If You Take a Mouse to School
by Laura Joffe Numeroff, Felicia Bond (Illustrator)
Ah, mice. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. Laura Numeroff and illustrator Felicia Bond, creators of the bestselling picture books If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and If You Take a Mouse to the Movies, are back with If You Take a Mouse to School. As you might imagine, there are great risks in bringing your mouse to school. For starters, he'll ask you for your lunchbox. And then a sandwich. And a snack for later. Still not satisfied, he'll want to participate in everything from math to soccer. Children and adults alike will revel in the hilarious, very cute illustrations of the mouse in the classroom: hanging from the top corner of the blackboard to spell (aptly enough) "precocious" and "adrenaline," writing "'Goodnight Mouse' by Mouse," sitting inside the boy's open backpack playing with a yo-yo, etc. This book is more episodic in nature than the truly cause-and-effect formula of the previous books: "If you give a pig a pancake, she'll want some syrup to go with it." Nonetheless, kids who know and love this rollicking read-aloud series will laugh and play to see a mouse at school. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson - Amazon.com
(Hardcover -- July 16, )
 

Homework by Arthur Yorinks Hardcover from Walker Books for Young Readers 2009-07-07

Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks Paperback from Spoken Arts Caldecott Winner

COMPANY'S COMING  by Arthur Yorinks illustrated by David Small  1989 Scholastic softcover 7 x 9 inches, 32 pages A nice couple in Bellmore invite visitors from outer space to have dinner... Paperback from Scholastic Book Services

The Alphabet Atlas by Arthur Yorinks Hardcover from Winslow Press

Bravo, Minski by Arthur Yorinks Hardcover from Farrar Straus & Giroux (J)

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies
by Felicia Bond (Illustrator), Laura Joffe Numeroff
(Hardcover -- October )

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
by Felicia Bond (Illustrator), Laura Joffe Numeroff
(Hardcover -- May 1985)

The Jessie Willcox Smith Mother Goose: A Careful and Full Selection of the Rhymes
by Jessie Willcox Smith
Hardcover from Outlet

Philadelphia Chickens
by Sandra Boynton, Michael Ford
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 64 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.52 x 8.28 x 10.28
Workman Publishing Company; ISBN: 0761126368; Book & Cd edition

I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem
by Jamie Lee Curtis, Laura Cornell (Illustrator)
Listed under Jamie Lee Curtis

Oh, the Places You'll Go!
by Seuss, Dr. Seuss
Listed under Dr Seuss

Good Morning, Gorillas (Magic Tree House, 26)
by Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca (Illustrator)
Listed under Magic Tree House Books

Where the Wild Things Are
by Maurice Sendak (Illustrator)
(Hardcover -- October 1988)

Bob Books First! Level A, Set 1
by Bobby Lynn Maslen, John R. Maslen (Illustrator)
Paperback: 14 pages
Scholastic Trade; ISBN: 0439145449; Boxed edition (April )

Chrysanthemum
by Kevin Henkes
Until Chrysanthemum started kindergarten, she believed her parents when they said her name was perfect. But on the first day of school, Chrysanthemum begins to suspect that her name is far less than perfect, especially when her class dissolves into giggles upon hearing her name read aloud. That evening, Chrysanthemum's parents try to piece her self-esteem back together again with comfort food and a night filled "with hugs, kisses, and Parcheesi." But the next day Victoria, a particularly observant and mean-spirited classmate, announces that Chrysanthemum's name takes up 13 letters. "That's half the letters in the alphabet!" she adds. Chrysanthemum wilts. Pretty soon the girls are making playground threats to "pluck" Chrysanthemum and "smell her." 

Kevin Henkes has great compassion for the victims of childhood teasing and cruelties--using fresh language, endearing pen-and-ink mouse characters, and realistic dialogue to portray real-life vulnerability. He also has great compassion for parents, offering several adult-humor jokes for anxious mommies and daddies. On the surface, the finale is overly tidy and the coincidences unbelievable. But in the end, what sustains Chrysanthemum, as well as this story, is the steadfast love and support of her family. And because of this, the closure is ultimately convincing and utterly comforting. ALA Notable Book, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, Horn Book Fanfare Honor List. (Ages 4 to 8) --Gail Hudson - Amazon.com
Paperback: 32 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.10 x 9.76 x 7.72
Mulberry Books; ISBN: 0688147321;

The Giving Tree
by Shel Silverstein
(Hardcover -- February 1986)

Giggle, Giggle, Quack
by Doreen Cronin, Betsy Lewin (Illustrator)
(School & Library Binding -- May )

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Judith Viorst, Ray Cruz (Illustrator)
"I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day." 

