Pick of the Week: Mommy, Carry Me Please!

Mommy, Carry Me Please! by Jane Cabrera (Holiday House, 2006)

This has to be one of my favorite books published in the past few years. Jane Cabrera's illustrations are bright, colorful, rich, and inviting on each spread depicting baby animals and the different ways their mothers carry them. The book ends with a human child being carried in his mother's arms. This one is a delight to share with toddlers and anyone needing a little extra cuddle time with mom!

Taking the time each day to share a book with a child is one of the best ways to prepare her to learn how to read later on. Print Motivation - or the interest in and enjoyment of books - is an important early literacy skill. Sharing the pleasure of books with a small child goes a long way towards building a lifelong reader. Not to mention it's just plain fun!

Dinosaurs at the Library

Dinosaurs are one of the most popular subjects for picture books among young children. As Youth Services Librarians, we get daily requests for books about dinosaurs. The love for dinosaurs begins early and - for many - never ends! That's one reason why our newest Youth Services Librarian, Robin, placed dinosaur books on display in the Children's area of the Corvallis Library this month.

Print motivation is one of the six early literacy skills defined in Every Child Ready to Read - a joint early literacy program between the Public Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children (a division of the American Library Association). Print motivation is a child's interest in and enjoyment of books. A child with print motivation enjoys being read to, plays with books, pretends to write, asks to be read to and likes trips to the Library. What better way to connect a young child to a love of books and the Library than with a subject he or she may already love so much - dinosaurs! You never know, you may have a future paleontologist on your hands!Here are a few of our picture book favorites:

How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague.

A fun way to teach table manners with dinosaur fans - "no rude noises" and all.






Tyson the Terrible by Diane and Christyan Fox.

Three young dinosaurs are afraid when they hear Tyson the Terrible approach, until they meet the young tyrannosaurus for themselves.




Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs by Byron Barton

"In prehistoric days there were many different kinds of dinosaurs, big and small, those with spikes and those with long, sharp teeth." This one is good for toddlers and beginning dinosaur fans.

Dinosaurumpus by Tony Mitton, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees.

"A rhyming tale of Triceratops, Brontosaurus, and even Tyrannosaurus gathering at the swamp to dance." Get ready to tap those toes, stomp, wiggle and dance!

For more suggestions, see the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library's Dinosaur Picture Books list.