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We’re over the moon to have Gayle Brandeis visit TCBR. Gayle is a powerhouse mama, writer, activist, teacher, and all-around lovely person. We’re grateful to her for sharing her family’s favorite books with us.

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: December 6, 2012

The Christmas Quiet Book

By Deborah Underwood; Illustrated by Renata Liwska

Reading level: Ages 4 and up

Hardcover: 32 pages

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (October 16, 2012)

It’s impossible to keep quiet any longer. It just has to be shouted loudly to everyone: We love the winning combination of Deborah Underwood’s sweet and pitch-perfect “quiet” holiday moments and Renata Liwska’s gentle and charming drawings that make you wish you could reach into the pages and give each and every character a warm embrace. Make a little book bundle and include the original The Quiet Book and The Loud Book—three books and a piece of ribbon and you have the perfect gift for any young child—go the extra mile and tie a little stuffy on top, too.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas?

By Jane Yolen; Illustrated by Mark teague

Reading level: Ages 0-4

Hardcover: 40 pages

Publisher: The Blue Sky Press (September 1, 2012)

Get ready to roar with laughter with your preschooler. The bestselling combo Jane Yolen and Mark Teague are back again with their winning “How Do Dinosaurs” series. The oversized, egocentric, juvenile dinosaurs wreak havoc through the house for the first half of the picture book—they have no regard for the special traditions of Christmas. As per usual, good behavior is highlighted in the second half and a lesson of “how not to act” is delivered brilliantly. This is a must-have Christmas book, especially for fans of prehistoric animals.

Christmas Magic

By Kirsten Hall; Illustrated by Simon Mendez

Reading level: Ages 4 and up

Hardcover: 20 pages

Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books (October 2, 2012)

With lyrical verses that have a nostalgic quality and a unique art form that allows every painted illustration to change with a simple pull of a tab, this is a Christmas book that will hold an audience captivated.

The Nutcracker: A Magic Theatre Book

By Geraldine McCaughrean; Illustrated by Kristina Swarner

Reading level: Ages 2-7

Hardcover: 24 pages

Publisher: Chronicle Books (October 3, 2012)

We can’t resist the magical movement of this new take on The Nutcracker. Large die-cut board pages have been made to be handled and allow the cast of characters to literally dance there way through the story. This Nutcracker version gets our vote based on the delightful illustrations and inventive paper-engineering—”A Magic Theatre Book” is definitely the write description.

Stable in Bethlehem: A Countdown to Christmas

By Joy N. Hulme; Illustrated by Dan Andreasen

Reading level: Ages 1-3

Board book: 22 pages

Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books; Brdbk edition (October 1, 2012)

Not just a numbers primer for babies and toddlers, the stunning artwork of Dan Andreasen and Joy N. Hulme’s gentle rhymes also introduce the littlest readers to the religious beginnings of Christmas.

Looking for more suggestions? Try our lists from previous years:

20 of the Best Kids Christmas Books

Christmas Board Books for Babies and Toddlers

Original article: Christmas Books: Five of the Best New Gift Books for Christmas

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: December 5, 2012

In case you’re looking for some new books to spice up your “Books that Celebrate Hanukkah” collection, here are two titles that we think you’ll love reading (and cooking with) as you celebrate the Festival of Lights.

Maccabee Meals: food and Fun for Hanukkah

By Judye Groner & Madeline Wikler; Illustrated by Ursula Roma

Reading level: Ages 5-10

Paperback: 64 pages

Publisher: Kar-Ben Publishing (August 1, 2012)

Chow your way through Chanukah with this kid-friendly cookbook that provides recipes for eight kinds of latkes (and much more), crafts and games for eight themed parties, and tidbits of factual information about the holiday itself.  Illustrated dreidels highlight the degree of difficulty for each recipe: One dreidel means no cooking or baking is required. Two dreidels means the recipe may require chopping or slicing. Three dreidels means a hot stove is used to boil or fry. Safety tips are party etiquette are offered up, too. Here comes Chanukkah! Use this cookbook and you’ll have so much funukah! And … don’t forget your yamaka!

How Do dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?

By Jane Yolen; Illustrated by Mark Teague

Reading level: Ages 0-4

Hardcover: 40 pages

Publisher: The Blue Sky Press (September 1, 2012)

This bestselling writer and illustrator duo hit the spot (AGAIN!) with their zippy rhymes and entertaining illustrations. Gigantic dinosaurs with their juvenile and mischievous antics take the edge off  any holiday tension and manage to encourage good behavior. A lesson in manners and a laugh, what more could you ask for? This book is a guaranteed must-read all eight nights of Chanukah.

Looking for more Hanukkah books? Try our lists from previous years:

8 Hanukkah books: One for Each Day

Kids’ Hanukkah Books: One for Each Night

Original article: 2 New Hanukkah Books

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

Reading level: Ages 3-6

Add this book to your collection: Andrew Drew and Drew by Barney Saltzberg

Video courtesy of Abrams Books: When Andrew gets hold of a pencil, anything can—and does—happen in this innovative and artistic book. The story literally unfolds step-by-step as readers are invited to follow Andrew through flaps and gatefolds. After sharpening his drawing implement on the first page, Andrew challenges the boundaries of each spread by beginning with a line that leads . . . and leads . . . to unexpected finishes. Staircases become dinosaurs, kites become rockets, and even the most unassuming squiggle morphs into a giant chicken! This lighthearted depiction of artistic inspiration is sure to engage doodlers of all ages.

Praise for Andrew Drew and Drew

“Any question of reality versus representation is the gentlest kind, utterly unobtrusive…Joyful imagination, plain and simple.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“The magic comes from the accompanying artwork, which follows the eponymous boy and his adventures in drawing… Like a certain boy with a purple crayon, Andrew knows that drawing offers limitless possibilities, and readers will, too.”
—Publishers Weekly

“In this humorous and heartfelt portrait of a young artist, Andrew models by example the ebb and flow of the creative process.”
—Shelf-Awareness

“Each page in this cleverly-designed book is filled with a line, a loop, even a stair step that Andrew has doodled on the paper, and the beginnings of his drawings often lead to something that even the artist himself doesn’t expect.”
—Reading Today Online

Available now wherever books are sold! 

