OH CALENDAR (Monday Poem)

by J. Patrick Lewis


To see
December press
Its face against the door,
I realize I've grown an inch
Or more

Since we
First hung you up.
You measured time by turns:
Hard winter nights to softball days,
Sunburns,

The chill
At Halloween,
Then, rumors of reindeer
Across the sky.  Good-bye, Happy
Old Year!



from The Family Read-Aloud Holiday Treasury selected by Alice Low, illustrated by Marc Brown, 1991, Little Brown & Company

MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT (Monday Poem)

by Deborah Chandra


My Christmas present stares at me,
A silver bulge beneath the tree,
Tied with bright red bows.

I pick it up--its ribbons slip
And tingle on my fingertips.
"What can you be?" I whisper low.

I shake and poke and peer at it,
Then put it back and sigh a bit.
It will not tell me what it knows.

Stiffly dressed in shiny clothes
Of silver, waiting silently,
My present sits . . . and stares at me.


from Balloons and Other Poems by Deborah Chandra, illustrations by Leslie Bowman, 1990, Farrar Straus Giroux

HUNGRY MORNING (Monday Poem)

by Myra Cohn Livingston


In December I remember
In the rain and frosty snow
     hungry cardinals,
     hungry blue jays,
     hungry sparrows: Here I go.

Here's a piece of toast I've saved you
From my breakfast, warm and good,
     hurry cardinals,
     hurry blue jays,
     hurry sparrows: Here's your food.



from The Sky is Full of Song selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Dirk Zimmer, 1983, Harper & Row

Winter Holiday Wonders (FAMILY magazine reviews)

 

Although Hanukkah arrives early this year, these holiday stories are enduring and endearing.  They are books families want to return to again and again as the seasons revolve, reminding us of time together.  Choose from among these long-lasting books to help make your winter holidays memorable.

Below are several strategies to increase your child’s involvement in stories and books:

·      Talk about the author and the illustrator.  You might ask, can you think of other books we know by this author/this illustrator?

·      As you re-read a favorite story together, leave a gap for your child to fill in missing words.  This works especially well with rhyming books, because your child can often guess the last word.  You and your child might try other rhyming words, even if they don’t make sense because it’s fun to play with language!

·      Ask your child, what do you think the character is feeling?  This can help to foster compassion in your child as they talk about their own feelings and try to imagine how someone else might feel.

·      When your child has new experiences, choose a book to read together that features a related experience.  Not only does this provide you and your child time to talk about the book, it can often help the child to ask questions about their own experience.  Discussing the unfamiliar eases the way toward familiarity and comfort.

The Eighth Menorah 

by Lauren L. Wohl

illustrated by Laura Hughes  

Albert Whitman, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Junior Kindergarten – Grade 1 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

           

A treasure hunt in nature helps Sam and his classmates at Hebrew school find decorations to each create their own Hanukkah menorah.  Sam decides to place the glowing silvery rock he found just below his clay menorah’s curved hill shape.

But Sam’s family already has seven menorahs!  Each one has a special story.  What will he do with the one he just created?

During Sam’s phone conversations with his modern dressed Granny, he discovers that the condominium, where she just moved, doesn’t allow candles for safety reasons -- except in the community room where there is already an electric menorah.  Keeping his menorah a secret gives Sam a chance to solve his problem.

Cheery illustrations match this gentle story.  They accent the relationships at school, in the family and among the neighbors in the condo.  At the end are instructions on how to play the dreidl game.

When Christmas Feels Like Home 

by Gretchen Griffith

illustrated by Carolina Farias 

Albert Whitman, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

           

Luminous illustrations accompany the lyrical text of this immigrant story.  Young Eduardo leaves an unnamed Latin American country village with his family for a town in the US. 

It doesn’t feel like home. Even his familiar futbol (soccer ball) is shaped differently from the ball he and his new friends in the neighborhood use to play football with.

Family members offer support.  “Some things take time,” says Tio Miguel.  It will feel like home when the mountain turns the “color of the sun,” “pumpkins will smile,” trees will become “standing skeletons,” and words will “float like clouds from your mouth.”

