Kurt Cyrus.  Tadpole Rex.  Harcourt, 2008.  40 pages.  Age 4 to 8.

Tadpole Rex is a tiny little thing born in some prehistoric age, alongside the alamosaurus and triceratops.  (Consider my knowledge of prehistory expended.)  After he sprouts arms and legs, he lets out a ferocious (if tiny) “Ribbet!” and goes on the attack.  The illustrations play around with scale, making him sometimes look as large as his inner-tyrannosaurus warrants, and other times look suitably small compared to the actual size of the dinosaurs.  An end note substantiates the somewhat silly text with information about evolution and environmental concerns.

David Shannon.  Too Many Toys.  Blue Sky Press, 2008.  32 pages.  Age 4 to 8.

None of us cared for this title.  It has a few characteristics of a cautionary tale about excess, but fails to make any sort of point, unless that point is that a cardboard box is the Best Toy Ever.  It’s the kind of book where parents will nod in agreement, and kids will shrug.  I’m not a fan of the illustrations, with the grotesquely exaggerated faces and the hard black lines that make everyone look like a poorly-stitched rag doll.  But that’s just me.

Brian Lies.  Bats at the Beach.  Houghton Mifflin, 2006.  32 pages.  Age 4 to 8.

The bats have a pretty normal day at the beach, except they do it all at night.  And they eat bugs—gross.  And instead of flying kites they are the kites.  And they sit under those little paper drink umbrellas.  Okay there are a lot of differences to spot, and therein lies the fun.  It’s definitely the best of this bunch.  We also recommend Bats at the Library.

More Ladybug Award reading:
Graves girls read! No. 13.1 – Bedtime at the Swamp and Little Blue Truck
Graves girls read! No. 13.2 – A Visitor for Bear and Those Darn Squirrels