Book review – Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsBooksVolunteer Readers

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk by Liesl Shurtliff

Reviewed by Matt Harmon

Grades 2+ • 350 pages

I read this to a group of 2nd-5th graders for the Read Aloud organization. It was a fun adventure tale, but couched within it are great lessons for kids regarding worth, value, and the nature of money.

In the story, the giant King, King Barf, covets gold above all else; he equates his massive gold stock with a rich kingdom. Yet, his people are suffering a famine due to crop failure. When the people complain to King Barf that they are poor and hungry, he dismisses their concerns because the kingdom has so much gold, so it must be rich.

This illuminates a fundamental principle of money—it exists to facilitate exchange, but it is not valuable in and of itself. What good is gold (or paper currency) if it cannot buy food? This is a lesson the world should have learned during the Great Depression, particularly France. Under the gold standard era, France increased its share of world gold reserves by 20 percent, in essence taking money out of the world financial system and leading to a massive deflation spiral. But I digress.

Jack and his sister Annabella save the day, with some help from the pixies, by turning the king’s golden eggs back into seeds that sprout plants. They took gold, which only has value in exchange, and turned it into crops which have value in use. My hat is off to Ms. Shurtliff for so elegantly illuminating key economic principles to children. Bravo!

Matt Harmon is a volunteer reader at Charleston Montessori School in Kanawha County.

 

 

Books recommended web post 5.2017

Books prescribed to prevent summer slide

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsBooks

Pre-Kindergarten

Tree: a Peek-Through Picture Book by Britta Teckentrup

“A book with peek-through holes that let a child view the changes in a tree throughout the four seasons”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bear’s Big Day by Salina Yoon

Bear, feeling very grown-up, says goodbye to his stuffed rabbit, Floppy, and starts his first day of school, but soon he is missing Floppy and worrying that he is not ready to be a big bear, after all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo

Author Morpurgo was inspired by several true events to weave this tale of a family escaping the Dresden bombing with…… an elephant!  The tale is recounted to a young boy when he visits a nursing home and befriends one of the residents.  This is an engrossing story of a family’s perseverance during WWII.

Recommended by Mary Kay Bond.

 

 

 

 

The Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

A rollicking read aloud sure to delight toddlers with a “join in” refrain. Additionally, the book provides children with exposure to a rich, descriptive vocabulary.

Recommended by Mary Kay Bond.

 

 

 

 

 

Kindergarten to Second Grade

Green Pants by Kenneth Kraegel

Jameson refuses to wear pants that are not green, until he has to choose between wearing his green pants and wearing a tuxedo with black pants so that he can be in his cousin’s wedding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sophie’s Squash Goes to School by Pat Zietlow Miller & Anne Wilsdorf

On her very first day of school, Sophie is reluctant to make friends with the other children, preferring to play with two squash she grew in her garden — but when a particularly persistent boy named Steven gives her a packet of seeds as an apology for accidentally ripping her picture, she realizes that it just takes time to grow a friend.

 

 

 

 

Third to Fourth Grade

Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine by Laurie Wallmark

This book offers an illustrated telling of the story of Ada Byron Lovelace, from her early creative fascination with mathematics and science and her devastating bout with measles, to the ground-breaking algorithm she wrote for Charles Babbage’s analytical engine.

 

 

 

 

 

Sojo: Memoirs of a Reluctant Sled Dog by Pam Flowers

A sled dog on an Alaskan dog team relates her exciting adventures, including a trek across the Arctic with explorer Pam Flowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nancy Clancy Late-Breaking News! by Jane O’Connor

When she decides that the articles in the latest issue of the Third Grade Gazette are not interesting enough, Nancy sets out to find some news worth reporting on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fifth to Sixth Grade

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

“Please let my teacher be okay.” In a harrowing split second, the lives of Anna (the shy one), her Snow Hill School classmates, and their inventive, perceptive, and enigmatic new teacher are forever altered. Yet, even in his absence, Mr. Terupt continues to teach his class the importance of looking beyond stereotypes, and the value of forgiveness. Rob Buyea’s debut novel won an E.B. White Read Aloud Award and has spawned two popular sequels.

Recommended by Bob Fleenor, Berkeley County board member and RAWV volunteer reader.