Spanish words and phrases enhance this reassuring tale, with repetition in

English or use in illustrations or context.  Comforting autumn colors match the narrative.  Just before Christmas, when it’s time to set out the hand-carved Nativity set Eduardo made with his grandfather, the predictions have come true. 

The 12 Days of Christmas 

by Jane Cabrera  

Holiday House, $16.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

           

This new version of a favorite carol appeals to children of all ages.  Beginning with a “party in a pear tree,” this chipper adaptation includes two drumming dogs, three cute cats, and four magic mice. 

The warmly dressed boy and girl (true loves!) gather with the animals around an outdoor tree, lit by five shining stars.  Sunny acrylic illustrations feature animated animals (except for the “6 bears a-snoozin”!). 

Following are seven squirrels skiing, eight elves a-baking, nine foxes sledding, ten snowmen singing, eleven reindeer dancing, and twelve penguins skating.  Each is doing something familiar.

Santa arrives by sleigh to take the children home. Easy to sing lyrics, with music notation, are at the end.

Hanukkah Bear 

by Eric Kimmel, 

illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka.   

Holiday House, $16.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2  

 (This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

           

It’s the first night of Hanukkah.  Old Bear is wakened from his winter sleep by the delicious smells of Bubba Brayna’s potato latkes.  Although ninety-seven years old, she’s not able to “hear or see as well as she used to.”  Still, Bubba Brayna’s latkes are the village’s best. 

Everything is ready for the rabbi’s visit when she opens the door to Old Bear.  Making him welcome as the rabbi, she lights the menorah.  They play dreidel with nuts, and together they eat latkes. She even wraps a red knitted scarf around Old Bear’s neck. She wishes the “Rabbi” a Happy Hanukkah before he leaves.

Candlelit acrylic illustrations create a cozy kitchen scene.  While a crescent moon and starlit snowy night sky emphasize the outdoor contrast with the warmth inside. 

When the real rabbi shows up, it’s the village children who discover the bear’s tracks. All her friends help in making more latkes to eat together. 

Well-known for his retelling of folktales and legends, award-winning author Kimmel has revised this well-loved holiday story (The Chanukkah Guest).  With new illustrations, it is a slightly shortened version of a timeless tale.  A latke recipe is included at the end.

 

More great holiday choices:

Princess Posey and the Christmas Magic 

by Stephanie Greene

llustrated by Stephanie Roth Sisson.  

Penguin, $4.99 (paperback) $13.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Kindergarten – Grade 2  

 (This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)  86 pages, ten chapters.

Hanukkah in Alaska 

by Barbara Brown

illustrated by Stacey Schuett 

Henry Holt, $$16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Kindergarten – Grade 2   

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

The Smallest Gift of Christmas 

by Peter H. Reynolds

 Candlewick, $14.00 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2   

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

The Christmas Cat 

by Maryann Macdonald

illustrated by Amy June Bates.   

Dial, $16.99 (hardcover)  

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2  

 (This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

MAGIC (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


Sandra's seen a leprechaun,
Eddie touched a troll,
Laurie danced with witches once,
Charlie found some goblin's gold.
Donald heard a mermaid sing,
Susy spied an elf,
But all the magic I have known
I've had to make myself.



from Where the Sidewalk Ends: the poems and drawings of Shel Silverstein, 1974, Harper & Row

HUG O' WAR (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


I will not play at tug o' war.
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.



from Where the Sidewalk Ends: the poems and drawings of Shel Silverstein, 1974, Harper & Row

FROZEN DREAM (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


I'll take the dream I had last night
And put it in my freezer,
So someday long and far away
When I'm an old grey geezer,
I'll take it out and thaw it out,
This lovely dream I've frozen,
And boil it up and sit me down
And dip my old cold toes in.



from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

Fall Stories Are Fun! (FAMILY magazine reviews)

-->

As the calendar moves us closer to thanksgiving, consider these new autumn books to read with your dear ones.  And, don’t be afraid to re-read favorites – you can always leave a gap for a listener to fill in the missing word(s).  Like well-loved songs, treasured tales encourage repetition.  Both new and prized stories can create a sense of wellbeing, gratitude, and comfort: a salute to the season.

-->

Sophie’s Squash 

by Pat Zietlow Miller

illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf

Random House, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

            Sophie surprises her parents with her affection for a squash from the farmer’s market.  So, the family eats pizza for supper instead! Meanwhile, Sophie uses “markers to give her squash a face.” She wraps it in a blanket, and rocks it to sleep.

