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Favorite Reads for Children
The illustrations tell the tale in this book of only four different words. Rabbit, happy to find the bright side in everything with “Good news”, brings a full picnic basket to Mouse. However, a disappointed Mouse replies, “Bad news,” as rain begins to fall. Misfortune seems to follow each cheery event as these two friends take turn expressing their simple perspectives until Mouse can’t handle any more bad news. The satisfying ending is a great reminder that everyone has the power to find a silver lining.
Reviewed by Jennie Tuttle, Wickes Library
Recommended for ages 3 – 6.
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It’s that time again; time to elect our 45th president. Presidents, have you ever wondered where they come from? Who they were? How they got elected? What their life was like in the White House? And what do they actually do? But to answer all these questions you may have to read a history book, and history books can be boring. If only history books were like comic books!
Well Michael Townsend wrote a history book like a comic book with dumb bunnies and silly characters drinking milk shakes in it. Never thought reading about old stuffy presidents could be so much fun, and funny!
The chapters in this book cover subjects like – Where do presidents come from? How do they get elected? Where do they go when they are no longer the president? There is other “stuff of super-great importance” too. There are plenty of presidential tidbits of information and trivia. Did you know that the White House was originally the Gray House? President John Quincy Adams liked to scare his guests with his toothy pet, an alligator! And that President Coolidge had a pet pygmy hippo named Billy!
It’s a comic book, it’s a history book, it’s . . . → Read More: Michael Townsend’s Where Do Presidents Come From? And Other Presidential Stuff of Super-Great Importance by Michael Townsend
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Who hasn’t said or heard, “Don’t copy me!” Little Puffin takes advantage of the fresh air to embark on a quiet walk. However, a glance behind reveals that Small Gull, Tiny Gull, and Baby Gull not only have decided to join him, but the trio is duplicating everything Little Puffin says and does. How annoying! Little Puffin tries various strategies to discourage the Gull chicks. When they finally leave, Little Puffin is thrilled to return to his quiet walk. However, he has company… Kids will love the repetitive phrases and enthusiastically join in.
Reviewed by Jennie Tuttle, Wickes Library
Recommended for ages 3 – 6
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A boy named Wahoo lives in Florida with a Zoo in his backyard. His dad works as an animal wrangler until a frozen iguana falls from a palm tree and hits him in the head. After being injured his dad struggles with work, so Wahoo decides to pitch in. He finds a job for his dad with a reality show called “Expedition Survival.” On the way to filming, Wahoo runs into a girl from school named Tuna who is running from her abusive father and he decides to take her with them. They all head to the Everglades to film the show and this is where the adventure begins. This is a fun read for kids who like animals, adventure and action.
Reviewed by Michelle Zimostrad, Hoyt Library
Recommended for ages 10 and up
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Rolf’s best friend old Mrs. Boggins says that he is a good little wolf. However, when Rolf bumps in to the Big Bad Wolf in the woods, the question of whether or not Rolf is a real wolf is brought up. Rolf humorously fails each of the tasks the Big Bad Wolf gives him. Much to the Big Bad Wolf’s surprise, Rolf shows him that a proper wolf can also be a good wolf when the Big Bad Wolf makes the mistake of threatening Mrs. Boggins. Maybe Big Bad Wolf will change his ways now that he has seen a different path…
This story would make a great giggly wolf storytime when paired with Emily Gravett’s Wolves and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka.
Reviewed by Jennie Tuttle, Wickes Library
Recommended for ages 4 and up
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Goose always has a good story to tell his friends. One day though, they tire of Goose always getting to be the hero in the story. As they argue, a hungry wolf comes and captures Goose while his friends escape. Goose then comes up with his biggest tale ever about a Wem (wolf eating monster) and his friends pitch in and save Goose from becoming lunch. Goose is so happy his friends are there to play the role of hero today! This is a very cute book about friendship.
Review by Michelle Zimostrad, Hoyt Library
Recommended for ages 3 and up
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“I need the music of my forebears from Afrik, but take the mending to my lap and work beside the Missus’ chair.”
The words of each poem are written in unrhymed verse with ten lines of ten syllables that mimic the square shape of a quilt block. As in the three layers of a quilt, the author uses three references in each poem: a religious, a musical, and a sewing, or textile art reference in addition to the imagery that each poem brings.
From the cotton fields of the Deep South to a small home in the North, these poems, and quilt blocks, tell the story of the pain and sorrow, the joy and hope of African Americans living in slavery.
For more picture books about story quilts –
Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson
The author tells the story of how the skill of making quilt maps, and the telling of the stories of the quilts, was passed down from mother to daughter in her family.
The Patchwork Path: a Quilt Map to Freedom by Bettye Stroud
Hannah and her father use the pattern in a patchwork quilt to guide them from a southern plantation to freedom in the Canadian . . . → Read More: I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery by Cynthia Grady
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“And in 1962,” I said, looking up from the paper and bemoaning my fate, “the longest grounding of a boy named Jack continues to go unnoticed by history.”
Grounded by his parents for accidents not his fault and on loan to his scrappy old neighbor for the summer, Jack Gantos believes that his chance for fun in the small town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania has just slipped through his fingers. However, transcribing obituaries for the town’s medical examiner and history expert Miss Volker while also acting as her underage driver provides Jack with more excitement than his emotional bleeding nose could have ever expected. Will he ever be able to balance the orders of his proud homebody mother with the requests of his adventurous father and the desire to escape the house to adventures with Miss Volker? Will his nose ever stop acting up and dripping blood over everything? And is there something strange about the rash of deaths among the remaining original town settlers?
The treasure of this semi-autobiographical book for me is the sharp zingers that the characters, particularly Miss Volker, fire out. For example, Miss Volker says that Mr. Spizz is “so stupid. Honestly, when he makes alphabet . . . → Read More: DEAD END IN NORVELT BY JACK GANTOS
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As a little boy Diego Rivera loved to draw and this love led him to become one the world’s most famous painters. He grew up in Mexico but then traveled as a young man to study the many different methods of painting. After living and studying in Europe, he was invited back to Mexico to paint murals as a part of a major mural program. The murals were about Mexican history and Mexican people. He painted murals for the next 25 years and really developed his own style. Most were painted in Mexico but some of his murals can be found in places such as Detroit and San Francisco. The author of this book was inspired by Diego Rivera and poses several questions throughout the book as to what Diego would paint if he were here today. This book is a great introduction to this artist and his heritage.
This book won the 2012 Pura Belpre’ award. This award honors a Latino writer and illustrator whose books celebrate Latino culture.
Reviewed by Michelle Zimostrad, Hoyt Library
Recommended for ages 8 and up
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This is a Cinderella-like book that will take you on a magical journey. Liesl is locked in an attic by her evil stepmother during her father’s illness and eventual death. She befriends a ghost named Po, its pet named Bundle and eventually a delivery boy named Will. When one of Will’s deliveries goes terribly wrong, the strongest magic in the world ends up in Liesl’s possession. These characters will capture you heart and remind you of the power of love and hope.
Reviewed by Michelle Zimostrad, Hoyt Library
Recommended for ages 8 to 12
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