 

 

 

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There’s no more money for rent, and not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again. Crenshaw is a cat. He’s large, he’s outspoken, and he’s imaginary. He’s been gone for four years, but has come back into Jackson’s life to help him. Can an imaginary friend be enough to save this family from losing everything?

 

 

 

 

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime disagreeing: disagreeing with inequality, arguing against unfair treatment, and standing up for what’s right for people everywhere. This biographical picture book about the Notorious RBG tells the justice’s story through the lens of her many famous dissents, or disagreements.

 

 

 

 

Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes

While learning about September 11th, fifth grader Dèja (born after the attacks) realizes how much the events still color her world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unless otherwise noted, recommendations are by Terry McDougal, Kanawha County Public Library’s Head of Children’s Services. See more about these books and others on our website.

 

Book Review: The Poet’s Dog, a book for the ages

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsBooks

Reviewed by Jennie Fitzkee

“Dogs speak words. But only poets and children hear.”

Those are the opening words in Patricia MacLachlan’s new book, The Poet’s Dog.  I have read the book twice, because there are many words not to be missed, words that are pure and don’t need added adjectives and text. MacLachlan’s writing stands alone in a field of masterful literature. Her 88 pages are some of the best I have ever read. In the words of the publisher: “Alone in a fierce winter storm, Nickel and Flora are brave but afraid. A dog finds them. Teddy speaks words and brings them to shelter. The poet’s cabin has light and food and love. But where is the poet?  Teddy will tell the story of how words make poems and connect to those who hear each other.”

Sylvan the poet constantly reads to Teddy. He reads Yeats and Shakespeare. He also reads Charlotte’s Web, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Ox Cart Man. Teddy learns how words follow one another.

I had no idea that Ox Cart Man, one of my favorite children’s books, is actually a poem. I scrambled to find my copy and read the words again, this time seeing the words for what they are meant to be—a poem. When I read the book again to my preschoolers this month, it will be more beautiful than ever.

The Poet’s Dog is a story of adventure, survival, love and friendship, of death, reading and poetry. The beginning is a fishing line that hooks the reader, and the ocean opens to… well, you will have to read the book. The ending is as surprising as ever.

I told a friend and fellow teacher about The Poet’s Dog and quoted to her the first lines, “Dogs speak words. But only poets and children hear.”

Our conversation went something like this:

“I hear my cat.  I know what she’s saying.”

“Then you must be either a child or a poet.”

“I’m a child. My heart is always a child. And I love poetry.”

She smiled a knowing smile. I did, too.

Jennie Fitzkee, a West Virginia native who lives in Massachusetts, has been teaching and reading to preschoolers for 30 years. Her blog, A Teacher’s Reflections, chronicles lessons that extend far beyond the classroom.

Book Reviews: Raymie Nightingale and Waylon! One Awesome Thing

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsBooks

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

Reviewed by Jennie Fitzkee

When Raymie Clarke’s father runs off with a dental hygienist, she has a plan to get him back; but she will have to win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition to make this happen.

I was curious how the storyline would pull me in, and it did not disappoint. Ten-year-old Raymie must learn how to twirl a baton to win the competition and have her picture in the newspaper. Her father will see the picture and come back home. That’s her plan. Raymie befriends two girls at twirling lessons: brave and tough Beverly who can pick a lock and ever-cheerful Louisiana who lives with her grandmother and is prone to fainting.

The girls slowly band together as their diverse personalities emerge. As we learn about their lives and the innermost parts of their characters, particularly Raymie, a string of events occur. I could not put down the book because “what happens next” had me hooked.

The girls must solely depend on each other that summer. Louisiana dubs the trio The Three Rancheros.

The story is based in 1975. While the adults in Raymie’s life reflect a different generation, adding great flavor to the story, the three girls remain as true to today as yesteryear. The author writes for children and understands that growing up is timeless.

Kate DiCamillo has a way with words; she pulls the reader into her characters, and by the second chapter feelings of “That’s me!” have us locked in.

And what happens to the Little Miss Central Tire Florida competition? You’ll have to read the book to find out. It is well worth the read. Bravo to author Kate DiCamillo as she writes this book much in the style of Because of Winn-Dixie. If you enjoyed that book, you will certainly want to read Raymie Nightingale.

