Welcome to the 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK EIGHT

How to participate in Picture Book Club …

1. Get the suggested books from your library or bookstore (local or online). See 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB: COMPLETE LIST OF BOOKS for the list of books suggested for each week.

2. Before reading each of the weekly books to your child, READ FIRST “Things to Think About.”

3. Read one or both books to your child as many times through the week as your child wants to hear them and you have time to read.

4. Consider doing whatever activities you think are appropriate for the age and maturity of your child from “Making the Story Come Alive.”

WE WELCOME FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR PARTICIPATION. YOU CAN LEAVE A COMMENT BY USING THE “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST.

A PENGUIN LIKE ME by Marcus Pfister

(a book about individuality)

In a colony of penguins, they all look alike, although each one is different. Lucas showed up in the colony looking different. He isn’t sure he will be accepted into the group. What he didn’t know is that there were already so many characteristics and talents represented in the colony: athletes, those searching for their calling, jokesters, counselors, artists, mathematicians, short wings. What is important is that they are all penguins, and, therefore, they belong together.

Things to Think About

• There is something special about every person and thing.

• Children naturally find ways to set themselves apart from others in order to feel special.

• Children need to know their specialness is OK and that others like them just the way they are.

• Children need to know that they can be safely wrapped up in a world that makes them feel safe and comfortable—a world that builds their confidence to explore. It will be their source of discovery about themselves and others.

Making the Story Come Alive

• Together, read Dr, Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss. Talk about the line, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Explain that it means he is important at every age and every size and no matter whether he is just beginning to learn something new or has already become excellent at something.

• Ask your child how he is different from and alike other members of the family. Explain that the differences do not keep them from being a family and taking care of one another. Perhaps it helps at times.

• To help your child understand the idea of differences, play a sorting game.

  • With young children your game can be very simple – sorting colors, shapes, sizes of things.

  • If the child is old enough you can also talk about even when two things are the same color, there still may be differences. For example, the shade of the color may be different, or the evenness of the color might be different. You can also point out that two things of the same color may be very different about something else like shape.

  • For older children, you can sort games, cars, musicians, friends, etc. It can teach the same lesson – differences can be OK and sometimes you want to be different on some things for very good reasons.

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OLIVER AND HIS ALLIGATOR by Paul Schmid

(a story about school fears)

In OLIVER AND HIS ALLIGATOR, Oliver’s “… brave wasn’t nearly as big as he needed it to be.”  He took an alligator to school with him “just in case.” Each time Oliver said, “Munch. Munch!” the alligator swallowed the person or thing Oliver was afraid of. After everybody and everything had been munched, Oliver wasn’t afraid anymore, but he was bored. Oliver could hear fun and activity inside the alligator, so he announced, “Munch, munch!”  and joined the fun at his first day of school – inside the alligator.

Things to Think About

• Most children have a natural curiosity and excitement about school. It represents growing up and exploring new things. However, fears can undermine the good things about school. Adults need to let kids know it is OK to be afraid, others are probably afraid too, and with each day they bravely go to school their fears will get less and less.

• Although your child is working on growing up and being brave, he still may need to act “young” at times. He might want to be cuddled, have a special blanket or stuffed animal, to play with old toys he liked when he was younger, have a tantrum or whine about things, or have you do things for him that he usually does for himself (for example, fix him a snack and deliver it to him).

• School does not allow for having favorite things with you all day. In addition to having fears, your child may be feeling sad or mad about not having her favorite things. Adults can help by:

  • Assuring her that her special things will be in their usual place waiting for her return home.

  • Capturing a favorite daytime TV show on the DVR for watching together at home later.

  • Planning special one-on-one time with Mom or Dad in the evening.

  • Arranging for playtime with non-school friends after school.

Making the Story Come Alive 

• Ask your child if he wishes he had an alligator to take to school with him? Is there something else he wishes he could take to school?

• Play a game of “School Is Awesome Because …” Take turns naming great things about school (making new friends, having fun at recess, feeling grown-up).

• Tell your child about things you remember about your “first days.” They might be school days, first days on a job, or even first days after you brought her home from the hospital when she was born. Share what helped you feel less afraid.

• Ask your child if he can think of things that would help him feel less afraid during those first days at school.

Past 2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB postings:

2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK ONE

2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK TWO

2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK THREE

2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK FOUR

2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK FIVE

2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK SIX

2026 PICTURE BOOK CLUB – WEEK SEVEN