92. Days with Frog and Toad

92. Days with Frog and Toad. An I Can Read Book. Arnold Lobel. 1979. HarperCollins. 64 pages. [4 stars, animal fantasy, early chapter book]

First sentence: Toad woke up. "Drat!" he said. "This house is a mess. I have so much work to do." Frog looked through the window. "Toad, you are right," said Frog. "It is a mess." Toad pulled the covers over his head. "I will do it tomorrow," said Toad. "Today I will take life easy." Frog came into the house. "Toad," said Frog, "your pants and jacket are lying on the floor." "Tomorrow," said Toad from under the covers. "Your kitchen sink is filled with dirty dishes," said Frog. "Tomorrow," said Toad. "There is dust on your chairs." "Tomorrow," said Toad. "Your windows need scrubbing," said Frog. "Your plants need watering." "Tomorrow!" cried Toad. "I will do it all tomorrow!" Toad sat on the edge of his bed. "Blah," said Toad. "I feel down in the dumps." "Why?" asked Frog. "I am thinking about tomorrow," said Toad. "I am thinking about all of the many things that I will have to do." "Yes," said Frog, "tomorrow will be a very hard day for you."

ETA: I listened to this on audio. They added an additional story, "Dream" which is found in Frog and Toad Together.

This Frog and Toad book contains five stories: "Tomorrow," "The Kite," "Shivers," "The Hat," and "Alone." I really, really enjoy three of these stories.

Tomorrow is probably my favorite in this collection. (And it's useful for inspiration.) I love Toad's drat's and blah's. Toad has a choice to make--to do the work of each day on that day, to take the work with the pleasure, OR to put off all the work so he can have all the pleasure. But there is always a day of reckoning. So perhaps, it's best that Toad learns this lesson quickly!

The Hat is a delightful story. Frog gives Toad a birthday present, a hat. But the hat is much too big for his friend. He feels awful about that. How can he fix the hat without his friend realizing it?!

Alone is another wonderful story! Toad discovers a note on his friend Frog's door. A note saying that Frog wants to be alone for a while! Toad worries and panics a bit! Why oh why oh why would Frog ever want time away from him?! Does this mean that Frog doesn't want to spend any time with him? Does it mean that Frog doesn't want him as a best friend anymore?!

The Kite is a story about diligence and perseverance. The two friends are having trouble getting their kite to fly. One friend wants to give up, wants to just admit that their kite is junk and that it will never, ever fly. The other wants to keep trying. It's a playful story. And Frog and Toad do shine in it!

Shivers is about the two friends telling a ghost story and getting delicious shivers.


© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

91. Frog and Toad Are Friends

91. Frog and Toad Are Friends. An I Can Read Book. Arnold Lobel. 1970. HarperCollins. 64 pages. [Source: Bought] [3 stars, early chapter book, children's classic, animal fantasy]

Frog ran up the path to Toad's house. He knocked on the front door. There was no answer, "Toad, Toad," shouted Frog, "wake up. It is spring!" "Blah," said a voice from inside the house. "Toad! Toad!" cried Frog. "The sun is shining! The snow is melting. Wake up!" "I am not here," said the voice.

Premise/plot: Frog and Toad Are Friends is an early chapter book. It contains five stories: "Spring," "The Story," "A Lost Button," "A Swim" and "The Letter."

In "Spring" Frog tricks Toad into thinking it is MAY (instead of April) so that he will wake up from his winter hibernation.

In "The Story," Frog asks his friend, Toad, to tell him a story. He finds this an impossible request. After a huge fit, Frog ends up telling Toad a story instead. It is a story of Toad NOT being able to tell a story.

In "A Lost Button," Toad throws an absolute fit over a lost button. He is the exact opposite of Pete the Cat. He is MELTING DOWN. Will the button be found?!

In "A Swim" Toad is embarrassed to be seen in his bathing suit. He is obstinate about it--obviously.

In "The Letter," Frog cheers up Toad by writing him a letter and sending it via snail mail. Literally--a snail delivering a letter.