Jennie Fitzkee, a West Virginia native who lives in Massachusetts, has been teaching and reading to preschoolers for 30 years. Her blog, A Teacher’s Reflections, chronicles lessons that extend far beyond the classroom.

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Waylon! One Awesome Thing by Sara Pennypacker (author of the Clementine series)

Reviewed by Debra K. Sullivan

Filled with an array of nicely developed characters, Waylon! moves at a fairly brisk clip through the daily doings and mind wanderings of Waylon, the “scienciest boy” first appearing in Clementine’s third grade class. Now a fourth grader, Waylon grapples with shifts in his classmates (including Clementine who makes an appearance) along with changes in his 14-year-old sister and the resulting altered family dynamics. Helped along the way by his down-to-earth scientist mother, his creative-minded father, his tender-hearted but going-through-a-phase sister, an unexpected ally, and others, Waylon deals with aspirations, the “new rules” of fourth grade, school projects, friendship, and age-appropriate dilemmas.

Waylon’s scientific knowledge is extensive and peppers his conversations and inner musings as well as his remarks exclaimed excitedly in the classroom. Writing with a light and humorous touch, and making good use of whimsical drawings by Pennypacker’s go-to Clementine artist Marla Frazee, the author cleverly weaves scientific facts into the narrative, charmingly explained by Waylon in animated, simple terms.

Waylon’s moments of introspection and self-discovery ring true. The dialogue is authentic as are the doubts and quandaries Waylon confronts. Why do things have to change? How can he reconnect with his sister? Why are the fourth grade boys following one student’s lead and competing now instead of collaborating like they used to? Why do people act the way they do? Will his big dreams ever come true?

Waylon!  One Awesome Thing is the first in Pennypacker’s new series. By the end of the story, Waylon grows in an understanding of himself and others while at the same time coming to the realization that the best solutions often come from the most unexpected places and in the most unpredictable ways.

Suggested target audience: grades 2 – 4.

Debra K. Sullivan is a retired educator, member of the WV State Library Commission and the Kanawha County Public Library Board, an avid reader and proud grandmother of two children who are passionate about books.

Henry wants more

Librarian Recommended!

by Book Reviews and RecommendationsBooksReading
Here are some favorite selections from Terry McDougal, Head of Children’s Services at Kanawha County Public Library

Pre-kindergarten to first grade

Henry wants more Henry Wants MORE! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Brooke Boynton Hughes

Whether spending time with Papa, singing songs with Grandma, playing games with Lucy, or racing with Charlie, toddler Henry wears his family out until bedtime, when Mama is the one who wants more.

 

My Bike

My Bike by Byron Barton

Tom tells about his bicycle and riding by trucks, cars, even elephants, and his work as a circus performer.

 

 

Bee Dance

 

Bee Dance by Rick Chrustowski

A honeybee searches for nectar, then returns to the hive to tell the other bees. She does a waggle dance, moving in a special  pattern to share the location of the food. Vivid and active images bring these amazing bees to life!

 

 

Froggy Goes to the Library

Froggy Goes to the Library by Jonathan London,  illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

When Froggy, Mom and Pollywogilina set out for the library, Froggy brings a wheelbarrow to hold all the books he plans to borrow, but he is so excited that he forgets to use his indoor voice.

 

One Big Family

One Big Family by Marc Harshman, illustrated by Sarah Palacios

A family reunion brings summer fun and adventures in this cheerful celebration of family ties and the joys of summer.

 

First and second grades

 

Max's Math

Max’s Math by Kate Banks, illustrated by Boris Kulikov

Max and his brothers drive to Shapeville and Count Town searching for problems, and are able to use their skills in arithmetic and sleuthing to prepare for a rocket launch.

 

 

Bike On, Bear!

Bike on, Bear! by Cynthia Liu, illustrated by Kristyna Litten

Bear is an extraordinary genius who can do anything except ride a bike. Can he get on two wheels?

 

 

 

Clark the Shark Afraid of the Dark

Clark the Shark Afraid of the Dark by Bruce Hale, illustrated by Guy Francis

At a sleepover, Clark the Shark braves his fear of the dark with the help of music and friends.

