Poof! R.D. Knighten. 2013. 27 pages. Gembay Books. [Source: personal copy.] A friend sent this book to me, thinking it would be a great topic for me and my daughter. Poof is a short story that follows a day in the life of Robin, a little girl of color, and her unexpected romp in the rain. When her beautiful braids poof up after a rain storm, she’s upset that her cute hairstyle is no more. Robin talks to her friend Leslie whose own hair became wavy in the rain. Together the two girls compare the benefits of each hair type, coming to an understanding about how the differences have their own pluses and minuses. Later, Robin talks to her own mother about her hair, eventually realizing how her hair texture allows her to be stylish and creative, when she just thought it lost its beauty.

I Love You Best. Cindy Bracken. 2012. 16 pages. [Source: personal copy.] I picked up I Love You Best because it was a free daily deal on Amazon. While I found it enjoyable, it’s not too remarkable. There’s nothing technically wrong with it, but it lacks a wow factor for me. I Love You Best highlights different animals and what they love, whether it’s their habitat, fellow animals, foods, or more. It is definitely a shorter read, but not so short that it’s over before you’re able to get into it. Considering the content and structure, I found it to be well-done. I enjoyed the ability to have peripheral conversations about the content of this story. Since it discusses various animal homes or environments and different animal-related terms (e.g. foal, cud), it was natural to stop and ask whether my reader knew what certain words meant if she didn’t ask me herself. The illustrations are computer animated, but bright and colorful; they strike a balance between simplicity and detail. The illustrations also feature different drawing styles, so the variety there is unusual and refreshing. Some are more detailed than others, which I think lends well to the different animals on…