New World (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


Upside-down trees swingin' free,
Busses float and buildings dangle,
Now and then it's nice to see
The world from a different angle.


from Falling Up by Shel Silverstein, 1996, Scholastic

Christmas is On the Way! (FAMILY magazine reviews)

As the holidays approach, we note the longer nights and shorter days.  The season of the celebration of light can be a time to remember and reflect on family customs.  It can also be an opportunity to create new traditions.  Reading holiday books together can become more than a routine.  Especially is this true when these kinds of rituals are combined with terrific stories and wonderful memories. Take time during this busy season to enjoy each others company reading out loud together.

Night Tree by Eve Bunting 

Illustrated by Ted Rand  

Harcourt Brace & Company, $7.00 (paperback) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book may be purchased from local and online booksellers.)

            A young boy and his family decorate their favorite tree in the quiet moonlit forest.  They have prepared popcorn strings, sunflower seed balls, apples, and tangerines to hang from the branches.  They scatter nuts and breadcrumbs underneath. 

            Lovely watercolor paintings are accented with chalk and grease pencil.  This emphasis on the shadowy night contrasts with the lantern’s light, and a dusky sky filled with star shine.   A deer is caught in the flashlight’s beam. An owl’s voice and face deepen the sense of secrets in the forest darkness.

Together, the family sings songs and drinks hot chocolate. As this picture book unfolds, an annual tradition emerges as an important way to share.  It’s become an occasion to give each other a gift.  But it’s also an event created for the forest creatures.  Perhaps after reading this enchanting story, your family will decide to adopt this or another similar yearly tradition.

 

Manger selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins 

Illustrations by Helen Cann  

Eerdmans, $16.00 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book may be purchased from local and online booksellers.)

An ancient legend describes how, at midnight on Christmas Eve, animals are able to speak.  In this cheerful collection, featuring 15 talented poets, readers hear from rooster, sheep, horse, cat, mouse, dog, cow, wren, owl, fish, spider, llama and goat. 

Hopkins sets the scene in his introductory poem.  The concluding rhyme is a verse from the traditional carol, “The Friendly Beasts,” describing the donkey. Poems from Joan Bransfield Graham, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, X.J.Kennedy, Jude Mandell, Marilyn Nelson, Jane Yolen, Ann Whitford Paul, Prince Redcloud, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Michele Krueger, Alma Flor Ada and Alice Schertle are included.

Watercolor and collage beautifully illustrate each poem in glowing colors. 

The moonlit starry pages flash with movement and luster.  Expressive animal faces populate the pages and endpapers. A blazing comet appears on several pages, highlighting the not-so-silent night. 

This is the Stable by Cynthia Cotton 

Illustrated by Delana Bettoli 

Henry Holt, $6.99 (paperback) 

Interest Level:  Pre-Kindergarten – Grade1 

(This book may be purchased from local and online booksellers.)

This beautiful picture book, combined with gradually building text, tells the Nativity story.  Added to the familiar rhythm of “This is the house that Jack built” is a refrain, “the quiet stable, dusty and brown.” Pairing these two produces a gentle, musical rhyme pattern.

Mixed media paintings of animals, angels, shepherds, wise men, the newborn baby, parents, and the star also feature bright patterned borders.  Bettoli’s earth tones establish a sense of the desert.  Primary colors give life to expressive animal faces.  And skillful use of pastels reveals ethnic variety in the people.

This version of the visitors to the stable can also be sung to the melody of “The Friendly Beasts,” a traditional carol.  Simply told and well paced, this tale is a favorite of both children and the adults who enjoy it with them.

MORE HOLIDAY BOOKS

‘Twas Nochebuena: A Christmas Story in English and Spanish 

By Roseanne Greenfield Thong 

Illustrated by Sara Palacios  

Viking, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book may be purchased from local and online booksellers.)

Christmas Wish for Corduroy based on the characters created by Don Freeman

Story by B. G. Hennessy 

Pictures by Jody Wheeler 

Viking, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book may be purchased from local and online booksellers.)

