The Three Bears ABC: An Alphabet Book

I will admit I was skeptical when I saw this book thinking that it might be forced and that the ABC aspect would alter the story of the three bears.  I was pleasantly surprised.   The flow of the story was not in any way strained and I found myself wondering how the author would tie the next letter into the story. 

"C is for cool.  The bears waited for the hot porridge to cool. So Papa put on his cap, Mama her cape, and Baby his coat."

"O is for open.  The bears found their front door open.  How odd!" 

A wonderful addition to any study of the Three Bears.  Older/advanced students could be challenged to anticipate how the next letter will be added to the story. 

Text:  5 Buckeye Leaves
Illustrations:  5 Buckeye leaves

Prairie Chicken Little by Jackie Mims Hopkins

Mary McBlicken the prairie chicken is on a mission to warn all the prairie animals about the "rumbling and a grumbling and a tumbling" that he heard.  It can only mean one thing: that there is a stampede coming.  She is headed to tell Cowboy Stan and Red Dog Dan when she comes across Jeffrey Snog the prairie dog and Beau Grabbit the jack rabbit, and on and on.  Soon a line of animals are headed to see Cowboy Stan and Red Dog Dan when a sly coyote with his own plan shows up on the scene to "help" the animals escape the danger of the stampede.  How will they surivive?  Will they survive?  

Text:  4 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations:  4 Buckeye leaves 

A Very Witchy Spelling Bee by George Shannon

Just in time for Halloween, a new witch book full of spells, magic, a stormy night, and spelling.  Spelling?  

Cordelia loves to spell, both studying spells and practicing spells.  Cordelia is very excited when she sees a sign, s-i-g-n, for the upcoming "Witches' Double Spelling Bee" that is held only every 10 years.  Beluah Divine has won the contest the last few times and is excited to beat a child.  When it comes down to Cordelia and Beluah as the final two contestants, Beluah uses her spells to put a chair on Cordelia's head and turn her ears into pears.  Cordelia must come up with a creative way to beat Cordelia.  A good book to be used as a springboard to having students come up with their own spells using creative use of letters.  

Text:  5 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves

 

Library Mouse: Home Sweet Home by Daniel Kirk

Love Library Mouse!!  I love that they are a little longer picture book yet still fun and adventerous for kids!  In the lates Library Mouse:  Home Sweet Home, Sam and his friend Sara, discover that the library is going to have some "renovations" done to it.  While the work is being done the two friends will have to find a new place to live.  Sam and Sarah begin researching all the different types of houses and build temporary houses.  It soon becomes clear to Sam that there is really only ONE house for him, in the library.  Another great book in the Library Mouse series. 

As a side note, my favorite 5 1/2 year old LOVED seeing the page with the yurt, a Mongolian home.  He immediately made the connection to his own minature yurt that we purchased in Kazakhstan for him.  "Hey, that is the kind of house they have in Kazakhstan!...." 

Text:  5 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations:  5 Buckeye leaves

Ben Rides On by Matt Davies

Ben loves his new bike.  He loves to take the long way to school just so he can enjoy it more.  What Ben does NOT like is arriving at school and coming face to face with Adrian Underbite, "...perhaps the world's largest third-grader."  On this particular day Adrian has decided to take Ben's bike.  Ben is devestated.  As he makes the long walk home he is very upset and thinks of nothing except his bike.  On the way he comes across his bike....and finds Adrian HANGING in a rather unforunate situation.  A great book for tackling the somewhat difficult topic of bullying.  Students will relate to Ben's excitement of getting a new bike as well as the disappointment of that bike being stolen and ruined.  Great for discussing decisions and doing the right thing, even when sometimes you do not really want to.  This one is being added to the "must purchase list" at all 3 of my schools!   

Text:  5 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations:  5 Buckeye leaves

My Octopus Arms by Keith Baker

Ever wish you had another arm....or two?  Octopus has EIGHT and look at all the things that can be done with EIGHT arms!!  Little crab is wondering what all the octopus can do with so many arms.  Knit a sweater, write a letter, perform a puppet show, strum a chord (on multiple instruments), and saw a board, to name a few.  Cute, rhyming book to share with preschool/kindergarten students. 

Text:  4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations:  4 Buckeye leaves

What will hatch? by Jennifer Ward

"Oval, blue.  What will hatch?  Fuzzy, new- robin."
With simple riddles readers learn about animals that hatch from eggs.  Great, interactive introduction to animals that hatch from eggs.

Text:  4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations:  5 Buckeye leaves

Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses by Kimberly and James Dean

Pete the Cat is BACK in a slightly different form.  Pete is still very knowledgable and full of great wisdom though his delivery is slightly more subdue, due in large part to a change in author.  Pete the Cat has the blue cat blues when Grumpy Toad shows up.  Surprisingly today Grumpy Cat is not grumpy at all thanks to "cool, blue, magic sunglasses" which helped make him see things differently.  Pete soon sees exactly what Grumpy meant.  Pete then goes on to spread the magic of the cool, blue, magic sunglasses to others.  Great message for all ages though lacking the usual snappy song.

To view the latest Pete video click HERE!  

Text:  3 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations:  4 Buckeye leaves

Let's Make Faces by Hanoch Piven

This book has FUN written all over it...and you only have to get as far as the front cover before you realize this.  Fruits and vegetables, tools of all shapes and sizes, things from outside and inside, and every where in between!  Look at every day items in a whole new and fun way while starring at these pages!

Text:  4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations:  5 Buckeye leaves