When the Monkeys Came Back by Kristine L. Franklin

About the book: Always remembering how the monkeys in her Costa Rican valley disappeared when all the trees were cut down, Marta grows up, persuades her husband to give her a piece of land on which she plants trees and cares for until they grow into a forest, and sees the monkeys come back.

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Atheneum (September 1, 1994)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0689318073

My thoughts: This is a wonderful little book that will get the kiddos thinking. It follows Marta in her life long quest to re-grow the jungle near her home and entice the monkeys to come back. The lovely illustrations help give this story a sense of place. I had thought it would be nice to pair this with Dr. Suess' The Lorax for a realistic look at conservation.

Dex: The Heart of a Hero by Caralyn Buehner

About the book: Dexter is a little dog. So little, in fact, that the neighborhood cats are bigger than he is. But being little doesn’t stop Dex from have big dreams – he wants to be a superhero. So he studies, builds his muscles, and even orders a special suit. His hard work pays off in unexpected ways, as Dex finds out that even if you are very little, you really can be a hero.

Reading Level:Ages 4-8 Hardcover:32 pages
ISBN-10: 0066236207 ISBN-13:978-0066236209
Publisher: HarperCollins (February 3, 2004)

First line: Dexter was a little dog. His legs were little, his tail was little, his body was little. He looked like a plump sausage sitting on four little meatballs.

My thoughts: This little book was just wonderful. I loved following Dexter as he followed and worked for his dream which was to become a hero. His plan of action was to study and learn as much as he could about heroes. The next part of the plan was to exercise his body so as to be strong. He continues through the heard work and the teasing from his friends. Without being preachy and with lots of fun and laugh out loud moments, it shows how anyone can be a hero. The illustrations, by the author's husbane Mark, were perfect, colorful and engaging. They contained a playful bonus,hidden images of animals. The captions with the pictures followed Dex's thoughts throughout the story. The kids loved this one as much as I did!

Rating:



Quote:"But WANTING and BEING are two different things. Dex lived on dreams until one day, after crawling out from under Cleevis yet again, he decided there had to be more to life than gazing at the underside of a cat. There had to be more to him. If he could be a hero, he would!"

Links:
Buehner Books
Amazon
Author Interview

Wet Dog by Elsie Broach

Synopsis: On a hot, hot day, a good old dog just has to get some relief! Around the steamy country lanes, he sniffs and searches until he finds a chauffeur washing a shiny car, a baker scrubbing some sticky pans, and a florist spraying a pink bouquet. they're all getting ready for a country wedding, and this overheated pup just wants to plunge into the fun—and water! but will the wedding party in their fancy finery welcome this gotta-be-cool pooch? Zany characters, zingy lines, and high-spirited scenes abound in this witty and affectionate story by author Elise Broach and New York Times best illustrated book Award winner David Catrow.

First line: He was a good old dog and a hot old dog, as he lay in the noonday sun.

My thoughts: I picked this up at the library to read to my niece and nephew simply because the the picture on the cover called to me. I loved the simple funny story of a hot dog looking for some relief from the heat of the day.The pictures are charming, colorful and full of detail. Every time he found somewhere to cool off he would shake and drench everything around him. He was then a "sorry-dog." I smiled all the way through. I'm going to buy this one.

Quote:"Old Dog smiled his sorry-dog smile and wagged his sorry-dog tail."

Ibis: A True Whale Story by John Himmelman

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Scholastic (January 1, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 059042849

From Publishers Weekly: Ibis is a young humpback whale, "curious about everything in the ocean." She and her friend Blizzard grow up together, looking at starfish and making friends with people and boats. One day Ibis gets caught in a fishing net; after extended struggling, she breaks loose, but part of the net is caught in her mouth and wrapped around her tail. She suffers for weeks, unable to surface or to eat without difficulty and pain. Finally, Blizzard finds Ibis and pushes her to the surface, where two rafts full of people help keep her afloat and untangle the nets to set her free. Based on the true story of the first successful whale-entanglement rescue, which took place near Provincetown, Mass., in 1984, Himmelman's ( Amanda and the Witch Switch ) soft, lively watercolors are very nicely composed. Although textual and illustrative personification throughout most of the book is strained, Himmelman's account of the rescue itself--in both words and pictures--is completely engrossing.

