Ask Me

Ask MeAsk Me by Bernard Waber, illustrated by Suzy Lee

Review by Kelly Shea

Picture books are NOT just for children, and certainly not limited to children under a certain age, either. Granted, certain picture books are meant only for the very young to enjoy. Ask Me, by Bernard Waber, illustrated by Suzy Lee, is not one of those books. The beloved author of the Lyle the Crocodile stories tells a new tale about a conversation between a father and a daughter.

The illustrations of their walk together are gorgeously rendered in vibrant fall hues. The love between father and daughter is never explicitly stated, but instead resonates through the pair’s adoring looks, mirrored body language, and sweet dialogue. The girl’s inexhaustible enthusiasm and her father’s enduring patience adds to the charm of this everyday adventure. Ask Me is a story guaranteed to win over anyone striving to focus on life’s little moments. Parents of grown-up children will especially appreciate this romp down memory lane.

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About the reviewer: Kelly Shea is a children’s librarian at Paoli Library. She has fond memories of taking long walks with her father in the fall, and she drinks approximately three cups of tea daily.

 

Picture Book Reviews

Reviews by Laurie Doan

A Hat for Minerva Louise

A Hat for Minerva Louise By Janet Morgan Stoeke

Dutton Children’s Books, 1994.

Plucky chicken, Minerva Louise, loves a snowy day but brrrrr she could use something warm to put on. Minerva is hilarious as she tries on, among other things, a garden hose for a scarf and a planter for a hat. Lucky for her she finds the perfect “hat” and struts through the henhouse in style. This story will delight preschoolers with its cheerfully curved chicken and her barnyard friends. The illustrations are rendered in story board form with the kind of clear pictures that are perfect for holding up to show to a group.

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