The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Anselm Grun 

Illustrated by Giuliano Ferri 

 Eerdmans, $16.00 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

(This book may be purchased from local and online booksellers.)

And Then Comes Christmas by Tom Brenner

Illustrations by Jana Christy 

Candlewick Press, $15.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book may be purchased from local and online booksellers.)

Christmas Dog (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


Tonight's my first night as a watchdog,
And here it is Christmas Eve.
The children are sleepin' all cozy upstairs,
While I'm guardin' the stockin's and tree.

What's that now--footsteps on the rooftop?
Could it be a cat or a mouse?
Who's this down the chimney?
A thief with a beard--
And a big sack for robbin' the house?

I'm barkin', I'm growlin', I'm bitin' his butt.
He howls and jumps back in his sleigh.
I scare his strange horses, they leap in the air.
I've frightened the whole bunch away.

Now the house is all peaceful and quiet again,
The stockin's are safe as can be.
Won't the kiddies be glad when they wake up tomorrow
And see how I've guarded the tree.



from Falling Up by Shel Silverstein, 1996, Scholastic

Chewy (Monday Poem)

by Peggy Archer


Chewing on the table leg.
     Chewing on the chair.
Chewing on my running shoe.
     Chewing on the stair.
Chewing on my baseball bat.
     Chewing on the phone.
Chewing, chewing everything--
      except her rawhide bone!


from Name That Dog! by Peggy Archer, 2010, Dial

Catching (Monday Poem)

by Shel Silverstein


I tried to catch a cold
As he went running past
On a damp and hilly
Afternoon in autumn.
I tried to catch a cold,
But he skittered by so fast
That I missed him--
But I'm glad to hear you caught him.



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

Canyon (Monday Poem)

by Nikki Grimes


Say "canyon,"
and I am at
horizon's rim,
leaning over
a deep bowl of echoes.
I gape at the grand cavern
and call
"GABRIELLA!"
then wait
for the soft,
round sound of
ELLA!
                      E L L A!
                                          e l l a!
as it returns. 



from Words With Wings by Nikki Grimes, 2013, Wordsong    

Stilts (Monday Poem)

by Nikki Grimes


Say "stilts,"
and I am
GABBY
THE
GREAT,
a mystifying
master
juggler,
rising
high above
the circus
crowd,
marching
alongside
the elegant
elephants,
and anxious
as anyone
to watch
the trapeze
artists
sail
on air.



from Words With Wings by Nikki Grimes, 2013, Wordsong  

We Are Thankful, Especially for Grandparents! (FAMILY magazine reviews)

Gramma and Grampa are among your child’s best choices for reading books aloud together.  They are second only to you, the parent!  Both parents and grandparents read with and to children for multiple reasons -- to entertain, to explain, and to charge up their curiosity -- to mention a few.  Reading out loud does all of these especially well. 

Reading aloud also builds vocabulary, creates background knowledge, and plants the interest in your child to read on her/his own.   Reading together offers your child a role model.  And, perhaps most important, your child is supplied with lots of opportunities to associate reading with pleasure. 

We know that we choose to do what brings us pleasure, again and again.  The same is true for our children. Especially during this month, we recognize much for which we are thankful.  Let’s also give our children many occasions to recall reading together with pleasure.  Enjoy!

The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing 

Candlewick Press, $15.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

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

            Remember those Thanksgiving gatherings with the WHOLE family?!?  Sometimes it’s a day of boredom. Occasionally however, like in this hilarious tale, an idea can provide an escape.

            Gavin’s family arrives at Grandma’s and he sees from the start, the day will NOT be fun. But cousin Rhonda suggests a plan. “The way I see it,” she says, “is that sometimes you have to make your own fun.”

On the way to the swing set in the backyard, “vicious guard dogs” block the two cousins. (Although, readers actually see pups sleeping beside the front door.)  Then the two encounter the “Hall of Aunts,” and the “Great Wall of Butts” watching TV.  Dodging all the traps enroute, they successfully arrive at the back door.  And . . . . it’s raining!

