Children

What are you waiting for? The new year is here, and this is a great book for all ages to remind us of what we are capable of, written and illustrated by the always wonderful Kevin Henkes.

One of my favorite songs ever is “This Land Is Your Land,” and when I saw a children’s book about the song’s writer, I had to grab it. This is a wonderful introduction for children into the life and music of an American original, Woody Guthrie.

Who needs an iPhone when you have this book? Tullet cleverly entices children to press “buttons” and see what happens. Kids are always engaged with this book.

Touching book that reminds me a lot of Robert Munsch’s classic Love You Forever.

The second in a series of picture books based on the experiences of Henry David Thoreau, this book is just as engaging for adults as for children. Children are rewarded with an engaging story about a historical character, while adults are reminded of the rewards of simple living. I recommend the entire series.

Simple but powerful book with beautiful illustrations about true friendship.

This is a selfish selection. I recently met Bernie at a conference I was speaking at in Connecticut, and I found him to be one of the friendliest and kindest children’s authors I have ever met. He has a real passion for his work and seems genuinely delighted to see his books’ impact on teachers and students. My daughter picks this book as one of her read alouds just about every day. Most is a wonderful author.

This book, written in the 60s, holds a special place in my heart, as it is one of my son’s and daughter’s favorite books to read aloud. True, the version we own is in French and English, so the kids are entertained by my French accent. I think all kids can appreciate this story of a boy who feeds his fish too much and spends the rest of the book trying to find a place to store his ever-growing pet.

You have to be impressed that I managed to spell the author’s last name correctly, yes? If you have little ones who are learning the alphabet, this is the perfect book to peak their curiosity (heck – the author’s last name will teach them half the alphabet). I have teacher Sophie Donnelly to thank for this book find.

Parents – buy this book! It reminded me a lot of The Cat in the Hat, as it follows two boys who have done everything there is to be done who now try to do ten seconds of nothing. Great illustrations, and a delightfully silly story. My kind of book.

Betsy and her husband, Giulio (who illustrates all of her books), have written a ton of these wonderful nonfiction books that children all over the place look at to find useful information not covered in depth by most encyclopedias. I always had sets of this series in my classrooms.

This classic with wonderful illustrations by Betty Fraser is a MUST purchase for every early elementary school teacher. A beautiful poem that teaches children where different people, animals and things call “home.” If I was designing a home or school library, this is one of the first books I’d select.

Had to include a fun Halloween title for the little ones. Donaldson’s fun adventures features terrific illustrations by Axel Scheffler and a memorable last page.

David Shannon is probably best known for his wonderful No! David. I enjoyed this book a great deal, too, as it deals with a little girl’s wonderful imagination (i.e. her magic wand that allows her to darken a room: a light switch). Very entertaining for young children.

There was an awful lot of negative news coming out of Washington this past month, and I’d like kids to focus on those individuals who make a positive difference every day. This is a great book to use for read alouds after breaks, as students sit riveted, and filled with questions.