You can find alphabet books galore at your local library or bookstore. Every popular cartoon character has one, every cultural icon for the under-five crowd. But hidden behind or between those books are gems worth reading again and again. Alligators All Around by Maurice Sendak is one of those jewels. Sendak works his way through... Continue Reading →
A Boy, A Dog and a Frog
A friend of mine reminded me of this little storybook series after she had read my review about Mercer Mayer, one of my favorite children's authors. Although I put it in the "Read-Aloud" category, these are picture books - literally. None of them have any words - which I love! Preschoolers can 'read' these books... Continue Reading →
Shakespeare’s Secret
When I first saw the cover for Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach (author of Masterpiece), I thought, "Oh, a Chasing Vermeer knock-off. I wonder how good it is?" I discovered it's very good. And in my opinion, much better than Chasing Vermeer. (I haven't reviewed Chasing Vermeer because while I like that the book, and... Continue Reading →
Masterpiece
Marvin is a bug - a very unusual bug. He not only enjoys swimming, but he's also become friends with a human boy. His parents are horrified, concerned about Marvin stepping outside their safe little world in the wall behind the Pompaday's sink. But Marvin, through his artwork, finds an unexpected friend in James -... Continue Reading →
Mercy Watson
Kate DiCamillo, author of Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux, brings her skill and humor to beginning readers in her Mercy Watson books. My first introduction to Mercy Watson was by CD - when my daughter checked out the first two books on CD and we listened to them together in the car. ... Continue Reading →
Faith, Hope and Ivy June
Ivy June Mosely cannot believe it. Her teacher pulled her name from the coffee can, so she is going to be her school's ambassador to a private school all the way in Lexington! She'll go live with a family in Lexington for two weeks, and attend the school with a girl her own age, name... Continue Reading →
Dark Life
In Dark Life, author Kat Falls introduces her readers to Ty, the first child to be born in Benthic Territory. He helps his parents & his sister on their subsea farm, and explores the rest of the continental shelf - and even parts of the open ocean, even though it's dangerous. Ty is more comfortable... Continue Reading →
Mr. Men & Little Miss
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 →
Clyde Robert Bulla
If you or your child is studying early American history, you will want to become familiar with Clyde Robert Bulla's works. Bulla has authored a whole, huge long list of books - including two books I've already reviewed, Donald's Duck and The Sword in the Tree. I really appreciate Bulla's sensitivity to children and their... Continue Reading →
Lincoln: A Photobiography
This may be an odd choice as a rockin' kids book, but my kids enjoyed it. All four of them. (Of course, my kids adore museums too, which makes them a tad geeky - but that's just fine with me!) So what book deserves that qualifier? Lincoln: a Photobiography by Russell Freedman. I think my... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 