Category Archives: great books

Monday: Iggy Peck Architect

by

Few are the children who know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. I, at the age of 5, wanted to be a veterinarian. Then an archaeologist. Then a pediatrician. Then a librarian. (We’ll just gloss over the period in which I wanted to become a Canadian.) Iggy Peck, however, knows exactly what he wants to be: an architect. From the age of 2, he has been constructing buildings from whatever materials he could lay his hands on..who could forget his tower made of dirty diapers and glue? But when his 2nd grade teacher tries to squash Iggy’s passion for building, you won’t believe how he changes her mind.  Andrea Beaty and David Roberts have created a delightful story in rhyme that will warm the hearts of readers young and old.

Friday: Mercy Watson

by

Mr. and Mrs. Watson have a pet pig named Mercy. Which really isn’t all that odd, since my Aunt once had a pot-bellied pig named Reginald…but I digress..What is odd is that Mercy, despite her best attempts to just spend her days eating toast “with a great deal of butter”, somehow manages to solve every mystery and crime that comes to Deckawoo Drive. She is, as Mr Watson puts it, “a porcine wonder.” And readers young and old will agree that Kate DiCamillo (of “Despereaux” fame) has again created a series of instant classics with her six “Mercy Watson” books. These easy-to-read chapter books will delight your children and keep the parents laughing with the old lady antics of Eugenia and Baby Lincoln who live next store and an animal control officer named Francine Poulet. Don’t walk, run to your local library for Mercy’s sake.

Thursday: Interrupting Chicken

by

Today’s review is…”Hi, Mama!”..sorry, anyway, today’s review centers on…”Whatcha doin’ Mama?”..sweetheart, I’ll be right with you…as I was saying…”Can I type too, Mama?”…

For those of us who absolutely adore our children but who find ourselves biting the insides of our cheeks  every time our children interrupt us, do I have the book for you. “Interrupting Chicken” by David Ezra Stein is a hilarious take on a child’s penchant for iterruptus storytimeus. Little Red Chicken LOVES to read with his father, but he’s just so concerned for all of the fairy tale characters in the books that he can’t help but interrupt the story to help them avoid calamity.

Hansel and Gretel: Don’t go in! She’s a witch!

Little Red Riding Hood: That’s NOT your grandmother!

Chicken Little: It’s only an acorn!

You get the picture. And your children will to – as this delightful story continues. But how in the world does Little Red Chicken’s story end up interrupted by his father? You’ll just have to get those book and…”Are you done yet, Mama?”…find out.

 

 

 

Monday: Lulu and the Brontosaurus

by

For those children of the 70’s and 80’s you might best remember Judith Viorst from her fantastic book, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.” This was a staple of my reading life as a child – and I repeatedly checked this book out from my school library – just adoring the fact that a child could actually admit that stinky things happen sometimes. Viorst has a knack for creating tales that are refreshingly honest and appealing to children and her book “Lulu and the Brontosaurus” is no exception. Lulu is awfully awful. For lack of a better term, she’s a brat. And used to getting exactly what she wants. But when what she wants is a Brontosaurus, her parents have to draw the line. So Lulu revolts with a hearty “foo on you” and skips town armed with pickle sandwiches (yum!). Ironically, guess who she finds in the forest? Yep – a Brontosaurus…who wants HER as a pet. You can’t resist this adorable story, complete with illustrations by the inimitable Lane Smith. So grab a pickle sandwich and settle right in with this delightful chapter book.

Friday: The Pencil

by

I grew up on Crockett Johnson’s “Harold and the Purple Crayon.” And I continue to love the idea of a little boy creating a new world with just a blank wall and a little imagination.  And while no book will ever come close to winning my heart over Harold, I do believe he has some stiff competition in Allan Ahlberg’s “The Pencil.” The story begins with a pencil…”a lonely little pencil, and nothing else.” But soon, this little pencil is creating worlds and people and animals and all is well until those people and animals start to have a few demands of their own. And even when the pencil draws himself an eraser to get rid of a few items, his eraser takes on a rather unseemly life of its own. What’s a pencil to do? Grab this book and find out…before you get erased.

Monday: Long Tail Kitty

by

In my opinion, every bookshelf should have a long tail kitty, or at least a copy of Lark Pien’s lovely book by the same name. “Long Tail Kitty” is fantastic – I cannot get enough of this fabulous little book. Not only are the illustrations right up my alley (Pien is a long-time graphic-novelist and her drawings are simple and poignant and utterly adorable) , but the small chapter format is great for little readers. Long Tail Kitty meets aliens, talks to a crabby bee and ultimately steals your heart.

Friday: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

by

Disclaimer: I am 36 years old and the stories in the book still scare me. Hence, this book recommendation is for older aged children or at least children who are braver than I.  This was THE book for slumber parties growing up. I vividly remember sitting at my friend Damara’s house, with flashlights on and spooky music in the background, and her mother, all dressed up as a witch, reading “High Beams” from the story collection, “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.” Do you remember high beams? The urban myth of the woman driving home and the car behind her keeps putting on its high beams? I shudder now just thinking of it. This story continues to force me to look in the backseat of my car when I get in. And who could forget “May I Carry Your Basket?” and “The Big Toe.” Ack!  This is the penultimate scary story collection and I dare you to read it and not feel that little chill up your spine.

Thursday: Boogie Bones

by

Boogie Bones is a skeleton who loves to dance, but who afraid to strut his stuff in front of people.  So, he grabs some clothes and enters himself in the town dance contest. But what happens when he boogies right out of his outfit? Little readers will have to check out Elizabeth Loredo’s hilarious book to find out…A great story with adorable illustrations.

Wednesday: Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt

by

Nate the Great is at it again – this time with a truly spooky Halloween mystery. Little Hex, the cat, has disappeared and only super sleuth Nate the Great can get to the bottom of this mystery. With a compelling tale and great little boy humor, Marjorie Weinman Sharmat’s book is a favorite for Halloween. A great chapter book for early readers with plenty of jokes and silliness to keep your little book worms engaged. 

Tuesday: Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet

by

Growing up, we used to sing “Trick or treat, smell my feet, dance around the toilet seat” and the image of boogie-ing around the potty was always a show-stopper for me. And now, thank Heavens, we have Lisa Desimini’s “Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet” to entertain us just as hilariously.  This is the tale of twin witches, Delia and Ophelia, who take it upon themselves (as all true witches do) to ruin Halloween for the sweet neighborhood kids. So, they concoct a spell using, you guessed it, stinky socks. All does not run smoothly for these identical hags, and your kids will adore the result. I do…almost as much as lambada-ing around the john.