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

October 14, 2015

2015 Buckeye Book Awards


Voting is now open for the 2015 Buckeye Books Awards.  The books competing against each other are:

K-2
Splat the Cool School Trip by Rob Scotton
Sidney & Sydney: The Third Grade Mix-Up by Michele Jakubowski
The Day the Crayons Quit by Oliver Jeffers
Shark Girl and Belly Button by Casey Riordan Millard
Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle

3-5
Journey by Aaron Becker
The Misadventures of Salem Hyde: Spelling Trouble by Frank Cammuso
Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff
Secrets According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney
The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm

Click HERE to vote for your favorite book!

October 4, 2015

The Challenge Continues . . . Buckeye Book Award Reading Challenge 1993

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 1992 was skipped, today I continue my challenge by reading the winner of the K-2 Buckeye Book Award in 1993,The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle.

The Very Quiet Cricket is another celebration of nature by Eric Carle.  But unlike The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Very Busy Spider, this book has a special element sure to entertain young readers. In this story, a small cricket hatches one day and is welcomed with a chirp by a large cricket.  But when the tiny cricket rubs his wings, he is unable to speak in return.  On each double-spread page, the baby cricket is greeting by a variety of insects but he remains silent.  Finally, he spies another cricket and attempts to greet her.  "And this time . . . he chirped the most beautiful sound that she had ever heard."  Readers are then rewarded with a mechanically produced cricket's chirp as they turn the final page.  Typical of Carle's style, the language is simple, with rhythm, repetition, and alliteration.  The colorful cut-paper illustrations are classic Carle, full of color and expression.  It’s not surprising to find an Eric Carle book on the list of Buckeye Book Awards.  Carle’s distinctive illustrations and creative stories remain classic reads for children then and now, making The Very Quiet Cricket a notable winner of the 1993 Buckeye Book Award.

Ashley, your upcoming 1993 Buckeye Book Award read is Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Schwartz.  I know you dislike scary stories, so best of luck to you – it’s okay to read it with the lights on!

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.
 


September 26, 2015

Books to Celebrate Halloween


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 Halloween books.  Since Halloween has always been her favorite holiday, she loves reading spooky books full of witches, ghouls, and goblins.  Below is a list of Halloween books for you to create your own themed browsing box at home.  Happy reading and Happy Halloween - Boo!

Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds
Mary McScary by R.L. Stine
The Scariest Book Ever by Bob Shea
What Makes a Monster? by Jess Keating
Boo Who? by Ben Clanton
There's a Monster in Your Book by Tom Fletcher
Monster Trucks by Anika Denise and Nate Wragg
Frankencrayon by Michael Hall
Fright Club by Ethan Long
Quit Calling Me a Monster! by Jory Jon and Bob Shea
I Dare You! by Nicole Maubert
Boo! Haiku by Deanna Caswell and Bob Shea
Nighty Night, Little Green Monster by Ed Emberley
Trick or Treat Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna
Happy Halloween, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt and Cyd Moore
Peppa’s Halloween Party by Eone
Eek! Halloween! by Sandra Boynton
Hooray for Halloween, Curious George! by H.A. Rey
The Very Fairy Princess: A Spooky Sparkly Halloween by Julie Andrews
If You’re Spooky and You Know It by Aly Fronis and Jannie Ho
Palace Pets: Berry’s Halloween Costume Trouble by Disney Book Group
Disney Princess: Sweets and Treats by by Kristen L. Depken & Gabriella Matta
Dora’s Spooky Halloween by Sonali Fry
Where is Baby’s Pumpkin?  By Karen Katz
Halloween Bugs by David Carter
Trick or Treat? By Melanie Walsh
Five Little Pumpkins by Ben Mantle
Ten Timid Ghosts by Jennifer O’Connell
Five Little Pumpkins by Dan Yaccarino
Max’s Halloween by Rosemary Wells
Curious George: Haunted Halloween by C.A. Krones
Silly Ghosts: A Haunted Pop-Up Book by Janet Lawler
My Little Pony: Tricks and Treats by D. Jakobs
Fancy Nancy: Halloween . . .Or Bust! By Jane O’Connor
Barbie: Hooray for Halloween by DianeWright Landolf
Disney Princess: Sweet and Spooky by Melissa Lagonegro
Sofia the First: The Halloween Ball by Lisa Ann Marsoli
Dora’s Costume Party by Christine Ricci
Splat the Cat: What Was That? By Rob Scotton
Olivia and the Haunted Hotel by Patrick Spaziante
Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean
Dora: Say Boo! By Molly Reisner
Pippa the Pumpkin Fairy by Tim Bugbird
Trick or Treat, Marley! By John Grogan
There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Bat by Lucille Colandro
The Berenstain Bears: Happy Halloween! By Stan Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears: Trick or Treat by Stan Berenstain
Happy Halloween, Daniel Tiger! By Angela Santomero
The Haunted Ghoul Bus by Lisa Trumbauer
It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! By Laura Numeroff
Mickey’s Halloween by Disney Junior
The Spooky Wheels on the Bus by Elizabeth Mills
The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing
One, Two . . . Boo! By Kristen L. Depken
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams
Pinkalicious: Pink or Treat by Victoria Kann
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
Clifford’s Halloween by Norman Bridwell
Splat the Cat and the Pumpkin-Picking Plan by Catherine Hapka
Corduroy’s Best Halloween Ever! By Don Freeman
I Love you, Little Pumpkin! By Sandra Magsamen
You Got a Rock, Charlie Brown! By Maggie Testa
Hallo-wiener by Dav Pilky
Arthur’s Halloween by Marc Brown
Hello Kitty and Me: Trick or Treat by Jacqueline Ball
Disney Princess: A Fairy Tale Fall by Apple Jordan
T. Rex Trick-or-Treats by Lois Grambling
Lego City: Halloween Rescue by Trey King
Froggy’s Halloween by Jonathan London
Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween by Melanie Watt
Scaredy Cat, Splat! By Rob Scotton
Mouse’s First Halloween by Lauren Thompson
What is Halloween? By ElaineLandau
Halloween is . . . by Gail Gibbons
2x2=Boo! By Loreen Leedy
Wormy Apple Croissants and Other Halloween Recipes by Brekka Larrew
Crafts for Halloween by Kathy Ross
I Spy Spooky Night by Jean Marzollo
Inside a House that is Haunted by Alyssa Capucilli
In a Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Swartz
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Swartz
Flat Stanley and the Haunted House by Lori Haskins
Katie Woo: Boo, Katie Woo! By Fran Manushkin
My Weird School: It’s Halloween, I’m Turning Green by Dan Gutman
My Weird School: Miss Mary is Scary! by Dan Gutman
My Weird School: Mrs. Patty is Batty! By Dan Gutman
Junie B. Jones: Boo . . . and I Mean It! By Barbara Park
Magic Tree House: Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve by Mary Pope Osborne
Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise by Kate DiCamillo
Zeke Meeks and the Horrendous Halloween by D.L. Green
Babymouse: Monster Mash by Jennifer Holm
A to Z Mysteries: Sleepy Hallow Sleepover by Ron Roy
Stone Rabbit: Night of the Living Dust Bunnies by Erik Craddock
Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew: The Halloween Hoax by Carolyn Keene
Captain Awesome vs the Spooky Scary House by Stan Kirby
Ready Feddy: Going Batty by Abby Klein
Ready Freddy: Halloween Fraidy Cat by Abby Klein
Ready Freddy: The Pumpkin Elf Mystery by Abby Klein
Katie Kazoo: Witch Switch by Nancy Krulik
Trixie the Halloween Fairy by Daisy Meadow
The Mummy with No Name by Geromino Stilton
It’s Halloween, You ‘Fraidy Mouse! By Geronimo Stilton
The Peculiar Pumpkin Thief by Geronimo Stilton
Night of the Creepy Things by R.L. Stine
Attack of the Jack-O-Lanterns by R.L. Stine
Dragonbreath: No Such Things as Ghosts by Ursula Vernon
My Dog’s a Scaredy-Cat by Henry Winkler