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Not surprisingly, Amy Krouse Rosenthal‘s newest children’s picture book, Al Pha’s Bet, is deliciously imaginative. But so is everything she does, including her other children’s books. So I decided to share my favorite Krouse Rosenthal children’s books because I couldn’t just pick one!

Al Pha’s Bet

In a kingdom without a system of letter organization, Mr. Al Pha makes a bet with himself that he can organize the 26 letters just recently invented by the King. How he does it will thoroughly entertain you and your kids. Take for example the decision about V and W here:

“Only five letters remained.

Al decided to lie down and think.

An inchworm was climbing on the branch above him,

“He looks just like a V and a W

stuck together,” Al said.

“That’s it! Thank you, my little VW bug!”"

And this, my friends, is the origin of the Al Pha Bet. (In case you didn’t know.)

Duck! Rabbit!

Have you seen this visual puzzle for the reader ? Is it a duck or a rabbit? Two sides of the debate discuss as you flip the image in your mind and turn the pages. It could be either or both.

See the book here in a short movie of Duck! Rabbit!

The OK Book

The word oK tipped sideways becomes a stick figure who like us, tries lots of different things in life. oK says, “I’m an OK climber, I’m an OK fisher, I’m an OK swimmer, . .” One day oK knows s/he’ll grow up to be really excellent at something; for now, s/he’s having fun trying everything. And, that’s oK.

Spoon
Spoon feels “bent out of shape” lately. His friends seem to have more exciting lives than him — like Knife who can cut and spread, and Fork who goes everywhere practically, and Chopsticks who are so exotic. Spoon doesn’t realize that his friends think the same about him. Knife wishes people would be silly with him like they are with Spoon. Fork wishes she could measure stuff like Spoon. Chopsticks wish they could go places by themselves like Spoon. When Spoon’s mom reminds him of the wonderful things about being a spoon — diving into a bowl of ice cream, clinking against a cereal bowl side, and twirl around in a mug, Spoon feels much better about who he is.

Watch this Spoon animated short by Scholastic.

This Plus That Life’s Little Equations

A charming way to see the world –

“somersaults + somersaults + somersaults = dizzy

wishes + frosting = birthday

anything + sprinkles = better

good days + bad days = real life.”

Little Pea
If only Little Pea would eat his candy! He must force down a few bites if he wants desert — spinach!

Chronicle Books made a teacher’s guide for Little Pea, Little Oink, and Little Hoot.

More About Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Have you seen Krouse Rosenthal‘s Mission Amy KR blog? Or her shop? What do you think her video “Thought Bubble on Kindness?” or her TED Talk?

Krouse Rosenthal embodies art — writing children’s books, making interactive films, writing grown-up books, inventing “missions” for fans around the world — and in such artistic diversity, she created a yellow umbrella to unite her different creations. It’s on her website as well as in bookstores across the United States. Just look for the yellow umbrella.

What Krouse Rosenthal books do you love?

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