Notable Children's Books

Chicken Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harrington
Chicken Chasing Queen of Lamar County is a great story of will and determination as our young character tries over and over again to chase and catch her favorite chicken in the farm yard. The young girl has one goal in her life and that is to catch chickens. Her daily routine is always the same, eat breakfast, visit with Big Mama and then set out to catch the chickens even though she has been told not to by Big Mama. There is one chicken in particular that she is fascinated by. She has shiny feathers, and long feet. She spends her time looking for ways to try and trick her so she can be captured but is never successful. She also looks all over the farm trying to find out where she hides and spends her days. One day she finds her sitting on a nest of chicks and eggs in some tall grass. She is just inches away from her and knows that the chicken can be captured, but does not. She tells the mama chicken she is safe, she has a job to do and from that day on she spends her time feeding and caring for all the chickens. She works on protecting them from snakes and weasels. I enjoyed this story it brought back memories of being on the farm with my grandparents and picking eggs and finding her places a hen has gone to lay her eggs.




All I’ll Ever Want Christmas Doll by Patricia C. McKissack
This story takes during the depression on Christmas. Three sisters, Eddy Bernice, Laura Nell and Odessa Mae, were all wondering if Santy Claus would come to see them this year. Laura had wanted a Baby Betty dolls he saw in the newspaper but her sisters told her that would never happen so Laura decided to keep dreaming and wrote a letter to Santy Claus. On Christmas morning they receive a doll to share between the three sisters which of course caused a lot of problems. Neither of them wanted to share so father stepped in and told them to work it out among them selves. Laura told her sisters she was the one who wanted it the most, wrote the letter and never gave up dreaming so she deserved the doll and her sisters agreed. The whole day Laura spent playing with the doll that never really played back; she did not drink tea, laugh or clap at her stories or even sign with her. Laura got mad and decided to leave the doll all alone. Mama told her to invite her sisters inside to share in her tea party, she did and the three or should say the four of them made up and shared the doll. They spent the day singing and playing and all decided that that was the best Christmas ever.




A Good Day by Kevin Henkes
Every character in the story has something that going wrong in their life on this particular day. Bird looses a feather, dog tangles her leash, fox looses mother, squirrel drops her nut in the water but all of a sudden everything turns around for them. Bird will fly higher than ever before, dog frees herself, squirrel finds a bigger nut and mama fox is right behind baby fox so everyone is happy again. When all of a sudden the lost yellow feather falls from the sky and a little girl finds it, puts it in her hair and says “what a good day!” The simplicity of the reading with its predictable text makes it a great book for our early readers. I love the illustrations in the book! They are bright and eye catching with colors that are appropriate for the setting.





Hello, Bumblebee Bat by Darrin Lunde
What a great book for Science. This fiction book on bats is written in such a way that the reader thinks they are reading a story but in fact are getting factual information on bumblebee bats. Bumblebee bat is asked a series of questions such as how small are you, what you look like and eat how do you hear and fly. Bumblebee answers these questions giving some scientific background without the exact vocabulary word. The background illustrations are in a dark blue to stand for the night. I love the inside flat of the book jacket because it teases the reader by giving them some factual information on the bumblebee bat and then ask if they want it know more and if so, open the book and read. It also shows a picture of the bat’s actual size.




Little Rat Makes Music by Monika Bang-Campbell
Little Rat Makes Music is one of the chapter books in a series dedicated to the adventures of Little Rat. Little Rat’s parents loved music. Father had played many different instruments and at one time had been in a band while mother would sing all the time. They would go to concerts in the Community Hall and even in the city. Little Rat fell in love with the sounds of the violin. One afternoon Little Rat began her music lessons with the violin. She hated them! Finally, the day came for them to play their first note. It was not at all like Little Rat had heard or even imagined it would sound like when she played the first time. Practicing at home was something she totally disliked and would even through tantrums when she made a mistake. One day, Mrs.Wingbutton, her teacher, introduced her to a former student, Kitty, began to tutor her. This did not influence the practice time at home but things were getting better. One day Mrs. Wingbutton suggested that Little Rat and Kitty play at the Christmas show; Little Rat agreed and knew she would have to practice. Practice is what she did. When the night of the Christmas concert was magical and Little Rat for the first time truly heard music when she played and she even played with feeling. From that night one she would play the violin because she wanted to

2x2 Book List for 2008

Mr. Putter and Tabby See the Stars by Cynthia Rylant
Mr. Putter and Tabby See the Stars is a chapter book that will excite any struggling reader because when the finish reading it they are gratified that they have indeed completed reading a chapter book. Mr. Putter lives with his cat, Tabby and their favorite hobby is sleeping. They can sleep anywhere and everywhere and for a long while. One evening Mr. Putter and Tabby were invited over to Mrs. Teaberry’s house for dinner. Mrs. Teaberry lived next door to Mr. Putter with her dog Zeke. Later that night, Mr. Putter was unable to sleep because his stomach was upset after he ate several jelly rolls so he took Tabby and they went for a walk. On their walk Mr. Putter told Tabby all about the stars and big dipper and how he always wanted to ride in a rocket. On their way home from their walk they noticed Mrs. Teaberry outside in the yard with Zeke. They all sat down and visited until both Zeke and Mr. Putter’s stomachs felt better an went inside for a good night’s sleep. The next day, Zeke arrives with a note inviting Mr. Putter over again.






