BOOKS TO BUY

“On a Journey” by Guido van Genechten, Clavis, 2016, 31 pages, $16.95 hardcover Read aloud: age 4 to 7 Read yourself: age 7

Frog had never been outside of his own small village until the day his friend Hedgehog drove into town and asked Frog to go with him on a journey. Frog wasn’t completely certain what a journey really was, but he quickly agreed to go with Hedgehog.

The two drove and drove for miles, through the countryside, up and down mountains, through tunnels and many towns. The sights and smells were exciting and different, and at last they came to the sea. Frog had never seen the ocean before and asked if they could go farther. Hedgehog happily reported that of course they could go on — they were on a journey!

A charming, imaginative story about the adventures to be enjoyed in life, “On a Journey” makes clear that new experiences are filled with wonder and fun,and allow us to see the world and life with an expanded, fresh perspective. “How to Put Your Parents to Bed” by Mylisa Larsen, illustrated by Babette Cole, Katherine Tegan Books/HarperCollins, 2016, 32 pages, $17.99 hardcover Read aloud: age 4 to 8 Read yourself: age 7 and 8

Bedtime isn’t usually a kid’s favorite time of the day. But in this hilarious book, a young girl recognizes that her parents are the ones who really need to go to bed; they are exhausted! Between trying to get them to turn off the TV, cell phones, and computer, doing one more load of laundry, brushing their teeth and more, putting parents to bed is a HUGE job!

Equally funny in text and illustrations, kids will love this humorous, imaginative book that reverses the typical bedtime scenario.