Children

What a great lesson this book teaches, and with pictures by Eric Carle, this is a crowd pleaser. There’s nothing like a short, funny book that rhymes. Johnny Cash (RIP) could have made a great song version of this book.

Illustrated by the wonderful David Shannon, this book always delights kids, as it tells the funny tale of a little boy who agrees to become a pirate as long as he can be back in time for his soccer practice. I thought of this book while watching a wonderful recent guest appearance by Tina Fey as a pirate on Sesame Street.

I saved the best for last.  This is just a sweet, inspirational story. I have no idea why there is not a major motion picture about this incredible human being.  Read this book if you are tired of events on the nightly news.

February is Black History Month, and I love this book because it shows a lighter side to the Civil Rights leader. One of my mentors, Jim Trelease (author of the only book every teacher and parent needs to buy, The Read-Aloud Handbook) introduced me to this book at one of his presentations. Kids will love to see how such an important person was such an ordinary kid, with all the same flaws.

Anita Jeram’s illustrations are as lovely as this story about a young rabbit who wants to know how much his papa loves him, only to learn that his father’s love is infinite. Okay, I confess – this one touched me as a proud daddy.

As I taught at Marian Anderson Elementary School in Compton, California, there is no way I could ignore this wonderful book by one of America’s best children’s authors (Muñoz Ryan is also an excellent speaker). My hope is that you will read this book and become more interested in one of this country’s greatest, yet unheralded, African-American women of the 20th century. A lovely book with exquisite illustrations.

Speaking of incredible women in American history, I have always been captivated by the great journalist Nellie Bly. Rodger Streitmatter introduced me to her in his journalism classes at American University, and I have always enjoyed reading about her escapades: from getting committed to an insane asylum to expose its ill treatment of patients to traveling around the world in 72 days as a single woman in the late 19th century. If you read this book with your child, I bet you’ll have to grab more books on this wonderful character.

When three friends find a bag of chalk on a playground, they quickly learn that whatever they draw becomes reality, for better or worse. An amazing wordless picture book that my own children love.

Lovely book of actual photos of animals in the woods investigating the appearance of a snowman. Absolutely sensational. I want this book in every classroom.

I have my friend Annette Alpern to thank for this simple yet moving book about how all it takes is one brave soul to stand up to bullying. I use this book with business executives interested in team-building. Great for teaching preschoolers colors and numbers, as well.

Your children will delight at this companion to the Caldecott winner Swamp Angel (wow – it won that award nearly 20 years ago). Wonderful tall tale storytelling by Issacs accompanied by Paul Zelinsky’s extraordinary illustrations.

Maybe since my children are half Chinese I am drawn to books about Chinese Americans. Then again, any beginning reader will enjoy Lin’s tales of twins who are not as alike as they may appear.

This is the perfect read aloud for teachers who need students to expend their nervous energy.

To me, the mark of a truly great children’s book is whether mom and dad laugh as much as the kids during the read aloud. This is a book parents will surely appreciate as they read to their little ones before bedtime.

Do yourself a favor and check out a bunch of Long’s books. Her illustrations simply dazzle me. I think this story has a chance at becoming a Classic. A must-have for any classroom or home library.