 

 

 

Dreaming Up

Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale

A collection of concrete poetry, illustrations and photographs that shows how young children’s constructions, created as they play, are reflected in notable works of architecture from around the world.

 

 

The Quickest Kid in Clarskville

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Frank Morrison

Growing up in the segregated town of Clarksville, Tennessee in the 1960s, Alta’s family cannot afford to buy her new sneakers—but she still plans to attend the parade celebrating her hero Wilma Rudolph’s three Olympic gold medals.

 

 

Mid to upper elementary

Trombone Shorty

Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews, illustrated by Bryan Collier

A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book and Coretta Scott King  award winner. Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. Along with illustrator Bryan Collier, Andrews has created a lively picture book autobiography about how he followed his dream of becoming a musician, despite the odds. The book is a celebration of the history of New Orleans and the power of music.

 

One Today

One Today by Richard Blanco, illustrated by Dav Pilkey

A lyrical, patriotic commemoration of America from dawn to dusk and coast to coast.

 

 

 

Ira's Shakespeare Dream

Ira’s Shakespeare Dream by Glenda Armand, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

A biography of Ira Aldridge, an African American actor who is considered one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of the nineteenth century.

 

 

Fourth to sixth grades

 

The Treasure of Way Down Deep

Treasure of Way Down Deep by Ruth White

In 1954, when mine closings bring an economic crisis to Way Down Deep, West Virginia, Ruby Jolene Hurley makes a thirteenth-birthday wish to find the treasure rumored to have been buried by one of the town’s founders.

 

 

 

Crenshaw

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There’s no more money for rent, and not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Crenshaw is a cat. He’s large, outspoken and imaginary. He’s been gone for four years, but has come back into Jackson’s life to help him.

Phineas Gage

Book Reviews: Upper Elementary/Middle School

by Book Reviews and Recommendations

 

Phineas GagePhineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman never fails to grip audiences from fourth grade through high school. In a readable, narrative style, the author tells the story of a railroad construction foreman in 1848 who was shot through the skull with a 13-pound iron rod and went home to wait for the doctor. The details of Gage’s story give modern readers a look at both the condition of 19th-century medicine, and the beginnings of modern understanding of the brain.

— Dawn Miller

 

Guys Write for Guys ReadGuys Write for Guys Read, edited by Jon Scieszka.

Various authors write about their lives as boys and young men. Stories range from belly-aching hilarious to mature and poignant. One of be best, funniest and shortest stories for all ages is “Brothers” by Jon Scieszka, who also edited this and other volumes in the series.

— Dawn Miller

 

 

Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery and Madness, illustrated by Gris Grimly.

Stories including “The Black Cat” and “The Fall of the House of Usher” are eerily illustrated in this ideal book for teens.

 

 

 

Same Sun HereSame Sun Here by Silas House and Neela Vaswani.

Kentucky-born novelist Silas House has teamed up with Neela Vaswani on their first book for younger readers. It is about two 12-year-olds, one in New York’s Chinatown, one in eastern Kentucky, who meet through a school pen-pal assignment.

— Terri McDougal

 

 

About our contributors:

Terri McDougal is director of children’s services at the Kanawha County Public Library and a board member of Read Aloud West Virginia.

Dawn Miller is editorial page editor of the The Charleston Gazette-Mail, a 20-year Read Aloud West Virginia volunteer, and a former chair of Read Aloud’s board.

 

The Camping Trip that Changed America

Book Reviews: Upper Elementary

by Book Reviews and Recommendations

 

The Camping Trip that Changed AmericaThe Camping Trip That Changed America: Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, and our National Parks by Barb Rosenstock & illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein. While School Library Journal recommends this book for grades 1-4, I would read it to grades 3 and up, including middle school students, as a way to introduce the subject of preservation of our natural resources. Parts of this book are very relevant to current events. Pair this book with the 2009 book by Ginger Wadsworth, Camping with the President, for comparison of this same camping trip taken by President Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir.

-Terri McDougal, Head of Children’s Services, Kanawha County Public Library

 

Camping with the PresidentCamping with the President by Ginger Wadsworth and illustrated by Karen Dugan. This is a carefully researched and true story of the May 1903 camping trip where President Theodore Roosevelt dismissed his Secret Service agents and sent away reporters to spend three nights with famous naturalist John Muir in California’s Yosemite National Park.

