BOOKS TO BORROW

"10 Little Rubber Ducks" written and illustrated by Eric Carle, HarperCollins, 31 pages

Read aloud: age 2 and older

Read yourself: age 7 and older

A giant wave has washed a box of 10 rubber ducks off of a cargo ship and into the sea. "10 rubber ducks overboard!" cries the captain.

Bobbing away in different directions, each duck encounters a different sea creature in many areas of the globe. From a polar bear in the north to a flamingo in the south, a seal in the east and a dolphin in the west, the 10 little rubber ducks meet these and other creatures as they bob along the wide sea. As the sun begins to set, the 10th little rubber duck is still alone. What will happen to it?

Filled with a cornucopia of new concepts for young children, including a dual surprise and happy ending, this counting/directional/biology/geography book is loads of fun.

LIBRARIAN'S CHOICE

Library: Otis Library, 261 Main St., Norwich

Library Director: Bob Farwell

Choices this week: "Banjo Granny" by Sarah Martin Busse; "Daisy Comes Home" by Jan Brett; "Shredderman: Secret Identity" by Wendelin Van Draanen

AT THE BOOKSTORE

The following books are available at bookstores.

"Now I'm Big" by Karen Katz, McElderry Books, 2013, 32 pages, $15.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 1 to 4

Read yourself: age 6 and 7

"I used to be a baby," and a baby can't do much of anything on their own, but "Now I'm big!" and that means the child can do all sorts of things, such as snap and zip clothing, run and jump and talk, sleep alone in a big bed and much more.

Powerhouse author/illustrator Karen Katz offers yet again another wonderful book for young children. Colorful artwork is the perfect backdrop for this exuberant story of the joy and fun of growing up.

"Ocean Counting" by Janet Lawler, photographs by Brian Skerry, National Geographic, 2013, 32 pages, $16.95 hardcover

Read aloud: age 3, 4 and older

Read yourself: age 7 and 8

Learn to count from 1 to 10 and back again while learning about fascinating ocean animals from around the world. Gorgeous color photographs of the ocean animals taken on location by award-winning photojournalist Brian Skerry make this counting/learning adventure a genuine fun and enriching experience.

From 2 harp seals, 4 reef squid, 9 hammerhead sharks and more, learning to count takes on new meaning in this recent offering from National Geographic Little Kids series.

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