            In the days that follow, Sophie takes the squash with her everywhere. But, “Bernice” gets spots, and even starts to soften.  At the farmer’s market, Sophie asks for advice.

            Cheerful, busy, watercolor, ink and China ink cartoon-like paintings, lighten this unique and charming love story.  The pictures reveal movement, as Sophie decides she has everything the farmer recommends.

Illustrations show winter snowfall after Sophie makes a “bed of soft soil” in “Bernice’s favorite spot.”  Then, in the spring, there’s a “small green sprout” in the garden that looks “strangely familiar.”

Based on an incident in the author’s family, this picture book brings new meaning to one of autumn’s best-known produce items!  Also much laughter!  Enjoy.

-->

Turkey Tot 

by George Shannon

illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann  

Holiday House, $16.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 1 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

           

Turkey Tot and his friends Chick, Pig and Hen want to eat the fat blackberries growing just out of reach.  But alas, no sweet treat, they think.

Then, Turkey Tot finds some string.  He asks his friends to help him find balloons, so they can float up to eat the blackberries. They think it’s a silly idea.  Hen says, “He’s been different since the day he hatched.”

            Watercolor, pencil and digital collage set up the action with bright colors, and Turkey Tot’s enormous imagination. Repeated lines, plus found objects, and in Turkey Tot’s view, “good luck” and “more luck,” combine with his own brand of inventiveness and determination. 

            Snappy text matches with resourceful illustrations to demonstrate Turkey Tot’s spunk, creativity and itch to share in this delightfully comic story.

 
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Come Back, Moon 

by David Kherdian

illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian   

Simon & Schuster, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

           

Moonlight keeps Bear awake.  So, Bear hides the moon. 

Fox, skunk, opossum, raccoon and crow notice the moon is missing.  They agree to ask wise owl, “Do you know where the moon is?”

Award winner Hogrogian uses watercolor and pencil to show the creatures in action.  Expressive animal faces are turned up toward Owl. “I saw Bear take the moon,” Owl tells them. And they hurry to “get the moon back from Bear.”

The power of a story to satisfy Bear, putting him to sleep, is disarmingly simple.  This perfect bedtime tale comes full circle, as the cheering animals dance under the freed moon, while Bear happily snoozes.

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Additional titles you might want to try:

When the Leaf Blew In 

by Steve Metzger

illustrated by Kellie, Lewis

 Scholastic, $5.99 (paperback) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

Pumpkin Countdown 

by Joan Holub

illustrated by Jan Smith  

Albert Whitman, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? 

 by Wendell Minor

Penguin, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

TRYIN' ON CLOTHES (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


I tried on the farmer's hat,
Didn't fit.
A little too small -- just a bit
Too floppy.
Couldn't get used to it,
Took it off.

I tried on the dancer's shoes,
A little too loose.
Not the kind you could use
For walkin'.
Didn't feel right in 'em,
Kicked 'em off.

I tried on the summer sun,
Felt good.
Nice and warm--knew it would.
Tried the grass beneath bare feet,
Felt neat.
Finally, finally felt well dressed,
Nature's clothes just fit me best.



from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

ARROWS (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein

I shot an arrow toward the sky,
It hit a white cloud floating by.
The cloud fell dying to the shore,
I don't shoot arrows anymore.



from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

DAY AFTER HALLOWEEN (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


Skeletons, spirits and haunts,
Skeletons, spirits and haunts.
It's a halloween sale:
A nickel a pail
For skeletons, spirits and haunts.

Skeletons, spirits and haunts,
More than most anyone wants.
Will you pay for a shock,
'Cause we're quite overstocked
On skeletons, spirits and haunts.



from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

THE PAINTER (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


I'm the man who paints the stripes upon the zebras,
And I also paint the warts upon the toad.
And with this brush and pot
I give leopards lovely spots
And add some color to the chipmunk's coat.

I paint the flamin' red on Robin Redbreast,
I pour the blue on bluegills by the shore.
And when the firefly's dim
I splash silver paint on him,
And he shines more brightly than he did before.

