Ernst. This is the Van that Dad Cleaned

This is the Van that Dad Cleaned is a children's book by Lisa Ernst, with art by the author (presumably; the artist is uncredited), published in 2005. It is available at the Internet Archive.

Here is a YouTube read-along:

The story starts with a clean van, and then a girl and a boy, with a toy; there's also a baby all forlorn (an echo of the classic Jack), and then ketchup that is airborne (repeated rhyme, also like in the classic Jack), with more rhymes in -orn (just like the classic Jack)... the result is a mess, but this time it is the kids who clean up the van!

This is a fun book, and the way it plays with the format features of the classic Jack is very charming!

Downey. This is the Earth that God Made

This is the Earth that God Made is a children's book by Lynn Downey, with art by Benrei Huang, published in 2000. It is available at the Internet Archive.

The story starts with dirt, then mountains (told in cumulative style). Then fountains that flow from the mountains (rhyming starts!), the sea, and a willow tree, with honeybees, and the -ee rhymes repeat, just like in the traditional Jack. It very nicely ends with a prayer for everything in the world:

After the prayer, there are some pages for "Family Fun in the Earth that God Made," plus a page with facts about the natural world.

The only reason I gave this one just *** stars is because it felt like there could be so much more done with the rhyme, more of the world that could be included in the chain, and so in the prayer of thanks at the end.

Schaefer. This Is the Sunflower

This Is the Sunflower is a children's book by Lola Schaefer, with art by Donald Crews, published in 2000. It is available at the Internet Archive.

Here is a YouTube read-along:

The story is told with long rhyming lines from the start:

And look at all the birds who come to eat the seeds! There's even a chart on the last page of the book that identifies all the birds.

But some seeds fall to the ground and are warmed by the sun:

Which leads to more sunflowers: it's a circular tale... that multiplies!

I really like this book: there is not a story exactly, but there is a chain that comes round in a circle, and the artwork is lovely. Plus all those birds!