My Thoughts: This is an interesting, fun read. The second grade kids never fail to be captured by the pictures and the imaginative story. I like that it is based on a true event, what a great way to start discussions.

3 "Bear" books by Karma Wilson

My thoughts: I love everything about Karma Wilson's Bear... series. Jane Chapman's illustrations are charming and always catch the kids eyes. They want to look carefully for certain characters. The stories are fun to read and fun to listen to with many rereads demanded. The kids love chiming and do so with enthusiasm. I like the teaching opportunities given by each book . These are great books for school or home.

Why These Books? For the Read To me Picture Book Challenge


Themes
•Hibernation
•Seasons
•Bear habitat
•Bear Rhyme, rhythm and alliteration
•Sharing and Friendship
About the book: It is spring, Bear is awake, and he is hungry. Several of his animal friends take him to places where he can get food, "But the bear wants more!" Finally, he heads home, where others have organized a party for him, but he has eaten so much that he gets stuck in his own doorway. After being pried out, he eats more and falls asleep, but now "his friends want more!" The rollicking, rhyming text flows smoothly, and the repeated refrain will have youngsters chiming right in.



Themes
•Friendship
•Care giving
•Illness
•The importance of hygiene
•Rhyming
•Alliteration
•Word play
About the book: How Bear and his forest friends discover a NEW FRIEND will enchant young readers. Karma Wilson's playful text and Jane Chapman's radiant illustrations make Bear's New Friend a perfect summertime read-aloud companion to the bestselling Bear Snores On.


Themes
•Hibernation
•Seasons
•Bear habitat
•Bear Rhyme, rhythm and alliteration
•Sharing and Friendship
About the book: First-time author Karma Wilson and artist Jane Chapman (illustrator of Phyllis Root's One Duck Stuck) have created a charming little tale of sharing and caring that will have readers of all ages cheering at the humorous finale.

Link:
Karma Wilson

Mooseltoe by Margie Palatini

About the book: Mr. Moose prepares for Christmas using his Christmas checklist:
•Write Christmas cards and address them
•Shop til you drop
•Wraps and ribbons
•Bakes and cooks
•Roasts chestnuts
•Decorate
•Sing
But Mr. Moose's kids notice that he forgot one thing on his list - a Christmas tree. When he goes out to pick one up, he discovers that they're all gone and comes home empty-handed. Mr. Moose and his Moosetache get creative for a substitute. The book uses rhyming text and colorful illustrations.

First line: ‘Twas the season, and Moose was merry.

My thoughts: What a cute book. I'll read more books in the Moose series after enjoying this one. The author had written a wonderful, humerous fantasy. The flow of the words that will keep the kids engaged. The bold, colorful illustrations by Henry Cole will be fun for you and your kiddos to explore. It's too late this year but next year I'm going to purchase this book for my nieces and nephews. Your kids will want you to read it again and again so enjoy!

My rating:

Quote: But—with orderly organization, a bit of regimentation, lots of imagination, and just plain old Moose know-how—getting ready for the big day should have been simple. Easy. Yes, in all probability, just ….perfectly perfect.

Links:
About the book

The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tommie dePaola

From Publishers Weekly:In the tradition of his The Legend of the Bluebonnet and The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, dePaola offers another gracious retelling of a timeless folktale. His skillfully pared-down narrative and paintings that glow with strong colors present the story of a well-intentioned Mexican child, Lucida. Distressed because she has no other gift to offer Baby Jesus, she carries into the church an armful of weeds, each of which suddenly becomes ``tipped with a flaming red star''-marking the miraculous blooming of the first poinsettias.

First Sentence: Lucida lived in a small village high up in the mountains of Mexico with her mama, her papa, and her younger brother and sister, Paco and Lupe.

My thoughts: I like dePaola's children's books and this is one of my favorites. It is a wonderful little story full of hope, faith, and miracles. The simple pictures are lovely. What a great adition to a Christmas Around the World unit or to simply share with your own children at home.

