Norma Jean, Jumping Bean

Author	D.B. Johnson
ISBN	0395968674

I thought I was in trouble with this book when I saw Henry David Thoreau depicted as a bear on the cover of the book, but I decided to read it anyway. This book, and the series it’s a part of, was recommended to me because I’m a fan of Thoreau’s.

Oh, I was so wrong to judge a book by its cover. I thought...

Author	Marty Crisp
ISBN	1585363553

Young Jim Mulholland can't believe his good luck: He has signed on as a cabin boy to the world's finest ocean liner, the Titanic, and can't wait for the history-making voyage across the sea to America. As part of his duties Jim is in charge of the ship's cat, a beautiful tortoiseshell that also appears happy...

Author	Jack Kent
ISBN	0009780375

A personal favorite from my own childhood - and actually, one of the few picture books I remember with total clarity. It has stayed with me over the years. There's something so endearing about this story...the small dragon that befriends the little boy. And then in defiance of all who keep saying he can't...

Author	Norton Juster
ISBN	0545162025

The author and the illustrator of THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH--together again!
This is the story of a really rotten Ogre who is extraordinarily large, exceedingly ugly, unusually angry, constantly hungry, and absolutely merciless. He terrorizes the entire countryside and all the surrounding towns,...

Author	Brinton Turkle
ISBN	0140503935

An interesting story about a seagull that befriends or follows around a little boy, Obadiah. Everyone notices and teases him and the boy doesn’t like it, but when the bird is not there, Obadiah misses him.

I didn’t think the artwork was especially Caldecott worthy. The story is simple and...

Author	Deborah Hautzig
ISBN	0394865871

Little Witch finds herself left behind on Halloween night in this first of a series of easy-readers to chronicle her adventures, having been "too good" to enjoy a night flight with Mother Witch, Grouchy Witch, and Nasty Witch. But when three trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door, and Little Witch...

Author	Jimmy Kennedy
ISBN	0689835302

One of the gems I found at the Mill Valley Library Sale over the weekend. I love this book! As the adorable old gentleman at the volunteer table was ringing up my stack of books (25-cents, 25-cents, 25-cents--what a bargain!) he raised his eyebrow at this one. "Now, this one is $3.00," he said kindly. I grinned...

Author	Peggy Parish
ISBN	0064440370

I loved the pronunciation guide. That is this book's strength. The problem with it is that it's dated- we've learned rather a lot about dinosaurs and their extinction since 1974. It was fun to read with a five year old dino maven-

I read "Dinosaurs lived everywhere for a long time. Then they died....

Author

Sandra Boynton

Moving Out, Moving Up, Moving On
For new graduates, or for anyone facing imminent change, here is profound insight, bold inspiration, and truly ensloxifying advice. Also an occasional hippo. No wombats.
What's more, Yay,You! will not overstress the weary mind. It's nice and short, with...

Author	John Lithgow
ISBN	0689835426

Perhaps better known to adults for his stage and screen work, actor John Lithgow has an amazing body of work for children. His picture books are some of my (and my children’s) absolute favorites!

Topping the list for me is The Remarkable Farkle McBride. The story centers around a young boy...

Author	Gavin Curtis
ISBN	0689841159

Reginald loves to create beautiful music on his violin. But Papa, manager of the Dukes, the worst team in the Negro National League, needs a bat boy, not a "fiddler," and traveling with the Dukes doesn't leave Reginald much time for practicing.

Soon the Dukes' dugout is filled with Beethoven,...

Author	Nancy E. Shaw
ISBN	0395706726

The silly sheep from Sheep in a Jeep are back, this time shopping for a birthday gift in a small country store. Naively bumbling, they make all the inconsiderate mistakes that we might expect of such a group: trying on clothing, playing with toys on the floor, selecting a gift that requires a ladder to reach,...

Author	Frank Murphy
ISBN	0375810153

This is my first time to read a book about George Washington. First, Gerorge Washington lived in his own home and he loved all kinds of animals in his home. He had 36 dogs in his life. Then, American people fighted England, bacause American wanted to have their own country, and England wanted them to be part...

Author	Rob Scotton
ISBN	0061177601

It's Halloween, and Splat is determined to be the scariest cat in the class. Unfortunately he's just too much of a scaredy-cat. He's afraid of a little spider, and everyone says his costume looks more silly than scary. And when Mrs. Wimpydimple tells a ghost story in the dark, Splat gets so frightened...

Author	Cindy Neuschwander
ISBN	1570916810

When young Per visits her uncle Sir Cumference and his family, she learns how to play the game, "Inners and Edges." After she finds a clue linking the game to the mysterious castle on the island of Immeter, she must figure out how to find the perimeter and area of a circle to unlock the island's secret.

Math...

Author	Michael Garland
ISBN	0142402826

When Zack meets his second-grade teacher, Miss Smith, he can tell right away that her class will be different. However, he has no idea just how different it will be.

Zack can't wait for Mrs. Smith to read out loud again from her incredible book. The first story fills the classroom with dueling...

Author	Reeve Lindbergh
ISBN	0140553371

My daughter picked this one out tonight: Daddy, this is one we haven't read in a looooooonnnggg time! She was right, I had forgotten all about it. Which I realize is not a great compliment, but it's not really an earth-shattering story. However, it is very clever, and is probably worth at least 4 stars....

Author	Holly Hobbie
ISBN	0316365130

Amazon.com Review
The story begins with a note from Toot, "Puds, Gone for a walk. Be back soon. T." But he doesn't get back soon (no surprise to Toot and Puddle fans), and by dinnertime, Toot is worried. He heads into the night, searching everywhere. He decides to think like his buddy to track him down,...

Author	Debra Frasier
ISBN	0152060537

Sage has misheard and misunderstood one of Mrs. Page's weekly vocabulary words. Her error leads to a humbling catastrophe: a momentous tragedy, in front of the entire class. Can Sage turn her vocabulary disaster: an event bringing great misfortune, into a triumph: a true success?
Anyone who has...

Author	Paul Galdone
ISBN	0899197965

A popular story about three preciocious felines who are sent out to play by their mother. In their games, they lose the mittens they have been provided. Returning with their heads hung low, the kittens learn that unles the items are found, no pie awaits them. Newly found mittens allow the three to have...

Author	Randall de Sève
ISBN	0399243747

A little boy has a toy boat. He made it out of a can, a cork, a yellow pencil, and some white cloth. The boy and his boat are inseparable, until one day when the wind pushes the toy boat out into the wide lake. Alone now, the little boat must face fierce waves, a grumpy ferry, a sassy schooner, and a growling speed...

Author	Sharon Creech
ISBN	0060007281

One day, Mr. Keene called all the students and teachers together and said, "This is a fine, fine school! From now on, let's have school on Saturdays too." And then there was more.



School all weekend. School on the holidays.

School in the SUMMER!

What was next . . .

SCHOOL...