Katharine kenah bookshelves images

Rachel's Bookshelves. Picture Story Books Picture story books are books that are similar in construction to traditional picture books, but tend to be longer with pictures that supplement the overall story rather than tell the story.

Are you still looking for a great read aloud before Thanksgiving?

In picture story books, the reader has to rely upon the written word to understand plot, theme, and character development. The pictures are provided as a means of adding interest to the story and breaking up long chunks of texts that might be daunting to new readers. Overall, picture story books are geared towards new readers because they have simpler plots than longer chapter books and are shorter in length, making the reading process more simple.

Ferry Tail, written by Katharine Kenah and published in , follows the story of Walter the ferry dog. Walter loves his job aboard the ferry fetching newspapers for the captain, greeting visitors as they arrive on deck, and tasting the food that the cook prepares. However, despite all of the good things that are a part of Walter's life, there is one dark spot: Cupcake the cat.

In Walter's eyes, Cupcake is a pampered animal that simply lives to annoy him, always batting him in the face and getting in his way. Things with Cupcake come to a head when Walter gets blamed for Cupcake's hyjinks, so Walter decides to make his way to the docks and find a new life there.

Another pick for Kid's Book Sunday is The Very Stuffed Turkey by Katharine Kenah with illustrations by Binny Talib.

However, once he's left the ferry, Walter realizes that life on the docks is not nearly as pleasant as the life he left behind. It takes a visit from his own nemesis Cupcake to lead him back to the ferry where he truly belongs and just goes to show that friendship can be found even in the most unlikely of places. This book, 32 pages of text and illustration, is a wonderful link between picture books and chapter books.

Ferry Tail has more text than a traditional picture book, but still uses charming pictures to complement the journey of Walter the ferry dog. This book is a wonderful look at life on board a ferry, as well as a sweet reminder of the fact that sometimes friendship is a road that is hard to travel. Stallion by Starlight , the 49th book in the series, published in , takes Jack and Annie back to ancient Macedonia and the time of Alexander the Great.

The two children, on a quest for the wizard Merlin and armed with a potion giving them the ability to gain any talent they desire for one hour, find that Macedonia is a world far different from the one they left.