an adorable hedgehog takes part!

The Owl and the Pussycat

My husband, Chris, and I are off to a Caribbean Island soon.  We've never done this before and I'm very excited to snorkel and lounge on the beach, and mostly to have each other all to ourselves!

The Owl and the Pussycat

Edward Lear

illustrated by Jan Brett 1991

I think I've always loved this poem for its absurd premise (an owl and a pussycat in love) and wonderful rhyming- I'm pretty sure I can recite it by heart. This poem pops up everywhere but this illustrated version is my favorite because Jan Brett's pictures are always a treat. Most of her other books are Nordic in theme so it's fun to have one bright and tropical with palm trees and colorful flowers. As usual, Brett's illustrations tell a couple stories (keep your eye on the yellow fish) and her attention to detail is full of fun.

The Owl looked up to the stars above,

And sang to a small guitar

So they took it away, and were married next day

By the Turkey who lives on the hill.

The Valentine Bears

The Valentine Bears

by Eve Bunting

illustrated by Jan Brett

Less elaborate than Brett's other books, but charming just the same. Mrs. Bear has prepared a special Valentine's Day treat for Mr. Bear, if only he would wake up from his hibernation!

Jan Brett's The 12 Days of Christmas

Time to pull out our Christmas books again! Here's a lovely version of the 12 Days of Christmas illustrated by Jan Brett. An editor's note at the end gives some history to this classic rhyme/song.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

illustrated by Jan Brett 1997

They're hard to copy, but Brett's beautiful illustrations span across the pages.

The Wild Christmas Reindeer

The Wild Christmas Reindeer

Jan Brett 1998

Another offering from Jan Brett. More Nordic inspired illustrations and a story about one of Santa's helpers, a girl named Teeka, who gets the job of taking care of Santa's reindeer. She has to prepare them for their Christmas Eve flight but they prove wild and unruly at first. Like all her other books, Brett has extra illustrations that tell a story along the edges of the page. The ones in this book show toys being made and a countdown to Christmas day.