Children

This is the perfect book to put a smile on your face at the end of a long day.  Enjoy the story of a frustrated mother dog who cannot understand why her puppy will quack and meow but not bark.

I’ve read this book just about every day so far in my daughter’s young life, and I think this is simply a brilliant book.  Dr. Seuss deserves to be canonized…he is that important.

I always enjoyed this tale of the bull who did not want to fight.  Ferdinand just wanted to smell the roses.  When I lived in Spain I was excited to see the real-life bridge in Ronda that illustrator Robert Lawson drew in the book.  This is just a nice story for everybody to read, especially world leaders.

The perfect book to read to young children who are in foul moods.  Laughter cures all.

I don’t care how badly critics decry books like this and “Everyone Poops:” kids get a kick out of this book, and it provides teachers and parents an opportunity to teach students more serious biological concepts in a light-hearted, non-intimidating manner.

Baby bird’s quest to find mommy is funny and a hit with kids and adults alike.

This book won the Caldecott in the 30s, and it is still a great book for kids today.  Not only does it have beautiful illustrations:  it is the perfect book for this February.  The groundhog saw his shadow, which reminds us there are six more weeks of winter.  This is also Black History Month, and – correct me if I’m wrong, librarians – I believe this book was the first illustrated children’s book in color that features a main character who is African-American.

The story of a 6-year-old girl who becomes the first African-American student to attend an all-white school in New Orleans in 1960.  Children learn all about Ruby's struggles and hear an update of her civil rights activities as an adult. 

A touching tale told by a 10-year-old in South L.A. who almost joins a gang.  A great book to show students the power of their choices.

Rather than steal cheese with his compatriots, this innovative French mouse wanders into a cheese shop every night and leaves notes for the owner describing the quality of each cheese.  The owner shows his appreciation to his anonymous critic by leaving Anatole all the cheese he wants.  A real kick to little kids.

My good friend Bob Matulich gave my daughter this book on the day she was born, and it is a treat.  A great reminder to all of us to keep our minds young and our smiles large.

First of all, I realized I neglected female authors on the list this month.  Second of all, this book represents a great way to get students interested in the mathematical concept of compounding (I bet a young Bill Gates or Warren Buffett would have loved it).  Third of all, I love the pictures and Demi’s lovely tale of a girl who outsmarts a raja and saves her village.

I had to include at least one funny book on this month’s list, right?  Jay Leno is one of the genuinely nice people in show business, and this is one of the genuinely good children’s books written by a celebrity (most stink).

A nice story about an African boy’s first trip to the market.  My daughter enjoyed listening to this pleasant tale (you can see photos of my beautiful baby at www.katebrassell.com).

Even though this won the Caldecott Medal in 2001, I somehow had never heard of this fun book of Presidential trivia.  What I like most about the book is its central premise:  ANYONE can be President.