Life is busy, what might it take to slow it down and enjoy a day with family? A small child makes just such a wish in Before Morning, by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Beth Krommes. Loved the explanation of wishes and invocations at the end. (Given the weather in some parts of the country recently, I can see where this story might not be appreciated by some)!

Based on a true event, and tango makes three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, and illustrated by Henry Cole, is the story of two male penguins who bonded in the zoo in Central Park. They built a nest and sat on a rock they'd placed in the center. One of the zoo keepers took an egg from a nest with two and swapped it for that rock. Silo and Roy carefully tended to the egg until it hatched, and then proved to be wonderful parents to the little female named Tango. Don't miss the Afterword, there's a wonderful story there, too.

Reading Hermit With Dog