Sure, I could talk about what a classic this book is. How funny it is. Its cadence. Its illustrations. All wonderful.
But the most wonderful part of all is that last night my oldest read (not recited!) about the first 25 pages of it to us. He’s an official reader now!
Thank you!
Thank you,
Sam-I-am!
Author: Dr. Seuss
Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
Comments Off on Green Eggs and Ham
Posted in Early Readers
Tagged Dr. Seuss, fable, food, Green Eggs and Ham, I read this as a kid, Machines
Happily, it is Clementine season. We love those sweet, juicy balls of Spanish citrus, and it is hard to eat them without humming a bit of “oh my darling, oh my darling…” Which, strangely enough, leads us to this book. Using the tune from the famous western folk ballad, this story is told from the viewpoint of a hapless would-be suitor who keeps trying (and trying) and failing to send a romantic message to his darling, Valentine (who is concurrently working on a, much more successful, surprise of her own). The word play is clever, the scenarios delightfully ridiculous, and it offers the opportunity for lots of dramatic interpretation (singing is optional, but lots of fun).
Author: Alison Jackson
Illustrator: Tricia Tusa
Comments Off on The Ballad of Valentine
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Alison Jackson, food, Machines, songs, The Ballad of Valentine, Tricia Tusa, USA, Valentine's Day
Whether you love riding roller coasters or watching them with fearful fascination (our current default), this book is a pleasure. The wonderful illustrations create a backstory and a personality for each person in the book. The attention to detail is amazing and the story is sympathetic to riders and non-riders alike. It almost (almost!) makes you want to get on board.
Author: Marla Frazee
Illustrator: Marla Frazee
Comments Off on Roller Coaster
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Diverse Books, Machines, Marla Frazee, Roller Coaster
A perfect tall tale of daring and dairy. This book may (almost literally) have everything. Among other things, there are aliens, dads, dinosaurs, flying saucers, hot air balloons, pirates, ponies, piranhas, space time paradoxes, time machines, vampires, volcanoes, and (fortunately) the milk. An effortless read aloud and an absolute hoot.
Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Skottie Young
Comments Off on Fortunately, the Milk
Posted in Chapter Books
Tagged aliens, Animals, Fortunately the Milk, Machines, Neil Gaiman, pirates, science fiction, Skottie Young, space time paradoxes, Tall Tale, vampires, volcanoes
My friend Rabbit means well.
But whatever he does,
wherever he goes,
trouble follows.
This is another quick, funny, unexpected book with beautiful illustrations. Both boys love to chime in on the (frequently repeating lines) and happily anticipate the next wild (slightly disastrous, mostly humorous) event. A perfect treat before bed.
Author: Eric Rohmann
Illustrator: Eric Rohmann
Comments Off on My Friend Rabbit
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Animals, bedtime, Caldecott Medal, Eric Rohmann, Machines, My Friend Rabbit
Zoom (a cat who loves water) finds an address and a map left by his uncle (who has gone off adventuring) labeled “The Sea and how to get there.” But following the map does not help Zoom find what he expected–at least not at first. This is a deeply imaginative book that intrigues the boys–it reminds me of The Maggie B. with its beauty, coziness, and themes of sailing, adventure, and family. It is the first of three books about Zoom and it may be our favorite.
Author: Tim Wynne-Jones
Illustrator: Eric Beddows
Comments Off on Zoom at Sea
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Animals, beach, Eric Beddows, Machines, series, The Maggie B., Tim Wynne-Jones, Zoom, Zoom at Sea
This book is an utter classic and I’m guessing most of you already have it memorized. (I recently met Peter S. Beagle at a screening of The Last Unicorn and we ended up reciting “Too Many Daves” in a sort of call and response together at his signing table. It was a lovely, utterly odd moment.) We love all the stories, from “The Sneetches” and “The Zax” to “What was I Scared of?” Nothing quite compares to the best of Dr. Seuss, and this book may be his best of all. If you don’t already own it, I suggest you find a copy immediately.
Author: Dr. Seuss
Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
Comments Off on The Sneetches and Other Stories
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged beach, Dr. Seuss, fable, I read this as a kid, Machines, Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn, The Sneetches and Other Stories
This may be the perfect read-aloud chapter book. It is terribly funny. There are lots of pictures and they are great (nothing against Quentin Blake, but I suggest sticking with the original illustrator). The characters are a hoot. The candy creativity is off the charts. The author is beautifully off his rocker.
But the best part of all is simply reading it aloud. I had never realized how the language sings.
Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Joseph Schindelman
Comments Off on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Posted in Chapter Books
Tagged Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, food, I read this as a kid, If I Built a Car, Joseph Schindelman, Machines, Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl
Jack, from the backseat, said to his dad,
This car is OK. This car is not bad.
But it’s just a car. Nothing great. Nothing grand.
It’s nothing at all like the car I have planned.
This may be the perfect picture book. The rhymes, cadence, and illustrations are irresistible (not for nothing did this book win the E.B. White Read Aloud Award). Also, we all really, REALLY want Jack’s car. (An instant snack bar? A pool? An impeccable safety record? A built-in robot chauffeur? The ability to sail, submerge, and fly? SIGN US UP.) This is the first book my oldest learned by heart; it is simply addictive.
Author: Chris Van Dusen
Illustrator: Chris Van Dusen
Comments Off on If I Built a Car
Posted in Picture Books
Tagged Animals, Chris Van Dusen, E.B. White Read Aloud Award, If I Built a Car, Machines, mystery reader books, science fiction, series
When the boys were around 2 years old, this was one of our most popular books. We read (sang) this over and over and over and over again. Watching the people on Sylvie Kantorovitz Wickstrom’s bus go all through the (beautiful French) town was fun, even the 7th time in a row.
Sometimes we read the Paul O. Zelinsky version for a bit of variety and to enjoy the paper engineering. And the boys enjoy the video Scholastic made from the Zelinsky version. (Who knew Kevin Bacon could sing?) But it is the Wickstrom version that my youngest “read” to daddy tonight.
Author: Unknown
Illustrator: Sylvie Kantorovitz Wickstrom
Comments Off on The Wheels on the Bus
Posted in Board Books, Pop Up Books
Tagged Machines, Paul O. Zelinsky, Raffi Songs to Read, Scholastic video, songs, Sylvie Kantorovitz Wickstrom, Wheels on the Bus