So begin the trials and tribulations of the irascible Alexander, who has been earning the sympathy of readers since 1972. People of all ages have terrible, horrible days, and Alexander offers us the cranky commiseration we crave as well as a reminder that things may not be all that bad. As Alexander's day progresses, he faces a barrage of bummers worthy of a country- western song: getting smushed in the middle seat of the car, a dessertless lunch sack, a cavity at the dentist's office, stripeless sneakers, witnessing kissing on television, and being forced to sleep in railroad-train pajamas. He resolves several times to move to Australia. 

Judith Viorst flawlessly and humorously captures a child's testy temperament, rendering Alexander sympathetic rather than whiny. Our hero's gum-styled hair and peevish countenance are artfully depicted by Ray Cruz's illustrations. An ALA Notable Book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is a great antidote to bad days everywhere, sure to put a smile on even the crabbiest of faces. (Ages 5 to 9) - Amazon.com
Paperback: 32 pages
Scott Foresman (Pearson K-12); ISBN: 0689711735; Reissue edition (August 1987)
 

	Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate, Ashley Wolff (Illustrator) (Paperback -- July )

Green Eggs and Ham
by Dr. Seuss
Listed under Dr Seuss
 

	How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teague (Illustrator) (Paperback -- August )

Good Job, Oliver
by Laurel Molk
Library Binding: 32 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.39 x 10.12 x 8.12 
Publisher: Bt Bound;
ISBN: 0613337565 
 

Miss Spider's Tea Party by David Kirk Hardcover: 31 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.43 x 9.20 x 12.08  Publisher: Scholastic; (April ) ISBN: 0590477242

Officer Buckle and Gloria
by Peggy Rathmann

The Polar Express
by Chris Van Allsburg
One couldn't select a more delightful and exciting premise for a children's book than the tale of a young boy lying awake on Christmas Eve only to have Santa Claus sweep by and take him on a trip with other children to the North Pole. And one couldn't ask for a more talented artist and writer to tell the story than Chris Van Allsburg. Allsburg, a sculptor who entered the genre nonchalantly when he created a children's book as a diversion from his sculpting, won the 1986 Caldecott Medal for this book, one of several award winners he's produced. The Polar Express rings with vitality and wonder. 
Hardcover from Houghton Mifflin Co
28 October, 1985
 

Polar The Titanic Bear by Laurie McGaw (Illustrator), Daisy Corning Stone Spedden, Leighton H. Coleman (Introduction) Imagine the excitement of rooting around in an old attic and discovering the letters, diaries, and photo albums of a relative. What if that memorabilia opened a window on the sinking of the Titanic, the most famous sea disaster of all time? That's exactly what happened to Leighton H. Coleman III. Exploring the attic of his relative Daisy Corning Stone Spedden, he found many personal treasures, including a charming book Daisy had written for her 8-year-old son, Douglas, in 1913. This story, combined with award-winning artist Laurie McGaw's gorgeous watercolor illustrations, actual family photographs, keepsakes, and historic postcards, weaves the fabric of Polar the Titanic Bear, an engaging slice of history for all ages, told through the black glass eyes of an extraordinary toy bear named Polar.  The story begins in the toy workshop where Polar is born, and quickly moves to the point where he is given to "Master," Daisy Spedden's son Douglas. Soon the boy and bear are inseparable! As the wealthy Speddens are world travelers, Polar and his new family sail from New York to Algiers and on to the French Riviera, until it comes time for them to return to America on the Titanic. On the fateful night of the sinking, Polar and the Speddens are lucky enough to be lowered down the side of the luxury liner in a lifeboat, but when the family boards the rescue ship, Polar finds himself left behind! How will Polar make it back to his best friend?  In the epilogue, rich with family photographs, the historical context for the story is fully and engagingly explained, with more details on the Titanic disaster as well as a smattering of toy history. This is a wonderful gift book--the richness and emotion of the story are all the more poignant when enhanced by the Spedden family photographs, their tragic personal story, and the reflection of an era that will never exist again. (All ages ... excellent for reading aloud to ages 6 and older, but perfect for 9- to 12-year-olds, too.) --Karin Snelson - Amazon.com School & Library Binding: 64 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.47 x 10.40 x 10.41  Publisher: Little Brown & Co (Juv Trd); (September ) ISBN: 0316806250

 

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon 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. This gorgeously illustrated book is sure to be an all-time favorite with readers, whether they've left the nest or not. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter - Amazon.com School & Library Binding: 48 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.40 x 10.41 x 10.38  Publisher: Harcourt; (April 1993) ISBN: 0152802177

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type (Caldecott Honor Book, )
by Doreen Cronin, Betsy Lewin (Illustrator)
The literacy rate in Farmer Brown's barn goes up considerably once his cows find an old typewriter and begin typing. To the harassed farmer's dismay, his communicative cows quickly become contentious: 

Dear Farmer Brown, The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets. Sincerely, The Cows

When he refuses to comply with their demands, the cows take action. Farmer Brown finds another note on the barn door: "Sorry. We're closed. No milk today." Soon the striking cows and Farmer Brown are forced to reach a mutually agreeable compromise, with the help of an impartial party--the duck. But this poor, beleaguered farmer's "atypical" troubles are not over yet! 

