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Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now

Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now

By Lauren. Child Children

Danny Says

Lauren Child is one of my favorite illustrators. If for no other reason, she created the wonderful characters Charlie and Lola that hold my son and daughter’s attention for the ten minutes it airs on Disney Channel every day. Clarice Bean is just a funny little girl, and I always look forward to reading about her adventures.
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The Icky Sticky Frog

The Icky Sticky Frog

By Dawn Bentley 16 pages Children

Danny Says

I wish grown-up books were this much fun. Little kids love pulling the tongue back and forth on this book, which is a cute story that even manages to introduce kids to the food chain. Little boys like the book because you have to wash the frog’s tongue. Whatever it takes to get a reluctant reader interested, I am willing to try it.
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Mighty Jackie

Mighty Jackie

By Marissa Moss 32 pages Children

Danny Says

Oops. A friend pointed out to me the other day that the book I have been raving about for the past year has been left off of this list. My apologies. You MUST read this book. It is the true story of a 17-year-old girl who pitched for Chattanooga’s minor league baseball team in an exhibition against the New York Yankees in 1931. And, oh, by the way – she struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. This book will delight boys and girls alike (as well as grown ups).
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And Tango Makes Three

And Tango Makes Three

By Justin Richardson,Peter Parnell 32 pages Children

Danny Says

A touching story of two penguins at the Central Park Zoo that admire the other penguins having babies but cannot have one of their own. When a zoologist notices their dilemma, he gives them an egg for their nest, where they nurture their egg until the day their new baby is born. A beautiful book with some pretty deep messages (but I’ll let you enjoy the deeper message for yourselves).
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Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci

By Diane Stanley 48 pages Children

Danny Says

I get this feeling that interest in Leonardo da Vinci is going to really increase next month (there’s this little film called The Da Vinci Code coming out, based on a modestly-selling book). If you are too lazy to read an adult biography on Leonardo (and I am), this book provides an excellent glimpse into da Vinci’s life and artwork. Kids love the pictures, and I love subversively introducing students to paintings (even though art is no longer taught in most schools).
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The Cow That Went OINK

The Cow That Went OINK

By Bernard Most 40 pages Children

Danny Says

One of my favorite books to introduce to students. A barnyard has a cow that only oinks, and a pig that only moos. They teach each other their languages and turn out to be better off than the other animals because they can communicate with twice as many animals. The book is filled with lessons on helping others, etc., but I love it because it shows the importance of bilingual education (which means all kids should learn two languages, not just immigrants).
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Black Cat

Black Cat

By Christopher Myers 40 pages Children

Danny Says

I thought I would include some poetry books on this month’s list. I call this book “a poem with attitude.” I LOVE the illustrations, and I think this is a cool poem to show students how to let their own voices enter their poems. 
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Millions of Cats

Millions of Cats

By Wanda Gag 40 pages Children

Danny Says

While on the subject of cats and in the poetry genre, I thought I’d include this classic read aloud. One of my favorite repetitions ever (I think the book was written in the 20s): “hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats.” That line of poetry has stuck with me forever.
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Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!

Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!

By David McPhail 32 pages Children

Danny Says

How I have failed to include this book on a prior recommendation list is beyond me, as I have been reading this book aloud to audiences of children, teenagers and adults for years. McPhail is a treasure, and teachers can find the full text of this book (with pictures on the PBS Kids website.
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The Seven Silly Eaters

The Seven Silly Eaters

By Mary Ann Hoberman 40 pages Children

Danny Says

A wonderful rhyming tale about a poor mother who has to prepare food that meets the specific, picky tastes of each of her seven children. Like any great children’s story, this one has beautiful illustrations and a lot of heart, besides all the laughs. I enjoyed the book when it first came out nearly ten years ago, and I can relate to the poor mother even more now that I have my own children. This one will please parents just as much as children when they read it together before bedtime.
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When I Was Young in the Mountains

When I Was Young in the Mountains

By Cynthia Rylant 32 pages Children

Danny Says

I meant to recommend Rylant’s wonderful book The Relatives Came when I realized I had never mentioned a Cynthia Rylant book on any of my previous lists. I guess sometimes I overlook the best authors when formulating my monthly lists of picks. This Caldecott Honor book is probably one of my favorite pieces of poetry of all time, as Rylant writes with such love and affection for her childhood in the Appalachians that I think it would affect anyone prone to reflect on his/her own childhood. Cynthia Rylant is simply a brilliant author with extraordinary ability. 
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Jose! Born to Dance

Jose! Born to Dance

By Susanna Reich 32 pages Children

Danny Says

A beautifully illustrated biography of the dancer José Limon, this book has proven to be quite timely in light of recent events surrounding immigration. It chronicles how young José fled Mexico for America and endured ridicule in elementary school for his poor English. Regardless, José’s determination to succeed prevailed, and his story always receives cheers when I read it to various elementary classes.
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Tadpole's Promise

Tadpole's Promise

By Jeanne Willis 32 pages Children

Danny Says

I absolutely love this book and cannot recommend it highly enough for all ages, as it tells the amusing tale of a caterpillar and tadpole who fall in love and promise one another to never change. The caterpillar becomes annoyed when her beloved tadpole develops into a frog, but she goes through some changes of her own. One of the most gratifying endings of any children’s book I’ve read recently, and a useful book for those of us who still try to incorporate a little science into school. A MUST READ!
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Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story

Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story

By Paula Yoo 32 pages Children

Danny Says

Wonderful children’s biography of the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal (in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London). Lee’s inspirational story reveals his ascent from only being allowed to use public pools in southern California once a week to becoming an Olympic diving medalist and doctor. If you ever get a chance to see Sammy Lee interviewed, he is a delight. Among his other accomplishments, he used to be the coach of a diver named “Greg Louganis.”
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Walter Was Worried

Walter Was Worried

By Laura Vaccaro Seeger 40 pages Children

Danny Says

I have been featuring this book in my literacy workshops this past year as a perfect way to invite students to become interested in letters. Walter was so worried, you could see it written all over his face. Children get the chance to find the letters that form the facial features of various characters. A real hoot for kids. 
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