I thought this might be a great time to put up a section on Book Recommendations. This last semester has produced a couple really great reads that I would like to share with you all.
1) Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
From Amazon: Because of Winn-Dixie, a big, ugly, happy dog, 10-year-old Opal: 1) learns 10 things about her long-gone mother from her preacher father; 2) makes new friends among the somewhat unusual residents of her new hometown, Naomi, Florida; 3) begins to find her place in the world and let go of some of the sadness left by her mother’s abandonment seven years earlier. With her newly adopted, goofy pooch at her side, Opal explores her bittersweet world and learns to listen to other people’s lives.
2) Frindle by Andrew Clements
From Amazon: “Nick is an enterprising guy, maybe a troublemaker at times, definitely someone who pushes the limits at every opportunity. When he undertakes to introduce a new word, “frindle,” into the English language, his fifth-grade language arts teacher, Mrs. Granger, plays devil’s advocate. A battle of wits and wills ensues.”
3) Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
From Amazon: “Baby bat Stellaluna’s life is flitting along right on schedule–until an owl attacks her mother one night, knocking the bewildered batlet out of her mother’s loving grasp. The tiny bat is lucky enough to land in a nest of baby birds, but her whole world has just turned upside down. Literally. Stellaluna’s adoptive bird mom accepts her into her nest, but only on the condition that Stellaluna will act like a bird, not a bat. Soon Stellaluna has learned to behave like a good bird should–she quits hanging by her feet and starts eating bugs. But when she finally has an opportunity to show her bird siblings what life as a bat is like, all of them are confounded. “How can we be so different and feel so much alike?” one asks. “And how can we feel so different and be so much alike?” asks another. “I agree,” Stellaluna responds. “But we’re friends. And that’s a fact.” Anyone who has ever been asked to be someone they’re not will understand the conflicts–and possibilities–Stellaluna faces.”
4) Knots on a Counting Rope by John Archambault
From Amazon: “Gathered near a campfire under a canopy of stars, a Navaho Indian boy hears the tale of his birth from his grandfather. Born on a windy night, the child was weak and frail. In the early morning, Grandfather brought him out to meet the morning. Two blue horses galloped by, stopped and looked at him; the baby raised his arms to them. Grandfather said, “This boy child will not die. The great blue horses have given him the strength to live.”
5) Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
From Amazon: “The offbeat style of this wonderful story–and of Julie Vivas’s perfectly matched illustrations–couldn’t be summed up better than by the oddness of the first sentence: “There was once a small boy called Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge and what’s more he wasn’t very old either.”
6) Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
From Amazon: “Polacco shares her childhood triumph over dyslexia and discovery of reading in an inspiring if slightly formulaic story. Young Trisha is eager to taste the “sweetness of knowledge” that her grandfather has always revered (here symbolized by drizzling honey onto a book and tasting it, which harkens back to Polacco’s earlier The Bee Tree). But when she looks at words and numbers, everything is a jumble. Trisha endures the cruel taunts of classmates who call her “dumb,” and falls behind in her studies. But finally the encouragement and efforts of a new fifth grade teacher, Mr. Falker, trigger a monumental turning point in Trisha’s life.”
7) Motherbridge of Love
From Amazon: “This book shares its name with a London-based organization dedicated to promoting greater understanding of Chinese life and culture among adoptive families in the West. The text, credited to an anonymous adoptive mother, takes the form of a series of heartfelt, parallel musings about two women “who never knew each other” but who are central to a sprightly Chinese girl.”
8 ) Flotsam by David Wiesner
From Amazon: “A wave deposits an old-fashioned contraption at the feet of an inquisitive young beachcomber. Its a Melville underwater camera, and the excited boy quickly develops the film he finds inside. The photos are amazing: a windup fish, with intricate gears and screwed-on panels, appears in a school with its living counterparts; a fully inflated puffer, outfitted as a hot-air balloon, sails above the water; miniature green aliens kowtow to dour-faced sea horses; and more.”
9) The Lemonade Club by Patricia Polacco
From Amazon: “Everyone loves Miss Wichelman’s fifth-grade class—especially best friends Traci and Marilyn. That’s where they learn that when life hands you lemons, make lemonade! They are having a great year until Traci begins to notice some changes in Marilyn. She’s losing weight, and seems tired all the time. She has leukemia—and a tough road of chemotherapy ahead. It is not only Traci and Miss Wichelman who stand up for her, but in a surprising and unexpected turn, the whole fifth-grade class, who figures out a way to say we’re with you.”
