November 29, 2015

Books to Celebrate Christmas

I did a previous blog encouraging themed browsing boxes at home.  I love playing librarian to my daughter and creating a collection of holiday books for her learn about, enjoy, and celebrate the season.  I recently put together a few browsing boxes full of Christmas books.  She loves Santa and enjoys the songs and books of this special time of year.  Below is a list of Christmas books for you to create your own themed browsing box at home.  Happy reading!

Biscuit’s Pet & Play Christmas by Alyssa Capucilli
Llama Llama Jingle Bells by Anna Dewdney
Max’s Christmas Stocking by Rosemary Wells
Little Miss Spider: A Christmas Wish by David Kirk
Merry Christmas, Mouse! By Laura Numeroff
Frosty the Snowman by Steve Nelson
Nutcracker Twinkle Toes by Karen Katz
Pete the Cat Saves Christmas by James Dean & Eric Litwin
Mickey Saves Christmas by Sheila Sweeny Higginson
Twas the Night Before Christmas on Sesame Street by Lillian Jaine
Snow Princesses by Irene Trimble
Dora’s Christmas Adventure by Christine Ricci
Barbie: A Perfect Christmas by Christy Webster
Clifford Helps Santa by Sonia Sander
I Spy: A Candy Cane by Jean Marzollo
Frozen: A Christmas Party by Andrea Posner-Sanchez
Jingle Bugs by David Carter
Ten Gingerbread Men by Ruth Galloway
Corduroy’s Christmas by Don Freeman
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff
A very Marley Christmas by John Grogan
Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney
It’s Christmas, David! By David Shannon
The Story of Christmas by Patricia A. Pingry
Merry Christmas, Little One! By Sandra Magsamen
It Was Christmas Night by Sophie Piper
A Christmas Tree for Ruby by Rosemary Wells
Lego City: Save This Christmas! By Rebecca L. McCarthy
Cinderella’s Fairy Merry Christmas by Andrea  Posner-Sanchez
A Very McStuffins Christmas by Sheila Sweeny Higginson
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Dennis R. Shealy
Biscuit’s Christmas Eve by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Clifford’s Christmas by Norman Bridwell
Mouse’s First Christmas by Lauren Thompson
A Cars Christmas by Melissa Lagonegro
Counting Christmas by Karen Katz
Sofia the First: Holiday in Enchancia by Catherine Hapka
Arthur’s Christmas by Marc Brown
Merry Christmas, Splat by Rob Scotton
Katie the Candy Cane Fairy by Tim Bugbird
Georgie the Gingerbread Fairy by Tim Bugbird
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner
Christmas is . . . by Gail Gibbons
What is Christmas? By Elaine Landau
Reindeer Crunch and Other Christmas Recipes by Christi Johnson
Crafts for Christmas by Kathy Ross
Christmas Fun: A Spot-It Challenge by Jennifer Marks
Look-alikes Christmas by Joan Steiner
A Spy Christmas by Walter Wick
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
Christmas Jokes and Riddles by Craig Yoe
A Bad Kitty Christmas by Nick Bruel
A Not Very Merry Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Dieson
Froggy’s Best Christmas by Jonathan London
Merry Christmas Mom & Dad by Mercer Mayer
Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O’Connor
Dragon’s Merry Christmas by Dav Pilkey
Dinosaur vs. Santa by Bob Shea
A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schultz
Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Christmas by Melanie Watt
A Christmas Kitten by Sue Bentley
Flat Stanley’s Christmas Adventure by Marc Brown
Miss Holly is Too Jolly by Dan Gutman
A Very Babymouse Christmas by Jennifer Holms
Ready Freddy: A Very Crazy Christmas by Abby Klein
A Katie Kazoo Christmas by Nancy Krulik
Holly the Christmas Fairy by Daisy Meadows
Paige the Christmas Fairy by Daisy Meadows
Galaxy Zack: A Green Christmas! By Ray O’Ryan
Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborne
A Ghost Tale for Christmas by Mary Pope Osborne
Night of the Living Eggnog by Kirk Scroggs
Horrid Henry’s Christmas by Francesca Simon
Christmas Catastrophe by Geronimo Stilton
The Christmas Toy Factory by Geronimo Stilton
Merry Christmas, Geromino! By Geronimo Stilton


November 8, 2015

The Challenge Continues . . . Buckeye Book Award Reading Challenge 1995

And the reading challenge continues!  As stated in a previous post, my librarian friend Ashley Lambacher of the Book Talker and I are hosting the Buckeye Book Award Reading Challenge.  Our goal is to read all the past winners from the children’s book category in chronological order from 1982 to the present.  I will read the K-2 picture book winners and Ashley will read the 4-8/3-5 chapter book winners.  Because 1994 was skipped, today I continue my challenge by reading the winner of the K-2 Buckeye Book Award in 1995, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairy Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka.

