Imagination Time

If you could be someone else (or something else) for just one day...who or what would you be? Many a child has enjoyed pretending to be a bear or a lion or a kangaroo. In this brightly colored, retro-styled illustrated picture book, a little boy imagines what it would be like to be an assortment of different creatures for just one day. This is a charming read-aloud that highlights the fun of a good game of pretend, while still acknowledging that it's also great to just be ourselves!

For Just One Day by Laura Leuck, illustrated by Marc Boutavant (Chronicle Books, 2009)

Pick of the Week

The OK Book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld (HarperCollins, 2007)

From the New York Times bestselling author of Cookies: Bite-Sized Life Lessons comes a simple, reassuring picture book about self-acceptance. Using minimalistic illustrations, artist Tom Lichtenheld introduces the reader to the book's narrator - a figure constructed of the two letters O and K - who has an important lesson to share. "I like to try a lot of different things. I'm not great at all of them, but I enjoy them just the same," confides the stick figure character. The reader follows the figure as he tries activities including flying kites, making a sandwich, and standing on his head. The book arrives at a satisfying end with him lying in bed at night declaring that, "One day, I'll grow up to be really excellent at something. I don't know what it is yet...but I sure am having fun figuring it out." In an age of increasing pressure on children to master skills at an early age and outperform their peers, this is a modest, pleasant offering to share with all.

Enjoy,
Youth Services Librarian Kristin (who is an OK skier).