I received a press release from Random House listing their children’s picture books being released this month. A common thread among several was love, presumably gearing up for Valentine’s Day.  

The one on the list that struck my fancy was “I Haiku You“ by Betsy E. Snyder. Snyder has two on this list, this one and another lyrical picture book, “Sweet Dreams Lullaby.”

Haikus convey an image or feeling and usually involve nature and/or emotions. The English version is written in three lines. The first line contains five syllables, the second seven and the third five.  

I read the samples on Amazon’s Look Inside page and found the few I read enjoyable. They were simple images that a child would enjoy and relate to.

Do you enjoy Haikus?

What do you think of the new releases this month? Is it early to be thinking about Valentine’s Day?

Below is the list of books in the press release with release date.

NEW PICTURE BOOK RELEASES FROM

RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS

 “PIGS IN PAJAMAS” by Maggie Smith

A fun-filled young picture book featuring pajama-clad pigs, jaunty rhymes, and the letter P!

“The watercolor-and-collage illustrations . . . are packed with P’s, most of which are listed on the last page (in order of appearance); perfect for turning subsequent readings into seek-and-find games.” —Kirkus Reviews

At Penelope Pig’s sleepover party, six pigs in pj’s eat pizza and pasta, pound a piñata, pin the tail on the pony, prance to piano, and then form a precarious pyramid—collapsing, of course, into a squealing pig pile!

Maggie Smith combines rollicking rhymes and infectious alliterations to make a perfectly pleasing book filled with fun and the letter P. And while there are scads of P words in the text, the art has even more—the pictures are filled with more than 75 objects beginning with the letter P for young readers to find. The playful pictures also introduce other preschool concepts, such as colors, shapes, patterns, and counting. Pigs in Pajamas is a fun new way to get preschoolers thinking about language and building their vocabularies!

MAGGIE SMITH’s acclaimed books include One Naked Baby; Dear Daisy, Get Well Soon; Desser the Best Ever Cat; and Christmas with the Mousekins. To read more about her work, visit www.maggiebooks.com

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers | On sale December 11, 2012 | Ages 3­-6

“THE BEAUTIFUL LADY: Our Lady of Guadalupe” by Pat Mora; illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

From an award-winning team comes the beloved story of Mexico’s Our Lady of Guadalupe.

“Regardless of your beliefs, the tale of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a fascinating one, and Mora gives it a warm treatment befitting the beloved material.” —Booklist 

Every December, Grandma Lupita tells Rose the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As they make paper flowers to put around her statue, Grandma begins: Long ago, on a cold December morning near what is now Mexico City, a man named Juan Diego put on his cloak and started down the road to church. On his way, Juan Diego sees a beautiful lady at the top of a hill. She tells Juan Diego to go to the bishop and ask him to build a special church for her. But the bishop doesn’t believe that Juan Diego has seen the lady; he asks for a sign. Again the lady sends Juan Diego, and again the bishop asks for a sign. Until finally, she provides one: her shining image on Juan Diego’s cloak for everyone to see.

A beautiful story of faith and determination, this touching book features Spanish words and phrases and is the perfect way to introduce young ones to the miracle of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Award-winning PAT MORA’s books include Tomás and the Library Lady and Doña Flor. She is an honorary member of the ALA, the highest honor the association bestows on non-librarian members. Visit her online at PatMora.com

Husband and wife team STEVE JOHNSON and LOU FANCHER have illustrated The Boy on Fairfield Street by Kathleen Krull, My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss, and New York’s Bravest by Mary Pope Osborne, among other highly acclaimed picture books.

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers | On sale December 11, 2012 | Ages 5-8

 Spanish edition also available from Dragonfly Books.

“I HAIKU YOU” by Betsy E. Snyder

A charming picture book full of love-filled haiku poems!

 “This sweet collection of haiku captures special moments of friendship and appreciation from a child’s point of view . . . a good choice for emerging poetry fans.” —Kirkus Reviews

Charming multimedia illustrations and the Japanese poetic form are cleverly used to express “I love you” to all manner of favorite things—a favorite teddy bear, a popsicle, a bike, a new friend, a beloved pet, and more—in this giftable little picture book.

 Award winner Betsy E. Snyder’s charming book is something adults will love to give one another as much as they’ll enjoy sharing it with the youngest listeners. Perfect for Valentine’s Day and any day of the year, this book will inspire people to tell one another, “I haiku you!”

 BETSY E. SNYDER is a seasoned illustrator-designer of children’s greeting cards in addition to writing and illustrating children’s books. Her work has been recognized with the Please Touch Museum’s 23rd Annual Book Award, a Silver Addy Award (Cleveland, 2006), and has been selected for the Society of Illustrators annual shows. Animals and nature have fascinated Betsy since she was a young child fishing and catching salamanders in the ponds of Pennsylvania. She lives near Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband. Check out Betsy’s blog at BetsySnyder.blogspot.com.

 Random House Books for Young Readers | On sale December 26, 2012 | Ages 4 up

“SWEET DREAMS LULLABY” by Betsy E. Snyder

Calming rhymes about nature are perfect for bedtime reading and now available as a board book.

