As a child, some of my favorite books were Roger Hargreaves' Mr. Men and Little Miss books. He wrote dozens of them, under the titles like Mr. Tickle, Mr. Messy, Little Miss Sunshine, and Little Miss Chatterbox. Each story follows the adventures of it's main character as he or she goes throughout his or her... Continue Reading →
Little Critter
When my kids were little, some of the books we read over and over and over again were Mercer Mayer's Little Critter books. Little Critter is a... well... critter who finds growing up hard at times. He tries his best, but makes mistakes. He learns to love his little sister in The New Baby. He... Continue Reading →
The Happy Hocky Family
If you want a good laugh, I highly recommend reading The Happy Hocky Family! by Lane Smith and it's sequel, The Happy Hocky Family Moves to the Country! I laughed so hard when I read them that my children practically ripped them out of my hands to read them for themselves. Admittedly, I had to... Continue Reading →
The Gardener
The Gardner by Sarah Stewart and illustrated by David Small is a unique picture book. The entire story consists of letters written by Lydia Grace Finch during the Great Depression, accompanied by beautiful pictures which really help tell the story. The first couple of letters are to her Uncle Jim, to whom her family is... Continue Reading →
The Sword in the Tree
Set in the days of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, The Sword in the Tree by Clyde Robert Bulla tells the story of Shan, the son of Lord Weldon. Shan dreams of becoming a great knight like his beloved father, but then his nefarious uncle appears at the castle gate. Lord... Continue Reading →
Word After Word After Word
Do you know an elementary school student interested in writing? Encourage them to pick up Word After Word After Word by Patricia MacLachlan. She's the author of the Sarah, Plain & Tall series, and a number of other books my children and I love. Word After Word After Word is the book that came out... Continue Reading →
I Stink!
Alphabet and counting books fill the shelves of libraries. Some of them are cute and some are beautiful. Then there is I Stink! I Stink! by Kate and Jim McMullan is the perfect alphabet book for boys, and girls who love gross things. I Stink! follows the journey of a garbage truck through the dark... Continue Reading →
Patricia Polacco
I discovered Patricia Polacco when writing a book review on books about the Civil War. Polacco wrote a deeply moving picture book about a friendship between two boys in the Civil War, one from Michigan and one a runaway slave, called Pink and Say. (Pink and Say is not for younger children - I'd wait... Continue Reading →
Madeline and the Cats of Rome
I've already written about how much my girls and I love the Madeline books, but I think the newest Madeline book deserves some attention of its own. You're thinking, "Newest Madeline book? I thought the author, Ludwig Bemelmans, died a long time ago." Yes, he did. Yes, there were only a few Madeline books. But... Continue Reading →
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
I admit it. I love kids books that make me laugh. And Mo Willems writes and illustrates some of the funniest books for the preschool crowd. In Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, the reader 'interacts' with the Pigeon, who uses every one of his wiles to convince you to allow him to drive... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 