Last updated: Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Bond, Felicia. THE DAY IT RAINED HEARTS. HarperCollins, 2002. K-2

The day it rained hearts Cornelia Augusta used them to create surprising valentines for her most unusual friends. A thoughtful picture book.

Brett, Jan. DAISY COMES HOME. Putnam, 2002. Gr K-3

Daisy, the smallest hen, is picked on by the others until an unexpected journey teaches her how to deal with her problems.

Dahl, Roald. ROALD DAHL'S REVOLTING RHYMES. Illus. by Quentin Blake. Knopf, Reissue 2002. Gr 4-8

Sophisticated parodies of familiar tales told in clever verse.

Freeman, Marcia. THE GIFT. Illus. by Partricia Kennedy. Maupin House, 2002. Gr 2-4

When her pioneer mother's songs are silenced by loneliness, Sonja finds a way to bring back the songs and her family's hope and happiness. A beautiful written account of a homesteading family.

Cates, Karin. A FAR FETCHED STORY. Greenwillow, 2002. K-3

Grandmother wanted firewood. But one by one, the family members who went to the woods to gather sticks came back with far-fetched adventure tales. A great read-aloud.

Hall, Katy and Lisa Eisenberg. DINO RIDDLES. Illus. by Nicole Rubel. Gr K-3

Dinosaur riddles sure to please! What do you call a sleeping dinosaur? A stego o snore us!

Lamm, C. Andrew. GAUCHADA. Illus. by Fabian Negrin. Knopf, 2002. Gr 3-6

A necklace is passed from hand to hand and each time a gaucho's story is told. Lyric poetry to share with older students.

Lawlor, Laurie. OLD CRUMP: The True Story of a Trip West. Illus. by John Winch. Holiday House, 2003. Gr K-3

An outstanding picture book! 'The sun was beating down on Death Valley. Water was nowhere in sight. The food had run out days ago. Other oxen bucked, kicked and ran off, but Old Crump trudged on, carrying four children across the desert.'

London, Jonathan. WHAT THE ANIMALS WERE WAITING FOR. Illus. by Paul Morin. Scholastic, 2002. GR 2-4

The dramatic story with equally dramatic illustrations of the cycles of life on the African savanna. Told in stirring verse.

McCall, Francis & Keeler, Patricia. A HUGE HOG IS A BIG PIG. Greenwillow, 2002. Gr 2-4

First you get a two-word clue. Then you think of two words that mean the same thing and rhyme. A chubby kitty is a fat cat. Figure out the answers then make up your own clues and answers.

Oloffson, Helena. THE LITTLE JESTER. R&S Books, 2002. Gr 2-4

A jester boy comes to a monastery and begins to juggle and dance. Then the monks see that something wonderful has happened. The Weeping Madonna weeps no more. An excellent introduction to the Middle Ages.

Oneill, Alexis. THE RECESS QUEEN. Illus by Laura Huliska-Beith. Scholastic, 2002. Gr K-3.

No one messes with mean Jean the recess queen! Until a new kid comes to school! Then surprising things happen.

Kowell, Susan. CINDY ELLEN, A WILD WESTERN CINDERELLA. HarperTrophy, 2002. Gr 2-4

Cindy Ellen's stepsisters were so mean they would make a rattlesnake look nice. But Cindy-Ellen learns about gumption from her godmother and lassos first place in the rodeo contest and in the heart of Joe Prince.

Tang, Greg. MATH FOR ALL SEASONS. Illus by Harry Briggs. Scholastic, 2002. Gr 2-4

Math puzzles presented as riddles that pose a problem for young learners.

Tekavec, Heather. STORM IS COMING. Illus. by Margaret Spengler. Gr K-2

The farm animals fear the coming of an awful creature named Storm, but feel better when the sky darkens and the rain comes, for the sky must be trying to protect them?

Tompert, Ann. THE PIED PIPER OF PERU. Illus. by Kestutis Kasparavicius. Boyds Mill, 2002. Gr 2-4

When Brother Martin is ordered to set traps and put out poison to rid the priory of mice he knows he can't harm the creatures. Neither can he disobey an order from his superior. It is when he meets a brave mouse that they find a way out of the dilemma.

Weigelt, Udo. OLD BEAVER, Illus. by Bernadete Watts. NorthSouth Books, 2002. Gr K-3

Old Bever can no longer build dams and the forest animals bring in a new young beaver to do the job. Old Beaver, feeling useless, disappears but the young beaver needs advice and it takes both of them to get the job done.

Wisdom, Jude. WHATEVER WANDA WANTED. Phyllis Fogelman Books, 2002. Gr K-3

Wanda gets anything she wants from her parents until the day she wants a kite which is not for sale. A temper tantrum results in an unexpected journey where Wanda learns a lot about life.

Weston, Carrie. LUCKY SOCKS. Illus. by Charlotte Middlelton. Phyllis Fogelman Books, 2002. Gr K-3.

Kevin has a terrible week until the day he puts on yellow socks and things start to go right. Then the socks are missing...will yellow underwear be as lucky?