10) More More More said the Baby by Vera B. Williams
From Amazon: “From beneath the tickles, kisses, and unfettered affection showered on them by grownups, the children in Vera B. Williams’ Caldecott Honor Book cry out for “more more more!” The stars of three little love stories–toddlers with nicknames like “Little Pumpkin”–run giggling until they are scooped up by adoring adults to be swung around, kissed, and finally tucked into bed. Quirky watercolor drawings and colorful text feature multiethnic families, and young readers will rejoice in seeing the center of all the attention: the wiggly, chubby, irresistible toddlers.”
11) I Love You, Little One by Nancy Tafuri
From Amazon: “In this tender bedtime book, seven young creatures ask in turn a single, important question: “Do you love me, Mama?” The answer in each case is the same: “forever and ever and always,” but it is preceded by different, lyrical similes. Mama Rabbit loves her baby “as the earth loves you, warm and snug around you, giving you a warm place to sleep”; Mama Mouse loves her child “as the wild rye loves you, gently swaying above you, giving you food and cover from harm.” As the characters speak, the pictures quietly show the progression of the sun and moon to indicate the passage of time from midmorning to evening. The book’s oversized pages seem to enfold the reader like a hug, and the full-bleed watercolor-and-ink illustrations are sumptuously yet tidily rendered, bringing to life the lushness of the woodland setting while maintaining a comforting sense of order. So stunningly detailed are Tafuri’s (Have You Seen My Duckling?) dusky, downy-coated animals that the pink-skinned human mother and genderless child shown on the final spread seem almost bland in comparison. A compositional strategy gently underlines the point of the narrative: the spreads in which the little ones ask their anxious question are framed as medium or long shots, while the mothers make their reassuring reply in snuggly close-ups.”
12) Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch
From Amazon: “The mother sings to her sleeping baby: “I’ll love you forever / I’ll love you for always / As long as I’m living / My baby you’ll be.” She still sings the same song when her baby has turned into a fractious 2-year-old, a slovenly 9-year-old, and then a raucous teen. So far so ordinary–but this is one persistent lady. When her son grows up and leaves home, she takes to driving across town with a ladder on the car roof, climbing through her grown son’s window, and rocking the sleeping man in the same way. Then, inevitably, the day comes when she’s too old and sick to hold him, and the roles are at last reversed.”
13) Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
From Amazon: “Fox has composed a simple refrain to celebrate human connections in this lovely picture book. “Little one, whoever you are,” she explains, there are children all over the world who may look different, live in different homes and different climates, go to different schools, and speak in different tongues but all children love, smile, laugh, and cry. Their joys, pain, and blood are the same, “whoever they are, wherever they are, all over the world.” Staub’s oil paintings complement the simple text. She uses bright matte colors for the landscapes and portraits, placing them in gold borders, set with jewels and molded from plaster and wood. These frames enclose the single- and double-page images and echo the rhythm of the written phrases. Within the covers of the book, the artist has created an art gallery that represents in color, shape, and texture, the full range of human experience.”
14) Gorilla by Anthony Browne
From Amazon: “Hannah spends all of her time reading gorilla books, watching gorilla TV shows, and drawing gorilla pictures. She has gorillas on her bedside lamp and even on her box of cereal. Hannah loves gorillas and longs to see a real one, but her father is always too busy – or too tired – to take her to the zoo. Then, on the night before her birthday, something extraordinary happens – and Hannah’s wish comes gloriously true.”
15) Anno’s Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno
From Amazon: “What kind of a counting book is this? On the first page all we see is a barren winter landscape–a hazy, blue sky above a hazy, white hill. Nothing to count here. But wait, this is zero! On the next page the scene brightens: one tree, one bird, one house. Turn the page again and the snow has started to melt–we find two buildings, two trucks, two trees, two children, two dogs, and two adults. Suddenly there is almost more than we can count on each page! The objects in the beautiful watercolor pictures correspond with each consecutive number, and in addition (so to speak), the number of items on the page increases exponentially.”
16) A Perfect Name by Charlene Costanza
From Amazon: “It’s the day before the naming ceremony, and Mama and Papa Potamus still have not been able to decide on a name descriptive enough and wonderful enough for their baby daughter. They go through The Name Book over and over, finding different options each time (“Drusilla Merilla,” “Zuza Pandora”), but none of them is just right. Finally, at the riverside ceremony, they find the perfect name.”
17) The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola
From Amazon: “This vivid retelling of an old Texas legend reveals how the Indian paintbrush, the state flower of Wyoming, first bloomed, and how a young brave dreams of creating a painting that will capture the beauty of a sunset.”