            Relatives of all shapes and sizes are dressed for a cold day in colorful coats, hats, gloves, and scarves.  The pencil illustrations have been digitally completed, with expressive faces and designs to evoke texture.  Large sizing emphasizes the teeth and googly eyes, provoking chuckles.  The final page, wordless, shows the pair “making their own fun,” grinning on the swings, in the rain!

 

Gracias Thanks by Pat Mora 

Illustrated by John Parra 

Translation by Adriana Dominguez 

Lee & Low Books, Inc., $17.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Library, Miami Lakes, Allapattah, Culmer Overtown, Lemon City, Opa Locka.  Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

            Award winner Mora has once again crafted a bilingual picture book to connect young children with the natural world.  The lyrical litany of thanks begins with early morning sunrise.  Next, the young boy notices a ladybug on his finger. “Foamy waves” chase him and his sister.

As the day continues, Abuelita (Grandmother) gives him a dollar.  Then, he catches a big fish. Later, his family enjoys the music of a guitar-playing uncle. A celebration with melted chocolate syrup on vanilla ice cream follows.  As the day ends, a cricket sings, until sleep comes.

Companion pictures in bright acrylics on board supply color, texture, and movement.  Multiple cultures are represented as the range of thankfulness crosses the day.

           An author’s note at the end invites readers to “keep the circle of giving thanks, growing.”

Max and the Tag-Along Moon by Floyd Cooper 

Philomel, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Junior-Kindergarten – Grade 1 

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

            When Max and Granpa say good-bye to each other, the giant moon is in the sky.  Granpa tells Max, “That moon will always shine for you . . . “ And Max waves to Granpa as the car drives him away from Granpa’s place.

            The full moon plays peekaboo, first around the “swervy” curves. Later, Max sees it over the bridge and between the trees.  The moon even shows up on the other side of a tunnel.  But clouds tumble “across the night sky.”  And Max wonders, “Where is the moon?” 

            Award-winning author-illustrator Cooper matches his trademark illustrative style with his own comforting family story.  Featuring Max’s loving relationship with Granpa, Cooper focuses his sepia toned paintings on the expressive faces of the two main characters.  And the moon’s brilliant large face appears on nearly all the pages, until it's covered by clouds. When finally it emerges once again, the story ends where it began: with Granpa’s reassuring comment, “That ol’ moon will always shine for you . . . .”

More titles for FUN!!

Have Fun Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell 

Illustrated by David Catrow  

Putnam, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Civic Center, Palmetto Bay, West Dade Regional.  Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

Joone by Emily Kate Moon 

Dial $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 1 

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

The Thankful Book by Todd Parr  

Little, Brown and Company, $11.00 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2  

 (This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Library, Miami Lakes, Allapattah, Culmer Overtown, Edison, Lemon City, Miami Springs, Opa Locka.  Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

Amy’s Three Best Things by Philippa Pearce 

Illustrated by Helen Craig 

Candlewick Press, $15.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior-Kindergarten – Grade 1 

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

When Charley Met Grampa by Amy Hest 

Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury  

Candlewick Press, $15.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2 

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

Comet (Monday Poem)

by Nikki Grimes


Say "comet,"
and I am weightless,
playing ping-pong
with small planets,
dodging asteroids,
and skipping through space
in slow motion.
Two skips,
and I'm on the moon.
Two more,
and Mars
is my playground.



from Words With Wings by Nikki Grimes, 2013, Wordsong 

Dragon (Monday Poem)

by Nikki Grimes


Say "dragon,"
and I raise my shield,
fend off the fire
of his mighty breath.
Then, when he's not looking,
I scramble onto his back,
grab a handful of scale,
and ride him across the sky
till the sun dives
into the sea.



