Stand Tall
, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Annie by Robin Pulver. No matter how hard it snows, Axle Annie will get the students to school and home again.
Calico 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 Breath by Dav Pilkey. Even skunks avoid Hally, her breath is that bad. Full of heavy-handed humor and puns that kids love.
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.