Jack Frost?  He's just a part-time workin' fellah,
Touchin' up the leaves and trees and things.
He's famouser than me,
But I'm happier than he,
'Cause I paint the ones that runs---and flies---and sings!



from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

Halloween Treats! No Tricks! (FAMILY magazine reviews)

--> Although Halloween excites even the youngest children, they can be easily frightened by the darkness of early evening as the seasons shift.  Also, costumes can be scary to youngsters who have not yet developed the ability to know the difference between real and make-believe. Bedtime is for sweet dreams, not nightmares. Choose from titles that tease without terrifying.

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The Spider Weaver: A Legend of Kente Cloth 

by Margaret Musgrove

illustrated by Julia Cairns

 Scholastic, $16.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Grades 1-4 

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Branch, Culmer Overtown, Edison, Lemon City, Miami Lakes, North Shore.)

           

Long ago, a beautiful spider wove a complex and wonderful web.  Two weavers, who discover the web, ruin it by trying to take it with them to study.  Later, they decide to hunt for the spider weaver to watch her work.

            Sunlit paintings feature African people, animals and plants in lush scenes.  The dancing gold and black spider creates her amazing web between jungle green banana leaves. 

Plain clothing in the early pages contrasts to glowing colors in the kente cloth at the end.  Even today, weavers in Ghana craft bright patterned fabric.  They tell the legend of the spider’s web dance to share her generous gift.

An Afterword explains more about the famous African cloth featured in this remarkable picture book. A strong storytelling voice lingers in the reader’s ears long after the book is closed.

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Ghost in the House 

by Ammi-Joan Paquette

illustrated by Adam Record  

Candlewick, $15.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

           

A ghost meets up with a mummy, a monster, a skeleton, a witch and more, in this lively, rhyming picture book.  Repeated lines, “in the creepy haunted house/on this dark spooky night” invite listeners into the rhymes.  Along with counting up to five and back down again, the digital illustrations show friendly-looking, mock-scary creatures. 

 The artist uses gray, black and white, and blue to make a shady beginning.  Adding orange and yellow starts to lift the gloom, with the bouncy text.  A witchy green brightens the dark, as the creatures, used to scaring others, are the ones who are now afraid.

Instead of frightening the boy, he scares them away in a satisfying ending.

-->

Haunted House, Haunted Mouse 

by Judy Cox

illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler

Holiday House, $7.99 (paperback) 

Interest Level:  Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

           

Mouse sees Halloween candy going into sacks carried by kids at the door.  He wants some goodies.  When someone drops a trick-or-treat bag, Mouse scampers in.  He begins nibbling gumdrops and chocolate.

            Soon Mouse gnaws a “peekaboo hole” to watch where they’re going. He doesn’t see as candy leaks out.  When the “ghost” drops the bag again, a sick Mouse staggers out.  Lost, he shelters from the thunderstorm in a creaky, empty house.

            Darks and brights, colors of Halloween night, fill the double pages with costumes, raindrops, puddles, and flashing lights.  Spooky text matches a quivering Mouse with the shadowy house.  His shivering boldness is coupled with golden moonlight as Mouse takes charge!

What happens in the scary house, and how Mouse finds his way home make for a reassuring ending.

Pumpkin Eye 

by Denise Fleming. 

Square Fish, $7.99 (paperback) 

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Branch, Lemon City, Miami Lakes, Naranja. 

Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

Rhymes that seem effortless describe sights, sounds, and smells of Halloween night.  Those who are out for trick-or-treat may discover scary sights. 

Jack-o-lanterns and bright house windows light up the otherwise dark night artwork.   The artist used hand-cut stencils and colored cotton fibers to craft the spooky illustrations. Surprising costumes match the playful text. 

Moon-cast shadows change the ordinary into heart thumping unexpected. Repeated words, “trick or treat – pounding feet” give something familiar to sooth listeners.

Everyday places like our street, fill with “eerie shadows.”  Even the neighborhood cats look surprised in this perfect picture book for the youngest listeners.

More terrifying titles to try!