My thoughts: I love Frog and Toad. I do. I just love them. While this isn't my favorite-or-best Frog and Toad book, it is still worth reading. It contains five stories: Spring, The Story, A Lost Button, A Swim, and The Letter.

My favorites from the collection include "Spring" in which Frog tricks his friend into getting out of bed by changing his calendar and "The Letter" in which Frog cheers up his friend by sending him a letter in the mail.

All the stories highlight this special friendship--highlights each character's strengths and weaknesses. I would definitely recommend any Frog and Toad book!

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

68. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

68. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2012. 40 pages. [Source: Online Audio and picture book]

 First sentence: Pete the Cat put on his favorite shirt with four big, colorful, round, groovy buttons. He loved his buttons so much, he sang this song: 

"My buttons, my buttons,
my four groovy buttons.
My buttons, my buttons,
my four groovy buttons."

Premise/plot: Pete the Cat LOVES, LOVES, LOVES his shirt with FOUR groovy buttons. But life happens....and, well, Pete learns that things--including buttons--come and go. Is this book primarily teaching young children subtraction skills OR is it teaching coping skills an invaluable life lesson perhaps even more important than subtraction?

My thoughts: This one was the first Pete the Cat book I read, and I must say it is probably my favorite. I love, love, love it so much!!! If I Love My White Shoes was "teaching" colors, then Four Groovy Buttons is "teaching" subtraction. For, Pete the Cat loses each of his four buttons one by one. But does Pete cry?! Goodness no! I absolutely love the end of this one!!! And the moral this time: "I guess it simply goes to show that stuff will come and stuff will go. But do we cry? Goodness, NO! We keep on singing."

I first met Pete the Cat circa 2013 when I checked out all the Pete the Cat books from the library. Each of the original books has an audio version online, and these audio versions have been uploaded to YouTube many times. Since I am not using the library these days, I revisited one of my favorite, favorite, favorite books by listening to it. 

Mom and I's favorite refrain--which we've used almost daily--certainly weekly--is DID PETE CRY? GOODNESS NO! This picture book is teaching a wonderfully important lesson in how to live life.

 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

67. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes

 

67. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2010. 40 pages. [Source: Online Audio]

First sentence:  Pete the Cat was walking down the street in his brand-new white shoes. Pete loved his white shoes so much, he sang this song:

"I love my white shoes,
I love my white shoes,
I love my white shoes."

Premise/plot: Pete the Cat LOVES his white shoes, but will his shoes stay WHITE when he goes on his walk???? And how will he handle it if they're not perfectly-perfectly white? 

My thoughts:  I love, love, love, REALLY REALLY love Pete the Cat. He is my kind of cat. You should definitely download the free song(s) as well, so you can really sing right along with the book(s). True, you could make up your own tune, but, the song is so perfectly catchy.

So. Pete the Cat has white shoes which he loves. But, when he steps in some unpleasant things: strawberries, blueberries, a mud puddle, a bucket of water, does Pete cry?! Goodness no! He just keeps on walking and singing his song! Is this a concept book about colors (white, red, blue, brown)? Is this a book teaching necessary coping skills to preschoolers and kids? A bit of both. But. It is also just a really fun, very entertaining story about a groovy cat! I absolutely LOVE the repetition, and the fact that this is a book everyone can participate and join in on! Kids could even write their own stories.

Again this book has the refrain DID PETE CRY?!?! GOODNESS, NO! 

 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

66. Pete the Cat: Rocking In My School Shoes

 

66. Pete the Cat: Rocking In My School Shoes. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2011. 40 pages. [Source: Online Audio AND library] [4 stars]

First sentence: Here comes Pete strolling down the street, rocking red shoes on his four furry feet. Pete is going to school, and he sings this song: I'm rocking in my school shoes, I'm rocking in my school shoes, I'm rocking in my school shoes."

Premise/plot: Pete the Cat is going to school and having a great time!

My thoughts: I really liked this one. I loved seeing Pete go to school. I loved seeing him read in his school shoes (the library), eating in his school shoes (the cafeteria), playing in his school shoes (the playground), etc. (There is also singing, painting, adding, and writing). I loved the descriptions of the school environment, the participatory way in which it's written so it gets everyone involved, and most of all the repetition. DOES PETE WORRY? Goodness no!!!