This hilarious tale will give young rebels-in-the-making a taste of the power of peaceful protest and the satisfaction of cooperative give and take. Witty watercolors by award-winning illustrator Betsy Lewin (Snake Alley Band, Araminta's Paint Box) will make this a favorite for one and all, even if words such as "ultimatum" and "neutral" throw the younger set. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter - Amazon.com
School & Library Binding: 32 pages
Simon & Schuster (Juv); ISBN: 0689832133; (January 28, )

Olivia (Caldecott Honor Book, )
by Ian Falconer (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Olivia would be Eloise, if Eloise were a pig. She is good at singing 40 very loud songs and is very good at wearing people out. And scaring the living daylights out of her little brother, Ian, particularly when he copies her every move. She is also quite skilled at reproducing Jackson Pollock's "Autumn Rhythm #30" on the walls at home. When her mother tucks her in at night and says, "You know, you really wear me out. But I love you anyway," Olivia precociously pronounces, "I love you anyway too." 

The New Yorker artist Ian Falconer's endearing charcoal portraits of his porcine heroine are spotted with fire-engine red gouache in all the right places--perhaps a tribute to Hilary Knight's red, pink, white, and black celebrations of Olivia's human counterpart? When she dresses up, the bow on her ears, her red lipstick, and her high-heeled shoes are all red. (The only time her shades-of-gray body is pink is when she is sunburned and the area where her bathing suit was is white!) Falconer does a fine job of letting the spare text set up the jokes for the visual punch lines--a dryly humorous interplay that adults will appreciate as much as children. 

Preschoolers (and their parents) will see themselves in Olivia--a typical high-energy, over-the-top kid who likes the beach and Degas paintings, but hates naps. On the other hand, she combs her ears and is unusually gifted at sandcastle building. While we are certainly reminded of Eloise, Falconer's portrait is simpler in scope, less demented, and, as a result, less adult. Bottom line: precocious is fun, and we're tickled pink to have Olivia join the parade of, let's just say, individualistic youngsters. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson

Olivia Saves the Circus
by Ian Falconer (Illustrator)

The Important Book
by Margaret Wise Brown, Leonard Weisgard (Illustrator)

"The important thing about rain is/ that it is wet./ It falls out of the sky,/ and it sounds like rain,/ and makes things shiny,/ and it does not taste like anything,/ and is the color of air./ But the important thing about rain is that it is wet."

Goodnight Moon creator Margaret Wise Brown's The Important Book is a deceptively simple exercise--taking familiar things like an apple, spoon, or shoe, and finding the most basic association with those things. The most important thing about an apple? It is round. A spoon? You eat with it. A shoe? You put your foot in it. But why, according to Brown, is the most important thing about grass "that it is green," while the most important thing about an apple is "that it is round"? Why is "that it is white" the most important thing about snow and a daisy? Whether or not you'd distill these things in the same way that the author does, Brown makes us think about the essence of everyday entities in new ways. The illustrations, by Caldecott Medal winner Leonard Weisgard (The Little Island), perform the same function--capturing the spoonness of spoons, the roundness of an apple, the motion of wind. 

Happily, Brown went on to create the companion Another Important Book, about the importance of being one, two, three, four, five, and six years old--published for the first time in 1999 with fabulous artwork by Caldecott Honor artist Chris Raschka (Yo! Yes?). Both of Brown's "important books" will endure the test of time as fresh, thought-provoking ways to examine the world around us. (Preschool and older) --Karin Snelson - Amazon.com
Paperback: 24 pages HarperTrophy; ISBN: 0064432270; (April 1990)
 

	Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (Paperback -- September 1987)

	The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth, Leo Tolstoy (School & Library Binding -- April )

I'm a Big Sister
by Joanna Cole, Maxie Chambliss (Illustrator)
Hardcover: 32 pages
William Morrow & Company; ISBN: 0688145094; (May )

The Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams, David Jorgensen (Illustrator)
A stuffed toy rabbit (with real thread whiskers) comes to life in Margery Williams's timeless tale of the transformative power of love. Given as a Christmas gift to a young boy, the Velveteen Rabbit lives in the nursery with all of the other toys, waiting for the day when the Boy (as he is called) will choose him as a playmate. In time, the shy Rabbit befriends the tattered Skin Horse, the wisest resident of the nursery, who reveals the goal of all nursery toys: to be made "real" through the love of a human. "'Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.'" This sentimental classic--perfect for any child who's ever thought that maybe, just maybe, his or her toys have feelings--has been charming children since its first publication in 1922. (A great read-aloud for all ages, but children ages 8 and up can read it on their own.) - Amazon.com
Paperback: Knopf; ISBN: 0679803335; (January 1990)

 
 

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