Find out more: http://www.abramsbooks.com/Books/Andrew_Drew_and_Drew-9781419703775.html

Original article: Andrew Drew & Drew – Picture Book Trailer

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

Reading level: Ages 3-6

Add this book to your collection: The Chicken Problem by Jennifer Oxley

Video courtesy of RandomBooks: Full of humor, refreshingly original characters, and math problems that young readers will be clamoring to help solve, The Chicken Problem is an ideal addition to the home or classroom. Left-brained Peg and her right-brained pal, Cat, are enjoying a picnic on the farm with Pig. However, when someone leaves the chicken coop open and the chicks run-a-muck, it’s up to Peg and Cat to use their math skills to help solve their poultry predicament. 

Learn more at: http://www.randomhouse.com/book/212872/the-chicken-problem-by-jennifer-oxley-…

Original article: The Chicken Problem by Jennifer Oxley – Book Trailer

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

Best Selling Kids’ Books & New Releases

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: December 1, 2012

Here’s the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review and the most coveted new releases and bestsellers.

20 of the Best Kids Christmas Books

Oliver Jeffers on Writing, Illustrating, and Bookmaking

Christmas Board Books for Babies and Toddlers

How Picture Books Play a Role in a Child’s Development

20 Sites to Improve Your Child’s Literacy

THE NEW RELEASES

The most coveted books that release this month:

Pandora the Curious (Goddess Girls)

By Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams

Ages 8-12

Huggy Kissy

By Leslie Patricelli

Ages 1-3

The Twilight Saga White Collection

By Stephenie Meyer

Ages 14 and up

The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Book 5: Trust No One

By Linda Sue Park

Ages 9-12

Deadly Little Lessons

By Laurie Faria Stolarz

Ages 12-17

THE BEST SELLERS

The best selling children’s books this month:

PICTURE BOOKS

This Is Not My Hat

by Jon Klassen

Ages 4-8

Pete the Cat Saves Christmas

By Eric Litwin

Ages 4-8

Llama Llama Time to Share

By Anna Dewdney

Ages 3-5

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site

By Sherri Duskey Rinker (Author), Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)

Ages 4-8

Olivia and the Fairy Princesses

by Ian Falconer

(Ages 3-7)

_______

CHAPTER BOOKS

“Who Could That Be at This Hour?”

By Lemony Snicket

Ages 9-12

LEGO Ninjago: Character Encyclopedia

by DK Publishing

Ages 6-12

Lincoln’s Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever

by Bill O’Reilly

Ages 10-15

Wonder

by R.J. Palacio

Ages 8-12

Insurgent (Divergent)

by Veronica Roth

Ages 14 and up

_______

PAPERBACK BOOKS

Divergent

by Veronica Roth

Ages 14 and up

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky

Ages 14 and up

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak

Ages 14 and up

Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher

Ages 12 and up

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

Ages 12 and up

_______

SERIES BOOKS

Hunger Games Trilogy

By Suzanne Collins

Ages 12 and up

Dork Diaries

By Rachel Renee Russell

Ages 9-12

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

By Jeff Kinney

Ages 9 to 12

The Heroes of Olympus: The Demigod Diaries

by Rick Riordan

(Ages 10-14)

Matched Trilogy

By Ally Condie

Ages 14-17

This information was gathered from the New York Times Best Sellers list, which reflects the sales of books from books sold nationwide, including independent and chain stores. It is correct at the time of publication and presented in random order. Visit: www.nytimes.com.

Original article: Best Kids Stories – December 2013

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

Reading level: Ages 8-12

Add this book to your collection: Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth’s Strangest Animals by Michael Hearst

Video courtesy of ChronicleBooks: With humor and flair, Michael Hearst introduces the reader to a wealth of extraordinary life-forms. Which animal poops cubes? Which animal can disguise itself as a giant crab? These fascinating facts and hundreds more await curious minds, amateur zoologists, and anyone who has ever laughed at a funny-looking animal.

To learn more, visit: http://unusualcreatures.com

Original article: Unusual Creatures by Michael Hearst — Book Trailer

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Deborah Hopkinson, for The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 9, 2012

Recently I had the opportunity at my day job (I’m vice president for advancement at Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon) to take the popular “Strengths Finder” test.   My top strength turned out to be “Learner.”

I’d have to say that’s a fairly accurate description.  It also explains much about how I choose the subjects I write about in my nonfiction and historical fiction for young readers.  I have wide-ranging reading interests (I like to read with my story antennas up).  When I’m learning something new, I’m engaged, enthuse, and happy. And then there are those magical moments when I come across something extraordinary that makes me sit up and say, “Wow!  How come I never knew that before?”  Whenever this happens, there’s a good chance I want to write about it.

That’s certainly true with my new nonfiction picture book, Annie and Helen, illustrated by Raul Colon.  Like most people I knew the general outlines of Helen Keller’s life, and I was familiar with the iconic moment at the water pump.  But I knew very little of Annie Sullivan, or the details of her actual teaching methods. What I found was astonishing – so astonishing I wanted to share it with young readers.

When I first began researching this book, I actually focused more on Annie Sullivan, whose early life was fraught with hardship.  After her mother’s death, she and her little brother were put in an almshouse in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, where her brother later died.  Annie, who’d become almost blind herself from trachoma, was able to go to the Perkins School for the Blind when she was 14. Operations partially restored her sight and she graduated in 1886 at the top of her class.  The next spring, not quite 21, she set off alone from New England by train to take her first job: teaching a young deaf and blind child in Alabama named Helen Keller.

Annie Sullivan invented her own teaching methods, and that’s what I ultimately decided to write about in Annie and Helen.  The book includes excerpts from Annie’s letters to her friend and former house mother, Mrs. Sophia Hopkins.  The letters chronicle Helen’s progress and show how inventive and resourceful Annie was as she helped Helen make sense of the world through language.  That spring must have been exhilarating for both teacher and student: by July, Helen had mastered enough skills to write a simple letter.

Illustration © 2012 by Raul Colon

Annie and Helen is not a “cradle to grave biography.”  Instead, it covers the period of March-July 1887, when teacher and pupil forged their incredible relationship. While I have written traditional biographies for very young readers on John Adams and Susan B. Anthony, and on Charles Darwin for slightly older readers, I often prefer to focus on a specific incident or a time period in order to illuminate someone’s life.  Keep On! focuses on  Matthew Henson’s early life and Arctic explorations, A Band of Angels is about Ella Sheppard’s experiences as a Jubilee Singer,  and A Boy Called Dickens shows Dickens at age 12, when he was working in a blacking factory.

