Phillip C. Stead; Illustrated by Erin E. Stead
Publisher: Roaring Brook, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59643-402-8
Grades: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Caldecott Winner 2011
When Amos McGee wakes up with a horrible cold he leaves all of his animal friends at the zoo wondering where he is. In an effort to find out, his friends travel from the zoo to Amos' house to entertain and take care of him while he is sick. This Caldecott winner is great for those who love animals. It will also dazzle children with its unique woodcut illustrations.
David Ezra Stein
Publisher: Candlewick, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4168-9
Grades: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Caldecott Honor Book 2011
It's bedtime at Chicken's house and all chicken can think about are the stories she wants her dad to read to help her fall asleep. Now if only chicken could do just that--sleep! As papa takes chicken through classic fairy tales, like Hansel and Gretel and Chicken Little, chicken can't help becoming overly excited and finishing the story for Papa. Find out just how Papa does manage to get Chicken to sleep. With vibrant expressionistic illustrations, this fun read will have children laughing and wanting to read it again and again.
Laban Carrick Hill; Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Publisher: Little Brown, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-316-10731-0
Grades: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Caldecott Honor Book 2011, King Medal Illustrator Award 2011, Coretta Scott King Honor Book 2011
Dave is an American slave who created some pretty extensive artwork, especially considering that others like him didn't have the skills and freedom to do what he did during his time. This short and simple biography will discuss how Dave made his famous pots and the poems that he inscribed on them. Along with the poetic text, the impressive illustrations would help to convey the life of a miraculous and obscure slave in a Civil War unit.
Christine O' Connell; Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Publisher: Clarion, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-618-42842-7
Grades K-3
Awards/Reviews: Horn Book 2011
In this sisterly adventure, Jessica tells about the horrors and pleasures of being a big sister. Her "Emma Dilemma" frequently ruins her things, like the new markers she bought or her shoes for school. Emma invades Jessica's space when her friend Sasha comes to visit. Yet, at the end of the day, after all of the annoyances, Jessica realizes that her little sister is someone she truly loves. Instead of a traditional narrative, O'Connell has Jessica share her relationship with Emma through short and simple poems that will open up a discussion not only on sisters, but also on poetry itself.
James Rumford
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-547-24307
Grades: 3-6
Awards/Reviews: Kirkus Review 2010, School Library Journal 2010
Thomas is excited about his first day of school in Chad, Africa and has many questions for the other kids about what to expect. When he arrives to school on the first day, he discovers that there is no school and he and his classmates will have to build it. Once the school is built, the students learn and flourish all throughout the school year. In the summer the school is again torn down by wind and rain and the Thomas and his friends rebuild it so they can learn for another year. Rumford's book teaches its readers that school is truly about community and not so much where you learn, but the fact that you learn.
David Ezra Stein
Publisher: Putnam, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25051-4
Grades: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Horn Book 2009
Pouch tells the story of a little kangaroo as he starts to explore the world outside of his mother's pouch. In the process, the kangaroo runs into several creatures he's never seen before. Each time he meets them he becomes frightened, shouts "Pouch!", and runs back to his mother. This happens several times until he finally meets a friend he can explore more with. Young readers will giggle with delight each time kangaroo shouts and will also learn that the world may not be as scary as it seems.
Joyce Sidman
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-547-15228-8
Grades: 3-6
Awards/Reviews: Horn Book Starred 2010, Newbery Medal Honor 2011
This collection of poems teaches readers about the different animals who make their nights their days. Children will learn about mice, spiders, owls, crickets, and more. All of these are discussed through both verse and additional commentary discussing interesting facts about the animals in the poems.
The Rabbit Problem*
Emily Gravett
Publisher: Simon and Schuster, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-44241-255-2
Grades: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Horn Book 2011, Kirkus Review 2010
This adorable picture book explores Finonacci’s mathematical rabbit problem: 'If a pair of baby rabbits are put into a field, how many pairs will there be: a) At the end of each month? b) After one year?' Students reading this book will learn to count, understand the months, and add and subtract. Readers will be thoroughly entertained by the humorous illustrations and it definitely invites itself to multiple readings.
