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).
If you’re a parent, you’re going to have to deal with the bullying of your children sooner or later (or, worse – your child may be the bully). How about nipping it in the bud by looking at a positive way to remedy bullying? This book is THE BEST and most practical book on bullying that I have read. A MUST PURCHASE for parents, teachers and school administrators. In fact, I just handed a copy to my children’s elementary school principal.
Simply a lovely story with the simple message that every child is unique. The perfect antidote to today’s cynicism. Tillman’s illustrations are fabulous.
A funny cat-and-mouse tale, as business cat Mr. Maxwell strays from his normal baked mouse at his favorite restaurant in favor of raw mouse. The entrée requests a prayer before the meal and soon engages Mr. Maxwell in a distracting conversation. Mouse causes a commotion that lands Cat in the hospital, as this book almost reads like a Monty Python skit with its absurd characters, their polite habits and absolute silliness.
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).
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).
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love to use poems and music to teach students of all ages. This is the perfect book, as it includes wonderful poems set to music by Jim Furmston and accompanied by Pat Woolley’s adorable illustrations. There are certain books that I read every day with my kids: Dr. Seuss, our children’s Bible, a book of nursery rhymes…and now this. My kids love it!
Your kids will love this silly tall tale about a little girl whose family gets a lot more than they bargained for when they get a couple of pet hamsters. With fun illustrations by Bruce Whatley, this book reminded me of the Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan stories I treasured as a child.
The McMullans wrote one of my favorite picture books, I Stink!, which is about the life of a garbage truck (I recommended it in my March 2003 issue). This is another gem, as it chronicles the life of a nasty T-rex who may not be as nasty as he seems. Total fun.