The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend
What is the perfect nest, for whom is it being built and why is it being build? That is the question being asked the reader is asking when they begin reading the first few pages of the book. Jack the cat is busy trying to build the “perfect” nest. He takes hay from the cow, a pillow from the porch swing, the hat from the dog and some scrap of wood. Jack wanted his nest to be dry, cozy and the right size. But the nest is not for him. He wants to lore in the perfect chicken so she could lay the perfect egg so he can fulfill his desire for the perfect omelet. Jack does not get one egg he ends up with three. Chicken, Duck and Goose all decide to lay their eggs in the nest and fight over whose nest it actually is. All three decide to sit in the nest on the eggs which now creates a new problem for Jack. He wants his eggs! He tries to scare all three out of the nest but they will not go. Finally he tells then that the neighboring farm has a bigger, better nest and they all head for the farm leaving their eggs behind. Jack is thrilled! Three meals with 3 different eggs but all the sudden the eggs start to hatch one a time and all three babies now consider Jack to be their mother. He tries to hide but they track him down. Finally he realized that need to be cared fore and he is the one that has to do it so all four fall asleep in the “perfect nest” and Jack realized that this is even better than having the “perfect omelet.”



Bean Thirteen by Matthew McElligott
Bean Thirteen is a precious book about superstition but can also be used to teach the concept of division. Ralph and Flora are beetles who are out picking beans for dinner when Flora decides to pick one more bean even though Ralph is protesting because that would mean they would have a total of 13 beans. Ralph is afraid that if the pick 13 beans because 13 is an unlucky number. Flora told him he was silly. At home they divide the piles in two and when the extra bean is left over, Flora tries to get Ralph to eat it and of course he refuses. They decide to invite a friend over and when they re divide the piles still there is the left over. Ralph is in total panic no matter how many friends they invite over the piles will not divide out equally. When the guests arrive each person takes the beans they wish to eat, each one took a different number, leaving the bowl empty. When everyone left, Ralph wondered who ate the 13th bean, Flora said if could have been anyone, even possibly Ralph which again makes him start to panic.





Imagine Harry by Kate and M. Sarah Klise
Friendship and what it truly means is the underlying theme of Imagine Harry. It is a story of the trust and caring that can be shared between two people. Little Rabbit and his best friend Harry do everything together from playing in the snow to rolling down the hills in the spring. Harry happens to be an imaginary friend that never leaves Little Rabbit’s side. When ever Little Rabbit does not want to do something such as taking a bath or eating brussels sprouts he blames it on Harry. Finally the time comes for Little Rabbit to go to school and when he asks if Harry can go his mother said all right but Harry would not have his own desk and have to be very quiet. Eventually Harry becomes a little less significant in Little Rabbit’s daily routine until one day Mother Rabbit asked about him and Little Rabbit said he moved out, got his own place without a phone and since he never learned to read and write they would not be hearing form him anymore. Little Rabbit never truly forgot about Harry especially when he was doing something with his new real friends that he and Harry had enjoyed.



Badger’s Fancy Meal by Keiko Kasza
Badger has plenty food but he is not satisfied. He dreams of a fancier meal so he ventures out of his den to look for something better. He finds three different meals, a mole taco, rat cheeseburger, rabbit banana split with hot fudge, however when he tried to capture them the escape and end up hiding in his den. Badger is feeling defeated and especially hungry when he angers a horse who kicks him through the air all the way back in to his hole. Upon returning to his hole he is pleased that he is home and has given up on the idea of a fancy meal and is going to settle for what he already ahs, but ALL of his food is gone and a note is left apologizing for dropping in and thanking him for the fancy food which they ate. This story is very entertaining and it can teach kids a lesson on not to wish for more than you currently have because that to could vanish.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Winner

There Is a Bird on Your Head! By Mo Willems
There Is a Bird on Your Head is a cute book for the emergent reader. The repetition will build reading fluency and the story’s plot is easily understood. The two main characters are two friends, and elephant and a pig. One day a bird decides to land on elephant’s head, and then another. Piggy explains that the two birds are love birds and now they are building a nest on your head. Elephant does not want this to happen but then 3 eggs end up in the nest and elephant becomes more agitated. As elephant declares he does not want 2 birds, a nest and eggs on his head, the eggs hatch. Elephant does not know what do to but he does know he does not want them on his head. So he asks piggy for help. Piggy suggests that he ask them to go someplace else, and they do. Elephant is excited, but piggy is not because he now has a family of birds and their nest living on his head.

