Hie thee to a library or bookstore to check out these gems:
IDA, ALWAYS is a heart-rending story of love and loss and thankful remembrance, inspired by two polar bears who lived in New York City’s Central Park Zoo. Their friendship captured my heart – it might capture yours, too… Caron Levis writes with an elegant simplicity and the illustrations by Charles Santoso make this endearing story unforgettable. Just loved it.
And Patrick Guest’s THE SECOND SKY is a picture book I’ve returned to time again. Not only do I love the theme and the charming illustrations, but also the shape of the story. It’s a perfect circle! How did Guest do that in so few words? Jonathan Bentley’s soft, emotive illustrations have a musical quality that gives little Gilbert a unique personality as he discovers who he is made to be. At first Gilbert tries to be like the birds in the sky. Then he realizes the penguin he was created to be is just as wonder-full.