My books also include both nonfiction and historical fiction.  My 2012 title, Titanic: Voices from the Disaster is nonfiction.  But rather than write a biography of Dr. John Snow, the pioneering epidemiologist who proved that cholera was spread by water, I chose to fictionalize the story in my forthcoming middle grade novel, The Great Trouble, A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel.  Hopefully readers will enjoy the story, and also there’s a long author’s note included if they want to know more.

I hope I will also be a reader who wants to know more.  And perhaps that’s also a reason for choosing to write about Helen Keller. What better inspiration for the love of learning could there be?

To find out more about Deborah Hopkinson’s books, visit: www.deborahhopkinson.com

You can also discover more by following along on the Annie and Helen Blog Tour

September 1^st:  Watch. Connect. Read

September 1^st:   SharpRead

September 2^nd: Nerdy Book Club

September 3^rd: Bakers and Astronauts

September 4^th: Two Writing Teachers  

September 5^th: Cracking the Cover  

September 6^th: Teach Mentor Texts  

September 7^th: Nonfiction Detectives

September 8^th: Booking Mama

September 9^th: Children’s Book Review  

September 10^th: Random Acts of Reading

September 11^th: 7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Original article: Why Helen Keller? Selecting Subjects for Biographies

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Nicki Richesin, The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 7, 2012

Mac Barnett

Mac Barnett strikes us as kind of a mad genius. He’s published many bestselling books, founded the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, and is on the board of directors for 826 LA. While wearing these many top hats, he’s infused his delightfully offbeat sense of humor back into the land of children’s literature. It’s a pleasure to share his thoughts on some of his favorite books, time travel, his picture book manifesto, his undisputed rivalry with Adam Rex, and that remarkable sleuth Harriet the Spy with our readers.

Nicki Richesin: You got your start in children’s book publishing with the help of Jon Scieszka as your mentor. Did he offer you any words of wisdom or professional advice when you began writing?

Mac Barnett: I would never have written for kids if it weren’t for Jon’s books. They’re crowd-pleasing and smart, with intellectually rigorous underpinning that never gets in the way of belly-laughs. His and Lane Smith’s The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales is the most important children’s book of the last 30 years. I still send Jon all my work right after I finish it, and he’s given me a ton of guidance. As for words of wisdom, he’s always telling me to upgrade to United Economy Plus on tour, but I’m not sure my publishers will let me get away with that.

NR: Last year in The Horn Book, you issued (along with other authors and illustrators who co-signed) a proclamation in the form of “A Picture Book Manifesto” about the current state of children’s book publishing. What pushed you over the edge to write this manifesto and do you believe it has had the impact you intended? Had you hoped to inspire a sort of revolution?

MB: For a few years there’s been a lot of hand-wringing over the future of the picture book. The New York Times famously published a front-page article forecasting the form’s doom, and I’d heard similarly pessimistic prognoses from people inside the business. But the response to these Cassandras was too often Pollyannaish: variations on “The picture book will surely survive because the picture book is magic.” But picture books aren’t magic. Good picture books are magic. The proclamation represents a point of view I was hearing in my conversations with friends and colleagues but wasn’t seeing represented in either side of this Manichean conversation. I hope that it will continue to spark thoughtful discussion about the state of the art and its place in our culture, and also inspire people who want to make good picture books.

NR: You are on the board of directors of 826LA. Working with children in this way must be a great testing ground to try out new book ideas on your audience. Have you ever gotten any ideas from your students/fans you’d like to pursue writing one day?

MB: I’ve been working with kids ever since I wasn’t one anymore, and that’s had a giant impact on my writing. Picture books are a popular art and so it’s always been important for me to know my audience. But I don’t usually get ideas for books from kids’ suggestions. Mostly they just want me to write SpongeBob fan fiction. I give a presentation that shows students how a book is made—it’s filled with mainly useless information. After doing it for a year, a kid told me I should turn it into a book. He was right—Adam Rex is probably busy not illustrating it right now.

NR: You founded the Echo Park Time Travel Mart as a shopping destination for 826 products and accoutrements with the slogan, “whenever you are, we’re already then.” Could you tell us a bit about the genesis of the store? If you met at EPTTM and time-travelled to the Pirate store at 826 Valencia in San Francisco, would you be able to return or would you be forever marooned there?

MB: The Echo Park Time Travel Mart is the leading retailer of time travel supplies: dinosaur eggs, dodo chow, robot toupees—anything you’d need for a trip through the fifth dimension. The store fronts 826LA’s writing lab on the east side of L.A., and all the proceeds go toward the free tutoring we offer students in the neighborhood. The Mart has an online store, and we ship to destinations in the future, from a few days to many months after you’ve ordered, depending on the efficiency of the U.S. Postal Service. As for your question about getting marooned in San Francisco, you should be able to get back to LA as long as your time machine is functioning. We don’t really work on time machines at the Mart—we’re more like a 7-11: a bad place to get your car fixed, a good place to buy woolly mammoth chili.

NR: Your first book with Adam Rex Guess Again was very unpredictable and amusing. I believe you’ve collaborated on six books together now (including your forthcoming Brixton Brothers installment). How do you find collaborating with Mr. Rex? Chloe and the Lion, the first story idea you had in college, is about a girl caught in the middle of a good-natured battle over artistic direction by the author (you) and illustrator (Adam Rex). After seeing your video for Chloe and the Lion, I was left wondering if Mr. Rex’s prima donna ways will prevent you from working together in the future.

MB: We’ve actually done seven—our first collaboration was my very first picture book, Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem. And I’ll tell you, working with him is a lot of work. I’m glad that you were able to see what a prima donna he is from that video—I was worried that a lot of his most outlandish behavior happened off-camera. Did you know that he made Disney provide a craft services table for what turned out to be a 15-minute shoot? And he requested four X-Boxes for his trailer. Adam doesn’t even play video games—they were just so he could sit on them and look taller.

NR: You edited “The Goods,” a McSweeney’s compendium of kids’ games, puzzles, comics and stories created by artists and writers for newspapers across the country. What do you see as your ultimate mission when delivering “The Goods”? 

