Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
It's difficult to find an alphabet book that stands out from the shelves crowded with such books. Each time I find one, I'm thrilled. I remember the tedium of reading the same book over and over to a toddler, so to find a book we both enjoyed reading over and over was quite the treasure.... Continue Reading →
Apple by Nikki McClure will delight very young readers. Each page includes one word detailing the journey an apple takes. Each word is illustrated with McClure's beautiful paper cuts in black and red. Recommended for infants through age 5.
Stan & Jan Berenstain, creators of the beloved Berenstain Bears, didn't realize what a hit those bears would be when they wrote and illustrated their first book together. So Stan wrote Nothing Ever Happens at the South Pole as a follow up to that first Berenstain Bears book. But because they were so popular, Stan... Continue Reading →
Author Patricia Maclachlan wrote Your Moon, My Moon for her granddaughter, who lives in Africa. For grandparents who miss their grandchildren, Maclachlan distills the longings, the dreams and the heartache into simple sentiments children can understand. The grandmother wonders if her grandchild remembers her, remembers what they did together, if the grandchild thinks of her... Continue Reading →
The Apple Pie That Papa Baked by Lauren Thompson will appeal to young children who enjoy repetition. Reminiscent of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, The Apple Pie That Papa Baked repeats the actions of Papa, the apples, the tree and even the world as the girl considers everything that went into... Continue Reading →
Children who love watching squirrels will enjoy reading Nuts to You! by Lois Ehlert. Illustrated with her signature paper art creations, this story follows the antics of the squirrel outside her window. The squirrel begs for treats, messes up the window box, and even sneaks into her house! How will she get the squirrel out... Continue Reading →
Author and illustrator Marty Kelley brings children and parents alike Fall Is Not Easy, a delightful picture book about a tree. The tree enjoys every season, except fall. Winter is easy because the branches are bare. Spring is easy because the leaves grow. Summer is easy because the tree just enjoys the sun. But fall!... Continue Reading →
Boys who love horses and cowboys will enjoy reading Cowboy Ned & Andy, a picture book by David Ezra Stein. Cowboy Ned is celebrating his birthday out on the range, so his horse, Andy, tries to find a cake for him. As he wanders the range, Andy encounters plenty of creatures, none of whom are... Continue Reading →
When I first came across the My First Little House Books series, I was disgusted. Is there no end to repackaging, marketing and otherwise destroying my favorite books? But curiosity overcame my disgust and I picked up a variety of them and brought them home to read and evaluate. I was pleasantly surprised at... Continue Reading →
Author Keith Baker follows his lovely LMNO peas alphabet book with the equally enthralling 1-2-3 peas. Like most counting books, 1-2-3 peas embarks on counting up to ten. Each page features large, textured numbers which contrast nicely with the tiny peas as they do what the narrator tells them to do, like "look" and "row".... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 