Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis. A magical exploration of what a stick may become when in the hands of a child. A minimalist and imaginative ode to those who think outside the box.
Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings by Matthew Van Fleet. With textured fold-out pages this book places an emphasis on learning textures, shapes, and animals in a way that children love. A fun interactive book great for the little ones.
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood. The story of an adorable mouse hiding an enormous strawberry from a big bear. Authored in joyous and interactive fashion, this book is sure to engage. Colorful and vivid illustrations brings this story to life.
Llama Llama Red Pajama and Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Let the "llama drama" begin. Portraying the needs of baby Llama and the reassuring love of a mama llama, children and parents alike can relate to these stories. Wonderfully rhythmic text with bright expressive illustrations make these two of our favorites to read aloud.
A Faeries Gift by Tanya Robyn Batt. A rescued faerie grants a humble woodcutter one wish. An uplifting story with an inspirational ending proves that this book will make everyone's wish come true. A wonderful choice for children ages four, five, and six.
The Gigantic Turnip by Aleksie Tolstoy. A Russian folk tale about an elderly couple who plant a garden and grow a gigantic turnip impossible to uproot, that is until they enlist the help of an animal friend. Gorgeous illustrations accompanying this classic tale make for a wonderful read.
The Story of Root Children by Sibylle von Olfers. Originally published in Germany in 1906 this nature themed story is the tale of the root children awaking in spring, playing in the meadows and streams all summer long until Mother Earth welcomes them back to their underground home. Richly illustrated and on a theme we love, nature.
Gladys Goes Out to Lunch by Derek Anderson. Gladys escapes from the zoo in search of a wonderful smell. A shorter read proving to be popular with our three four crowd. With beautiful illustrations and a local author, this is one to check out.
Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger. Probably one of the most requested books by the children. Based on a South African lullaby, Abiyoyo is the story of a father and son who save a village from the giant monster Abiyoyo. A wonderfully lyrical story with much depth.
The
Lorax by Dr.Seuss. An ecological
warning that children and adults alike should take note of.
Illustrated in Seuss fashion are the dangers of clear-cutting,
pollution, and disregard for the earth's environment. A wonderful
starting point for talking about the care of our earth with children.
Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens. This trickster tail is the humorous story of a lazy bear and a conniving rabbit who illustrate the importance of hard work. The illustrations are bold and colorful making it a fun read.
Big Al by Andrew Clements. Big Al, the nicest fish in the sea but can't find a friend due to his large and scary appearance. A simple story with a wonderful message that children understand, make this one of our favorite friendship related tales.
A Dragon on the Doorstep by Stella Blackstone. A fun hide and seek story in which the reader is introduced to a variety of animals through rhyming text. The illustrations add a nice touch of humor to this story perfect for the younger ones.
I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Rose Lewis. A tender book detailing a mothers love for her newly adopted baby. Detailing the adoption process with much simplicity and clarity making this our pick for covering the topic of adoption. Sweet and joyous, this book celebrates the reassurances of love.
Snipp, Snapp, Snurr and Flicka, Ricka, Dicka by Maj Lindman. A canonical series from another era with messages and morals that will never be outdated. Classic illustrations with simple story lines give the reader much to discuss and explore.
Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson. An adorable bear and friends celebrate the arrival of spring as Bear wants more and more to eat that is until he eats to much and gets stuck in the doorway to his cave. A very humorous story with rhyming text and repeated refrain making for a fun read-aloud.
The Story of the Little Mole Who went in Search of Whodunit by Werner Holzwarth and Wolf Erlbruch. By far the funniest book to ever be read in our school. An exploration of animal excrement as this is the tale of the little mole going in search of who pooped on his head. The kids love this book and we do too with our only critique being it's hard to read without laughing.
The Quiltmakers Gift by Jeff Brumbeau. An elegantly written story with an underlying lesson on giving greed and want. A very talented quilt maker makes quilts giving them to the poor, but once the greedy king sees he must have one demanding she make one for him. A longer picture book with much depth makes this a great choice for four five and six year olds.
The
Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
by Kate DiCamillo. An amazing tale detailing the miraculous
journey of a porcelain rabbit. Beautifully written, beautifully
illustrated, this book is moving in every regard. With short and
concise chapters it is the perfect choice for a read aloud chapter book.
The children have absolutely loved this book every time we've read it,
plus the author is from the Twin Cities.
My Father's
Dragon by Ruth Stiles
Gannett. Enjoyed for over 50 years and a classic for good reason.
My Fathers Dragon is the tale of Elmer Elevator's grand adventure to
rescue a helpless dragon. With short chapters full of adventure
and survival, this book makes for a wonderful beginning chapter book.
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Wonderful story of a love shared between a girl, a pig, and a spider named Charlotte. If you're looking for a longer chapter book this may be a good choice. A wonderfully moving classic which every child should experience. Just make sure they don't see the movie first.
A
Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning
by Lemony Snicket. True to the
title, bad things do happen to the three orphaned children, however
coming together in the end they manage to triumph over evil. We've
read this with great results to the five six crowd. Fun to read
out loud with wit and humor interlaced throughout.
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar. With short stand alone chapters and humor children find especially funny, this book makes for a quick read. Lacking of any emotional depth this would be a good choice for a five or six year old after a good laugh.
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. A man obsessed with the poles of the earth acquires 12 penguins and takes them on tour. A longer read however still very enjoyable and humorous after 60 years.
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Through the years we've found the Little House books to be a popular choice for the older crowd and those looking for a little longer read. Full of adventure, these books offer a glimpse of life during the pioneer days. A great choice for those children interested in the past.
Last
Child in the Woods by Richard Louv.
Looks at nature-deficit-disorder relating the absence of nature to
disturbing childhood trends such as obesity, attention disorders, and
depression. Offering practical solutions on how to introduce
children to nature this book is a fascinating look into the importance of nature in the physical and
emotional health of the child.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver. A journey from a life of industrial food to a rural life where Kingsolver and her family carve out an existence of sustainability in which they buy only locally raised food. Beautifully written and inspiring.
The
Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
by Michael Pollan. A ground up in depth look into
the social, ethical, and environmental impact of the food we eat.
Pollans findings will inevitably make you contemplate a healthy, responsible, and ethical
approach to food.
Sunflower Houses by Sharon Lovejoy. A great primer for green-thumbed adults on how to garden with children. Filled with botanical lore and hundreds of simple pleasures you can create in your garden. A book for children and their grown-up friends.
Roots,
Shoots, Buckets, and Boots
by Sharon Lovejoy. This book provides easy garden
plans for pizza patches, Zuni waffle gardens and bean tunnels that
children and parents can grow together. Presents 12 spirited, easy
to implement ideas for theme gardens complete with a plan and planting
instructions, seed saving tips, crafts, activities and recipes.
The
Five Love Languages of Children
by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell. Introduced are five
communication styles that children express and receive love through.
Discover your child's primary language and learn what you can do to
effectively convey unconditional feelings of respect, affection, and
commitment that will resonate in your child's emotions and behavior.
