Cubs In The Tub and Huggle Wuggle, Bedtime Snuggle

CUBS IN THE TUB by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Julie Downing is a story of Helen Martini, who had an abundance of love to give, but an empty nest. One day her husband brought home a lion cub who had been rejected by his mother. Helen bathed him, feed him, snuggled him and tucked him in. The cub flourished, and then one day, he was sent away to a different zoo in another city.

Helen needed to nurture and give love, but there was no little creature, baby or cub, to receive her affections. One day her husband brought home three baby cubs. The cubs had different personalities and played and teased each other, just like brothers and sisters do. She loved and cared for them, until one day, again, it was time to return the cubs to the zoo. But this time it was different. She would not let her babies go to the zoo alone. CUBS IN THE TUB is the true story of the first woman zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo.

Children will love this story about a mother’s never-ending love. They will enjoy reading about the cubs’ antics with each other and the emotional expressions on the cubs’ faces. The art is soft with warm colors and beautiful details fill the pages.

HUGGLE WUGGLE, BEDTIME SNUGGLE BY Della Ross Ferreri, illustrated by Mette Engell is a bedtime board book. The book describes the usual nighttime routine starting with a cuddle, a book reading, bathing and teeth brushing, but the routine takes a dramatic turn when Dad and child have a game of hide and seek leading to animals bouncing on the bed, animals dancing and Dad going Ka-Boom! The text is a fun, read-a-loud written in rhyme.

Toddlers will enjoy this story and the interactions between Dad and child. HUGGLE WUGGLE, BEDTIME SNUGGLE is sure to be a bedtime favorite. The color palette is bold with joyful, expressive faces on the characters, including the stuffed animals!