Along a Long Road (2012) - Frank Viva

Along a Long Road is a fun book with a nice twist (no pun intended) that kids will no doubt enjoy. Although it uses only five colors, the book is eye-catching, especially the yellow ribbon of road that winds along throughout. This is another one of those books that probably work best with either smaller storytime groups or in one-on-one situations.

Storytelling  3

Color Attractiveness  4
Book Size 3
Text Size  4
Illustrations  3 (a little too detailed on some pages)
Participation Potential  2 
Overall Appropriateness for Storytime 3

Everything Goes on Land (2011) - Brian Biggs

Everything Goes on Land is a wonderful book that would work best in a one-on-one situation or possibly a small storytime setting of just a handful of kids.

There's lots going on with just about every page. Busy streets provide lots to look at and identify, making the book far too detailed for large groups, but great for one-on-one reading. Kids can hit visual overload on some of these pages, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, since Biggs pauses to give young readers an in-depth look at the parts of a car, an 18-wheeler, a camper, motorcycle, bicycle and more. It's definitely a fun book that gets kids to notice the world around them, even if they're stuck in traffic. Again, great for very small groups, but not-so-good for large storytimes.

Storytelling  4
Color Attractiveness  5
Size of Book  4
Text Size  2
Illustrations  3
Participation Potential  2
Overall Appropriateness for Storytime 3

Shout! Shout It Out! (2011) - Denise Fleming

Shout! Shout It Out! by Denise Fleming doesn't have much a story, but for a storytime setting, who cares? It's got everything else: big bold colors, counting, ABCs, animals, and much more.  This book practically demands audience participation!

The story also includes a cute little mouse that kids in a storytime setting could probably see if you pointed him out. The little guy says something on just about every page, but it would probably be more effective to read his words in a one-on-one setting only.

Storytelling  2
Color Attractiveness  5
Size of Book  5
Text Size  5
Illustrations  5
Participation Potential  5
Overall Appropriateness for Storytime  5