MB: The Goods, sadly, is now dead, or at least sleeping very deeply. But while it lasted, The Goods invited writers and artists to reimagine the kinds of activities you find (and used to find more) in the “Kids Pages” of newspapers. We featured pieces that were smart and beautifully illustrated, taking inspiration from the lavish stuff you find in the old Hearst and Pulitzer papers. Our timing was probably pretty bad: it turns out the newspaper business is going through a tough spot. But that’s all right. I’m working on my next business venture: going door-to-door selling dial-up modems.

NR: Which authors made the greatest impact on you when you were a young boy growing up in rural California?

MB: Well I was born in very rural California, but moved when I was still an infant to Castro Valley, which is in the Bay Area but weirdly maintains a rural vibe. I went to school in Oakland and so had zero friends in my hometown. I read a lot. James Marshall probably made my favorite books—I loved the Stupids. Let’s see, what else? The Monster at the End of this Book was very important to me, and also But No Elephants by Jerry Smath. My mom bought most of my books at garage sales, so I read a lot of literature from one or two generations before mine, and I feel very lucky for that.

NR: I especially loved your book Extra Yarn as it told the story of a girl who didn’t really care what others thought and even went so far as to defy the dastardly, self-important duke. Were you inspired to write this book by a knitting feminist? 

MB: Thank you! I was actually inspired by a drawing the book’s illustrator, Jon Klassen, had done of a girl and a dog wearing matching sweaters, walking through the snow. The story grew from that piece, (and in fact that moment actually shows up pretty early in the book, before all the bullies and archdukes arrive.)

Illustration © 2012 by Jon Klassen

NR: If you could be reincarnated as your favorite character from children’s literature, who would it be and why?

MB: My favorite character is probably Harriet M. Welsch—she’s perfectly, honestly drawn: funny and strong and flawed. Harriet has a pretty tough time, which is probably not preferable in the next life but is maybe karmically appropriate.

NR: Which projects are you currently working on and are there any stories you’re dying to tell?

MB: I just finished a strange new picture book I’m excited about and now I have to get into a novel that takes place in the desert.

Nicki Richesin is the editor of four anthologies The May Queen, Because I Love Her, What I Would Tell Her, and Crush. She is a regular contributor to Huffington Post, Daily Candy, 7×7, Red Tricycle, and San Francisco Book Review. Nicki has been reading to her daughter every day since she was born. For more information, visit: www.nickirichesin.com.

Original article: Interview with a Legend in his own Time Mac Barnett

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Nina Schuyler, The Children’s Book Review
Published: August 9, 2012

What is it about boys and wheels? Yes, I’m making a gross generalization and relying far too heavily on anecdotal evidence, but I don’t see our neighbors with daughters outside at 6:30 am on Garbage Day, watching the parade of garbage trucks go by. All to the delight and squeals of my 14 month old son, a son who bolts up in bed when he hears the first rumble of the trucks. A son whose bedroom rug is decorated with things that go– airplanes, fire trucks, cars, trains, and helicopters—and it is the wheel, that black round object, to which he points and drools.

In honor of boys and things that go, here are a handful of new books that celebrate the wheel.

Picture Books

Trains Go

By Steve Light

Steve Light, the author and illustrator of Trains Go knows the allure of trains. It’s not just the rattle and clang or the choo choo or whoosh, it’s the length. How the train just keeps going by, car after car, as if it will never end. Light uses watercolor and black ink and beautifully illustrates trains –freight and diesel and speed and more. When you open the page, the train stretches to two feet. That’s a lot of train!

Ages 1-5 | Publisher: Chronicle Books | January 25, 2012

Train Man

By Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha

In Train Man, by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha, we enter the realm of a boy’s imagination as he considers what he’ll be when he grows up. A train man, without a doubt, with a train man hat and overalls. As the story progresses, his toy train turns into a big engine and he is at the helm, traveling up the mountain and back down again, then finally into his room with his track and miniature trains.

Ages 2-5 | Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.| March 13, 2012

Machines Go to Work in the City

By William Low

Since I received this book a couple weeks ago, my son has picked it up probably fifty times. (You’ll see why in a second). William Low’s Machines Go to Work in the City opens with a garbage truck. “Vroooom! Here comes the garbage truck, making its run! When the truck makes its last pickup, are the garbage collectors done for the day?” The page on the left folds out or up or down to give you the answer: “No, they must go to the landfill to empty the trash.” (And then I launch into a discussion of how we want to try to recycle because look at that yucky landfill. Never too early to start, I suppose). That’s the pattern of the book as it moves through commuter trains, vacuum trucks, tower cranes and airplanes. After the umpteenth reading, my son now says very clearly and distinctly the word, “No.”

Ages 2-6 | Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.| June 5, 2012

Everything Goes On Land 

By Brian Biggs

Everything Goes On Land by Brian Biggs illustrates the entire page, using lots of color and capturing the sense of a city with its busyness and packed streets. We move through the city with a little boy and his father, who is driving. They see cars, trucks, RVs, bikes, buses, motorcycles, subway and trains. The book is interspersed with detailed explanations about particular vehicles. We even get to learn about how an electric car works. Biggs has a wonderful sense of the silly, letting the dogs and birds talk. He’s also built in a sort of I Spy game with birds wearing hats and random things that just don’t belong.

Ages 4-8 | Publisher: HarperCollins | September 13, 2011

A Chapter Book

Stealing Air

By Trent Reedy

Trent Reedy in Stealing Air has a keen sense of what might appeal to a young boy– not only things that go, but boys who build rocket bikes and real airplanes in secret sheds.( Yes, a bike that with a flip of a switch zooms down the road.) Brian, a newcomer to Iowa, makes friends with Max, who shares with him his secret—in a hidden shed, he’s building a real airplane that looks like a flying motorcycle. But Max is afraid of heights so he solicits help from Brian and Alex, the popular kid from school, to serve as pilot and co-pilot.  If the plane is ever to get off the ground, the boys have to overcome fights at home, at school, and a bully named Frankie.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Scholastic, Inc. | October 1, 2012

Nina Schuyler’s first novel, “The Painting,” was nominated for the Northern California Book Award and was named a ‘Best Book’ by the San Francisco Chronicle. Her next novel, “The Translator,” will be published by Pegasus Books in New York, Spring, 2013. She is the fiction editor for www.ablemuse.com and teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco. 