from Words With Wings by Nikki Grimes, 2013, Wordsong

Roller Coaster (Monday Poem)

by Nikki Grimes


Say "roller coaster,"
and I squeeze my eyes tight,
dig my fingers into
the safety bar
as we climb six stories,
then speed down again,
faster than my screams
can carry.
As soon as we reach
the end of the ride,
I'm the first to yell,
"Do it again!
Do it again!"



from Words With Wings by Nikki Grimes, 2013, Wordsong

Carousel (Monday Poem)

by Nikki Grimes


Say "carousel,"
and pale painted ponies
gallop past.
I reach for the reins of one,
swing up into the saddle,
and race,
standing still,
wind whipping my braids
as I fly.



from Words With Wings by Nikki Grimes, 2013, Wordsong

I Am (MONDAY POEM)

attributed to Mary Elizabeth Frye


Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there.  I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gently autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand and my grave and cry;
I am not there.  I did not die.



from The Nation's Favorite Poems edited by Griff Rhys-Jones, 1996, BBC Books

Autumn is On the Way! Books for Fall Are Here! (FAMILY magazine reviews)

More important than work sheets, homework, and flash cards, the best way to help your child experience success in school is reading aloud to them every single day, writes Jim Trelease in The Read-Aloud Handbook.  This is so simple no one needs even a high school diploma to do this!  And what’s just as important? It’s fun!!

     ·      Reading aloud supplies background knowledge: This helps children to make   sense of what they see, hear, and read. When adults read aloud to children, their vocabulary of familiar words increases.  This background information helps children know about the world around them. They can then discover their place in their world.

·      Reading aloud offers children the chance to use their imaginations: They can explore people, places, times, and events outside their own experiences.

·      Reading aloud nourishes the development of thinking skills: Adult and child conversations strengthen the development of reading and writing skills.

·      The more children read, the better they get at reading.  The better they get at reading, the more they like reading.  The more they like reading, the more they read.  The more they read, the more they know.  The more they know, the smarter they grow!

Have fun with any or all of these outstanding books!

Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey

Scholastic, $16.95 (hardcover) $6.99 (paperback) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

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

            Oscar, a dachshund (of course), is “half-a-dog tall and one-and-a-half dogs long.”  The meanie dogs in the neighborhood call him predictable names and laugh at him.  His mother isn’t any help, waving him off to obedience school with sausage-related pet names.

            Oscar dreams about scary costume possibilities for Halloween night.  However, waiting at home for him is a surprise from mom -- a giant hot dog bun costume, including mustard.  Of course the other dogs “howl with laughter” when they see him.

            Oscar, hampered by his costume, falls behind, and loses out on treats. It’s when the dogs are walking home, past the graveyard, that a terrifying monster sends them screaming into the pond, leaving their treats behind.

            Pilkey seamlessly blends puns and paintings to tell this laugh-out-loud tail/tale. Bright colors, dramatic movement and expressive faces intensify the hilarity.

            Oscar hears the dogs shrieking for help and sees what the others have missed – he tugs at the monster costume, ripping it off two ornery cats.  (Readers have seen their snickering faces from earlier pages.) The cats race away, screaming.

            The dogs in the pond, seeing what Oscar reveals, moan in embarrassment. But Oscar is a true friend. He uses his silly costume as a life raft.  The rescued dogs share their treats and change his nickname from “Wiener Dog” to “Hero Sandwich!”

A Library Book for Bear by Bonny Becker 

illustrations by Kady MacDonald Denton  

 Candlewick Press, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten  - Grade 2   

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

            Bear is grumpy because he promised his friend Mouse they would go to the library.  But Bear has “all the books I need right here” at home. He “had promised” but the expression on his face as he puts on his red roller skates is still grumbly.  Even “the wind rippling nicely through their fur,” on the way to the library, doesn’t allow a smile.

            There are too many books. Bear is overwhelmed. Mouse promises, in his quiet library voice, to find the perfect book for Bear. 

