Monday's Pick

In honor of the upcoming Read Across America day and  Dr. Seuss' birthday (March 2nd), I will dedicate this week to all things Dr. Seuss!

We will be promoting both of these celebrations at Family Story Night on Thursday, Feb. 25th at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria.  The library will be open from 5-6 that night as well, so come on in and check out some great books with your kids!

We couldn't have a Dr. Seuss book list without the ultimate classic,

The Cat in the Hat

by Dr. Seuss

Accelerated Reader® Level: 2.1 / 0.5 pts.

This is a timeless classic and a great read for anyone, day or night!

Wednesday's Pick

My pick for Wednesday, February 10th is...

Ladybug Girl
by Jacky Davis

Accelerated Reader® Level: 2.9 / 0.5 pts.

After her brother tells her she is too little to play with him, Lulu, dressed as Ladybug Girl, makes her own fun.

My pick for Monday, February 8th is...

Duck Soup

by Jackie Urbanovic

Accelerated Reader® Level: 2.0 / 0.5 pts.

Maxwell Duck is trying to invent a soup that everyone will remember him for; but when he goes out to look for the missing ingredient and his friends show up, they think he has fallen into the soup.

Tuesday's Pick

My pick for Tuesday, February 2nd is...

Dimity Dumpty- The Story of Humpty's Little Sister

by Bob Graham
Accelerated Reader® Level: 4.3 / 0.5 pts.

From School Library Journal:

Everyone knows the story of Humpty Dumpty. Not so many know the story of his little sister, Dimity. So begins the tale of his quiet, diminutive, and painfully shy sibling who prefers the background to the limelight of her circus family's acrobatics. The perfect foil to her reckless brother's antics, Dimity finds solace and meaning in her flute music. But when Humpty takes his proverbial fall while spray painting graffiti, it is Dimity who comes to his rescue. She runs to the big top and, finding her voice, mobilizes everyone to save her brother. After the rescue, she remains her timid self, but those around her come to appreciate her quiet center. The full-color watercolor illustrations are a delight–from the egg carton mobile home pulled by a hen to the emotional expressions Graham can pull out of an eggshell. The language is lyrical (the spotlight pushed like a bright finger across the tent, gentle as a beetle's breath, high notes fly like swifts on a summer's morning) and makes a perfect read-aloud. This story of a quiet child who shuns attention and remains true to herself will resonate with children and their parents, who know that everyone has special gifts and talents.–Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI

Wednesday's Pick

My pick for Wednesday, January 27th is...

The Three Pigs

by David Wiesner

From Amazon.com review:

"Once upon a time three pigs built three houses, out of straw, sticks, and bricks. Along came a wolf, who huffed and puffed... So, you think you know the rest? Think again. With David Wiesner at the helm, it's never safe to assume too much. When the wolf approaches the first house, for example, and blows it in, he somehow manages to blow the pig right out of the story frame. The text continues on schedule--"...and ate the pig up"--but the perplexed expression on the wolf's face as he looks in vain for his ham dinner is priceless. One by one, the pigs exit the fairy tale's border and set off on an adventure of their own. Folding a page of their own story into a paper airplane, the pigs fly off to visit other storybooks, rescuing about-to-be-slain dragons and luring the cat and the fiddle out of their nursery rhyme."

Monday's Pick

My pick for Monday, January 25th is...

Old Bear

by Kevin Henkes
Accelerated Reader® Level: 2.1 / 0.5 pts.

From School Library Journal:

Henkes cleverly begins his story on the front jacket. Against a backdrop of red leaves and drifting snowflakes, a large and endearing molasses-colored bear, defined by sturdy dark brown lines, strides across the page. His journey continues through the opening spreads: it is obvious that this creature knows exactly where he is heading. By the time the story actually begins, Old Bear has found his den and lies sound asleep, oblivious to the swirl of winter around him. Dreams comfort him: once more a cub and surrounded by the colors of spring, he naps in a giant pink crocus. His dreams turn to summer where a daisy sun shines in the sky, leaves appear as butterflies, and clouds rain tasty blueberries. Old Bear dreams on through the seasons. Then, one day he awakens, stretches, and heads out into the real world where he is met with flowering trees, butterflies and tulips, and a glistening lake. Now, Old Bear is part of the wonder. As he did in Kitten's First Full Moon, Henkes has created a thoroughly delightful character filled with curiosity and sweetness and placed him in a simple tale that unfolds with a natural, rhythmical pace. And to fill out his cyclical story, the artist provides autumnal front endpapers and contrasting vernal back endpapers. Opportunities to introduce the seasons, colors, and animal hibernation abound. Old Bear will enrapture young listeners for years to come.