18) The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
From Amazon: “The Runaway Bunny begins with a young bunny who decides to run away: “‘If you run away,’ said his mother, ‘I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.’” And so begins a delightful, imaginary game of chase. No matter how many forms the little bunny takes–a fish in a stream, a crocus in a hidden garden, a rock on a mountain–his steadfast, adoring, protective mother finds a way of retrieving him. The soothing rhythm of the bunny banter–along with the surreal, dream-like pictures–never fail to infuse young readers with a complete sense of security and peace. For any small child who has toyed with the idea of running away or testing the strength of Mom’s love, this old favorite will comfort and reassure.”
19) My Mom by Anthony Browne
From Amazon: “With simplicity, strength, and complete understanding of children’s perceptions, Browne uses the voice of an unseen child to praise one mother–and by extension, all moms. The introductory page shows a mother who looks like many others, with an unadorned face and wavy hair that hasn’t seen a haircut in a while. Clutching a cup of coffee and wearing a delicately flowered robe over a striped tee, she stares out at the audience, while the text notes, “She’s nice, my mom.” By the book’s conclusion, she’s “really, really nice.”
20) Brother Eagle, Sister Sky by Susan Jeffers
From Amazon: “The Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth. The great American Indian Chief Seattle spoke these words over a hundred years ago. His remarkably relevant message of respect for the Earth and every creature on it has endured the test of time and is imbued with passion born of love of the land and the environment. Illustrated by award-winning artist Susan Jeffers, the stirring pen-and-color drawings bring a wide array of Native Americans to life while capturing the splendor of nature and the land.”
21) The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco
From Amazon: “Polacco’s first-person voice moves her narrative forward gracefully from the time when her Great-Gramma Anna came to America during the last century to the present. Richly detailed charcoal drawings fill the pages of this beautifully conceived book. Particularly striking are the faces of the Russian Jewish immigrant families who people the pages. The only color used is in the babushka and dress of Great-Gramma Anna, which become part of a brightly hued quilt. Following that quilt through four generations is the basis of this account. Customs and fashions change, but family is constant, visually linked by the “keeping quilt.” Children will be fascinated by the various uses to which the quilt is put, although some of those uses make one wonder how its “like-new” shape was maintained. That stretch of the imagination is gentle, however, and does not mar the story. Readers who notice that the author and the narrator share the same name may realize that this lovely story is true; that should make it even more appealing.”
22) The Teddy Bear by David McPhail
From Amazon: “A young boy leaves his beloved teddy bear in a diner. A homeless man finds it in the trash can and takes care of it by tucking it in his coat pocket and sleeping with it in the dumpster. One day, he leaves the teddy bear on a park bench just when the child and his parents happen to be passing by. The youngster is pleased to find his old friend and rescues him, but when the man cries out, “Where is my bear?” the child returns the stuffed animal to him. This act of sharing and compassion will be treasured by young and old.”
23) Sebastian’s Roller Skates by Joan De Deu Prats
From Amazon: “Sebastian always has a lot to say, but he is too shy to speak up. He won’t answer in class, tell the barber that he doesn’t like his haircut, or talk to his neighbors. He is especially shy around the curly haired girl he likes at school. Then one day, Sebastian finds an abandoned pair of roller skates and tries them on. At first, he falls down and decides that skating is not for him. However, these mysterious skates won’t go away and eventually he is gliding through the park. Soon, with his newfound courage, he is talking in spite of himself–after all, he has always had a lot to say. The cartoon illustrations tell what the text cannot, as a collage of torn-paper thoughts spills from Sebastian’s head whenever he wants to talk. The collages start out in black and white but as Sebastian grows more confident and begins to share his thoughts aloud, they erupt into full color.”
24) The Night I Followed The Dog by Nina Laden
From Amazon: “”It’s 10 p.m. Do you know where your dog is?” If not, join in this book’s extraordinary suppositions. A young boy relates the events of “the night I followed my dog.” A dull pet by day, the pup dons a tuxedo and tie after dark, climbs into his limo (vanity plate?K9), and goes to his club, The Doghouse. Bogart’s got nothing on this pooch as he shows his young master, who has secretly tailed him, around the club. The crisp and colorful pastel drawings of the anthropomorphized clientele are amusing, but best of all is the frolicking text with several words per page decked out in appropriate illustrative (almost rebus) fashion. Sophisticated enough for older children and silly enough for younger listeners, this boy-and-his-dog book has a clever text, great illustrations, and strong appeal.”
25) Private I. Guana by Nina Laden
From Amazon: “This tale of an investigator who tracks down an elusive chameleon, at the request of a lizard in distress, features bold pastel illustrations.”
I would love to get your ideas, as well!!
[...] Book Recommendations [...]