The Schneider Family Book Award

Kami and the Yaks by: Andrea Stenn Stryer
Kami and the Yaks is a story based partially on factual information about a group of people called the Sherpas. This book was one that offers hope and inner strength and proves that one can overcome a disability. Kami is a young Sherpa boy who is deaf. He lives in Himalaya with his father and brother, Norgay. The family earns a living by taking hikers into the mountains on guided tours. One morning as they wake to load the yaks for a trip, they discover that the yaks are missing. Father and Norgay go out looking but Kami knows that the yaks like to go to the meadow and decides to go out on his own to find the yaks and bring the back home. Kami takes out a silver whistle which he received as a gift and starts to whistle, except Curly Horn does not come. Kami begins to hunt for the yaks despite the fact that a storm is brewing. Kami finds the yaks and realized that the littlest yak, White Spot, has her leg caught between two rocks. Kami runs home through the storm, fighting off the hail to his father. After he acts out what the situation is they all run back to rescue the yaks. When they are rescued, Kami, lead everyone home. Kami felt proud and extremely excited that he finally proved to his father he can be successful and helpful and he knew at the moment that his father was proud of him.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis
I enjoyed how the author took this important part of history and turned it into a graphic novel! History can be a subject that children think is boring, but when they see it presented in a friendlier version, like a cartoon, they will be more likely to read and retain the information. Not to mention since this is a factual account of one’s personal experience, students will be motivated to continue and possibly step out on their own and do a little research about one of the historical events mentioned. The author uses journal entries to illustrate how the government controlled his personal life and that of the others in the country from communist control to when censorship was lifted.

Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Winner

The Cat-Or How I Lost Eternity by Jutta Richter
Different. Interesting. Christine is a third grade girl who befriends an old white cat that wonders along the path which leads to Liza’s school. Christine blames her tardiness to school on the cat because it requires her to stop, pet, and visit every morning. When she is given a punishment by the principal to write 200 sentences the cat encourages her to change the wording so that she would not end up believing the cats don’t talk. The white cat has a way of persuading Liza into thinking and second guessing what the adults in her life are saying. Liza feels sorry for the neighbor’s German shepherd because he is caged all day and wants to befriend, she also wonders about her neighbor and if he is lonely and even the mice that the cat eats, but the white cat tells her they all deserve what they get. Finally one day Christine realizes that is more important to do and feel the right and stops listening to the cat and from that day on the cat did not meet her on the path to school. I stayed a little confused with the book. I think it is a little to high level for some readers. I think that the cat may have been used to symbolize Christine’s conscience or the devil trying to lead her to the dark side and in the end goodness won over

2008 Caldecott Medal Winner

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Watch out Chris Van Allsburg! The Mysteries of Harris Burdick came rushing into my mind as I read and saw the illustrations. This book gives you mystery, suspense, wonder and excitement all rolled up into one. The black and white illustrations bring mystery and suspense to the story through the amount of detail in each one and the use of light and dark shading. The main character is Hugo Cabret a 10 year old boy who is left to live with an uncle, after his father dies in a fire at the local museum. Before his father’s death, Hugo and his father found automaton in the attic of and were planning on restoring it one day. Hugo’s father was a clock maker and as he worked on the automaton kept notebooks of its design. Hugo and his uncle now lived in an apartment of the train station where he became an apprentice and learned to manage the clocks. One day his uncle did not return and Hugo was left to fend for himself. Fearing he would be found out and sent to an orphanage he hid in the apartment, maintaining the clocks, collecting his uncle’s paycheck, and stealing what he needed to survive. Hugo watches the happenings of the train station from behind the walls and one of the clocks. The only thing Hugo has left of to remember his father is the automaton and a notebook full of his drawings. One afternoon Hugo was caught trying to steal from the toy store when the shop keeper caught him and discovered the notebook of illustrations. The store keeper was intrigued, upset and nervous at the sign of the notebook and threatened to burn it. That night Hugo followed him home and made contact with a young girl who lived in the same house. She told him she would save his notebook and to go to the toy store tomorrow. Hugo did and was given back a pile of burnt paper. He was devastated only to learn later that the notebook was never burned and it was a trick. Hugo went back to the toy maker and told he knew it was a trick. Hugo ends up working for him to repay his debt. Eventually it is discovered that the automaton belonged to the toy maker and that he was a famous film maker. Eventually Hugo is found out and after a long chase ends up living with the store keeper and his wife.