Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly

Written by Alan Madison

Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 3rd Graders

Velma is starting first grade and she wants to make her mark. Everyone remembers her two big sisters for all of the special things they did, like singing beautifully and running very fast. Velma tries to draw attention to herself but her choices get her into a little trouble. Velma is thrilled when Mr. Plexipuss begins a science unit on butterflies. Could learning about butterflies be the very thing to make Velma special? When the class takes a field trip to the Butterfly Conservatory, Velma is able to put her butterfly knowledge to work in a way everyone is sure to remember.

I love Velma's spunk. Here's a first grader who has such enthusiasm it could be contagious. She plunges into learning about butterflies with gusto. You almost get the feeling that she'd have the same excitement even if she were studying slugs. Author Alan Madison has perfectly captured that single-mindedness many youngsters have about their favorite subjects.

Add 'Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly' to a science unit on butterflies or as a family read-aloud before going to a butterfly conservatory. The various caterpillars and butterflies depicted on the book's end papers will give you lots of species to watch for. How many of them can be found here where we live?

Baa-Choo!

Written by Sarah Weeks

Illustrated by Jane Manning

Most enjoyed by Preschoolers through 2nd Graders

Allergy season is around the corner, if yours haven't flared up yet. When little ones get tired of the sneezing and runny noses, check out 'Baa-Choo!' to read aloud together.

Sam the lamb has to sneeze. He can get the 'Baa' out and the 'aaahh' but he just can't get to 'choo!'. It seems to get stuck. His farmyard friends try to help out by tickling his nose with a feather and blowing pepper in his direction. And when Sam finally get his sneeze out? Well, pick up this book and read it out loud. You'll need to read it twice, then once more, and even one more time after that. Why? Because who doesn't love a read aloud with lots of pretend sneezes!

The Perfect Nest

Written by Catherine Friend

Illustrated by John Manders

Most enjoyed by Preschoolers through 3rd Grade

Cat loves omelets. He loves them so much, he decides to build the perfect nest in order to attract a chicken. Once he has a chicken, he knows he'll have an endless supply of eggs for omelets. But his nest doesn't just attract a chicken. Along come a goose and duck who also think the nest is perfect. Cat gets his eggs all right, but he gets a bit of a surprise along with them.

'The Perfect Nest' is just right as a read-aloud for younger readers. There's lots of opportunity to change voices between the characters. In fact, there's even a chance to use your best French accent when reading the duck's part! While you're reading the text, the illustrations will give your listener lots to look at. The character's facial expressions are a hoot. And the perfect nest Cat creates? Well, take at look at the one in the book then try creating your own. What would your perfect nest look like?

Max's Words

Written by Kate Banks

Illustrated by Boris Kulikov

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 3rd graders

Max's big brothers both have collections. Benjamin collects stamps while Karl collects coins. Max would like to have a collection of his own, but what can he collect? How about words? Max's collection begins with small words like 'the', 'a', 'was', and 'in'. But pretty soon, he's collecting bigger words. Color words, food words, words that make him happy. When his piles of words become to big for his desk, he puts them on the floor and begins to make stories from them. Soon, Benjamin and Karl want to join him, taken in by the magic of Max's words.

Max cuts his words from newspapers and magazines. When he uncovers a new word in the dictionary, he writes it on a scrap of paper. Why not try doing the same with new words you discover? This could be a great daily activity if you're just learning to read or if you want to increase the number of words you already know. If you're a first or second grader, you'll meet new 'Words to Remember' each week in your reading book. Try writing each word on a piece of paper and see how many you have after one month of school, then two months of school and so on until the end of the year. I'll bet you'll soon be like Max and have mountains of words in your collection. Now, what kind of story can you tell with all those words?

