Today is Perfect Picture Book Friday…and we are reviewing another BRAND NEW 2017 release.

Mr. Fuzzbuster Knows He’s the Favorite

Written by Stacy McAnulty

Illustrated by Edward Hemingway

Publisher: Two Lions Press (2017)

Ages: Preschool – Grade 2

Themes:

Friendship, self-esteem, pets

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

Mr. Fuzzbuster knew he was Lily’s favorite. They did everything together. Naps. Story time. Walks. And more naps. But now four more animals lived in the house.…

 To prove he’s still Lily’s favorite, Mr. Fuzzbuster will have to ask her, but will her answer surprise him? This funny, heartwarming story is for every child who has ever wondered if there’s a favorite in the house.

From School Library journal:

Mr. Fuzzbuster, a most lovely cat, is Lily’s favorite. Unfortunately, he now has competition—Fishy Face (a fish), King (a lizard), Feathers (a bird), and Bruiser (a most ferocious canine barker) all believe that they are her favorite, and Mr. Fuzzbuster is out to prove that he is her top choice by asking her directly in a personal note. Text repetition creates a pattern easily followed by young readers as Lily speaks to her pets by name and selects each as her favorite (i.e., her favorite fish, her favorite lizard, her favorite bird, and her favorite dog). In the digital art, the large eyes of her animal friends draw readers’ attention in focused close-ups or rooms of streaming sunlight, and varied fonts emphasize text.

Booklist:

“The boisterous illustrations, rendered in pencil, ink, and digital media, offer a dramatic accompaniment to the story, while the ending gives readers a nice expectation upset.”

 Opening Lines:

“Mr. Fuzzbuster knew he was Lily’s favorite. They’d been together since he fit in a teacup and she fit in diapers.”

Why I like this book:

• I love picture books that children can relate to…who is the favorite has to be one of the most familiar themes in a child’s life.
• The author leaves plenty of room for the illustrator’s vision…and for a child’s imagination.
• I love the bold bright illustrations.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Make a Toilet Paper Roll Cat

Photo courtesy: http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mcat.html

Here’s a really cute cat craft.

You will need: 1 empty toilet paper roll, construction paper, scissors, glue, crayons or markers.

1.Cut head, tail and paws from construction paper and glue in place.

2.Use crayons or markers to add detail.

 

Lots of cat crafts for kids here: http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/pets-cats.html

Stacy has activities for kids on her website: http://www.stacymcanulty.com/

 

 

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This post is part of a series for parents and teachers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays hosted by Susannah Leonard Hill. Click on her link and find lots of other picture book suggestions with summaries and activities.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. And please come back tomorrow for a special Will Write for Cookies and Giveaway with author Stacy McAnulty.