Original article: Kids Car Books & Things That Go: Airplanes, Fire Trucks, & Trains. Oh, My!

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 3, 2012

Here’s the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review site, the most coveted new releases and bestsellers.

Gearing Up for Kindergarten

Best Halloween Books for Kids: Scary, Spooky, and Silly

Review: Scat by Carl Hiaasen

How Picture Books Play a Role in a Child’s Development

Where to Find Free eBooks for Children Online

THE NEW RELEASES

The most coveted books that release this month:

Llama Llama Time to Share

by Anna Dewdney

(Ages 3-5)

Pete the Cat Saves Christmas

by Eric Litwin

(Ages 4-8)

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs: As Retold by Mo Willems

by Mo Willems

(Ages 3-7)

Shatterproof (The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers, Book 4)

by Roland Smith

(Ages 8-12)

Caught (Missing)

by Margaret Peterson Haddix

(Ages 9-12)

THE BEST SELLERS

The best selling children’s books this month:

PICTURE BOOKS

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

by William Joyce

(Ages 4-8)

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

by Eric Litwin

(Ages 4-7)

I Want My Hat Back

by Jon Klassen

(Ages 4-8)

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site

by Sherri Duskey Rinker (Author), Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)

(Ages 4-8)

Press Here

by Herve Tullet

(Ages 4-8)

_______

CHAPTER BOOKS

The Heroes of Olympus: The Demigod Diaries

by Rick Riordan

(Ages 10-14)

Insurgent (Divergent)

by Veronica Roth

(Ages 14 and up)

The Fault in our Stars

by John Green

(Ages 14-17)

Wonder

by R.J. Palacio

(Ages 8-12)

Heroes of Olympus, The, Book Two: The Son of Neptune

by Rick Riordan

(Ages 9-11)

_______

PAPERBACK BOOKS

Divergent

by Veronica Roth

(Ages 14 and up)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky

(Ages 14 and up)

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak

(Ages 14 and up)

Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher

(Ages 12 and up)

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

(Ages 12 and up)

_______

SERIES BOOKS

Hunger Games Trilogy

by Suzanne Collins

(Ages 12 and up)

Maximum Ride

by James Patterson

(Ages 13-17)

Dork Diaries

by Rachel Renee Russell

(Ages 9-12)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

by Jeff Kinney

(Ages 9 to 12)

Percy Jackson & the Olympians

by Rick Riordan

(Ages 9 to 12)

This information was gathered from the New York Times Best Sellers list, which reflects the sales of books from books sold nationwide, including independent and chain stores. It is correct at the time of publication and presented in random order. Visit: www.nytimes.com.

Original article: September 2012: Best Selling Kids’ Books, New Releases, and More …

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

How do we teach compassion?

By Luisa LaFleur, The Children’s Book Review
Published: February , 2012

Kids can be mean. Sometimes our kids are on the receiving end of the taunts and name-calling and that’s hard to deal with. But other times our kids are on the giving end and that’s even harder to deal with. Teaching children to be compassionate—to understand someone else’s suffering and to try and alleviate that suffering—is not easy. A key first step is to get children to understand that mean actions—teasing, name-calling and the like—can be hurtful. Here are a few books that can help impart the message that being kind to one another is essential and that the golden rule is paramount.

The Hundred Dresses

By Eleanor Estes; Illustrated by Helena Estes and Louis Slobodkin

Reading level: Ages 5 and up

Paperback: 80 pages

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing

What to expect: Lessons about friendship; allusions to poverty and immigration; harships

In The Hundred Dresses, which takes place around the time of World War I, Wanda wears the same faded blue dress to school every day. One day, in the midst of playful banter, Wanda tells her classmates that she has one hundred beautiful dresses at home, all lined up and that she wears the dresses on special occasions. The other girls don’t believe her and begin to tease her about it daily. One girl, Maddie, feels bad about the teasing but doesn’t speak up for fear the teasing will turn to her. But as time passes, she comes to see the error of her ways and learns how important it is to stand up for your friends.

This is an intricate story that offers many opportunities for discussion. Wanda is poor. She’s an immigrant from another country at a time when there were no social networks to provide support. She speaks with an accent that automatically sets her apart from the other girls. But in essence, she’s just a little girl who wants to fit in and have friends.

Add this book to your collection: The Hundred Dresses

Watch Your Tongue, Cecily Beasley

By Lane Fredrickson; Illustrated by Jon Davis

Reading level: Ages 5 and up

Hardcover: 22 pages

Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books

What to expect: Rude behavior and its aftermath

Cecily is a ghastly child. She’s rude, impertinent, ungrateful and can be downright mean. She doesn’t say please or thank you, she doesn’t share, and she sticks her tongue out at her classmates and teachers. But one day, her tongue gets stuck and she can’t put it back in her mouth. She has a hard lesson to learn about kindness and it takes some time but eventually Cecily realizes that she’s not been very nice to anybody.

This simple story has a strong message—sometimes we don’t realize how hurtful we c

By Luisa LaFleur, The Children’s Book Review
Published: August 14, 2012

September is just a few short weeks away and children going into kindergarten will enter a whole new realm that is really quite different from Pre-K or daycare settings. And because young children are highly observant, it’s important to prepare yourself so that you can face your child’s feelings. The following books will help explain the school setting and hopefully clear up any doubts or lingering fears in preparation for the first day of school.

Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!

By Nancy Carlson

Reading level: Ages 3-6

Hardcover: 28 pages

Publisher: VikingPublishing

What to expect: Preparing for the first day of kindergarten

Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! is a story about Henry’s first day of school. The book sets out the basics of the new routine: waking up in the morning, getting ready, having breakfast, packing supplies and walking to school. Henry is excited and asks what the day will be like—he’s ready for the new class, new friends and new activities but as he gets closer to school he starts to get anxious. And acknowledging fears is essential to preparing the little ones for the challenges ahead. The simple story gets to the heart of the matter and will reassure your young one that kindergarten will be loads of fun.

My School Trip

By Lynn Maslen Kertell

Reading level: Ages 4-7

Hardcover: 28 pages

Publisher: Scholastic

What to expect: Preparing for school

My School Trip is part of the BOB Books series for budding readers. They are intended to help children love learning how to read. This particular book tells of a trip to the zoo. It sets out the details of how school trips are conducted, establishes that school trips are educational and are also lots of fun. Budding readers can sound out words and will be able to decipher words based on the simple illustrations and story.