Links:
Tomie dePoala

Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson

About the book: Bear is out looking for a snack, but when the sun sets he loses his way. How bear wants to go home! But where is his cozy cave? Bear searches and searches and as the skies grow dark, Bear feels scared! But bear is never alone, and his resourceful friends put together a search party to find their missing companion. A tale about friendship and feelings, this story will be sure to resonate strongly with children.


First line:
In the deep dark woods
by the Strawberry Vale,
a big bear lumbers
down a small, crooked trail.

My thoughts: Another great addition th Wilson's Bear series. This is one of my favorites. This can be used to explore feelings, friendship, being helpful and seasons. Again the rhyme is catchy and the repeated phrases beg the kids to participate in the reading. I love the illustrations. You and your kids will love it!

Quote:
The friends bundle up
and begin to prepare.
They form a search party
for their lost friend Bear.

My Rating:

Links:

about the book

look inside

about the author

a note to parents

Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson

Product Description:
Bear is not feeling well at all; he is achy, sneezy, wheezy and sick and in no shape to go outside to play. Mole, Hare, Mouse and the rest of the gang try to make Bear feel as comfortable as possible in his cave. Under the care of his friends, Bear starts to get better but as soon as Bear is well, guess what happens? All of his friends get sick!



First line:

Alone in his cave

as the autumn wind blows,

Bear feels achy

with a stuffed-up nose.

My thoughts: I love the entire Bear series. The stories keep the kids attention, the illustrations are charming, the rhyme is fun. This particular book was a great jumping off spot for a health lesson. The discussions included hand washing and covering mouth when sneezing. After reading it we also discussed how family and friends can help one another. This book is great for the classroom and home. Your kids will love it!

My Rating:

Quote:
Mouse queezes Bear tight.
He whispers in his ear,
"It'll be just fine.
Your friends are all here."


Links:
About the book
Look inside

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

Publisher Comments: The enthralling international bestseller.
We are in the center of Paris, in an elegant apartment building inhabited by bourgeois families. Renée, the concierge, is witness to the lavish but vacuous lives of her numerous employers. Outwardly she conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: fat, cantankerous, addicted to television. Yet, unbeknownst to her employers, Renée is a cultured autodidact who adores art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture. With humor and intelligence she scrutinizes the lives of the building's tenants, who for their part are barely aware of her existence.
Then there's Paloma, a 12-year-old genius. She is the daughter of a tedious parliamentarian, a talented and startlingly lucid child who has decided to end her life on the 16th of June, her thirteenth birthday. Until then she will continue behaving as everyone expects her to behave: a mediocre pre-teen high on adolescent subculture, a good but not an outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter.
Paloma and Renée hide both their true talents and their finest qualities from a world they suspect cannot or will not appreciate them. They discover their kindred souls when a wealthy Japanese man named Ozu arrives in the building. Only he is able to gain Paloma's trust and to see through Renée's timeworn disguise to the secret that haunts her. This is a moving, funny, triumphant novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us.

Quote from the book: Madame Michel has the elegance of the hedgehog: on the outside, she’s covered in quills, a real fortress, but my gut feeling is that on the inside, she has the same simple refinement as the hedgehog: a deceptively indolent little creature, fiercely solitary – and terribly elegant.

My Thoughts: At first I didn't like this book too much. The two narrators, loners, seemed to wallow in their aloneness, thinking about their intellgence and how others fall woefully short. However, as I kept reading and learning more about each one I began to like them. Then enters Kakuro Ozu, who seems to bring life back to both Renee and Paloma. Renee blooms with life and hope. Then....

This novel took me through the gambit of emotions. I laughed at some of Renee Michel's observations, sprinkled ramdomaly in her philosophical thoughts. I also laughed at some of Palomas observations in her "Profound Thoughts". I disliked, then liked, then loved the characters. This book broke my heart at the end. As trite as it may sound I laughed and I cried.