Trick or Treat: A Happy Haunter’s Halloween 

by Debbie Leppanen

illustrated by Tad Carpenter  

Simon & Schuster, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com) 

(Poetry)

Who’s Who? 

by Ken Geist

illustrated by Henry Cole

 Macmillan, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Kindergarten

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com) 

(Inspired by Over in the Meadow by Olive A. Wadsworth)

Big Brown Bat 

by Rick Chrustowski 

Henry Holt, $16.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main, Allapattah. 

Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)  (Nonfiction)

Ol’ Clip Clop 

by Patricia C. McKissack

illustrated by Eric Velasquez

Holiday House. $16.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Grades 1- 5 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)  

 (A Ghost Story inspired by a spooky tale told by storytellers in the author’s family.)

STRANGE WIND (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


What a strange wind it was today,
Whistlin' and whirlin' and scurlin' away
Like a worried old woman with so much to say.
What a strange wind it was today.

What a strange wind it was today,
Cool and clear from a sky so grey
And my hat stayed on but my head blew away --
What a strange wind it was today.



from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

INVITATION (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein

If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . .
If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!



from Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, 1974, Harper & Row

MY GUITAR (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


Oh, wouldn't it be a most wondrous thing
To have a guitar that could play and could sing
By itself -- what an absolute joy it would be
To have a guitar . . . that didn't need me.



from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

SHAPES (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


A square was sitting quietly
Outside his rectangular shack
When a triangle came down -- kerplunk!--
And struck him in the back.
"I must go to the hospital,"
Cried the wounded square,
So a passing rolling circle
Picked him up and took him there.



from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

Getting Along (FAMILY magazine reviews)

 

Together autumn and school are reminders of the importance of the work we all do, in childhood and as adults, to keep our friendships strong and healthy. Not only reading stories, but also taking time to talk about both the story and the practice of reading offers a chance to strengthen our ties with each other.

·     Plan to read favorite stories again and again – not only your child’s favorite stories, but ones you like too!  We all learn by repetition.  Don’t forget to enjoy repeats!

·      Talk about what happened in the story. Ask about the characters, places, and events that took place. Ask what new information your child has learned from the book. Encourage her/him to read on her/his own.

·      Ask your child if s/he has any ideas about what happens next in the story.  This can happen either in the middle or at the end of the book.  Sometimes a tale ends but many times we wonder what comes after.  Here’s a chance for you and your child to imagine together. Predicting what happens next in the middle of the story gives your child a sense of power and builds interest in reading to the end to see if the prediction is accurate.  It’s like putting puzzle pieces together.

·     Read different kinds of books; try folk tales, poetry, songs, information books, books about animals, space, biographies and cookbooks. Variety opens up possibilities.

·      Read lots of stories with rhyming words and repeated lines. Invite your child to join in on these parts. Point, word by word, as your child reads along with you.

·      Reading is an everyday activity.  When we read together each day, we build strong relationships with each other and strengthen reading skills too.  Reading is fun, and doing it together makes it even better.  Try some of these titles! 

  

Hunter’s Best Friend at School 

by Laura Malone Elliott

illustrated by Lynn Munsinger

HarperCollins, $6.99 (paperback) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Branch. 

Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

             

When Hunter’s best friend Stripe starts making mischief at school, Hunter joins in.  Following Stripe’s lead, Hunter even destroys his own careful art project.  This makes him feel awful. He realizes he doesn’t always want to do everything Stripe does.  With help from his mom, Hunter recognizes that “sometimes being a best friend means you have to help your friend be his best self.” 

            Once again artist Munsinger creates lovable animals (this time raccoons) wearing clothes, in this story about peer pressure. Her sunny watercolors add drama in both face and body movement in this humorous story. 

            Familiar places at home and school help young children to understand how Hunter works to change his own behavior.  And how Stripe changes too.

Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon 

by Patty Lovell

illustrated by David Catrow 

G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Branch, Miami Lakes, North Shore. 

Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

            This gleeful picture book takes a comical path to handling a bully.  It shows tiny, buck-tooth, frog-voice, clumsy Molly Lou Melon acting on her grandma’s advice to “believe in yourself.”  But Molly Lou Melon must move away from all that is familiar.  At her new school she meets up with Ronald Durkin. His bullying “talents” are well developed.

            Bright yellow, green and blue watercolors with lively details keep the movement in the story swinging.  Peppy text and occasional repetition convinces young listeners to join in.