 

House Held up by TreesHouse Held up by Trees by Ted Kooser. Although School Library Journal recommends this for grades 3 to 5, I’m not sure how much 3rd graders will appreciate this picture book. I think it could be read to middle school and even high school students. Written by former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, this is a melancholy story of a house and the family who once lived there and nature’s reclamation of the house when it is left empty for years.

— Terri McDougal

 

[The Mangrove TreeThe Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore. School Library Journal recommends this title for grades 3 to 6, but it is written in a manner that allows it to be shared with younger children by reading only the text on the left-hand pages. Those pages are written in the cumulative style of “The House that Jack Built.” The right-hand pages provide more factual information about the efforts of Dr. Gordon Soto to plant mangrove trees in the small African country of Eritrea. An inspiring account of one man’s contribution to combating poverty and hunger.

— Terri McDougal

 

Eliza's Cherry TreesEliza’s Cherry Trees: Japan’s Gift to America by Andrea Zimmerman. While School Library Journal recommends this title for grades 4 to 6, I think it is also possible to read it to 3rd graders. Eliza’s Cherry Trees is both a biography of Eliza Scidmore, author, photographer, and first woman to hold an important job at the National Geographic Society, and her decades-long quest to bring
cherry trees from Japan to plant in Washington, D.C. This is the story of a remarkable woman about whom little is known.

— Terri McDougal

 

Henry Hikes to FitchburgHenry Hikes to Fitchburg by D.B Johnson. Henry, a bear with a remarkable resemblance to Henry David Thoreau, sets out to meet his friend in Fitchburg. His friend will take the train. Who will get there first?

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

Boys of SteelBoys of Steel: The Creators of Superman by Marc Tyler Nobleman. The format is a picture book, but this is a seriously researched biography of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, a couple of mild-mannered teens of the Depression era who created an enduring, idealistic superhero — Superman. It is a story from when comic books were a new format. Illustrations by Ross MacDonald evoke the era.

 

Bill the Wonder BoyBill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman by Marc Tyler Nobleman.  Another picture book biography, this one about Bill Finger, the guy responsible for much of what we know as Batman, but who was never credited.

The author keeps the story understandable for young readers or listeners, but does not shy away from the conflict and difficulty in the lives of these comic book creators. Ty Templeton’s illustrations parallel comic book imagery of the time.

 

Henry WorksHenry Works by D.B. Johnson.

Henry the Bear never gets paid, but on his “walk to work” he stays busy. He waters flowers and finds a healing plant for a neighbor. He brings news of a coming storm and sets a path of stone across a stream. It is a gentle, transendental delight.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

Henry Climbs a MountainHenry Climbs a Mountain by D.B. Johnson.

This book is a deep and beautifully illustrated version of the story of Henry David Thoreau’s night in jail in 1846, where he was taken for refusing to pay a poll tax, his protest against slavery.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

14 Cows for America14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy.

A man returns to his Maasai village in Kenya with news of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in America. Villagers are moved to give a healing gift to all Americans.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

Bad News for OutlawsBad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal, by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. As promised, this is the remarkable, true story of a man born in slavery in 1838, who flees to the West and is hired by a U.S. judge to bring law and order to territory that is now Oklahoma. Arresting illustrations by R. Gregory Christie.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

Chocolate TouchThe Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling and Margot Apple (Illustrator).

A boy gets a magic box of candy, and then everything he touches turns to chocolate, just like Midas.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

 

 

A Tale Dark and GrimmA Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz.

After this elementary teacher got over the horror of the blood and violence of the original Grimm’s Fairy Tales, he saw some value in them, and wove them together in a modern, yet more faithful story about Hansel and Gretel, finding their way in a scary, dangerous world. My fourth and fifth grade listeners begged to hear more of this book.

— Dawn Miller, RAWV Advisory Board Member

 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson.

If you want a funny and warm story to share each evening during the holiday season, treat yourself to this story. Parents will recognize the children’s Christmas pageants of their youth (or maybe the present), and the characters are lovable and boisterous.

