Twists on Children’s Classics

Sometimes you just want a book that is familiar and sometimes you realize you actually want a book that feels familiar, but offers something new. For picture books that have the potential to be read and reread repeatedly, stumbling upon something new can be particularly valuable. When you find a gem, the story can encourage children to make connections and draw on their critical thinking skills. Here are four new picture books on our shelves that offer a twist on classic children’s rhymes, stories and songs.

You Are Not Sleepy! by Mark Teague

Storytime is done and it is time for a young pig’s nap, so it is a shame this pig is not tired! Many picture books have been written about the struggles of naptime and bedtime, but the tone and circular structure of this tale are reminiscent of Laura Numeroff’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series of the 1980s and 1990s. Each action leads to a new problem that must be immediately resolved with another action, moving the protagonist pig further and further away from sleep. The writer’s choice to pair simple text with endearing illustrations invites children to carefully read between the lines at each stage of this pig’s journey to a nap.

The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals by Deborah Underwood

In this clever reimagining of Old MacDonald, a fastidious man cares for his townhome filled with plants and other elegant furnishings, when animals begin appearing at his door. With each successive disturbance, the man finds he is able to make an exception for “this” animal or “that” animal, due to unexpected similarities each animal shares with the man. Eventually, his home is filled to the brim with companions. Prompted by cranky neighbors, the man is forced to reckon with his priorities, which necessitates relocating to a new setting: a farm.

Miss MacDonald Has a Farm by Kalee Gwarjanski

If The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals serves as an origin story for Old MacDonald, Miss MacDonald Has A Farm could be its sequel. However, on Miss MacDonald’s farm, the focus is on cultivating vegetables, including green beans, zucchini and pumpkins. Instead of focusing on animal sounds, the writer uses the structure of the original tune to introduce young readers to gardening terminology, like sowing and pruning. Each stanza is punctuated by an enthusiastic “E-I-E-I Grow!”, and the book culminates in the reward for all of this labor – a feast!

Chicka Chicka Ho Ho Ho by William Boniface

For households who are already replacing their jack-o-lanterns with holly and garland, new Christmas picture books are awaiting on our shelves. In Chicka Chicka Ho Ho Ho, the alphabet from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom has returned, but there is no coconut tree in sight. This time the letters have a Christmas tree to tackle together. The text retains the playful exuberance of the original title, while introducing shiny foiled shapes into the rhythm. Can these letters decorate this tree without disaster? Beyond reviewing shapes and letters, the story carries a message on the power of teamwork and resilience.

By Meghan LeBoeuf

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