Thursday, November 27, 2014

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Today is Day 26 of our 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. This post is coming up a bit late tonight because we had a full day of food, family and time to relax. I did intend to get to the blog this morning, but Sprout wanted to do puzzles - and I never turn that down!



Tonight's pick is one that appears on almost every best-of diverse books list out there, and for good reason. Trish Cooke's Full, Full, Full of Love is a colorful, cheerful celebration of a family gathering that's perfect for holiday time or anytime really. The story surrounds Jay Jay's experiences at Grandma's house, getting ready for Sunday dinner. It's a place Jay Jay adores, mostly because it's bursting with delicious smells, family and friends, and a whole lot of love. Jay Jay himself is clearly the apple of Grandma's eye, and both old and young thoroughly enjoy every minute of their day together.

I love these kinds of happy, sweet stories of family sharing and togetherness. The warm world created by Cooke's text sparks to life with illustrations by Paul Howard, particularly that cover image of Grandma holding Jay Jay close to her heart. Sprout has always liked the center spread of Grandma's table groaning under all that food (who can blame him - makes me want to pull a chair right on up and dig in!). The repetitive text makes Full, Full, Full of Love a great choice to share with emergent readers, who will absolutely be clamoring for more by the end.

Whether you wrap up this book for your kiddos, or add it to your library list, find a way to get your hands on Full, Full, Full of Love for the holidays. It'll make your family celebrations, big or small, all the richer!

Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke, published by Candlewick Press

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