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Europa Editions (September 2, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1933372605
ISBN-13: 978-1933372600

philosophy, literature, literary fiction

The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell

About the book: In this retelling of The Three Little Pigs set in the American Southwest, the cherished porkers are transformed into javelinas, the hairy, swinelike creatures also known as peccaries. Their pursuer, no longer the wolf of traditional lore, becomes Coyote, that ubiquitous Southwestern trickster. In her first book for children, Lowell spices the story with elements of Native American, Mexican and Old West culture. Javelina No. 1 builds his house of tumbleweed, while his brother relies on saguaro ribs. Twice Coyote huffs and puffs and the lightweight dwellings fall, but the peccaries are saved by their resourceful sister, who has had the foresight to build her home of stout adobe bricks. This clever and flavorful change of scene puts a diverting spin on an old favorite. Harris's lively, finely detailed illustrations, with the bristling, pink-nosed peccaries clad in cowboy outfits, amusingly contrast the villain's vigorous wiles with the title characters' cozy domesticity.

My thoughts: Loved it! The story was cute, the illustrations were great. Used this one in class and the kids did a venn to compare it to the traditional version. Funny note: One of my little girls said "It was the GIRL pig who was smart!"

View the author's site here.

Challenges:

100+ Reading challenge

RYOB Challenge

children's literature, children

Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett

Synopsis
When Bo spots what he thinks is a "rip-roarin', rootin'-tootin', shiny red armadillo," he knows what he has to do. Follow that armadillo! Bo leaves his mother and three brothers behind and takes off for a two-stepping, bronco-bucking adventure. Jan Brett turns her considerable talents toward the Texas countryside in this amusing story of an armadillo on his own.

My Thoughts: Jan Brett is one of my very favorite author/illustrators of children's books. Her pictures are always wonderful, vibrant, and inviting. Each year when we do our Texas unit, I read this story to my class. It is a fun read with lots of teaching opportunities, the least of which not being that the armadillo is the Texas state small mammal (the large state amimal being the Longhorn.) The class loved this story and wanted to hear it again.

Visit Jan Brett here. Lots of cool activities for the kids!

children's literature, children,

Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss

From the Inside Flap: Illus. in color. Horton, the lovable elephant, tries to protect tiny creatures on a speck of dust. An easy reader with delightful verse and pictures.

My Thoughts: This is among my favorite Seuss books. The kids enjoy hearing it and I like reading it. I enjoy the sound of the made up words in rhyming verses, the joyous feel of the text as it is spoken. It's a good lesson on caring for and respecting others no matter if they are different than you. What's not to like?

Seussville - kids games with Horton.

100+ Reading Challenge

RYOB Challenge

children's literature, Dr. Seuss, compassion

Just the Two of Us by Will Smith

About the book: "Just the two of us, Building castles in the sky; Just the two of us, You and I." Will Smith--- musician, actor, and father--brings us a moving celebration of fatherhood. Smith's heartfelt lyrics and Kadir Nelson's vibrant paintings capture the beauty and intensity of a father's love as his child grows from a boy into a man. This poignant portrait will resonate with fathers and sons everywhere.

My thoughts: After I read "Love You Forever" to my class one of my students brought this to me to read. It is a sweet book

about a father's love for his son. The father prays that he will be a good dad, knows it will take time and work. He encourages his son to live with "Dignity, integrity, honor..." and "Always tell the truth, say your prayers, hold doors, pull out chairs, easy on the swears..." I liked it and like it even more now that I have viewed the youtube video of Smith singing it. It felt awkward to read, but I see now that is is due to it being a rap. Maybe next time I read it will come out better.

See the author sing the story on youtube. I'm not a rap fan but I like this.

children's literature, children's book

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

I read this book to my class every year in February and always tear up at the end. This book is a simple and poignant story that shows life as a circle and you get back what you give. It is about the lifelong bond between parents and their children.

It ties in nicely with the character word Love, which our counselor presents to the school in Feb. for the love family members feel for each other. Second grade teachers at my school (all 7 of us) have built a unit around this story including vocabulary, comprehension, character building, etc. The kids always enjoy it and laugh at the antics of the boy.

I was frankly shocked earlier today when I read some reviews at Amazon to find lots of people who didn't like this book. If they take this story as literally as they seem to, then I feel that the joy of lots of other children's books must be lost to them as well.

Read here to see what the author has to say about this book & why he wrote it.
Listen to the author TELL this story (& several others)
See a preview of the book here.

children's literature, child, children, children's book