A young girl travels from her home in the United States to visit her father’s family in Mali. While there, she looses a tooth and, according to Mali custom, receives two chickens from the African Tooth Fairy. Based on actual events from the author’s life, the story is enhanced by the brightly colored pictures painted by her father. Recommended for ages 4-8.
Here’s an amusing book that features childish dinosaurs and how they behave when they are unwell. The comedic pictures feature sick dinosaurs interacting with parents, nurses, and doctors in ways that are socially appropriate and inappropriate. With lilting question-and-answer verses, the text provides children a humorous introduction to the etiquette of being ill. Recommended for ages 3-7.
I highly recommend the other books in this series as well, including:
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?
How Do Dinosaurs Go To School? (How Do Dinosaurs…)
In the search for true love, a little bird learns that it’s more about giving than receiving. It’s a sweet story with an important lesson, and the pictures are bright and colorful. It’s a charming addition to any library. Recommended for ages 4-8.
Be careful! They’re addictive! If you read one, you’ll end up reading them all. The series, consisting of thirteen books, follows the misfortunes of the Baudelaire orphans –Violet, an inventor, Klaus, a bookworm, and Sunny, a baby with bite! The children use their special talents to repeatedly escape the clutches of the evil Count Olaf who is after their fortune. The true delight in reading these books lies in the satirical narration and the ironic storylines. Recommended for ages 9-12.
The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)
The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 2)
The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 3)
The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4)
The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 5)
The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 6)
The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 7)
The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 
The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 9)
The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 11)
The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10)
The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 12)
A fun look at the daily life of two dachshaunds and the family they live with. Written with young children in mind, the text includes sounds, questions, and repetitions meant to engage the reader from beginning to end. The dynamically simple, high-contrast pictures catch the eye and keep it moving from one image to the next. It’s a fun read for children and parents! Recommended for Pre-School age children.
A little girl tells about her experience planting a flower garden with her mother. As the flowers grow, they bloom in every color of the rainbow. The text is written simply from the child’s perspective and invites the reader to experience the excitement she feels as she watches her garden grow. The large, vividly colored pictures are reminiscent of Eric Carle’s work. Recommended for ages 4-8.
This is an inventive book-within-a-book tale with a surprise ending. A father who writes children’s books lets his family read his latest publication to see what they think of it. The father’s book (a paperback adhered within the hardback book) is a zaney story-in-verse of a man who built a spaceship and traveled the universe meeting all kinds of aliens –some strange, some smelly, some scarey, and one particularly lovely. The story is put into perspective on the last page when we meet the whole family and hear their opinion of the book. Recommended for ages 4-8.
Sara is bored with her red chalk, so she trades it to Tim for his marbles. But Sara quickly tires of the marbles too. As she repeatedly trades toys with other children, she claims each one has a magical property. Unbeknownst to her, however, the magical powers of each toy prove real –with a little imagination. It’s a charming tale of the power of a creative mind. Reccomended for ages 2-5.
Three little sibling bears want to know which of them their parents love best. The answer, of course, is “you’re all my favorites!” The text is simple and genuine. The watercolor illustrations are bright and endearing. It’s an ideal story for parents to read with all of their kids snuggled up together before bedtime. Recommended for ages 3-7.
