Children

Thank goodness for the French! They gave us The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Around the World in Eighty Days, Candide, Madeline and now this magical picture read that will delight all little ones discovering the marvel of books.

I guess this month's theme is "great authors that I have forgotten to mention before now." Patricia Polacco is fantastic, and if this book about a teacher helping a dyslexic child does not touch your heart, you are a grinch living on your own mountain. All of Polacco's books address important issues, and I think all kids need to be exposed to her work.

Poor Duncan has to figure out a way to appease his crayons so they will let him color, as some colors are not even talking to one another in this very funny book with great illustrations by Oliver Jeffers.

If you’re not reading kids’ books, you are truly missing out on some of the most imaginative and creative writing out there. Rubin, along with illustrator Daniel Salmieri, the dynamic duo responsible for Dragons Love Tacos, have created another hilarious read with one of the coolest and most clever ideas I have ever seen to a book for ANY age.

Yes, this is based on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic. My father read Classic Comics when he was a kid, and it was that series of comics that attracted him to the original works. In similar fashion this graphic novel does a great job of exciting kids about the adventures of young Jim Hawkins. By the way – did I mention there are pirates (fairly popular right now because of a certain Capt. Jack Sparrow)?

If you ever see a book written by Rosalyn Schanzer, get it. You have to love an author who proudly proclaims, “every single word is true, unless it is false.” In this delightful tall tale, Davy saves the planet by wringing the tail off Halley’s Comet.

Fun book for kids who are just starting to read chapter books. Powell uses short chapters and lots of action to move the reader along in this fun tale about a boy who becomes suspicious that his principal may be an alien. A great introduction to the wonders of science fiction writing, and the book even includes some nice black-and-white illustrations.

Based on an Indian folktale about a cat who eats everything a parrot prepares for him…then the parrot. Then a farmer…then, well, let’s just say he decides to eat the wrong thing. Kids love this book.

Mercer Mayer is an American treasure. There is something about his Little Critter books that all children seem to love. My daughter salivates at the 10 or so my wife and I have read to her, and I wanted to include this one as another not-so-subtle reminder that Father’s Day is this month.

As many of you know, I have a 15-month-old daughter, and my wife and I are expecting a baby boy in just a few weeks. I enjoyed reading this book to my little girl, and she tried not to eat the pages as I read it to her. By the way, Harriet Ziefert is a wonderful children’s author with a ton of books to her credit.

Delightful true story of an abandoned pet alligator whose owner dumped him in a public lake in Harbor City, California. There, Reggie managed to allude animal control authorities for several months, and he became an international celebrity. Funny, inspirational – a story that children really enjoy hearing read aloud.

Wonderful read aloud about a rat, captured by a couple of cats, who uses his twin passions for baking and reading to talk his way out of becoming feline food. Children love to hear Bob the Rat’s versions of classic tales. A good book to get students writing their own fractured fairy tales, too.

I especially enjoy this book because Tang teaches math through art (that subject that is never discussed in schools anymore). Again, if you are looking for great ways to make math fun for your child, check out Tang’s new online math program at GregTangMath.com. This month you can get $10 off with the code DB123, a terrific deal for teachers and parents.

Beautiful little book for toddlers about a young boy’s pleasures with his first book. What can I say – it touched me.

Using clever rhymes and fun illustrations, Tang again shows parents and teachers that math can be taught in an engaging way. He has come up with an even more engaging (and, cheaper overall) way to bring math alive with his new online math program at GregTangMath.com. I’m all excited because I came across a deal where users get $10 off this month with the code DB123. If you know anyone trying to make math fun and meaningful to their students, this is a gold mine!