            This cheerful tale may not be true to life.  It can, however, offer youngsters one way to talk about and steer through sometimes-difficult school relationships.

Each Kindness 

by Jacqueline Woodson

illustrated by E. B. Lewis

Penguin, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Little River. 

Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

            Maya is new to the class, and the other girls make fun of her second-hand clothes.  Every time she offers them a chance to play, Chloe and her friends refuse. They even turn their faces away.  Mrs. Albert, the teacher, brings a bowl with a stone to show the ripple effect of one small kindness, as it goes out into the world.              

Watercolor paintings are shaded with quiet wintery colors to match the shadows this story creates in the mind and heart of the reader.  Framed by the bully who is the speaker, this powerful tale allows the listener to feel both points of view.  Losing a chance to make a friend is painful.

 

Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School 

by David Mackintosh  

Abrams, $16.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

            Everything about Marshall Armstrong blares DIFFERENT.  This includes freckles that “look like birdseed,” “space food . . . in silver wrappers,” wearing a hat outside “because of the ozone,” and staying “in the shade.”  These comments come from the student who sits beside Marshall, and dreads going to Marshall Armstrong’s birthday party.

            Bold colors and lots of white space make the several sizes and shapes of text stand out.  Cartoon-like pictures have child-like qualities and show the details of an unusual party.  The sense of being out-of-step with “normal” is a highlight.  It can offer any who march to a different drummer a chance to speak up.

More terrific titles to try:

Llama Llama and the Bully Goat
by Anna Dewdney
 Viking, $17.99 (hardcover)
Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Kindergarten
(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

 

Back to Front and Upside Down
by Claire Alexander 
Eerdmans, $16.00 (hardcover)
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2
(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Little River, Miami Lakes, Miami Springs.
Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

 

Bugs in My Hair
by Catherine Stier
illustrated by Tammie Lyon  
Albert Whitman, $6.99 (paperback)
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

Ready and Waiting for You
by Judi Moreillon
illustrated by Catherine Stock  
Eerdmans, $17.00 (hardcover)
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2
(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

OVERDUES (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


What do I do?
What do I do?
This library book is 42
Years overdue.
I admit that it's mine
But I can't pay the fine--
Should I turn it in
Or hide it again?
What do I do?
What do I do?



from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

MUSICAL CAREER (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


She wanted to play the piano,
But her hands couldn't reach the keys.
When her hands could finally reach the keys,
Her feet couldn't reach the floor.
When her hands could finally reach the keys,
And her feet could reach the floor,
She didn't want to play that ol' piano anymore.


from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

HOMEWORK MACHINE (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


The Homework Machine, oh the Homework Machine,
Most perfect contraption that's ever been seen.
Just put in your homework, then drop in a dime,
Snap on a switch, and in ten seconds' time,
Your homework comes out, quick and clean as can be.
Here it is-- "nine plus four?" and the answer is "three."
Three?
Oh me . . .
I guess it's not as perfect
As I thought it would be.


from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, 1981, Harper & Row

OAK AFTER DARK (Monday Poem)

by Joyce Sidman


As nighttime rustles at my knee,
I stand in silent gravity

and quietly continue chores
of feeding leaves and sealing pores.

While beetles whisper in my bark,
while warblers roost in branches dark,

I stretch my roots into the hill
and slowly, slowly, drink my fill.

A thousand crickets scream my name,
yet I remain the same, the same.

I do not rest, I do not sleep,
and all my promises I keep:

to stand while all the seasons fly,
to anchor earth,
                    to touch the sky.




from Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Rick Allen, 2010, Houghton Mifflin

Summer's End: School and Friends (FAMILY magazine reviews)

As families think about school supplies and schedules, children think about last chances without homework to play late, and sleep in.  Everyone thinks about spending time with family and friends at the beach or grilling outdoors.  Here are a few ideas for books to read and things to do together as summer draws to a close.

Balancing Act by Ellen Stoll Walsh 

Simon & Schuster, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Kindergarten   

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Naranja, West Dade Regional. 

Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

            In less than a hundred easy-to-read words the author-illustrator shares an almost simple story about friendship and more.  Walsh uses her trademark bright cut-paper colors and designs on white paper to make the illustrations snap.

Mice friends build an easy teeter-totter with a stick on a stone. A friendly salamander wants to play too.