            But instead of a book about pickles, which is what Bear requests, Mouse brings one about rocket ships.  Then, one about canoes.  Bear’s voice gets louder in spite of Mouse’s reminders.

            Watercolor, ink and gouache illustrations show the immensity of the book collection, the large size of Bear, compared to Mouse, and the increasing frustration, demonstrated by body language and facial expressions. Text size enlarges also, to indicate Bear’s roaring annoyance.

            When a voice says “Shhhh!” Bear peeks around the bookshelf to find a group of youngsters gathered for a story.  Mother squirrel squishes an “angry finger against her lips.” Bear decides it’s time to go.

            But before they can leave, Bear is distracted by the librarian’s voice reading the story about a “Very Brave Bear,” inching toward a treasure chest.  Bear and Mouse are invited to join story time, and strain to hear the exciting part of the story – inside the treasure chest “was a mound of pickle slices.  And each shining slice was made of diamonds and gold!”

            Becker’s cheerful text dances in ones ears and her conclusion will make both reader and listener smile.  And grab a handful of books to take home like Bear and Mouse, to read together!

Ant and Grasshopper by Luli Gray 

illustrated by Giuliano Ferri  

 Simon & Schuster, $17.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2 

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

            A brand new twist on a famous Aesop’s fable brings together the characters from the title.  All summer long rich Ant is busy collecting and counting: beans, corn, raisins, nuts, and even “a fine smelly wedge of yellow cheese.” 

Grasshopper, however, spends his summertime playing a fiddle and singing.  He calls to Ant, “It’s June! The sun is warm; the sky is blue. Come out and dance. I’ll play for you!”

            Ant, wearing a visor cap and spectacles on a chain around his neck, warns, “You should be storing up food for the winter, not fiddling around, wasting time.”  But “that hoppergrass” continues singing and dancing. 

The music becomes a distraction to Ant. He loses count, begins rhyming, and doodles snowmen instead of the number eight.  He even slams the door in October, when Grasshopper knocks, asking for food.

Ferri’s yellow and orange watercolors and colored pencils warm Ant’s house and storeroom.  Cooler blues swirl with white in contrast when Grasshopper lies shivering on Ant’s doorstep.  Both insects with their multiple legs/arms and slightly bulging eyes are unmistakable and plainly individual.

The story is fast-paced, with great dialog, and a kinder ending than the original.  Although a bit long, the simple language and bouncy, sometimes rhyming text keeps the listener involved to the very end.  Ant has the last word, “Oh, Grasshopper, Everybody counts.”

More autumn themed books to enjoy:

Little Owl’s Day by Divya Srinivasan. Viking, $16.99 (hardcover) Interest Level:  Pre-Kindergarten – Kindergarten  (This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

The Mouse Who Ate the Moon by Petr Horacek.  Candlewick Press, $15.99 (hardcover) Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2  (This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

Little Cub, by Oliver Dunrea.  Philomel, $16.99 (hardcover) $6.99 (board book) Interest Level:  Pre-Kindergarten  - Grade 3 (This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

Fall Ball by Peter McCarty.  Henry Holt, $16.99 (hardcover) Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 1 This book is available to purchase from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

Butterfly (Monday Poem)

by Nikki Grimes


Say "butterfly,"
and I am swimming in sunshine,
sprawled in the grass,
blowing on a blade
to make it whistle,
and eyeing the sky
for small fluttering things
wearing rainbow wings.



from Words With Wings by Nikki Grimes, 2013, Wordsong

The Hummingbird (Monday Poem)

by David Elliott


Backward!
Forward!

Here
then
there!

Always
in a
tizzy!

Got
no
time
to
sit
or
sing!

