Our family has been enjoying a new set of Schiffer books for children.   The subjects are varied, as are the writing styles and illustrations.  Yesterday I shared our top three favorites from the new Schiffer children's titles.  Today I'm sharing others that really caught our eye!  Read to the end for the giveaway!

This Silly Looking Thing written and illustrated by Eva M. Sakmar-Sullivan is a story that seeks to value friendship no matter how a person looks.  Itsy-Bitsy Boy Frog repeatedly goes to the pond to find a new friend.  Unfortunately, he has a bad attitude.  He only meets a silly looking thing, so he refuses to play.  Eventually, Itsy-Bitsy Boy Frog's parents talk to him about giving friendship a chance and playing with others, even when they look different.  He returns to the pond wanting to play, despite the differences, but instead, there is a frog there.  The Silly Looking Thing became a frog.  Though his feelings were hurt before, he overcomes that and the two do become friends.  In addition to the great moral of the story, the life cycle of a frog is explained and illustrated at the back of the book.  This would be a good resource to add to a frog and friendship unit.

Change the World Before Bedtime, a collaboration by Mark Kimball Moulton, Josh Chalmers, and Karen Good is a fun rhyming book intended to demonstrate that the little things each of us ordinary people do can make a difference in the world.  The fun illustrations tell as much of the story as the actual text.  Despite the book's tendency to be a bit "preachy" and "green," I can't help but to like it.  What I mean by preachy is the large recycling sign on the bedroom wall and being kind to the Earth "We'll conserve, save a frog, recycle, bicycle, hug a tree, pet a dog."  The children in the book go about doing good deeds after a healthy breakfast of whole grains.  They gather toys to donate, raise money for a school overseas, and say happy words.  By the children's kindness, the children do, indeed, make a difference in their world...all before they go to bed at the end of the day.

Song for Papa Crow, by Marit Menzin is a story that celebrates the beautiful songs of the birds and being ourselves and is a frequent request of Brother's.  Little Crow loves to sing but the other birds do not like his singing.  Papa Crow knows Little Crow's song over any others and encourages Little Crow in singing his own song.  Mockingbird tells Little Crow that he has a special seed to help with singing.  Little Crow eats it and sings just like the other birds.  When danger is near, Papa Crow doesn't know Little Crow is in trouble...and a lesson is learned.  At times the text (especially the dialogue) seems a bit much, but I value the way Menzin emphasized the individual songs of each bird and the bird facts included in the back of the book.

In Otter Lee Brave, Rena Cherry Brown tells the story of a little otter, and Mikaila Maidment illustrates this with paintings.   Lee loses his mother and is then rescued as an orphan.  At his new home at a rescue aquarium, he strength returns with the good care he receives.  Lee and his otter friends are surprised to find that their aquarium breaks open one night and spills them into the bay.  Lee is the only wild otter and is able to help them all to safety, even Brody, the bully, which took a lot of bravery.  Lee never forgets that his mom taught him, "You don't have to be big to be brave."  Otter Lee Brave is a good tool to teach children about otter's diets, habits, and the dangers they face.

Thank you, Schiffer Publishing for these books and for offering a giveaway!
GIVEAWAY!  Giveaway is over.  Congratulations to Ruth, our winner!
The winner of this giveaway can chose one book from above OR yesterday's post where I shared our three favorite Schiffer books.  You have seven books to choose from for this giveaway!  Leave a comment below telling me which title you would prefer.  Include your email address so I can contact you.

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Giveaway will run through Wednesday, January 16th.  The winner will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond.  Random.org will help to choose the winner.  Winner will be announced on Facebook and on this post.  This giveaway is limited to the US and Canada.  Thanks for entering!

~ Annette {This Simple Mom}