Welcome to metomi.com, your online source of great reads and activities for children! Often we pick up a children's book and without looking inside, can accurately predict the plot - the standard fairy tale, moral, etc. But every once in a while a great children's book will surprise us with its creative take on a classic storyline - and sometimes even thrill us with a new idea altogether! Join us as we read about an unusual friendship between a boy and a penguin, get our brains chugging with some piggies and a big ball of string, and meet an interesting owl who finds new adventures in some everyday places. To top it off, with each of these wonderful children's books, the writer and illustrator are the same person - a truly artistic feat. Happy Reading!
Title: Lost and Found
Author/Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
This is a wonderful, heart-warming children's book about an unusual friendship that forms between a boy and a penguin. The boy meets a penguin who appears to be lost, and proceeds to do his best to help the penguin find its way home. The two embark on an admirable journey to reach their frosty end destination, at which point the boy bids a sad farewell to his new friend. It seems these friends will never meet again, if not for a satisfying twist at the end. This children's story reminds us that home is not always a place, and sometimes the best destinations are to people we love. We also enjoyed the author's The Great Paper Caper, and look forward to reading his Incredible Book Eating Boy!
Title: The Giant Ball of String
Author/Illustrator: Arthur Geisert
This children's book definitely caught us by surprise, and received a number of encores from our older child! Children are introduced to an idyllic small-town setting ... with pigs as citizens! Well, not exactly idyllic - it seems that a giant ball of string which one town has built and which serves as the town mascot of sorts, has fallen into the river and found its way to a nearby town...in search of its own defining monument. Although they should know better, this nearby town is obviously following the "finders keepers" ruling, and is not in any rush to look for the ball's true owners. The youngsters and original owners of the ball of string realize they must devise their own way of getting the ball back. The story then follows the ingenious antics of these pigs as they execute on their rescue plan. The illustrations immediately give young readers a sense of place, and the inventions that go into the rescue plan will get readers looking over them again and again!
Title: Enigma
Author/Illustrator: Graeme Base
This is another great children's book for your older children, especially those who like to play detective and solve a good mystery. And a good mystery it is: a young badger helps his retired magician grandfather and his nursing home friends - each larger than life in their own right - to recover some missing magic equipment from bygone days, presumably when each was at the height of their careers. Each page is lavishly illustrated and an absolute feast for the eyes! And at the end, the young badger discovers not only who has been taking the magic tools, but also the importance of simpler things, like having someone to lean on. There is much to do in this children's book, but you only have to do as much as your bright child chooses! And like Monkey Business, there is the fun of finding different things hidden within the illustrations. If you like Graeme Base's style, try some of his other children's books, like Jungle Drums.
Title: Owl At Home
Author/Illustrator: Arnold Lobel
Owl at Home is labelled as an "easy reader", which we find doesn't always suggest a long-lasting children's classic. But don't be fooled...Owl at Home is an absolute delight and deserving of a spot on a bright child's Favourites shelf. Owl at Home is a collection of a few short stories about an owl who has interesting adventures in everyday places that young readers will be familiar with. Top scores go to the story, the storytelling, and the perfectly complementary illustrations! Our favourite is the Tear-Water Tea story, a clever children's story that introduces the important concept of "sadness" without getting too intense, while at the same time managing to draw smiles from young readers. A wonderful children's book that received many encores in our home, and one which we (us grown-ups) enjoyed also!
Title: Monkey Business
Author/Illustrator: Wallace Edwards
A very different kind of children's book! Monkey Business tries to educate children about the meaning of "idiom" by using outrageous examples. Each intricately designed page shows a hilarious portrayal of a common idiom. We especially enjoyed the "can of worms" and the "head or tails" pages! And of course, an extra detail keeps the encores coming - having the task of finding a small monkey on each page. And at the end of each reading, we realize that it doesn't really matter if our children learn the meaning of idiom - she enjoys the book anyway! If you like Monkey Business you may also like the author's Painted Circus book - we had several encore readings of that children's book as well.
Title: Abigail Spells
Author/Illustrator: Anna Alter
Another wonderful children's book about the wonder of friendships, especially at that early, innocent stage. And for parents with budding young super spellers, this book will probably resonate with your children as it did with ours! Young Abigail is an aspiring super speller, and is getting ready for the school spelling bee. Her best friend George tags along with her everywhere, and is of course present when Abigail competes at the bee...and when she misspells a critical word. Abigail is crushed when she loses, but her dear friend George manages to convince her that all is not lost and arguably, the most valuable things remain. Abigail is lifted up and the typically quiet George finds his eloquent voice, two lasting gifts of their special friendship. Abigail Spells makes a wonderful bedtime read for an older preschool child or a young primary school child!
Title: Groundhog Weather School
Author: Joan Holub
Illustrator: Kristin Sorra
Here is a wonderful read for your primary school child! We read this one many, many, times at bedtime with our daughter. The story starts with a disgruntled rabbit who is unhappy with inaccurate, centralized, weather forecasts. The rabbit's letter inspires a groundhog weather school, which churns out weather-predicting graduates who will provide more personalized, local weather forecasts. The school's first alumni graduate with honours and head out to differents parts of the country, eager to start their jobs. Even with such progress, we find that no initiative's perfect...especially from a rabbit's perspective! The illustrations and text go together so smartly and humorously, we laughed even after having read the book several times, definitely a fun read!
Title: Monsieur Saguette And His Baguette
Author/Illustrator: Frank Asch
Our son really enjoyed following this adventure-filled story ... with an unlikely hero! The story begins with a gentleman named Monsieur Baguette on a simple quest: he seeks a baguette to go with a delicious carrot soup that he has prepared. The fun begins soon after Monsieur Baguette purchases the baguette from the local boulangerie. With his baguette, Monsieur Saguette is able to come to the rescue of several of the townspeople and even himself! From rescuing cats to helping the local bandleader lead his band, Monsieur Saguette's baguette does not disappoint! The easy text and uncomplicated artwork complement each other perfectly. The book is written in English, using only Monsieur in the text, and a few French words in the illustrations.
Title: When Randolph Turned Rotten
Author/Illustrator: Charise Mericle Harper
Another story about friendship, with a healthy dose of "stinky, rotten insides" (we'll explain in a second). A smart book for a primary grade child (although our preschool child has asked for encore reads!) that gets real with feelings that our children may sometime feel, feelings that are not always the perfect, sweet and kind ones. In When Randolph Turned Rotten, we meet two close friends, a beaver and a goose. The goose gets invited to a party, while the beaver does not, a very familiar real-life childhood experience. Children get to see how the beaver reacts at not being invited, and gets a peek at the beaver's "rotten" insides. The beaver behaves badly of course, and then, as we expect, feels remorse about his actions. All ends well though, as a stroke of luck turns the beaver's act of meanness into an act of kindess. We think the book does a good job of examining a real-life problem, teaching a valuable lesson, while still managing the happy ending and closure children need.
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