Before the Picnic

Anyone trying to get ready for anything with a toddler will appreciate the effort it takes to get them out of the house. This a book we turn to again and again because of the incredible illustrations - soft, bright cute, easy to for the toddler to follow the text.

Akiko Hayashi is a very popular illustrator in Japan -- clear, engaging pictures with plenty of detail. The story is mainly the parents' remarks as they see the scenes shown in the illustrations, so it makes an ideal read-to. My own children have enjoyed this book in Japanese, and my nephews enjoyed the book itself in English, plus the glimpses into everyday life in Japan. I heard from a friend who attended a talk by the author recently that the pictures show the state of her own house on the day that the illustrator visited to talk about the pictures -- the author had been in bed with a cold while her daughter took advantage of the lack of supervision...