Children

Goofy, clever read aloud that is always a hit with kids for its funny rhymes and assortment of holiday characters (from the Easter Bunny to the Tooth Fairy) for fill-in for Santa while he takes a needed vacation.

Fun poem in the spirit of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Beautiful illustrations by Kevin Hawkes, and some good vocabulary for the kiddies.

Keep your creativity in mind when relaxing this summer.

My own kids love this story about Mr. and Mrs. Frankenstein’s new son, Frankie, who just happens to be…cute! Their repeated efforts to make him scary fail until Frankie appears as his own cute self, making him the scariest Stein of all to the Steins. Great illustrations by Kevan Atteberry, and a read aloud that scores laughs on almost every page.

Every year my students and I “travel the United States” through literature by finding books featuring authors and stories taking place in all 50 states. For Alabama, we enjoyed this story of a young girl’s first trip to Fairhope in the 60s, where she witnesses her first “jubilee,” a cool natural event where various aquatic creatures wash up on shore. Inspired my students to take photos of some of the annual rituals that occur in their lives. Great illustrations by Julie Dupre Buckner.

This mathematical love story was made into an Academy Award-winning short film by Chuck Jones. Buy this,and read it to that special someone. I GUARANTEE you will enjoy this story.

Inspired by Tolkien’s The Hobbit, this tale of a remarkable “nibbling” adventure should resonate with anyone who has ever been picked on before. I like to use this book with elementary students to model how to write short and compelling chapter books.

Yes, I guess I am trying to be ironic with this book, as the Northeast just got pounded with 2-3 feet of snow. I always enjoy stories seen through the eyes of children, and Jim LaMarche’s illustrations are absolutely beautiful.

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.

With lovely watercolor illustrations by Evi Shelvia, this touching story will teach you how to appreciate the precious little time all of us spend on this Earth. If you can read this without crying, you’re tougher than me.

This beautifully illustrated book is a perfect read aloud for those of us who love Maurice Sendak, as it blends the innocence of Little Bear and the adventure of Where the Wild Things Are in a wonderful tale of taking responsibility for one’s actions.

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.

I know we are not supposed to teach students music or art anymore, but I like music and art and always try to find books that will attract my students to the forbidden subject of art. Your kids will get a kick out of this flip book that has lots of funny flips that bring art alive to students. Beware, though: this will be handled so much, it probably has a limited shelf life.

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.

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!