Bailey at the Museum

By Harry Bliss

Reading level: Ages 3 to 6

Hardcover: 30 pages

Publisher: Scholastic

What to expect: School trips, following the rules

In Bailey at the Museum, we meet adorable Bailey the dog who’s going on a class trip with his schoolmates to the Natural History Museum. Bailey embarks

By Nina Schuyler, The Children’s Book Review
Published: August 9, 2012

Justin Case: Shells, Smells, and the Horrible Flip-Flops of Doom
Illustration copyright © 2012 by Matthew Cordell

June shrugged off school’s schedule—the drop offs and pick-ups and the packing of lunch. Summer seemed to stretch out like a wide open lawn. But the acreage quickly filled with the schedule of camps—with drop offs and pick-ups and the packing of lunch.

Right about now, there’s something in the air. Maybe it’s the lighting or a new scent. But you begin to feel that summer is nearing its end. Before the scaffolding of the school schedule is fitted again, there is another attempt to get rid of routine. This, I think, is the real heart of summer. An earnest attempt to be schedule-less, to open up to unpredictability, maybe even to lose the concept of time. How? Travel. People pack their bags and go. Somewhere. Anywhere. Stay-over-night camp, relatives in another state, another city, anywhere other than where you are, it really doesn’t matter, just as long as rhythms and routines are set aside.

In honor of the real heart of summer, here’s a list of books that send their main characters on a journey, a trip, somewhere new. (And if you and your family didn’t pack your bags this summer, here is the beauty of a book—the vicarious experience of travel.)

Dangerous Waters: An Adventure on the Titanic

by Gregory Mone

In Dangerous Waters: An Adventure on the Titanic, by Gregory Mone, twelve-year-old Patrick Waters sneaks onboard the Titanic. Also on the ship are a book collector and a thief who plans to steal one of the collector’s prize editions. And, of course, the ship is going to sink. Mone has written a real page turner, but not at the sacrifice of language. His narrative world is rich with specific details, making it easy for the reader to imagine. “At Queen’s Road he spotted her looming in the distance. She was a mountain! A self-contained city of iron and steel: eight hundred and eighty feet long. Nearly two hundred feet tall. More than four hundred thousand rivets. How could she even float?”

Ages 9-12 | Publisher: Roaring Book Press | March 13, 2012

The Chronicles of Egg: Deadweather and Sunrise

By Geoff Rodkey

Travel to a place where pirates are your neighbors with The Chronicles of Egg: Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey. Thirteen-year

By Nicki Richesin, The Children’s Book Review
Published: August 8, 2012

Andrea Scher

We are delighted to feature Andrea Scher’s Five Family Favorites. Andrea is an artist, photographer and life coach. Through her award-winning blog Superhero Journal and e-courses, Mondo Beyondo and Superhero Photo, she inspires us to find our passions and dream big. A supermom (no capes, just courage) to two adorable boys named Ben and Nico, you can often find her on her kitchen floor trying to get them to do superhero leaps for the camera. Andrea is also the co-author of wonderful book called Expressive Photography: The Shutter Sisters Guide to Shooting from the Heart. Registration is open for the fall session of Mondo Beyondo now!

Little Pea

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

I am big fan of all things Amy Krouse Rosenthal, but this book is one of my favorites of her creations. My son Ben has always been a picky eater, so this tale of a little pea who didn’t want to eat her candy (the equivalent of vegetables in the pea world) made Ben hysterical with laughter. We even filmed one of these giggly episodes to remember it forever. Such a sweet book.

Ages 4-5 | Publisher: Chronicle Books | April 28, 2005

Is Your Mama a Llama?

by Deborah Guarino; illustrated by Steven Kellogg

Every morning, the first thing my toddler says is, “Mama llama? Boop? Mama Llama?” We have read this book so many times that we have all committed it to memory. Even my 5-year-old can “read” it to Nico and he doesn’t know how to read! It is an endearing book about a llama that asks each of his animal friends who their mama is.

Ages 2-8| Publisher: Scholastic | June 1, 2006

Good Night, Gorilla

By Sourcebooks for The Children’s Book Review
Published: August 6, 2012

Do you fear approaching your Reluctant Reader?  Have they been spotted this summer participating in questionable behavior with their books like building forts and extreme paper dolls?  Identified by their atypical behaviors, the Reluctant Readers Road to Recovery Guide is here to help you create successful encounters with hesitant young readers everywhere.  Panic no more and take control of rainy day havoc, poolside chaos and playground mayhem with a great book for your unique reader.

Reluctant Readers Road to Recovery Guide

The Make-Believer has more imagination frequent flier miles than a Pan Am stewardess!  The best cure for this case of Reluctant Reading is Elliot and the Last Underworld War by Jennifer Nielsen (Author of The False Prince).  The Make-Believer will be thrilled to join the sarcastically hilarious Elliot in the Underworld.  As the King of the Brownies, Elliot has battled Goblins, tricked Pixies, and trapped a Demon. But now, the Demon has escaped and he’s ready for revenge.  So, the Pixies, Shapeshifters, Elves, Goblins, and Brownies must join forces to battle the Demon head on before he has the chance to destroy Earth.

The Daredevil thinks trick-or-treating should apply to everyday life, especially the tricks!  Cure their hunger for trouble with Horrid Henry and the Zombie Vampire by Francesca Simon.  Not even your daredevil will believe what Henry is up to next in these four new wonderful and wacky tales.  The international bestselling Horrid Henry series provides readers with a prankster whose relentless antics create a laugh-out-loud read.  WARNING: Do not allow daredevils to consume milk while reading or milk may spray from the nose!

The BFF has matching bracelets with all her friends and wins Miss Congeniality every year.  This is a case of Reluctant Reading that can only be cured with Hailey Twitch and the Wedding Glitch by Lauren Barnholdt.  Hailey Twitch and her spirited sprite Maybelle, retu

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: August 1, 2012

Here’s the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review site, the most coveted new releases and bestsellers.