Down Girl and Sit: Smarter Than Squirrels

Written by Lucy Nolan

Illustrated by Mike Reed

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 3rd graders

Meet Down Girl and Sit. Neighbors, friends, and dogs. Down Girl knows just how to treat her owner right - licking his face with a nose fresh from the water bowl, waking him an hour before the alarm clock might scare him. She is one thoughtful dog. And smart to boot. She and Sit know that their yards aren't safe with all the squirrels stealing things so they work hard to chase them up trees. When the dreadful Here Kitty Kitty moves in next door, the two friends work extra hard to keep Rruff's trash can safe so he can keep using it as a hiding place for lots of good stinky stuff.

'Smarter than Squirrels' is the first book in a series for young readers featuring Down Girl and Sit. The two friends do just what dogs do - eat everything in sight, watch for the paper boy, and keep their masters safe. But with Down Girl as the narrator, readers see the world through the dogs' eyes, making for a book full of laughs. For example, Down Girl and Sit know better than to climb trees like squirrels. It's just not safe because a dog could fall out of a tree! Which just goes to prove that they are so much smarter than squirrels.

There are three titles in the series but start with 'Smarter Than Squirrels' so that you can meet Down Girl and Sit properly. Once you know these two better, you'll wonder what's going on in your own dog's head!

Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle

Written by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Illustrated by Abby Carter

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 3rd graders

Andy Shane is a bit shy. When he starts school, he meets the loud, bossy Dolores Starbuckle and he quickly finds himself a little intimidated by her. Dolores must always be in charge and she knows everything, or so she thinks. But Dolores meets her match in Andy's Granny Web. When Andy doesn't want to go to school, Granny visits his class and shows Andy how to stand up to Dolores in a way that makes both of them friends.

'Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle' is the first of a series of easy chapter books featuring quiet Andy and bossy Dolores. The books are just right for 2nd and 3rd grade readers who like chapter books but aren't ready for anything very long. Two additional titles in our library include 'Andy Shane and the Queen of Egypt' in which Andy and Dolores try to figure out who will study Egypt for their class project, and 'Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick', featuring Andy coming up with a clever way to trick the tricksters who keep smashing Dolores's Halloween pumpkins.

Andy and Dolores are complete opposites but they manage to find a way to work things out and become friends. With a gentle nudge now and then from Granny Web, the two learn to give and take, a subtle lesson young readers can take away from these books. Introduce Andy and Dolores to your young reader and watch them enjoy these two friends!

Recess at 20 Below

By Cindy Lou Aillaud

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 3rd graders

This is the perfect book for today! Why? Because the weather forcast is calling for a high of 80 degrees, a temperature we haven't seen in what seems like centuries (actually, several months but those months feel like centuries). And since the first days of the week were rainy and cold and reminiscent of winter, it's time to feature a book that will have us counting our blessings today!

'Recess at 20 Below' by Cindy Lou Aillaud.

Need I say more? You're right, but I will. Author Cindy Lou Aillaud lives and teaches in Alaska, where the winters are long and extremely cold. Even if the temperature gets down to 20 below zero, the kids are allowed to go outside for recess. And what fun they have! Playing football, building snow forts - all the regular recess activities are done with the same spirit as if it were 20 above zero. Ms. Aillaud uses photos she took of the children at play to show just how much fun they can have despite the bitter cold. I love the photos of the kids with frosty eyelashes, the result of their warm breathe rising above their mufflered mouths. When do the kids stay inside? When a moose comes to the playground for lunch!

I'll bet there will be a few readers who will wish they were up in Alaska playing in the snow with the book's kids. But perhaps they'll enjoy today's weather and wish for snow tomorrow!

A Day With No Crayons

Written by Elizabeth Rusch
Illustrated by Chad Cameron
Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 3rd graders

Liza loves her crayons. Her completed pictures are everywhere - the fridge, the bathroom, her bedroom. When Liza runs out of paper one day, what should she draw on but a blank white wall. Mom's not too happy with this and takes away Liza's crayons. But will this stop Liza from creating? Of course not! The world is full of color, as she soon discovers, and those colors aren't limited to a crayon box.

