It's Monday-with mostly picture books!

              Every Monday, it's a pleasure to link up with a group that reviews books they want to share with others. Come discover some new books!

          Visit Jen at Teach MentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders to see what they've been reading, along with everyone else who link up.   

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     Applesauce Weather is a short, sweet verse novel from Helen Frost, whose books are always a pleasure. The apples are ready, and it's applesauce weather, but Aunt Lucy passed on last year, and young Faith sits outside, waiting, waiting to see if Uncle Arthur will come anyway. He does, with his whimsical stories, especially the one that tells how he lost part of a finger. The "how" stories are always met with skepticism by Peter, Faith's older brother, who listens, but tries hard to show he isn't interested. Who he is interested in is Rose, a pretty neighbor. The story is a lovely fall afternoon, including memories of an old-time peddler who steps into Uncle Arthur's story, wending its way to a satisfying end. It's enhanced by the black and white sketched illustrations by Amy June Bates. It will make a wonderful mentor text for story-telling and for read aloud for younger students. (Coming in August.) Thanks to Candlewick for the arc!

         Evening comes and sleep, too, while listening to the 'cricket song' in a house on a bay with frogs who 'dreck' and owls who 'boo' as they watch the night. There is a fox listening for a rabbit plus sea otters and whales in the bay. Words seem soft, and while the double-page spread shows larger specific scenes, the bottom of each page shows the broader scene of the bay. You'll need to look closely to watch for changes. 
The illustrations are awesome, showing the outside world along with the young child sleeping. Beautiful bedtime book!

         I found this at my library, by a much acclaimed German artist, and his illustrations are in colored pencil, delightful and expressive! The story tells of two friends who live together, Gordon and Tapir. Unfortunately although they like each other, they are very different when it comes to their living habits. Gordon is neat, prefers everything in its place, while Tapir is quite messy, seems never to pick anything up or clean anything. Dishes are piled high! They do come to a decision, at least Gordon does. He moves out! Now they have no worries about each other's style, they can continue their loving friendship. What a discussion this would bring, and I do wonder that there is no compromise, it's simply a split. I hope some of you read this and let us know what you think!

         I can't wait to read this to my grand-daughters, one an early reader who has talked about reading a book with "only" words. This duck-like creature discovers a book, peeks in, and declares "not a picture book", all words! The declaration makes the book a throwaway, but then, he looks again, all the time talking to his little bug friend. It's just a terrific book, and there is a surprise to discover in the endpapers!

This is a book I discovered at my granddaughters' home, given to them because they have "so many cats".  It was published in 1985, still available! It's a counting book, in rhyme, repeating often as more and more cats move in, helping that original cat, "and Poke -- Poke,

       once our Only -

      now no longer lonely -

      Cat". 
      It's a darling book for young ones, and for cat lovers!

 Adult book: 

         This is a tough book to write about. There is much I'd like to tell, but also want others to experience it themselves. The story of a man who started a pilgrimage while only planning to post a letter entrances. The writing inspires. I was mesmerized after the first page, when it started on "an ordinary April morning" and became an extraordinary gift of life renewing to Harold Fry and others he met along the way. I lingered over the words Rachel Joyce used to describe the "ordinary", and what soon became what Harold lingered over too. ". . .a young willow shook in a fountain of silver. The first of the potato shoots fingered through the soil, and already tiny buds hung from the gooseberry and currant shrubs like the earrings Maureen (his wife) used to wear." Sorry I waited so long to read, but hope this inspires others to find it and read it! 

Now Reading - Rescued by Eliot Schaefer - I've read his first two about primates, and this is the third. Each one is fiction, but incorporates so much of the needs, triumphs and tragedies of primates.