Three Wild New Picture Books

Some Bugs, written by Angela DiTerlizzi, illustrations by Brendan Wenzel.  Even those who fear or loathe these little critters will find much to enjoy in this delightful tribute to bugs.  DiTerlizzi's bouncy, terse, rhyming sentences tell the reader "Some bugs click. Some bugs sing.  Some bugs do a buzzing thing."  Meanwhile, Wenzel's truly wonderful, humorous illustrations give the reader an eye-popping array of insects:  crickets with open mouths singing, colorful lines filling the air, or squiggles surrounding buzzing bees to indicate a buzzing motion.  All of the stinging, biting, stinking, fighting bugs come together on one dynamic spread.  DiTerlizzi then instructs us to kneel down close and look very hard for bugs in our backyard.  One last, informational spread reveals all the bugs introduced in the book.  I love love love Wenzel's drawings!

Weasels, written and illustrated by Elys Dolan.  This might not be the best for a group share.  The illustrations, packed with hilarious and brilliant comic details, invite one on one reading.  The book shows us the shocking and mysterious world of weasels:  following the orders of a leader who looks as if it came straight from a Bond movie, these coffee-addicted creatures secretly plot world domination!  With an amazing machine!  That suddenly goes kaplooey!  Humorous asides and dialogue fill each page, and every illustration is a feast of comic inspiration.  Will they figure out how to fix their machine and take over the world?  Hey, I'm not one to give away a spoiler--I don't want the weasels mad at me!

Princess Sparkle-Heart Gets a Makeover, written and illustrated by Josh Schneider.  In this rather startling tale, a red-haired girl lavishes attention on her dainty Princess Sparkle-Heart doll.  Meanwhile, her envious dog spends the first half of the book growling with intense hatred at the toy:  "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" fills each spread (actually the dog is so angry the "Grrrrrrrr" continues from one page to the next).  There's only one thing for this canine to do?  You got it.  Tear Princess Sparkle-Heart to shreds!  The distraught girl must now repair her doll...and get even with her pooch.  Schneider (a Geisel winner for Tales for Very Picky Eaters) gives us a surprise in this book that truly made me gasp and then laugh quite hard.  His unique style works beautifully for this story.  I love the little penguin that reacts to the tale's drama.