Weekend Pick

My pick for this weekend is...

Dragon Pizzeria

by Mary Morgan
Accelerated Reader® Level: 2.4 / 0.5 pts.

As described on Amazon.com:

"WELCOME TO DRAGON Pizzeria! BeBop and Spike are two friendly dragons who not only make delicious pizzas, but offer speedy dragon delivery anywhere in Fairy Tale Land! One giant pizza to Beanstalk Castle? BeBop cooks it up, and Spike delivers it in his hot-air balloon! Five pizzas with gumdrops to the Witch’s Gingerbread House? Coming right up!

With bright and friendly art, a sing-song text filled with fairy tale clues, and speech balloons conducive to funny-voiced read-alouds, this is a perfect summer offering for the preschool crowd. A map on the final spread provides a “key” to all the fairy tales mentioned in this inviting pizza picture book."

Thursday's Pick...

My pick for Thursday, January 21st is...

The Cow That Laid An Egg

by Andy Cutbill
Accelerated Reader® Level: 2.0 / 0.5 pts.

From Booklist:

"Marjorie the cow feels just plain ordinary. She wishes she could ride bicycles and do handstands like the other cows, so the cunning chickens hatch a plan to help her out. The next morning, there’s an almighty commotion in the barnyard; Marjorie has laid an egg. The other cows are convinced it’s a trick—until Marjorie’s egg cracks open and the newly hatched chick bellows “Moo.” This is a great comic take on the Ugly Duckling tale, with double-page spreads in ink, watercolor, and pencil showing comical farm creatures and humans, who are every bit as ridiculous as the animals."

Friday's Pick...

My pick for Friday, January 15th is...

Beware the Frog

by William Bee
Accelerated Reader® Level: 2.9 / 0.5 pts.

As reviewed by the School Library Journal:

"This is a quirky story in which an old woman who lives alone at the edge of a dark, scary wood is protected by her pet frog. The creature easily handles any danger by swallowing each potential evildoer whole. The first villain to meet his fate is Greedy Goblin, followed by Smelly Troll, and finally Giant Hungry Ogre. As each bad guy nears Mrs. Collywobbles's house, he recites a rhyme themed around his distinct characteristics. "Nickerty-noo, nickerty-noo,/if I get a chance,/I'll steal from you," sings Greedy Goblin. The tale ends with a wicked twist."

Wednesday's Pick...

My pick for Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 is...

The Black Book of Colors

by Menena Cottin

Review from the School Library Journal:

"With entirely black pages and a bold white text, this is not your typical color book. Meant to be experienced with the fingers instead of the eyes, this extraordinary book allows sighted readers to experience colors the way blind people do: through the other senses. The text, in both print and Braille, presents colors through touch (yellow is "as soft as a baby chick's feathers"), taste (red "as sweet as watermelon"), smell ("green smells like grass that's just been cut"), and sound (brown "crunches…like fall leaves"). Faría's distinctive illustrations present black shapes embossed on a black background for readers to feel instead of see. One page even describes a rainbow. A guide to the Braille alphabet appears at the end of the book. Fascinating, beautifully designed, and possessing broad child appeal, this book belongs on the shelves of every school or public library committed to promoting disability awareness and accessibility."

My Favorite Halloween Book!

This is one of my FAVORITE Halloween stories to read with kids. It is so fun to do all the characters' voices! We read it at the last Family Story Night and I have been reading it with my kids for the last two years.

1st Week of School Pick...

For the 1st Week of School, my pick is...

Otto Goes to School

by Todd Parr

I chose this classic children's book by the incredible author, Todd Parr, because it's a great way to introduce children to all of the wonderful things that they will learn this year. In the story, Otto is so excited to go to school on his first day that he puts his clothes on backwards and wears two different colored socks! At first he is nervous, but once he sees his friends he is excited and begins to learn all sorts of useful things. I like to read the story with my students and then relate it to their own lives by talking with them about all of the great things that they think they will learn in school this year.