A Hip Hop Tale

It's no secret that I enjoy children's books with clever wordplay and a touch of humor.  Hip and Hop, Don't Stop! by Jef Czekaj is one of those books.  Hip is a turtle from Slowjamz Swamp who loves to rap as slow as molasses.  Hop is a bunny from Breakbeat Meadow with a talent for rapping lightning fast.  One day they each see a poster for the Oldskool County Rap-off, and a new friendship forms as they practice together for the contest.  When the big day arrives, all of Oldskool County is there to see the contestants "battle" each other with their raps.  In the last round, Hip and Hop face off against each other.  Hip rapped so slowly that no one paid attention to him.  Hop rapped so fast that no one could keep up with her.  But when the two friends team up and rap together they find the perfect balance and pretty soon the entire audience is moving to the beat.  Hip and Hop share the title of "Best Rappers in Oldskool County."

My daughter enjoyed the bright, fun illustrations in Hip and Hop, Don't Stop!  The allusions to the world of hip hop music are amusing, including animal characters such as "Ludafish," "Jay Zebra," and "Queen LaTreeFrog."  The raps are clever and entertaining, and include visual clues to enhance the reading/rapping experience...red text is meant to be read slowly and green text is intended to be read very fast.  Hip and Hop, Don't Stop! was definitely the favorite pick from the library this week. 

A Rainbow Wish for St. Patty's Day

 

We love this book so much we've had it on loan from the library for 5 weeks.  My daughter just can't get enough of it!  Little Pip and the Rainbow Wish by Elizabeth Baguley is a charming tale of friendship that sparkles with the magic of rainbows on each page.  Pip is a shy little mouse who would love to play with two other mice, Spike and Milly, but is too timid to ask to join them in their games.  One day Pip sees a beautiful, shimmery rainbow and he thinks that if he could just catch the rainbow and give it to Milly and Spike they will want to be his friends.  Spike and Milly notice that Pip is feeling sad and is struggling to catch the rainbow, so they join in the chase and help him out.  Soon all three mice are working together to catch the elusive rainbow, and even though they never catch it, the three friends spend a playful, fun-filled day together.  Little Pip and the Rainbow Wish is an adorable book with a great message...friends will love you for who you are and the fun you have together, not for the things you can give them.  The shimmery rainbows and delightful illustrations of wispy dandelions, splashy rain puddles, bright green grass, and colorful spring flowers by Caroline Pedler make us so happy that spring is just around the corner!