21st June World Giraffe Day

In the last few weeks I feel like quite a few new picture books about giraffes have come across my desk and I thought 'must do a giraffe display' and then lo and behold I find out from the radio that it is World Giraffe Day so now I have no excuse. I collected my favourites first... Shel Silverstein's A Giraffe and a Half, first published 50 years ago, then Roald Dahl's The Giraffe, the Pelly and Me.  Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae always makes me smile because I have fond memories of a preschool Christmas concert when the children performed this book.

My Year 1 Book Club group and I look at true animal stories and the children are always fascinated by the giraffe who walks to Paris and we now have four different versions of this story, each with its own distinctive illustrations. Now for the best of the new ones. I love Giraffe on a Bicycle by Julia Woolf. This debut book really made the children laugh. Can't wait for her next book. Another new one, Blue and Bertie by Kristyna Litten has a wonderful message about coping with change, inclusion and acceptance of difference, perfect for the age group I teach.

See all the library's giraffe books here.

6th March Michelangelo (1475 -1564) Chris Raschka (1959) Dentist Day

Lots to celebrate. Firstly the great Michaelangelo, painter of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. There are not a lot of books about him that are suitable for very young children. Diane Stanley's is worth a look though.

Secondly, today is the birthday of American author/illustrator, Chris Raschka, this year's Caldecott Medal winner. He won this time for his book A Ball for Daisy. Chris is the master of the powerful story with minimum text. Here he explores the joy and sadness that having a special toy can bring. It will be good to share when children are dealing with the loss of a special possession.

And thirdly, Dentist Day. Is it coincidence that it comes so soon after Tooth Fairy Day? Nearly every favourite character that has a series of books has a dentist story. See Dora, Berenstain Bears, Maisy, Curious George and Peppa Pig! But, there are stories with much more to marvel at and ponder on. Look for:

• Margaret Mahy's The Dentist's Promise

• Robert Munsch's Andrew's Loose Tooth

• Judi Barrett's Never Take a Shark to the Dentist and there is always

• Shel Silverstein's poem The Crocodile's Toothache

25th September Shel Silverstein (1930 - 1999)

Shel Silverstein is an American poet who became one of the best-loved children's authors there is. If you are starting teaching make sure you have copies of Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic and you will have enough poems to read everyday for the next year. You will see the children laugh, cry, discuss animatedly and argue about the message Silverstein wishes to impart. Add the picture book The Giving Tree and you will own three resources that you will use again and again and you will have children in your classes who love poetry and talking about it. My favourite of all? It's between 'No Difference'...here it is and 'Sick', both in Where the Sidewalk Ends.

Small as a peanut
Big as a giant,
We're all the same size
When we turn off the light.
Red black or orange,
Yellow or white
We all look the same
When we turn off the light.
So maybe the way
To make everything right
Is for God to just reach out
And turn off the light!