Too
busy!
Busy!
Busy!


from On the Wing by David Elliott, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander, 2014, Candlewick

Moonlight (Monday Poem)

by Bruce Balan


Is
that
a
silver
spoon
hanging
below the
clouds or
just


moonlight?



from Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, 2014, Candlewick

Untitled Moon Poem (Monday Poem)

by Emily Dickinson


The Moon was but a Chin of Gold
A Night or two ago --
And now she turns Her perfect Face
Upon the World below --



from Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, 2014, Candlewick

Untitled (Monday Poem)

by Alice Schertle


In the alley, a
stray cat drinks the round white moon
from a rain puddle.


from Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, 2014, Candlewick

Folk Tales, Fairy Tales, and Fables, Oh My! (FAMILY magazine reviews)

Although your child is back in school, s/he still needs you to read to her/him at home. Your child will do better in school, and you'll both enjoy the time spent together.

Here are a few tips for reading to and with young children:

·      Keep reading to your child even when s/he can read. Read books that are too difficult or too long for /her him to read alone.

·      Take turns reading a story with your child. Don't interrupt to correct mistakes that do not change the meaning.

·      Talk about the meaning of new words and new ideas in books. Help your child think of examples of new concepts.

·      Talk with your child about stories using: the beginning, middle, and end of the story to organize thinking and conversation.

The most important thing you can do to help your child become a successful reader is to communicate that reading is valuable and enjoyable. Have fun!

 

Tug-of-War by John Burningham

Candlewick, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3 

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

            Although Hare, Hippopotamus and Elephant live together in the forest, Hippopotamus and Elephant are not always nice to Hare.  When Hare gets tired of the disrespect he thinks up a plan to trick both of them.

            He visits each one separately and challenges them to a tug-o-war.  At first they think it’s a joke, but finally each one agrees to the contest. 

            Hare hides between Elephant, who lives in the forest, and Hippo, who lives in the river, and pulls on the rope.  Hippo feels the tug and begins to pull.  Elephant is “amazed at the strength of Hare.” 

            Award-winning author/illustrator Burningham re-imagines this African folktale from an earlier version retold by Letty Schatz. Deep greens and blues that change to red keep young readers interested. The two bulky animals continue to pull through twilight and sunset. 

The bright moon rises and sets. Hare watches while Elephant and Hippo pull “all night long.”  

            When the two pull close enough to realize they have been tricked, Hare is long gone.  He may not be as strong, but Hare is “much more clever.”  This vigorous tale uses both strong language and peppy illustrations to appeal to young listeners and their adults.

Little Red Hot by Eric A. Kimmel 

illustrations by Laura Huliska-Beith 

Two Lions, $17.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Grade 1-3 

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

Once again, award-winning author Kimmel returns to retelling a favorite folk tale with a Texas twang.  The addition of hot chili peppers makes this an especially playful version of the familiar Grandma and Wolf tale.

Huliska-Beith combines gouache, acrylic, and colored pencil in collage on computer.  She uses southwest colors and a careful mix of white space with full and double-page spreads.  Text and paintings are a lively match.

Red wears a suitably colored sombrero and Granny knows when to race

for help, in spite of being down with a bad cold. Meanwhile, the wolf tastes a

wedge of hot pepper pie so spicy he shoots out of Granny’s house “like a rocket.”

Pecos Bill and the cowboys arrive too late to help out.  Although invited, they aren’t brave enough to join Red and Grandma for pepper pie supper.

The Crocodile and the Scorpion by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley  

 Roaring Brook, $17.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre Kindergarten – Grade 3 

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

            Crocodile and scorpion are not the smartest of creatures.  But each lives peacefully alone.

In spite of his small brain Scorpion knows he can’t cross the river without help.  He asks crocodile for a ride. 

Lazy crocodile wonders, “Have you no friends” to help?  Both recognize that stinging or biting, makes it hard to be friends.

Promising not to hurt each other, the two agree to cross the river.  The scorpion leaps on the crocodile’s back. 

Cut-paper illustrations in brilliantly contrasting colors -- blue river, green crocodile, purple scorpion – grab attention and intensify the text. Double page spreads sizzle with jaunty text and brisk rushing illustrations.

But scorpion cannot restrain himself.  A splashy battle and fighting words send both to the bottom of the river where “you can hear them … still.”

