"Watch Me Grow Puppy" by Lisa Magloff

Title: Watch Me Grow Puppy

Author: Lisa Magloff

Genre/Theme: Informational/Labrador Puppies

Characters: real photos of puppies at different ages

Age Level: appropriate for birth to third grade, second grade reading level

Summary of Book: This is a factual account of the life stages of a real yellow Labrador puppy. The photos are narrated by one of them as s/he talks about being a puppy, learning to walk and feed, playing, and growing into a grown-up dog. Facts about dogs' senses, playmates, feedings, and exploration are included.

Reader Comments: The information is presented in small vignettes in a visually entertaining style. The facts are interesting but not overwhelming. The photos are the real gem of this story, especially the ones of the teeny baby puppies. Children of all ages, especially those who love dogs, will enjoy looking at this book over and over. Adults will enjoy the straightforward text that is easy to read and is displayed cohesively.

I Love You, Sleepyhead

Author: Claire Freedman

Illustrator: Simon Mendez

Genre: Poetry

Summary: This book contains poems on each page about baby animals preparing for bedtime with their mothers.

Characters: Different types of animals and their babies.

Grade Level: Preschool - Fourth Grade

Comments: This book contains beautiful lifelike illustrations. The poems are simple and meaningful.

Young George Washington America's First President

Author: Andrew Woods

Illustrator: John Himmelman

Genre: Biography

Summary: This book tells of the life of George Washington. It follows him from his birth in Virginia, to the American Revolution, and to his presidency.

Characters: George, Lawrence, and Martha

Grade Level: Kindergarten - Third Grade

Comments: I like the Troll First-Start Biography series. I think that these books are a good introduction for young children to important people.

Cool Penguins

Author: Jeff Bauer

Genre: Informational

Summary: This book offers great facts about penguins. Including different types of penguins, their survival skills, how they move, and how they care for their young.

Grade level: Preschool - Third Grade

Comments: I like that this book covers some important facts about penguins. I also feel that there is just enough text to keep the children's interested. The majority of the pages are covered with real life pictures to help students make connections.

The Night I Followed The Dog

Author: Nina Laden

Genre: Fantasy

Summary: A boy thinks that his dog is boring until one morning he sees him get out of a limousine wearing a tuxedo. That night he decides to follow his dog to see where he goes. He finds that he is the owner of a club called the doghouse where a dog can be a dog.

Characters: The boy and his dog

Grade level: Preschool - Third Grade

Comments: This is one of my favorite books the kids really enjoy it. Some of the text is rebus and the story is very humorous.

Knuffle Bunny A Cautionary Tale

Author: Mo Willems

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Summary: A little girl named Trixie went to the laundry mat with her father. It was not until they had left that she realized she had lost her precious Knuffle Bunny. She tried to tell her father but she did not know how to speak yet. After returning home her mother asked where is Knuffle Bunny and they raced back to the laundry mat to find her bunny and to speak her first words.

Characters: Trixie, her father, and her mother

Grade level: Preschool - First Grade

Comments: I enjoyed this book especially the illustrations the settings were real pictures and the characters were drawn. The facial expressions were very telling and the story was very believable.

King Bidgood's in the Bathtub

author: Audrey Wood

illustrator: Don Wood

genre: fantasy

Summary: This is a humorous, rhyming book about a king who will not get out of the bathtub. The queen and his court all try to persuade him by telling him it's time to do something else, such as eat, fish or attend the ball. The kings response is to have all these activities occur in the tub with him. This problem is solved at the end of the story by a young boy, the page in a creative and funny way.

characters: King Bidgood, Page, Queen, Court, Knight, Duke

grade level: Appropriate for prek - second grade.

comments: This is an entertaining book that has rich illustrations and vocabulary. It introduces young children to a different time in history with the pictures and titles of characters. All children laugh at the end and enjoy the repetitive text. This book is a Caldecott Award winner.

See You Later Alligator...A First Book of Rhyming Word-Play

authors: Barbara Strauss and Helen Friedland

illustrator: Tershia d'Elgin

grade level: appropriate for prek - second grade.

genre: poetry


Summary: This is a book of simple one line poems, all of which resemble "see you later alligator."
For example; it says, "See you in a towel owl." The illustrations are very cute and funny. The students can guess by looking at the pictures what the text will say. This book also offers interesting vocabulary by some of the animals the author chooses including a platypus and an armadillo.

comments: I would recommend this book for any early childhood teacher. It is a great introduction to poetry by writing simple rhymes for animal's names. The illustrations will keep the children engaged and eager to read the next page. The format of the book lends itself to making a class book by letting the children discover rhyming words for different animals and by drawing their own pictures.

My Brother Martin by Christine King Farris

Title:  My Brother Martin

Author:  Christine King Farris

Illustrator:  Chris Soentpiet

Genre:  Biography

Characters: Martin Luther King, Jr. (M.L.), his sister Christine, his brother Alfred Daniel (A.D.), and their family members

Summary of Book:  This is the story of the childhood of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his siblings told by his sister, Christine.  It includes charming and inspiring family anecdotes and stories about their upbringing in Atlanta.  The book emphasizes the influence that their parents and grandparents had on the children.  Inspiring and hopeful messages were embodied in the King family during their childhood.  The story ends with a foreshadowing of Dr. King's influence on American society and his famous "I have a dream" speech.

Comments:  The underlying message of Dr. King's greatness is never far from this text.  But the endearing story and beautiful pictures paint a concrete picture of MLK's childhood.  Children can relate to his antics, playfulness, and everyday life.  The main idea in My Brother Martin is that great people who contribute to our society were all once children.  The book is lovingly narrated by  his sister with a firsthand truthfulness that is missing from other stories about his life.  This book addresses important issues like segregation and racism without being trite.

Age level:  This story will interest preschoolers and older children, the text is somewhat sophisticated and about third-grade level

Pecos Bill by Steven Kellogg

Title:  Pecos Bill

Author/Illustrator:  retold by Steven Kellogg

Genre:  Legend/Myth

Characters:  Pecos Bill, his family, a friend named Chuck, Hell's Gulch Gang, a horse named Lightning, and Slewfoot Sue

Summary of Book:  This is the legend of Pecos Bill and all he created in the world of cowboys:  lassoing, cattle roping, and rodeos.  Pecos Bill is capable of many legendary feats like fighting mythical creatures, bouncing around in outer space, and riding a tornado with his bride Slewfoot Sue.  He was raised by coyotes and tamed the legendary Lightning as his horse.  All of these amazing feats make him the most-loved cowboy in all of Texas.

Comments:  This is a fantastic re-telling of an American legend.  Kellogg's humor and incredible illustrations captivate the reader and make the story magical.  The setting of the American West with pioneer settlers and cowboys adds just enough truth to blur the lines between myth and reality, the making of a true legend.  Pecos Bill is lovable, respectable, and in the end lands with his family to homestead in Texas for generations to come.  This book is a wonderful introduction to Kellogg's best works.

Age level:  enjoyed by pre-K and up, third grade reading level

Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel

Title:  Tikki Tikki Tembo

Author:  retold by Arlene Mosel

Illustrator:  Blair Lent

Genre:  Folktale

Characters: two Chinese brothers, their mother, and an old man

Summary of book:  According to this book, Chinese legend calls for first-born sons receive long, elaborate names like "Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo."  Second sons receive boring, one-word names like "Chang."  This story involves these two sons who each accidentally fall into a well.  Chang is rescued quickly because his brother can quickly relay the information to his mother and the old man. The next time,  Tikki tikki tembo's long name makes his rescue take much longer.  The story concludes with both boys ending up safe, but with the message that future sons are all named with short, easy names.

Comments:  I looked into this book and its legend.  This doesn't accurately portray Chinese language (the name is all gibberish) or culture.  The story may or may not be part of Chinese legend, and its origins are unknown.  This story has a good but convoluted message that no son should have a more important name than another. But what about daughters?  The pictures are done in the style of classical Chinese illustrations and the repetitive text may interest young children.  However, I don't think Tikki Tikki Tembo sends a good message to children--Chinese is not gibberish and such imitations of it are quite stereotypical.  There are far better books about Chinese culture, legends, and traditions.

Age level: second grade reading level

Frederick by Leo Lionni

Title:  Frederick

Author/Illustrator:  Leo Lionni

Genre: fable

Characters:  Frederick and his field mouse family

Summary of Book:  Frederick's family of mice begins to store away food and supplies for the long winter ahead.  They gather corn, grains, and straw.  However, Frederick collects rays of sun, colors of the rainbow, and words to talk about.  Soon, winter comes and the family begins to use up their supplies.  They get antsy, grumpy, and don't have anything to talk about.  Frederick shares his stores of sun rays, colors, and a poem to enliven their spirits.  The moral of this fable is that even though someone's work might not look important, every contribution is valuable to the group.

Comments:  I enjoyed the simple diction and lovely cut-out illustrations of Lionni's fable.  The moral of the story is subtle but still evident to children.  Frederick's artistic and abstract contributions to his family were just as necessary as other traditional contributions.  It reminds all of us to save up the art and light in our world, especially for when things get dark and cold.  This book is a Caldecott Honor Book and is a timeless classic.

Age Level:  appropriate for all ages, first/second grade reading level

Over in the Meadow

Author and Illustrator: Paul Galdone

Genre: Traditional

Summary: Children will love this delightfully bright and cheery counting story about meadow animals, which also can be sung in a song. The story is about meadow animal mothers and their babies and each new page has an additional baby to count. The stanzas rhyme and the text supplies the number, number word and animals that can be counted individually, to really reinforce the numbers one through ten. The fact that the story can be sung will help enable the children to remember the words and enjoy the story even more.

Characters: The characters are animal mothers and their babies and all appear happy and loved, which children will really enjoy. The animals will be easily recognized and they are shown in their correct habitats.

Age Level : This story is appropriate for the very young, children from three to six or seven. The younger children will enjoy it read to them, the older children can read it themselves. The rhyming stanzas will make pleasant and manageable reading for the new reader.

Over in the Meadow

Author and Illustrator : Paul Galdone





Genre: Traditional





Summary : This simple to read book can also be sung and it is delightful and cheery. Young children will love to listen to the story and count the adorable animals. The theme is the commonly known one about the mamma animals in the meadow, with their increasing number of babies on each page. Rhyming words and being able to sing the story will have much appeal. Counting from one to ten will be reinforced effortlessly, as the children will be eagerly counting each new animal group.



Characters: Characters are various meadow animal mothers with their babies. The illustrations are bright and happy looking. Children will love the content looking animal families and the fact that this story can also be turned into a song.

Title: Dance At Grandpa’s

Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder

Illustrations: Renee Graef

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary: This wonderful picture book is adapted from The Little House Books, which have always been loved by many. In Dance At Grandpa’s, we see into the life of a family one hundred and fifty years ago, when Wisconsin was just starting to become settled. It is fascinating for young children to learn about life then, such as how fires were used to warm log cabins and how lanterns and candles were used to enable people to see. Fashion was considerably different and transportation was horse and sled or buggy and we see these differences through the beautiful illustrations in the book. The simple story theme, which involves Laura’s family traveling to her grandparents for a party, shows that some things are indeed timeless. Warm relationships between loved ones, along with music, dancing and food, is a surefire formula for a great time in any era. This wholesome book contains great charm that will be very appealing to young children. I love the entire Little House series for providing a real picture of life from a bygone era.

Characters: The characters are Laura and her immediate and extended family. Relationships appear warm and loving and come alive through vibrant illustrations. Children will enjoy a feeling of security and all is right in the world by listening to or reading the engaging text.

Grade Level: The book is recommended for 3-8 year olds, with the older children being able to read the text themselves. The text has enough sophisticated words to ensure appropriate challenge level for eight year olds. When I read these “Little House” books to my first grade, they very much enjoyed and learned from the experience.