Readers see math and science at work when the balance changes. With the addition of another friend -- balance again.

             The action repeats with a pair of frogs.  Then, a large bird joins the group. Animals explode across the page! 

The smaller animals discover they can balance the bird. But it doesn’t last.  All find something else to do – except the original mice who find a new way to balance!

The House on Dirty-Third Street by Jo S. Kittinger

illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez 

Peachtree, $16.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

            A mother and daughter buy an old run-down house in a crumbling neighborhood – gloomily the girl calls it “Dirty-third Street.”  Despite their efforts, the work still needed to make a cozy home, as the mother dreamily describes, is crushing. They feel discouraged

            Since they miss their former neighbors and church friends, they decide to go to church a few blocks away. When the Sunday school teacher asks if anyone has a prayer request, the girl asks, “Please pray that (we) can see the house with eyes of faith.” 

            Beginning with pastels and colored pencils in grays and browns, artist Gonzalez skillfully airbrushes in color tints.  The darkness of despair changes to blushes of brighter hope.  Text flashes with energy.  Illustrations gleam with promise.  Words and pictures link as broken-down moves toward perfect.

         

Dream Friends by You Byun 

Penguin, $16.99 (hardcover)

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

            Melody wishes the friend she plays with in her dreams at night would play with her in her daily real world.  She’s new in the neighborhood and when she feels lonely on the playground she starts to do what she and her dream friend had fun doing the night before.  Someone wants to join, and Melody teaches her the dance.  Soon everyone on the playground is dancing.  “There was no magic like in her dreams, but it was . . . magical.” 

            This delightful picture book, from first time author/artist Byun, features a comforting mix of fantasy and realism. The paint and ink artwork in warm colors is manipulated digitally giving the entire book a dream-like quality. 

I Repeat, Don’t Cheat! by Margery Cuyler

illustrated by Arthur Howard 

Simon & Schuster, $15.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Grades 1-3 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

            Like Jessica, in this thoughtful school story, many kids worry; about falling off a bike, and sometimes about friendships and grades. When her best friend, Lizzie, copies words during the spelling test, Jessica doesn’t know what to do.  Lizzie keeps taking advantage of Jessica – being dishonest in a game of tag, asking Jessica to write a poem that Lizzie reads as her own.  But when Lizzie blames Jessica during math time, Jessica speaks up.

            Howard’s cheerful cartoon-like watercolors with pen and ink illustrations match the upbeat text.  Bodies and faces join the language of the story to express the variety of feelings that test the friendship.  Mr. Martin, the teacher, is there to help, but in the end, the girls themselves work to solve their issue.

   

Tips for Booking

·       Make a list of some of your favorite books growing up and check them out of the library to read with your child (or have her/him read to you)!  Wonder out loud what books are her/his favorites?

·       Choose books to read -- for example Jumanji (by Chris Van Allsburg) -- and then watch the movie together.  Talk about how the book and movie are different.

·       Plan a book-related party – like foods from The Very Hungry Caterpillar (by Eric Carle). Or, after reading a chapter book, for example, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (by Roald Dahl), combine watching the movie and an ice cream sundae party with friends. Yum!

·       Read biographies of someone famous your child is already interested in – someone who is a great role model (singer, athlete, leader, etc.). 
Together you could write them a letter – you don’t have to send it -- and if they are no longer living – pretend!

·       Help your child keep a journal or a diary in a notebook, or online.  (Maybe include photos?)  Talk together about what happened during the day or week. Your child (or you) can write what they want to remember (or simply write captions for the photos). Not only is this a special keepsake of memories, but it also provides children with a sense of the importance of writing.

Visit your library and try any of these terrific titles.  And don’t forget the party!!

Here are a few more great choices:

All Kinds of Friends by Norma Simon

illustrated by Cherie Zamazing 

Albert Whitman, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo

illustrated by David Small

Dial, $17.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Branch, Miami Lakes, North Dade Regional.   

Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

Roasted Peanuts by Tim Egan

Houghton Mifflin, $16 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Branch, Miami Lakes, North Dade Regional.   

Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

Saving Strawberry Farm by Deborah Hopkinson

illustrated by Rachel Isadora

Greenwillow, $17.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)