Children

I have been recommending Tang’s wonderful books of math riddles for years, and I could not believe it when somebody pointed out that I had never placed any of his books on my Lazy Reader lists. I greatly apologize for the oversight, as Greg Tang is one of those wonderful authors who gets students who are good at math more interested in reading, and students who are good at reading become more interested in math. I use Greg Tang’s books all the time (you should also check out his wonderful book Math-terpieces).

This recommendation is for my friends, Cindy and Eric, to read to their young son while you wait to go back to your home in New Orleans. In the face of disaster, children have a remarkable ability to allow their imaginations to replace horrific realities. I hope this book offers the three of you a way to take the positives away from the storm. The most important thing is that the three of you are safe, and America loves you and cares about your welfare. :)

I love books that teach kids a variety of languages, and this one demonstrates how people make different expressions in languages from Danish to Farsi. Little kids love listening to this book read aloud.

Seymour Simon is one of my favorite non-fiction writers for children. This book, like all of Simon’s books, does a remarkable job of spelling out the significance of the power behind hurricanes. I’d recommend that government officials pick up a copy.

Jeffers is a wonderful illustrator, and this beautiful book would make a great holiday gift (yes, that is just around the corner; haven’t you been to Costco lately?). One of my favorite memories as an elementary school teacher was watching the enchantment on my students’ faces as I introduced them to Tchaikovsky’s wonderful ballet. This is a mandatory purchase.

A wonderful folktale about Ping, a young boy with a green thumb who is overjoyed when he learns about the emperor’s gardening contest. Unfortunately, despite all of his loving efforts, Ping’s seed will not grow, and he must show the emperor and empty pot. I won’t give away the twist, but I will say that you should check out this book, which also boasts gorgeous illustrations.

Nothing gets kids reading more, in my opinion, than short, funny poems. This book is a hilarious collection of farm poems filled with puns, idioms and homophones. Kids will delight in the silly rhymes and fun illustrations by Eugenie Fernandes, while parents and teachers will appreciate Hoce’s play with language and stimulating vocabulary.

I don't care how badly critics decry books like this and "Everyone Poops:" kids get a kick out of this book, and it provides teachers and parents an opportunity to teach students more serious biological concepts in a light-hearted, non-intimidating manner.

Have you checked out Seder’s scanimation books (he also wrote Gallop! And Swing!)? These are totally cool, and kids and adults alike delight in optical illusions that make animals appear to be in motion. A “fireworks” book that produces plenty of “ooos” and “ahhs” from young readers.

Baby bird's quest to find mommy is funny and a hit with kids and adults alike.

What a simply wonderful story about an elderly woman who wants to bake an apple pie but has no apples. She has plums, though, so she loads them in a basket and embarks on an adventure of trades that leads to a terrific lesson in sharing and kindness. This is one of my favorite books to read to my own children.

Fans of the Pinkalicious books will get a kick out of this tale of a girl’s search for the perfect topping. Clever, with a good anti-bullying message (man – will bullies ever go away?).

This book won the Caldecott in the 60s, and it is still a great book for kids today. Not only does it have beautiful illustrations: it is the perfect book for this February. The groundhog saw his shadow, which reminds us there are six more weeks of winter. This is also Black History Month, and - correct me if I'm wrong, librarians - I believe this book was the first illustrated children's book in color that features a main character who is African-American.

Little ones who are eagerly anticipating their first day of school will especially enjoy this charming book – with terrific illustrations by Patricia Krebs.

Your little ones will get a kick out of the hilarious chain reaction catastrophe that arises from this precious read aloud, featuring great illustrations by Will Hillenbrand.