Zen Shorts (Jon J. Muth) Caldecott Honor Book

(review by Mirjam)
You have probably seen this book in different stores. It's widely available but not so widely known. This book gets 5 stars on every website I looked at.
While it is a children's book with fantastic illustrations, it makes a wonderful gift for an adult who loves to read.
Stillwater the giant panda lives up the hill from three children. As each child pays a visit to the panda, he offers them a story. These tales are zen shorts (short meditations) that offer ideas to ponder. Great discussion for kids and very philosophical for adults.

I can't recommend it enough!!!

It's Raining Pigs & Noodles (Jack Prelutsky and James Stevenson)

(review by Mirjam)
I read this book full of silly poems at a friends house. I knew it would fit with my little friend Mary (9 yrs old) and sent it to her for Christmas last year. She and her family loved it. I read the whole book in one sitting and marked all the pages with my favorite poems. Soon I saw that I marked every other page. Even after a year I still remember the poem dedicated to liverwurst and the virtual chicken.
Ages: 4+

(I am thinking especially of Avery for this book)