Searching for a Halloween book that’s not scary? Then be sure to have a peek at NOT VERY SCARY by Carol Brendler, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli, winner of the 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. This cumulative tale is rich with repetition, alliteration, and one brave little monster – Melly – who is – well, maybe – just… Read more »
Dianne White
October: Our Natural World
It’s October already and this month the ReaderKidZ will be sharing books about our natural world. We’re kicking it off with the gorgeous and informative, STAR STUFF: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos (Roaring Brook Press, 2014), which hits bookstore shelves October 14th. Coming up on Friday, Stephanie Greene shares an interview with STAR STUFF author/illustrator, Stephanie Roth Sisson. In the… Read more »
Mix It Up!
In previous posts, we’ve recommended two of Hervé Tullet‘s books – PRESS HERE and DOODLE COOK, both of which inspire readers to enjoy the magic of color, shape, and imagination. Tullet’s newest, MIX IT UP, (Chronicle Books, 2014) introduces young learners to primary and secondary colors, color mixing, tints, tones, and shades and makes an excellent addition to a young child’s library or… Read more »
Unexpected Friendships
A dutiful farmer toils away at daily chores. In the distance, a circus train crosses the barren countryside. As the farmer looks on, a small passenger flips and spills, unhurt, onto the soft ground. As the farmer approaches, a baby clown with a tall red cap, white face, and painted-on smile greets him. The young clown leaps and… Read more »
You’ve Got a Friend…
Stick Dog Chases a Pizza by Tom Watson is not your everyday book about friends. It’s fun through and through and features “Stick Dog,” as protagonist, along with a crazy crew of canines buddies – Karen, the dachshund who chases her tail, Stripes, the dalmatian, Poo-poo, the poodle, and Mutt who is, “you know, a mutt.” This follow-up to… Read more »
A Chicken Squad, in The Middle of Nowhere, on Planet Kindergarten
Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana (Chronicle Books, 2014) Armani Curtis is turning ten and it’s huge deal, with a big cake, and a certain wrapped box. Then Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans and the Lower Nines and everything, everything changes. This moving story of courage and, ultimately, survival in the face of… Read more »
Backseat Bookshelf and Other Summer Reads
All month, the ReaderKidZ are recommending summer reads for kids grades K-5 and NPR’s The Ultimate Back Seat Bookshelf: 100 Best Reads for Kids 9-14, (August 2013) is a great place to start if you’re looking for a solid list of novels to choose from. Don’t let the given age-range throw you. Many of the books are appropriate for a… Read more »