            This father-daughter team pairs their talents once again to create a picture book tale that snaps with energy.

Here are a few more titles to enjoy!

Ninja Red Riding Hood by Corey Rosen Schwartz 

illustrated by Dan Santat 

Putnam, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 3 

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

Goldi Rocks and the Three Bears by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Beth Coulton illustrated by Nick Wragg  

 Putnam, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Kindergarten – Grade 3 

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

Dangerously Ever After by Dashka Slater 

illustrated by Valeria Docampo  

 Dial, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2 

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

Aesop’s Fables illustrated by Ayano Imai  

MinEdition, $17.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Pre Kindergarten – Grade 3 

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

Little Orange Cat (Monday Poem)

by Charlotte Zolotow


Little orange cat,
you prowl
like a small tiger
(stalking what?)
in the field
of white daisies
and shining
buttercups.


from Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, 2014, Candlewick

Untitled Gull Poem (Monday Poem)

by X. J. Kennedy


Open-billed
gulls
fighting
for fish heads
creak
like
rusted
gates.


from Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, 2014, Candlewick

The Duck (Monday Poem)

by Ogden Nash


Behold the duck.
It does not cluck.
A cluck it lacks.
It quacks.

It is specially fond
Of a puddle or pond.
When it dines or sups,
It bottoms ups.




from Whisper and Shout: Poems to Memorize edited by Patrice Vecchione, 2002, Cricket Books 

Song (Monday Poem)

by Ashley Bryan


Sing to the sun
It will listen
And warm your words
Your joy will rise
Like the sun
And glow
Within you

Sing to the moon
It will hear
And soothe your cares
Your fears will set
Like the moon
And fade
Within you



from Whisper and Shout: Poems to Memorize edited by Patrice Vecchione, 2002, Cricket Books 

An Assortment of Wheels (FAMILY magazine reviews)

Summertime in the city is often marked by construction and repair work. A child can easily become fascinated, stopping to watch machines at work.  Following up with books that connect children to what captivates them can nourish their curiosity, excite their imaginations and help them to better understand themselves and our world.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you and your child share time together:

·      Some elements often associated with music can also be used when reading stories; for example, the pitch and tone of the reader’s voice can be used to increase curiosity about the characters or emphasize points of interest.

·      Rhythm and pace can create suspense and drama. The reader’s voice can speed up or slow down based on the action. Changing facial expressions can help create meaning and increase attention.

·      Allow for 'pauses' where the child or adult can comment about the story or illustrations. Some children may find connections to their own experiences and may want to share these. It is important to avoid seeing these moments as interruptions.

·      Respond to children's labels with complete sentences. For example, I recently saw a child point to a picture in a story and say: "train". The adult said: "Yes. The train is stopped at the station."

·      Make observations about language. For example you could say: "That rhymes" or "those words start with the same sound". Find genuine moments to comment about the usual practices of writing, for example English begins in the top left hand corner and goes from top to bottom.

Sharing books is one of the most significant of experiences in the development of children's literacy skills and vocabularies.  It’s also fun!

Truck Stop by Anne Rockwell 

illustrated by Melissa Iwai 

Viking, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Pre Kindergarten – Grade 1 

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

           

It’s before sun-up, and a young boy describes how he and his parents arrive to get breakfast ready at their truck stop. Meanwhile Uncle Marty opens up the service garage for repairs.  Every day they serve the people who drive eighteen-wheelers, tankers, moving vans, tow trucks and other vehicles along the highway. 

Each person who stops is known, not only by name, but also by his or her preferred foods: Coffee and doughnuts for Maisie, who drives the tank truck carrying milk; sausage and pancakes for Diligent Dan, driver of the moving van. But no one has seen Green Gus in his old pickup today. 

There’s plenty of action as big trucks and small roll in. Headlights flash and wheels rumble.  The everyday whiff of diesel fuel from the trucks is a familiar smell.  So are the usual hot coffee and sizzling food aromas.