This is a wonderful story about creativity and how it can blossom when barriers and boundaries are removed. Liza is a free spirit that many young readers will identify with. The illustrations combine nicely with the story. For example, when Liza's crayons are taken away, the color illustrations switch to black and white, signifying how dark her world seems without color. Watch what happens, though, when Liza gets a grass stain on her jeans, then rubs in some yellow from a dandelion and orange from a tiger lily. Color reappears!

I'd pair this book with 'My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks', reviewed here. The emphasis on art in both books makes them naturals to be used as an introduction to a collage art project.

Creating can be such fun, and you'll find 'A Day with No Crayons' to be a perfect source of artistic inspiration!

Chicks and Salsa

Written by Aaron Reynolds

Illustrated by Paulette Bogan

Most enjoyed by Kindergarten through 3rd graders

Dig out your sombrero and get ready to party with the animals at Nuthatcher farm! Tired of the same old feed, the chickens take to grumbling. Fortunately for them, the rooster has been watching cooking shows with Mrs. Nuthatcher and he has just the solution. Salsa! Of course, there must be chips with that, and once the pigs hear about it, they want something new, too. Pretty soon, everyone in the barnyard in getting ready for a fiesta, until someone discovers that all of the tomatoes and peppers, all of the yummy ingredients for the southwestern dishes they've come to love, have been stolen! It's back to the old feed again, until Rooster borrows a French cookbook and......

There is lots to laugh at in this book. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the expressions on the animals' faces are so funny! Be warned, though, that you'll want to head for the kitchen when you're done reading this and look for some chips and salsa. Not to worry since the back cover has a couple of recipes for the dishes the animals make. So have your chips and eat them too while you enjoy 'Chicks and Salsa'!

I Lost My Tooth in Africa

Written by Penda Diakite

Illustrated by Baba Wague Diakite

Most enjoyed by Kindergartners through 3rd graders

Losing a first tooth is so exciting. Under the pillow it goes and overnight, the tooth fairy comes and leaves something special - perhaps a small toy, some money, or a candy treat. But if you lived in Africa, you'd get something completely different yet unique to African culture.

Amina travels from her home in Portland, Oregon, to visit relatives in Mali, Africa. The trip is long, but she discovers during the journey that her tooth is loose. She hopes to lose it in Africa because if she does, she'll receive a chicken from the African tooth fairy! The big day arrives, and despite the long wait, Amina gets a chicken and a rooster. Within days, a couple of white eggs appear but will Amina be in Africa long enough to see the eggs hatch?

'I Lost My Tooth in Africa' was written by young Penda Diakite based on the real life experience of her sister, Amina. It's a great introduction to the way a favorite childhood tradition is celebrated in another culture. Since children all over the world lose their teeth, why not research how the tooth fairy visits them? This book gives you a start with Africa. What about India? Or Germany? A little research is a nifty way to learn some geography and to discover a common bond kids world-wide share.

While you're researching, try the recipe provided in the back for the onion sauce Amina shares with her extended family. There is also a glossary for the African words used in the text. Expand your world and extend the boundaries to Africa as you enjoy this story!

My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks

And Other Funny Family Portraits

Written and illustrated by Hanoch Piven

Most enjoyed by all ages

Looking for something to do this weekend? Why not try a fun art project inspired by the book 'My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks'?

Our narrator is a young girl who isn't satisfied with the pencil drawing of her family her teacher asked her to create. Instead, she makes her own portraits using objects she's found that describe her family members. Dad is as jumpy as a spring and as fun as a party favor. Guess what shows up in her portrait of Dad? His eyebrows are real springs and a party favor creates one of his eyes. The family dog referred to in the title is created by things that he smells like, such as a sock and a can of tuna. Everyone in the family has their own portrait, brought to life by the things that characterize that person in the narrator's mind.

The end pages of the book give examples of actual portraits created by children in the cancer ward of Schneider Children's Medical Center in Israel. They're fun to look at and provide lots of inspiration. Dig through the recycling bin and raid the cupboards to see what you can use to create your own family portrait!