5 Family Favorites with Elizabeth Bard

Giveaway: Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen

Splash into Summer with 3 New Picture Books

How Picture Books Play a Role in a Child’s Development

Where to Find Free eBooks for Children Online

THE NEW RELEASES

The most coveted books that release this month:

Olivia and the Fairy Princesses

by Ian Falconer

(Ages 3-7)

Nevermore: The Final Maximum Ride Novel

by James Patterson

(Ages 13-17)

The Heroes of Olympus: The Demigod Diaries

by Rick Riordan

(Ages 10-14)

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee: An Origami Yoga Book

by Tom Angleberger

(Ages 8-12)

Big Nate Makes the Grade

by Lincoln Peirce

(Ages 8-12)

THE BEST SELLERS

The best selling children’s books this month:

PICTURE BOOKS

Author Showcase 

“Everyone poops—yes, it’s true—from aardvarks to the humped zebu.”

Artie Bennett, author of the award-winning and much-acclaimed The Butt Book, delivers the inside scoop on every type and use of poop in his “number two,” spanking-new picture book. In hilarious verses, with eye-popping illustrations, Poopendous! relates the many, often remarkable uses of poop throughout the world while paying homage to its prolific producers, from cats to bats to wombats! Virtuoso illustrator Mike Moran gives us a Noah’s Ark of animals doing their less-than-solemn doody. So pick up your pooper-scooper and come along for a riotously rib-tickling ride. You just may agree that poop is truly quite . . .  poopendous!

Reviews

“For anyone who loved The Butt Book, you must immediately go and buy Artie Bennett’s follow-up, Poopendous! It appears there is no topic Mr. Bennett can’t make funny and educational. There aren’t many picture books that teach kids that “Monkeys fling when under stress. It helps the monkey decompress” and “Seeds inside a critter’s poop might go as far as Guadeloupe!” I’m not kidding when I say this came in handy at my son’s preschool last week.”

—The Huffington Post

“Poopendous! is an awesome picture book. If you are looking for a really funny book, with great pictures, any kid will sit through, this is the book. Artie Bennett obviously knows what makes kids laugh and the former children’s librarian in me applauds him for his use of unique vocabulary and content that keeps kids engaged and talking.”

—Long Days, Short Years

“Bennett addresses this subject with a nimble rhyme: ‘Rabbit pellets, raccoon tubes, / Owl whitewash, and wombat cubes./ Camel poop is desert-dry. / Wet poop comes from birds on high.’ There are kernels of wisdom to be found in Poopendous!, but the main point is entertainment.”

—Publishers Weekly

“A book like Artie Bennett’s Poopendous! comes in so incredibly handy. The rhymes and illustrations make it nicely lighthearted. It does a beautiful job of walking the line between ‘everyone does it and it’s just part of life’ and ‘it’s not something you want to bring in for show-and-tell.’ Plus, it’s so packed with information that it’s perfect for a parent whose kid is firmly in the “why” phase but who doesn’t want to dig up a lot of fecal facts.”

—New York Family

“Breezy and breathless!”

—Kirkus Reviews

“Artie has done it again. Kids of all ages love to talk about poop, and Artie creatively capitalized on that with his colorful, educational, and funny book Poopendous!”

—Family and Life in Las Vegas

About the author: Artie Bennett is the executive copy editor for a children’s book publisher and he writes a little on the side (but not the backside!).

His itch to write gave us The Dinosaur Joke Book: A Compendium of Pre-Hysteric Puns (currently extinct) when he was a much younger man. The Butt Book, however, was his first “mature” work. The Butt Book was showered with praise and won the prestigious Reuben Award for Book Illustration. His “number two” picture book, fittingly, is entitled Poopendous!  Wh

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Add this book to your collection: Chloe and the Lion

Video courtesy of DisneyHyperion: A hilarious and whip-smart take on fractured fairy tales, from rising stars Mac Barnett and Adam Rex.

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Nina Schuyler, The Children’s Book Review
Published: June 12, 2012

It’s summertime with its big bowl of a blue sky. Outside becomes another room, with open fields and the whir and buzz of bugs and baseball, and the voice of the water and the touch of sand.

Day One of summer, my son asks, “Now what?” So we ride our bikes to the library and load our backpacks with books about summer. Here’s a list to fill up the baggy pockets of summertime.

Summer and the Outside World

Oceans: Making Waves! 

Created by Simon Basher, written by Dan Green and Dr. Frances Dipper

Oceans: Making Waves! created by Simon Basher and written by Dan Green and Dr. Frances Dipper (independent marine consultant) takes kids underwater to discover mountains taller than anything on dry land, and trenches deeper than Mount Everest is high. Green personifies the aspects of the ocean. Here’s the Tide talking: “I’m a bit of a lunatic! As the Moon passes overhead, the water in the ocean feels a tug toward it. That’s gravity. In fact the whole planet feels this force of attraction…” Filled with interesting facts that make you see the world of the ocean with new eyes (the giant kelp grows up to 20 inches (50 cm) per day!)

Ages 10-15 | Publisher: Kingfisher | March 27, 2012

The Secret World of Whales 

By Charles Siebert; illustrated by Molly Baker

You’ll learn in The Secret World of Whales by Charles Siebert, illustrated by Molly Baker that the human brain and the whale brain are surprisingly similar and the sperm whale has the largest brain on earth, weighing more than 19 pounds (8.6 kilograms). Siebert explores the history, legends stories and science of whales. By the end, as the author did, you’ll want to have your own face-to-face encounter with this amazing creature.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Chronicle Books | April 20, 2011

Citizen Scientists

By Loree Griffin Burns; photography by Ellen Harasimowicz

Summer means getting outside and Citizen Scientists by Loree Griffin Burns, photography by Ellen Harasimowicz shows you how to engage with the natural world in a scientific way.  You’ll discover how to capture and tag a Monarch butterfly without damaging its wings, and you’ll learn to distinguish be

Reading level: Ages 8 and up

Add this book to your collection: Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

Video courtesy of HarperKids: Sixty years ago, on October 15, 1952, E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web was published. It’s gone on to become one of the most beloved children’s books of all time. To celebrate this milestone, the renowned Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo has written a heartfelt and poignant tribute to the book that is itself a beautiful translation of White’s own view of the world—of the joy he took in the change of seasons, in farm life, in the miracles of life and death, and, in short, the glory of everything.

We are proud to include Kate DiCamillo’s foreword in the 60th anniversary editions of this cherished classic.

Available 4.24.12 in hardcover, paperback, and paper-over-board.