When the Big Yellow Bus comes, it is time for the young narrator to go to school.  On the way, he sees the missing Green Gus along the side of the road.  He asks the bus driver to call the truck stop for help.  He knows Pete and Priscilla’s Tow Truck will come.  Uncle Marty will fix Green Gus.  “And the driver will have bacon and eggs sunny side up.”

Iwai’s colorful acrylics with India ink and cut paper illustrations create textures to match the text.  Swinging doors, pouring coffee, people waving to each other fill the bright pages with movement and activity. Even though the trucks and drivers go on their way, tomorrow will be another chance to greet each other again.  Good friends and good food frame the sense of a caring community in this reassuring story.  

Machines Go To Work in the City by William Low

Henry Holt, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Pre Kindergarten – Grade 3 

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

           

This beautifully designed picture book is a sequel to Low’s Machines Go to Work. Once again he matches each vehicle with an identifying sound.  Trucks and cranes, trains and planes, accompanied by the people who drive them, help to keep the city working. 

Low’s simple straightforward text includes a question, focusing attention on each machine.  Interestingly, the answer is always “No.”  However, it is followed by a short explanation. The associated foldout page further enlarges the view.

            Morning begins with a garbage truck. Following through the day are a train, vacuum and bucket trucks, and a crane.  A rosy sunset sky concludes the book while a baggage carrier services a plane. The plane takes off as night falls for busy machines and tired workers. An expanded panorama of the city unfolds, promising that tomorrow, “they will go to work again.”

            Pages at the end include smaller labeled images of the machines with brief descriptions to help with likely questions.

Digger, Dozer, Dumper by Hope Vestergaard 

illustrations by David Slonim

Candlewick Press, $15.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2 

(This book is on order and soon available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Branch, West Dade Regional.  Also may be purchased from Books & Books online: http://www.booksandbooks.com)

           

Young readers are introduced to a variety of working vehicles in this picture book of rhyming poems.  From early morning street sweeper and garbage truck, to backhoe, bulldozer, and cement mixer, the poems are rhythmic and easy to read out loud.  Fire truck, ambulance and tow truck are ready to rescue: “Bent your fender? Lost your way?/Tow truck’s here to save the day."

            Children, with a refreshing mix of skin color and gender, drive the 16 working machines: among these are steamroller, forklift and snowplow.

The cheerful acrylic and charcoal paintings highlight the action in the companion poems. Additionally, expressive headlight eyes on each featured vehicle continually keep the reader’s attention. The final illustration flips the relationship of child to machine: showing the children playing with their toy-sized vehicles. As a collection of poems, this book is creative, well constructed and absorbing.

More titles to try:

Speed by Nathan Clement  

 Boyds Mills Press, $16.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Junior Kindergarten – Grade 3 

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

Night Light by Nicholas Blechman  

 Orchard Books, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre Kindergarten – Grade1 

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

Zoom! Zoom! Sounds of Things That Go in the City by Robert Burleigh 

illustrated by Tad Carpenter 

Simon & Schuster, $16.99 (hardcover) 

Interest Level:  Pre Kindergarten – Grade 2 

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

Here Comes Firefighter Hippo by Jonathan London 

illustrated by Gilles Eduar 

Boyds Mills Press, $15.95 (hardcover) 

Interest Level: Pre Kindergarten – Grade 1 

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

Louder Than a Clap of Thunder (Monday Poem)

by Jack Prelutsky


Louder than a clap of thunder,
louder than an eagle screams,
louder than a dragon blunders,
or a dozen football teams,
louder than a four alarmer,
or a rushing waterfall,
louder than a knight in armor
jumping from a ten-foot wall.

Louder than an earthquake rumbles,
louder than a tidal wave,
louder than an ogre grumbles,
as he stumbles through his cave,
louder than stampeding cattle,
louder than a cannon roars,
louder than a giant's rattle,
that's how loud my father SNORES!



from Whisper and Shout: Poems to Memorize edited by Patrice Vecchione, 2002, Cricket Books