Of the three picture books I read this week, While You Sleep might be my favourite.

As a little girl goes to sleep after a day of playing, the narrator tells her all the work that is being done overnight – polishing the sun; dusting the butterflies; and stuffing, sewing and mending the clouds. The collage art by illustrator Miki Sato brings the story to life. I love how she uses not only paper, but also textiles and embroidery silk to create such beautiful pages. Each double page spread is a piece of art and brings the story to life. My favourite page about the milky way is pure magic. I would like to hang it on the wall.

If you are a parent who reads the same story on repeat, you’ll enjoy this one as Sato creates pages with so much to look at.

While You Sleep is from Pajama Press and retails for $22.95.

Let’s Add Up!

Victoria Allenby’s latest picture book for two to five year olds introduces early math skills. In this case the author shows kids the various ways you can count to 10. What I like about this padded board book is that while five drums plus five tambourines do add up to 10 instruments, it also adds up to a band. Six pots and four pans does add up to 10 dishes, but it also adds up to a feast, with a group of children gathered around the table enjoying the food each has brought. It’s a fun concept that shows more than math skills.

At the end of the book, Allenby offers four ways to make learning fun.

Le’ts Add Up! Is from Pajama Press and retails for $21.95.

My name is Saajin Singh

Saajin (Sah-jin) loves his name – he finds it in the clouds, spells it in his cereal and sings it in the tub. But when he gets to school, his new teacher calls him Say-jin as do his new friends so he assumes that is his name when he leaves the house. Except the new name makes him feel uncomfortable and sad. When he meets a new friend and introduces himself with his outside name, his parents remind him of the importance of his real name and its meaning.

Written by Kuljinder Kaur Brar,  My name is Saajin Singh reminds kids that even adults make mistakes and it’s always OK to kindly correct someone if an error is made, particularly if it makes you feel uncomfortable.

My name is Saajin Singh and from Annick Press and retails for $22.95.

A copy of these books were provided by Annick Press
and Pajama Press for honest review. The opinions are my own.

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