LMNO Peas by Keith Baker

I have a new favorite picture book - these peas are soooo darn cute!

This is - quite obviously - an alphabet book. For each letter, the peas tells you who they are: "We're listeners, miners, and neighbors right next door. We're nurses, officers, and outlaws taking more."

Just how much character development can you wring out of a green circle (the basic shape of a pea)? The answer is, TONS! I really want every illustration from this book as art on the office walls. That's just how cute, comical, and innovative these goofy little guys are.

Sleepy little alphabet

The sleepy little alphabet by Judy Sierra

An absolutely fun new picture book. It has been compared to the now classic "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom." There's great attention to rhyme and alliteration. Earlier this week, Trisha and I had the opportunity to meet the illustrator, Melissa Sweet, at the American Library Association's national conference in Chicago. It's really fun to find a lesser recognized author or illustrator and say, "Hey, I already know your work, and love it." Some of the illustrations include images of fabrics to give the letters some depth. Ms. Sweet was very excited when we recognized one of the prints because the designer is very distinctive.