I first met Pete the Cat circa 2013 when I checked out all the Pete the Cat books from the library. Each of the original books has an audio version online, and these audio versions have been uploaded to YouTube many times. Since I am not using the library these days, I revisited one of my favorite, favorite, favorite books by listening to it. 

You can search YouTube or check out the audio versions on the official page. 

 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

65. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals

 

65. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals. Deborah Underwood. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [picture book]

First sentence: There once was a man who loved his tidy home and who didn't like animals. One day, a cat appeared. "I don't like cats," said the man. "Go away." But the cat didn't. The man liked sleeping in the sun. So did the cat. The man liked watching the rain. So did the cat. The man liked to eat dinner precisely at 6 P.M. So did the cat. "Hmph," said the man. "Maybe THIS cat isn't so bad."

My thoughts (preview): I have loved, loved, loved some of Deborah Underwood's previous books. I have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED some of LeUyen Pham's previous books. The fact that one of my favorite writers paired up with one of my all-time favorite illustrators meant only one thing: I MUST READ THE BOOK. I did request my library order a copy! (I am so happy now that others will enjoy it too!) I squealed a bit when I saw it had been ordered and put myself on the hold list....

SOMETIMES YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU NEED A BOOK UNTIL IT IS IN YOUR HANDS. 

Premise/plot: How does a [somewhat cranky] man go from hating animals to loving animals????? One day at a time apparently. It starts with one cat....but of course, one cat never stays one cat. As his heart starts growing day by day, his life is transformed. He is no longer the same man by the end of the book! 

There *is* a twist. It does state this twist on the cover. It does. GoodReads likewise spoils it. However, I went into the book not reading the "fine print" if you will. I LOVED being surprised. I would recommend NOT telling little ones before reading it aloud.

My thoughts: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS ONE. There are no words for how much this book stole my heart. 

I highly recommend this one as a read aloud. I could see it working in libraries, in classrooms, and, of course, in homes. I think it would be a great one to interject with questions like WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN NEXT?  etc.

 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

58. The Monster at the End of the Book

 

58. The Monster At The End of This Book. Jon Stone. Illustrated by Michael J. Smollin. 1971. Golden Books. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: What did that say? On the first page, what did that say? Did that say there will be a Monster at the end of this book? It did? Oh, I am so scared of Monsters!!!

Premise/plot: Grover does NOT, I repeat does NOT, want you to keep reading this book. Grover tries--but will he fail?!--to keep readers from turning pages. Is there really a monster at the end of the book?

My thoughts: This one is a classic for a reason. It is a FUN, DELIGHTFUL, SILLY read for parents to share with little ones. It is a great example of an again-again book--a book that almost begs you to read it again and again and again and again. Does one ever tire of Grover?

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

51. Leo the Late Bloomer

 

51. Leo the Late Bloomer. Robert Kraus. Illustrated by Jose Aruego. 1971/1994. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture book]

First sentence: Leo couldn't do anything right. He couldn't read. He couldn't write. He couldn't draw. He was a sloppy eater. And, he never said a word.

Premise/plot: Much of Leo the Late Bloomer covers conversations between a mother and father as they discuss their late bloomer, Leo. The father worries that Leo will never, ever bloom. His mother is confident that Leo will bloom. Seasons come and go but Leo hasn't bloomed. Then one day, he does. And Leo's "first word" isn't a first word, but a sentence: "I made it!"