Share your love for the book athttp://www.facebook.com/CharlottesWebByEBWhite

Book trailer produced by Dog Ear Creative: http://www.dogearcreative.com

©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.

By Mary Van Akin of Random House Children’s Books
Published: June 29, 2012

Two long-awaited conclusions to bestselling series!

RAPTURE

By Lauren Kate

The long-awaited, astonishing conclusion to the FALLEN series is here! To stop Lucifer from erasing the past Luce and Daniel must find the place where the angels fell to earth. Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this–live only to lose Luce again and again. Yet together they will face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed. And suddenly Luce knows what must happen. For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her–and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now will be the only one that truly matters. In the fight for Luce, who will win?

Random House Children’s Books | 978-0-385-73918-4 | June 12, 2012 | $17.99 | Ages 12-17 | 464 pages

Check out Fallen Books on Facebook!

THE ENCHANTRESS

By Michael Scott

The sixth and final book in the New York Times bestselling Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series.  This internationally known series introduces readers to legendary historical and mythological figures—weaving history, myth, folklore, and magic together seamlessly. The twins of prophecy have been split. Nicholas Flamel is near death. John Dee has the swords of power. And Danu Talis has yet to fall. The future of the human race lies in the balance–how will the legend end?

Delacortes Press | 978-0-385-73535-3 | May 22, 2012 | $18.99 | Ages 12 and up | 528 pages

Check out The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series on Facebook!

Read the book that everyone is buzzing about!

WONDER

By R.J. Palacio

An emotional and beautiful novel about being the new kid.  August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school–until now. He’s about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances? R.J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is ac

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: July 1, 2012

Here’s the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review site, the most coveted new releases and bestsellers.

Best Young Adult Books with Galley Smith

Summer Reading List: Summer Sports, Baseball, & the Outside World

3 Kids Picture Books that Teach Good Manners

How Picture Books Play a Role in a Child’s Development

Where to Find Free eBooks for Children Online

THE NEW RELEASES

The most coveted books that release this month:

Shadow of Night

by Deborah Harkness

(Ages 18 and up)

Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian

by Eoin Colfer

(Ages 9-12)

Big Nate Fun Blaster

by Lincoln Peirce

(Ages 8-12)

How to Train Your Dragon: Book 9

by Cressida Cowell

(Ages 8-12)

THE BEST SELLERS

The best selling children’s books this month:

PICTURE BOOKS

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

by Eric Litwin

(Ages 4-7)

He won’t read it.  He hates everything. #3

By David Teague, The Children’s Book Review
Published: July 7, 2012

On the first day of summer vacation when I was twelve years old, I got on my bicycle, rode three miles down the street through a tunnel of new leaves, emerged into lemon-colored sunshine in the middle of town, racked my bike, opened the front door of the library to release its peppery aroma into the juicy green afternoon, and saw a book with a fantastic cover awaiting me on the nearest wooden table: M.C. Higgins The Great.

On the first page, Mayo Cornelius, sporting lettuce affixed to his wrists with rubber bands (for reasons that became clear later) stared into the distance, imagining the freedom that lay in his future, wondering what to do with it. Just like me: In the deafening summertime silence made up of nobody telling me what to do, and with a bicycle I could theoretically ride until I fell into the Pacific Ocean, I’d spent the entire day thinking, “Now I’m gonna make something happen. But what?”

So I started reading to see what M. C. had done with all his freedom. On a hot, leafy mountainside overlooking the Ohio River, he set out to explore what it meant—the freedom to stand up to his father, the freedom to forge friendships with people very different from himself, the freedom to imagine a future no one else in his family had ever imagined, and the freedom to pursue it. His life was more dramatic than mine, more dangerous, odd, fraught, and strange, because he was a character in a novel, but M. C. himself, I understood. He was on a quest to find out who M. C. really was.

And so M. C. Higgins The Great made the summer of 1975 last forever. His story was the story of how he became himself amid trees and streams and the first hints freedom that come with growing up.

Which makes it a perfect summer book.

Here are a few more like it:

The Postcard

By Tony Abbott

Jason travels to St. Petersburg, Florida, and goes on a quest to uncover secrets that will change everything he ever believed about himself and his family.

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers | April 2, 2008 | Ages 8-12

Hatchet

By Gary Paulsen

Brian survives a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness and comes of age facing the challenge of survival in a thrilling, dangerous land.

By Nicki Richesin, The Children’s Book Review
Published: July 8, 2012

Elizabeth Bard

It’s a special treat to have Elizabeth Bard contribute her family’s top five favorites to The Children’s Book Review. An American journalist and author based in France, her first book, Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes has been a New York Times and international bestseller, a Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” pick, and the recipient of the 2010 Gourmand World Cookbook Award for Best First Cookbook (USA). Bard’s writing on food, art, travel and digital culture has appeared in The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, Wired, Harper’s Bazaar and The Huffington Post. Thanks to Elizabeth for sharing her thoughtful personal reflections on raising her son abroad with us.

Story time at our house is fun time, bed time, but it is also the site of a good-natured – but genuine – culture war. From the moment I moved to Paris to be with my French husband, I knew our children would be bilingual. As our lives have unfolded here, it’s become clear that most of my son’s childhood will be spent in France, worlds away from Sesame Street, Twinkies and other staples of my American childhood.

Augustin is almost three now. In addition to speaking English with me, and on vacations with his grandparents, books are the most effective tool I have to make sure he becomes – and stays – fluent in English, and is introduced to the different world view that creeps into the stories we choose to tell. There’s a part of all this that is inherently selfish: I want him to love these books because I love them. If he couldn’t – or didn’t want to – read in English, it would be like sewing up half my soul. A piece of his mother, and one of his cultures, would become unknowable to him.

Here are a few of our early and current favorites:

Spoon

By Amy Krouse Rosenthal

One of Augustin’s very first words was “Poon” – shorthand for his favorite book. Spoon is a wonderful “the grass is always greener” story of a little spoon who thinks his friends, knife, fork and chopsticks have it so much better than him. He never gets to twirl spaghetti. He never gets to cut bread. His mother thoughtfully reminds him that knife can’t swim around in a bowl with the Cheerios, and chopsticks never get to dive into bowl of vanilla ice-cream.

Ages 3-7 | Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children | April 7, 2009

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