I’ve been getting a little tired of The Magic Tree House, so I encouraged my son to try something different.  The local librarin gave us several suggestions.  He reluctantly agreed to try one – although we check out  several.  We read Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, pictures by Scott Nash.  This is a funny story of a little boy who becomes flat and is now able to do things that no one else can.  Nobody was being shot at, there were no adventures to other lands, it was just Flat Stanley and his new life being flat.  My son enjoyed it.  It was an easy read and the illustrations are wonderful.  There are…

I hope that everyone has read Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White.  It is truly a classic.  I read this to my 1st grade class each year.  They always loved read aloud, I would tell them to just lie down and listen, to let the pictures form in their heads of what they were hearing me read.  They relished it.  And, they LOVED Charlotte’s Web. Wilbur, the runt pig, is saved by the little girl, Fern.  When he is old enough and big enough he has to move out of the house to the barn.  There, he discovers a whole new world.  Charlotte, the spider, whom Wilbur adores.  Templeton, the…

The Doll People, The Meanest Doll in the World, and Runaway Dolls by Ann M. Martin & Laura Godwin, illustrated by Brian Selznick We found this series last year.  I thought it was perfect for my daughter.  She wanted to read it on her own, and she did.  It was a little tough, but she was determined to do it.  And, it gave us ‘special reading time’, as I would sit with her and read my own book. The Doll People is about an old dollhouse and the doll people that has been passed down to Kate by her grandmother.  And, surprising, the dolls are still in good shape.  Nora,…

Sophie the Hero by Laura Bergen Sophie is trying to find a moniker, so she tries out many (see the Sophie titles – http://larabergen.com/).  Sophie the Hero begins with a group of girls telling all about how Sophie saved a Kindergartner.  She is a hero.  The story continues as Sophie looks for ways to become a hero again and again.  Poor Sophie, her fifteen minutes of fame came and went in the blink of an eye.  She just wants to figure herself out – as do most children. My daughter has read some of the Sophie books at school and enjoys them – she was the one who told me I…

The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Angela Barrett Not your regular fairy book.  If you are expecting fairy wishes and dreams coming true, go find Tinkerbell.  Flory is a night fairy, and, as with all fairies, her parents are not around because fairies are bad parents.  Flory is on her own and just getting used to her wings, when disaster strikes.  She learns very quickly about the dangers and hardships one can face.  But, she perseveres, and creates a whole new world for herself.  This is a wonderful story of realizing your potential, and allowing “help” when its needed.  A good lesson for everyone. My mother found a…

Judy Moody by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds The rule in our house is you have to read the book BEFORE you see the movie.  It has been my experience that the book is always better than the movie.  The only exception would be Charlotte’s Web (the old one with Debbie Reynolds and Paul Lynde) – it was exactly the same as the book! So, Since Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer is coming out June 10th, I thought it would be a good idea to tell you about Judy Moody BEFORE the movie comes out. I started reading Judy Moody to my daughter about 3 years…

Skippy Jon Jones and the Big Bones by Judy Schachner (http://www.skippyjonjones.com/) My mom got this book for my kids a few years ago.  What a riot!  I love Skippy Jon Jones, the Siamese cat that want to be a Chihuahua.  What an imagination!  Stealing bones from the dog next door to dreaming about dinaosaurs and the land of fossils.  This book is an excellent read aloud, the kids get really into it and the giggles that come – priceless. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND reading it aloud to yourself a few times before reading it to your kids.  You will need the practice for the chimichangas, fossilitos and the T. Mexito! Que disfrute leyendo!

Katie Kazoo Switcheroo – Going Batty by Nancy Krulik, illustrated by John & Wendy My daughter read this book last year.  I read it before her and was fine with the subject matter (school/learning oriented, as well as factual).  Katie is plagued by wishes.  “And that night, Katie wished she could be anyone but herself.  There must have been a shooting star flying overhead when Katie made her wish, because the very next day the magic wind came. . . . But the worst part came ofter the wind stopped blowing.  That’s when the magic wind turned Katie into someone else.  One. . . two . . . switcheroo!” And so…

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey I think everyone in the world knows who Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack and Quack are.  If you dont know who they are, I’m not really sure which planet you grew up on!  But, whatever the reason, you must go out and purchase this books immediately (or got to the library). Boston has always been my favorite city – oh how I longed to live there after college.  I didn’t make it my home until much later.  My husband and I were newlyweds there,  and our daughter was born there.  How excited I was when it was finally warm enough to…

Ms. Daisy is Crazy by Dan Gutman, Pictures by Jim Paillot My daughter found this book at the bookstore last year. It was the perfect level for her and all she did was giggle while reading it.  Fortunately, its part of a Series (My Weird School – http://www.dangutman.com/pages/books.html). She still loves reading them, and still giggles :). What’s better than having a teacher that you have to tell what to do?  Each of these books show adults in a humorous situation while at the same time giving children the respect and voice they crave.  My daughter loves these books, I imagine my son will, too, in a year or two.  The…