Children’s book reviews by elementary school teachers Kate G. and Jennifer S.
Otis and the Scarecrow
by Loren Long
Fans of Loren Long’s popular Otis series have a new seasonally-appropriate book to read! Otis and the Scarecrow is Long’s seventh book featuring a beloved, sensitive tractor and his friends on the farm. → full article
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
by Mo Willems
Many people love author/illustrator Mo Willems for the wit and humor in his fun Pigeon books or the sentimental Knuffle Bunny, but our family most enjoys his lesser-known titles. → full article
The Book With No Pictures
by B.J. Novak
My friend Tom recommended a picture book that has no pictures. It is actually called The Book with No Pictures. Tom has his wits about him all of the time and has remarkable taste in children’s literature, but still I paused. → full article
Ruth and the Green Book
by Calvin Alexander Ramsey
Teaching children about America’s history of racism is challenging. While we discuss current events and historical figures like Martin Luther King, Jr., we look for age-appropriate resources to tell more personal parts of our history in a way that a child can understand. → full article
The School for Cats by Esther Averill
A few years ago, a friend recommended the Jenny’s Cat Club books for my cat-obsessed daughter. I expected to find another cute, fluffy kitty book. I was mistaken and delighted to be mistaken. → full article
As a mother of two girls, I look for books with female protagonists who aren’t limited by our culture’s definition of “feminine.” Pink and glitter are part of my daily life, and there’s nothing wrong with that; but I feel it’s important to share books with them that feature girls doing things, not girls doing circumscribed girly things. → full article
What’s old is new again, and this “reboot” of the classic Pippi Longstocking stories is sure to catch the interest of young readers. Pippi Fixes Everything is one of a series of books that originally existed as comics from the 1950s and were recently translated to English for the first time. → full article
If your kids are as silly as mine, they will definitely enjoy Todd McQueen’s Bob & Rob & Corn on the Cob. Yes, even the title and cover make you grin. Open the book to meet two squirrels, Bob and Rob, who happen to love corn on the cob. → full article
I have yet to read a terrible children’s book featuring a pug. Puddle Pug, written by Kim Norman and illustrated by Keika Yamaguchi, is the latest in our family’s long line of adored stories about pugs. → full article
Young children are skilled at finding many things while out adventuring — some good, some bad. They often find others’ lost toys and loveys, too. Found by author/illustrator Salina Yoon is a sweet story book that explores the drive to return something to its rightful owner while still feeling the ambivalence over doing so. → full article
Going Places, by twin brothers Peter and Paul Reynolds, is a wonderful read aloud for children in the early elementary age range. As children grow, we tend to focus on following the rules, listening to instructions, and falling in line. → full article
If you aren’t familiar with Anna Dewdney’s Llama series, you are missing out! My children, nieces, and nephews have all enjoyed Llama and his drama. Each book highlights a common early childhood problem and, more importantly, how to resolve it. → full article
Steve Light has created a masterpiece. The cover of this book gives you a clear indication of the fun that lies inside. Its intricate, detailed black and white cityscape shows only two things in color — a little boy and his dragon. → full article
When I first saw the title Doug Unplugged, I was able to guess the moral of this story. On the cover, there was an adorable young robot boy holding the plug of his cord and smiling. → full article
If you were a very prickly porcupine whose favorite thing in the whole world was a balloon, I’d tell you that you were not setting yourself up for happiness. But in the delightful picture book Perfectly Percy, we find just such a situation… and a happy ending. → full article