Mo Williams
Hyperion Books for Children, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-42310-299-1
Grades: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Caldecott Medal Honor 2008, Horn Book 2008, Kirkus Review Starred 2007, and others
On Trixie’s first day of kindergarten her school experience is tainted by the fact that another classmate has a Knuffle Bunny just like hers. Throughout the text, the bunnies duel it out and Trixie later learns that the bunny she brings home is not hers. Phone calls are made by parents and eventually the girls bond and become friends as they exchange their bunnies. This book will delight young readers as they try to keep track of Knuffle Bunny as he is lost and then found again throughout. The second in the Knuffle Bunny series, others include Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale and Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion.
Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors*
Joyce Sidman, Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-547-01494-4
Grade: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Caldecott Medal Honor 2010, Horn Book 2009, School Library Journal 2009
This is a simple text exploring the colors of the seasons and uses rhyming as a mnemonic device to help young readers. A mixture of collages, painting on wood, and other mixed-media illustrations accompanies the text. This is a great read for those just coming into an understanding of the colors around them.
Jon J. Muth
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2005
ISBN: 978-0-439-33911-7
Grades: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Caldecott Medal Honor 2006, Kirkus Review Starred 2005, Horn Book Starred 2005
Stillwater, a panda, meets three young children and tells them three zen stories. These stories open the children's eyes so that they begin to see the world in new ways. While really young readers may find the philosophical messages of this book difficult to understand, they will pick up on the way siblings connect with one another within the book. The first in a series, others include Zen Ties and Zen Ghosts.
Marilyn Singer, Illustrated by Josee Masse
Publisher: Dutton Children's Books, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-525-47901-7
Grades: 3-6
Awards/Reviews: Horn Book Starred 2010, Booklist Starred 2010, Kirkus Review Starred 2010
A collection of short poems that focus on various fairy tale creatures, including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, and others. When reader's read one poem they are presented with the more traditional telling of the tale. When the poems are "mirrored," or reversed, they tell the story from a different perspective. Young readers who like to play with language will have fun with this book. Others will just revel in the change in perspective, which will open up for interesting discussions on how these tales are told.
Laurel Croza, Illustrated by Matt James
Publisher: Groundwood Books, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-88899-923-8
Grades: 3-6
Awards/Reviews: Horn Book Starred 2010, Kirkus Review 2010
A young girl learns that she her family will be moving from Saskatchewan, Canada to Toronto, Canada and she doesn't know how to deal with the transition. She simply states that "I know here." Toronto is a place she is unfamiliar with and she is scared to make the move. "Here" comes to stand for everything the young girl knows. So, the girl draws a picture of "here" so that she can take it with her and remember the old place she lived.
Heidi Smith Hyde, Illustrated by Johanna van der Sterre
Publisher: Kar-Ben, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7613-3959-5
Grades: 3-6
Awards/Reviews: Horn Book 2010, School Library Journal 2010
Feivel, a 19th-Century Jewish immigrant arrives to America with very little money to his name. He supports his wife and children by carving wood and one day he and a friend go to Coney Island and he is enamored by the horses on the carousel. He sees a "Help Wanted" sign and takes a job carving those horses.
Janet Stevens, Illustrated by Susan Stevens Crummel
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-15-206432-7
Grades: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Horn Book 2011, Kirkus Review 2011, School Library Journal 2011
When a hard working red pen needs to get some grading done, she calls on several school supplies to help her with the work. However, these other school supplies prove to be to lazy to do the job and each has his/her own excuse as to why he/she can't help. They are all forced to pull together and do a bit of hard work when Red Pen goes missing. This makes them realize that working together to complete a difficult task isn't impossible after all and they discover its kind of rewarding.