My thoughts: I did not grow up with this one. In fact, I didn't meet Leo until I was in college. But I definitely connected with him once I met him. I liked the optimism of the mother tiger. I could understand, in part, the frustration of the father. And I cheered the happy, happy ending. Overall, I'm not sure that it's perfectly-perfect in terms of modeling what to do if your child has learning difficulties. But I'm not convinced that it has to be. This isn't a how-to book for children or parents.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

41. The Kitten Who Thought He Was a Kitten

41. The Kitten Who Thought He Was A Mouse. Miriam Norton. Illustrated by Garth Williams. 1951. 22 pages. [Source: Bought [4 stars, Little Golden Book]

First sentence: There were five Miggses: Mother and Father Miggs, and Lester and two sisters. They had, as field mice usually do, an outdoor nest for summer in an empty lot and an indoor nest for winter in a nearby house. They were very surprised one summer day to find a strange bundle in their nest, a small gray and black bundle of fur and ears and legs, with eyes not yet open. They knew by its mewing that the bundle must be a kitten, a lost kitten with no family and no name.

Premise/plot: Mickey is the kitten raised as a mouse. He goes many months thinking--believing--that he is a mouse. He's raised to fear cats, to watch for cats. So what happens when the human family discovers him, starts feeding him, and shows him--via a mirror--that he IS a cat. Can he overcome the confusion? Will he choose to live as a mouse or a cat? How will he feel about his adopted family? 

My thoughts: I'll be honest the text was all over the place. I'm all for nature versus nurture. (Though it isn't always my favorite or best theme. My favorite of this type being LAMBERT THE SHEEPISH LION which is just pure awesomeness.) I loved, loved, loved the illustrations by Garth Williams. Garth Williams illustrating cute and adorable cats, kittens, and mice?!?! I'm there for it. I'd read it for his illustrations alone.

 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

40. The Saggy Baggy Elephant

 

40. The Saggy Baggy Elephant. Kathryn and Byron Jackson. Illustrated by Gustav Tenggren. 1947. 24 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture book, golden book, children's classic]

First sentence: A happy little elephant was dancing through the jungle. He thought he was dancing beautifully, one-two-three-kick. But whenever he went one-two-three, his big feet pounded so that they shook the whole jungle. And whenever he went kick, he kicked over a tree or a bush.

Premise/plot: Sooki, an elephant, LOVES to do his one-two-three kick. The other animals, however, not so much loving it. In fact, their words--intentional or not--discourage him in many ways by their critical nature. He begins to feel like he doesn't quite belong. What joy when he finds other elephants who are just like him!

My thoughts: I love this one. I can't believe I've never reviewed it before! I definitely grew up with this classic Little Golden Book.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

39. Umbrella

39. Umbrella. Taro Yashima. 1958/1977. 40 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Momo is the name of a little girl who was born in New York. The word Momo means "the peach" in Japan where her father and mother used to live. On her third birthday Momo was given two presents--red rubber boots and an umbrella! They pleased her so much that she even woke up that midnight to take another look at them.

Premise/plot: Momo received two gifts for her third birthday: red rubber boots and an umbrella. She loves, loves, loves her presents and she wants to use them right away! But of course it is not raining! Momo reluctantly waits and waits for the rain to come. One day it does!

Favorite quotes:

On the umbrella, raindrops made a wonderful music she never had heard before--
Bon polo
Bon polo
Ponpolo ponpolo
Ponpolo ponpolo
Bolo bolo ponpolo
Bolo bolo ponpolo
Boto boto ponpolo
Boto boto ponpolo

My thoughts: Whenever I'm asked what my favorite picture book from childhood is, I know exactly how to answer! Umbrella! I love, love, love the rhythm of it. The illustrations are amazing! I think I judge all other books by this one!

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

4. Mustache Baby

 

4. Mustache Baby. Bridget Heos. 2016. HMH. 36 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: When Baby Billy was born, his family noticed something odd: He had a mustache.

Premise/plot: His parents anxiously wait to see if Baby Billy's mustache will turn out to be a "good-guy" mustache or a "bad guy" mustache. Readers see "Baby Billy" through his toddler years. And in fact, while most of the time his mustache is a good-guy mustache, there are SOME days when it is in fact, quite the opposite. "But a funny thing happened. As Billy got bigger...his mustache grew and curled up at the ends."

My favorite scene is probably when he robs a train: "A train robber so heartless that he even stole the tracks." The expression on his face is PRICELESS.

My thoughts: I loved this one. I wished I'd known about it when it first came out in 2013. I don't know how I missed such a great book. It is now available in board book format.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers