"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.