— Dawn Miller

 

 

Nelson MandelaNelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson, author and illustrator. “My work is all about healing and giving people a sense of hope and nobility,” the author writes. “I want to show the strength and integrity of the human being and the human
spirit.” His illustrations are almost photographic. He is one of my favorite children’s book creators.

— Terri McDougal

 

About our contributors:

Terri McDougal is director of children’s services at the Kanawha County Public Library and a board member of Read Aloud West Virginia.

Dawn Miller is editorial page editor of the The Charleston Gazette-Mail, a 20-year Read Aloud West Virginia volunteer, and a former chair of Read Aloud’s board.

 

Redwoods

Book Reviews: Early Grades

by Book Reviews and Recommendations

 

RedwoodsRedwoods by Jason Chin. School Library Journal recommends this title for grades 1 to 4. While cataloged as nonfiction, this book is an inventive blend of fact and fantasy. It follows the adventures of an unnamed boy who finds a book about redwoods on a subway bench and is transported to a redwood forest. Be sure to pay attention to the illustrations when reading this book! See a preview.

— Terri McDougal, Head of Children’s Services, Kanawha County Public Library

 

Georgia in HawaiiGeorgia in Hawaii: When Georgia O’Keeffe Painted What She Pleased by Amy Novesky and illustrated by Yuyi Morales. School Library Journal recommends this title for K-4. Having recently presented a series of children’s programs about Georgia O’Keeffe, I can assure you that most children have never heard of this famous artist. I find that books such as this are a wonderful way to share knowledge about O’Keeffe without overwhelming children with details. I like that both this title and Through Georgia’s Eyes by Rachel Rodriguez (which I have also read to students) are also illustrated in similar styles to O’Keeffe’s artwork.

— Terri McDougal, Head of Children’s Services, Kanawha County Public Library

 

Just Behave, Pablo PicassoJust Behave, Pablo Picasso! by Jonah Winter and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. School Library Journal recommends this title for grades 2-5. While there are a handful of children’s books about O’Keeffe that make good read alouds, there are even fewer read aloud titles about Picasso. This one, however, fits the bill by introducing Picasso as a man and an artist that defied his critics to create his own style of art, time after time. While cataloged as a nonfiction book, the text and artwork seem like a picture book.

 

Boycott BluesBoycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation by Andrea Davis Pinkney.

“With glowing, dramatic double-page spreads and a clear rhythmic text,
this large picture book tells the inspiring story of the Montgomery bus
boycott,” says Booklist. We pair this one with Rosa by Nikki Giovanni.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

RosaRosa by Nikki Giovanni. The story of Rosa Parks’ life provides an entry into a summary of the Civil Rights movement.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

 

 

 

Troll Country by Edward Marshall, illustrated by James Marshall.

A girl has a book that tells all about trolls, but her mother has actually met one. So the girl heads deep into the woods to find a real troll.

 

 

 

 

 0-439-92950-4Cabin Creek Mysteries: The Secret of Robber’s Cave by Kristiana Gregory. Two brothers set out to explore an overgrown and misty island. There are clues and cliffhangers and a storyline that spans the series.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

 

 

Auntie ClausAuntie Claus by Elise Primavera. Plenty of chic New York style, holiday intrigue and magic mark this story of Sophie, and how she grows more sophistocated one remarkable Christmas.

— Dawn Miller, RAWV Advisory Board

 

 

Abe Lincoln's DreamAbe Lincoln’s Dream by Lane Smith.

What if President Lincoln’s ghost walked the White House today? What would he think of what he sees? A serious, yet humorous book, with plenty of hope.

— Dawn Miller, RAWV Advisory Board

 

 

 

Wiley and the Hairy ManWiley and the Hairy Man by Molly Bang. In this adaptation of an American folktale, young Wiley and his dogs go into the swamp to cut some bamboo for a hen roost. His mother warns about the Hairy Man. If you outsmart him three times, he can no longer bother you.

 

 

 

Abraham Lincoln Comes HomeAbraham Lincoln Comes Home by Robert Burleigh. After President Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, for 13 days, his funeral train made its way from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Ill. It evokes deep feelings among grieving Americans, including a young boy experiencing a time of great change. Stunning paintings by Wendell Minor.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

CelebritreesCelebritrees: Historic & Famous Trees of the World by Margi Preus and Rebecca Gibbon. School Library Journal recommends this title for grades 2 to 4. This factual book introduces readers to 14 different historic trees from around the globe. Each tree is described on one page, so this is perhaps not a book to be read aloud at one time so much as a “filler” to read one or two pages from at the end of your Read Aloud session.