The Stinky Cheese Man is one of many genius books by Jon Scieszka.  Similar to The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, the illustrations are arranged unconventionally and the story is uniquely entertaining.  Scieszka takes familiar fairy tales and adds his own variations.  With individual tales, such as The Really Ugly Duckling and Little Red Running Shorts, this collection of short stories has something to please every reader.  The Stinky Cheese Man deconstructs not only the tradition of the fairy tale but also the entire notion of a book.  The narrator, Jack, makes a mockery of the title page, the table of contents, and even the endpaper.   Characters slide in and out of tales; Cinderella rebuffs Rumpelstiltskin, and the Giant at the top of the beanstalk snacks on the Little Red Hen.  There are no lessons or morals to be learned - just good, sarcastic fun that leaves readers laughing out loud!

Ashley, your upcoming 1993 Buckeye Book Award read is Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Schwartz.  This spooky tale might be best read beside your campfire!


Would you like to join Ashley and I as we read through Ohio’s award winning books?  We welcome any and all who are interested in participating in this fun reading challenge.  For more information, click here.

November 3, 2015

2015 Picture & Chapter Books - Hilliard U

Ashley Lambacher, from The Book Talker, and I presented at Hilliard U today.  We shared notable picture and chapter books of 2015.  Click here to see our list of recommended books.  Many thanks to all who came to our session!

November 1, 2015

Books to Celebrate Fall & Thanksgiving

I did a previous blog encouraging themed browsing boxes at home.  I love playing librarian to my daughter and creating a collection of holiday books for her learn about, enjoy, and celebrate the season.  I recently put together a browsing box full of fall and Thanksgiving books.  These books highlight the changing leaves and teach thankfulness.   Below is a list of autumn and Thanksgiving books for you to create your own themed browsing box at home.  Happy reading!

One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B.G. Hennessy
Marley and the Runaway Pumpkin by Susan Hill
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
Hello Kitty: Hello Fall! By Meagan Bennett
The First Thanksgiving by Nancy Davis
Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin by Tad Hills
Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon
The Leaves Fall All Around by Ellen Booth Church
Marley: A Thanksgiving to Remember by John Grogan
Fancy Nancy and the Fall Foliage by Jane O’Connor
Max and the Fall Parade by Rosemary Wells
Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
How Do You Know It’s Fall? by Allan Fowler
10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston
Fancy Nancy: Our Thanksgiving Banquet by Jane O’Connor
Happy Thanksgiving, Biscuit! by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Clifford’s First Autumn by Norman Bridwell
The Littlest Pilgrim by Brandi Dougherty
Pinkalicious: Thanksgiving Helper by Victoria Kann
Mouse’s First Fall by Lauren Thompson
Peppa’s Windy Fall Day by Barbara Winthrop
Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving by Kimberly and James Dean
Countdown to Thanksgiving by Jodi Huelin
The Fairest of the Fall by Melissa Lagonegro
Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey
Growing Pumpkins by Melvin Berger
Emma Had a Little Turkey by Mary Lee
I Spy: Thanksgiving by Jean Marzollo
Franklin’s Thanksgiving by Paulette Bourgeois
There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves! by Lucille Colandro
Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber
Arthur’s Thanksgiving by Marc Brown
We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger
Fall Harvests: Bring in Food by Martha E.H. Rustad
Animals in Fall: Preparing for Winter by Martha E.H. Rustad
What Happens in Fall? by Sara Latta
Animals in Fall by Martha Rustad
Leaves in Fall by Martha Rustad
Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins
Why Do Leaves Change Colors? by Betsy Maestro
Pumpkin Harvest by Calvin Harris
Pumpkins by Ken Robbins
Crafts to Make in the Fall by Kathy Ross
Leaf Trouble by Johnathon Emmett
Fall Leaves Fall! By Zoe Hall
Old Bear by Kevin Henkes
Poppleton in Fall by Cynthia Rylant
Fall is for Friends by Suzy Spafford
Leaves by David Ezra Stein
What is Thanksgiving? By Elaine Landau
P is for Pilgrim by Carol Crane
Let’s Celebrate Thanksgiving by Connie Roop
Thanksgiving Day by Gail Gibbons
Crafts for Thanksgiving by Kathy Ross
Thanksgiving Day Jokes & Riddles by Craig Yoe
Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit by Normal Bridwell
Minnie and Moo and the Thanksgiving Tree by Denys Cazet
One is a Feast for Mouse by Judy Cox
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson
Run, Turkey, Run! By Diane Mayr
Thank You, Thanksgiving by David Milgrim
Setting the Turkeys Free by W. Nikolas-Lisa
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving by Justine Fontes
Splat Says Thank You by Rob Scotton
The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing
Dr. Carbles is Losing His Marbles by Dan Gutman
Nancy Drew & The Clue Crew: Thanksgiving Mischief by Carolyn Keene
Reddy Freddy: Thanksgiving Turkey Trouble by Abby Klein
Katie Kazoo: Don’t be Such a Turkey by Nancy Krulic
Katie Woo: Katie Saves Thanksgiving by Fran Manushkin
Magic Tree House: Thanksgiving on Thursday by Mary Pope Osborne
Junie B. Jones: Turkeys We Have Loves and Eaten by Barbara Park