“The author-illustrator of Haiku Baby offers a soothing bedtime story with just the right amount of sweetness. . . . A worthy and welcome addition to the canon of cozy bedtime stories.” —Booklist 

“The language is rich and evocative, drawing on listeners’ sense of memory. . . . The gentle rhythm and lilting verses accompanied by the charm-dense compositions make this a natural choice for settling down at the end of the day, sweet dreams pending.” —The Bulletin 

This dreamy, lyrical picture book will reach a whole new audience, joining the ranks of Betsy’s other beloved board and novelty formats, Haiku Baby and Have You Ever Tickled a Tiger? Full of gorgeous collage artwork created from natural materials, this gentle book of soothing rhymes is a great bedtime read for your littlest ones. Published in hardcover in 2010, Sweet Dreams Lullaby is now available as a board book, the perfect bedtime companion.

Random House Books for Young Readers | On sale December 26, 2012 | Ages 0-4

“WHO NEEDS LOVE?” by Elise Primavera; illustrated by Laura Park

A very different kind of love story by bestselling author Elise Primavera.

 “A humorous cautionary tale of greed, wishes, and hope.” —Kirkus Reviews

Scarlett Starlett and Simon Greensnout were best friends; they were also alligators who lived in a town menaced by a rotten-to-the-core witch. She hated anything sweet and nice and had no use for love. Scarlett longed to be a singer and Simon yearned to travel the world. One day, they stumbled upon a silver dollar that the witch had lost. In exchange for its return to her, the witch granted them their wishes. But be careful what you wish for, because these wishes came with an evil spell attached. . . .

This humorous but poignant story, enhanced by Park’s highly atmospheric artwork, is perfect for Valentine’s Day!

ELISE PRIMAVERA has been writing and illustrating children’s books for more than 25 years, including books such as Thumb Love and The House at the End of Ladybug Lane. She has received numerous awards for her work, and in 2004, she was asked to illustrate the Christmas brochure for the White House. Her bestselling book Auntie Claus has sold almost a half million copies and inspired two sequels. She lives in Red Bank, New Jersey, with her dog, Lulu.

LAURA PARK is a cartoonist and the illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson. She lives and works in Chicago, Illinois. This is her first picture book. 

Robin Corey Books | On sale December 26, 2012 | Ages 5-8

“TWEET HEARTS” by Susan Reagan

A wonderful way to say, “I love you” on Valentine’s Day—or any other day!

Tweet Hearts features two little lovebirds and 10 little hearts. Preschoolers and their parents will love counting all the hearts from 10 to one while reading along with the rhyming text. Topped off with a beautiful pop-up at the end, this book is the perfect gift to give to your little ones!

Author and illustrator SUSAN REAGAN’s work can be found on greeting cards, in magazines, and in numerous children’s books. Her inspiration and positive attitude come from helping others. Most days she can be found working in her studio or volunteering. She lives in a wonderfully creaky old house in a historic neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, Frank, and their dog, Princess.

Robin Corey Books | On sale December 26, 2012 | Ages 0-4 

“DUCK & GOOSE, GOOSE NEEDS A HUG” by Tad Hills

Celebrate love—and what it means to be a good friend—with Duck & Goose!

Praise for Duck & Goose “Expressive and adorable” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred 

Duck & Goose are back in this sturdy board book, perfect for preschoolers! And this time, New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Tad Hills brings our favorite feathered friends out to celebrate Valentine’s Day. What does Goose need more than anything this Valentine’s Day? A hug from a good friend.

This is the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day, as well as any other day with its classic tale of friendship. Featuring well-loved characters, a low price, and its small size, this book is an ideal gift to celebrate love and friendship.

TAD HILLS is the author and illustrator of the ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book Duck & Goose and Duck, Duck, Goose, both New York Times bestsellers. His Duck & Goose board books include the ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book What’s Up, Duck?, and the indie bestseller, Duck & Goose: It’s Time for Christmas! He is also the author-illustrator of How Rocket Learned to Read, a New York Times bestseller and a Parents’ Choice Award Winner, and Rocket Writes a Story.

Schwartz & Wade Books | On sale December 26, 2012 | Ages 2-5 

“10 VALENTINE FRIENDS” by Janet Schulman; illustrated by Linda Davick

Now available as a board book—count your way to Valentine’s Day!

It’s Valentine’s Day and the 10 little neighbors in this book are busy making valentines for their closest friends. Will everyone get a valentine at the big Valentine’s Day party? You can count on it! With its fun counting element, bouncy text, and adorable illustrations, this book, newly available in board, is the perfect gift for young lovebugs.

JANET SCHULMAN is the author of 10 Trim-the-Tree’ers, 10 Easter Egg Hunters, and 10 Trick-or-Treaters.

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers | On sale December 26, 2012 | Ages 0-3 

 Random House Books for Young Readers, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, Schwartz & Wade Books, Robin Corey Books, and Dragonfly Books are imprints of the Random House Children’s Books division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann AG.

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