— Terri McDougal, Head of Children’s Services, Kanawha County Public Library

 

MoonshotMoonshot by Brian Floca. Well-researched and technically accurate illustrations bring the story of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon vividly to life.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

 

 

One HenOne Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway. After his father dies, a boy in Africa has to quit school and help his mother gather firewood to sell, until his mom gives him a little money. The money is a bit of a loan from the neighbors. The boy buys a hen, and in a year, has a thriving flock of birds and then a farm.

This book is inspired by a true story in Ghana and introduces the concept of microfinance.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

 

About our contributors:

Terri McDougal is director of children’s services at the Kanawha County Public Library and a board member of Read Aloud West Virginia.

Dawn Miller is editorial page editor of the The Charleston Gazette-Mail, a 20-year Read Aloud West Virginia volunteer, and a former chair of Read Aloud’s board.

 

Molly Lou Melon

Preschool and Kindergarten Book Reviews

by Book Reviews and Recommendations

Stand TallMolly Lou Melon, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell and illustrated by David Catrow. Molly Lou is the shortest kid in first grade and has big buck teeth. Her grandmother tells her to stand tall and smile big. Fun, cute, whimsical illustrations make a nice lesson, but a nicer story.

— Dawn Miller, RAWV Advisory Board

Memoirs of a GoldfishMemoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian and illustrated by Tim Bowers. Help! A goldfish is not happy with a snail, a crab and a couple of guppies invade his personal space.

Scaredy SquirrelScaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt. Scaredy Squirrel sticks to his tree, the better to stay away from scary things like tarantulas, Martians and germs, until he is literally drawn out of his home for a glide around the forest.

The Relatives CameThe Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. It is amazing how cozy and happy everyone can be when they squeeze into a little house to make room for visiting relatives.

The Dandelion SeedThe Dandelion Seed by Joseph P. Anthony and Cris Arbo. In honor of the West Virginia Dandelion Festival in White Sulphur Springs, here is a book about a last, lonely seed who finally lets go to fly on the cold autumn wind.

Miss Bindergarten Gets ReadyMiss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate. It’s an alphabet book, but also a rhyming look at all the things children do to get ready for school in the morning and everything the teacher does to get ready for her students. You can read it for the rhyming fun, or for the reassuring peek at what kindergarten will look like.

— Dawn Miller, RAWV Advisory Board

Stinky Smelly FeetStinky Smelly Feet: A Love Story by Margie Palatini. Douglas and Dolores are ducks, and they are smitten, but someone has stinky webbed feet. How embarrassing! Will love prevail? This story has lots of kid appeal.

Most of this author’s picture books can be used as read aloud titles for this age group.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

Odd VelvetOdd Velvet by Mary Burg Whitcomb. Great for children entering kindergarten through first or second grade. It tells the story of Velvet, who seems strange to her classmates at first, but they gradually learn that being different is not necessarily bad. A very warm story beautifully illustrated by Tara Calahan King.

— Dawn Miller, RAWV Advisory Board

Axle AnnieAxle Annie by Robin Pulver. No matter how hard it snows, Axle Annie will get the students to school and home again.

Calico the Wonder HorseCalico the Wonder Horse by Virginia Lee Burton. Is it a comic book? Is it a Western? It is definitely an original tale of good and evil.

— Raleigh County Read Aloud

Dog BreathDog Breath by Dav Pilkey. Even skunks avoid Hally, her breath is that bad. Full of heavy-handed humor and puns that kids love.

Day the Crayons Quit

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. Full of color and imagination, this tale transports children into the world of their crayons, where they learn a little creativity can often be a very satisfying solution.

About our contributors:

Terri McDougal is director of children’s services at the Kanawha County Public Library and a board member of Read Aloud West Virginia.

Dawn Miller is editorial page editor of the The Charleston Gazette-Mail, a 20-year Read Aloud West Virginia volunteer, and a former chair of Read Aloud’s board.