2006 Spring/Summer Picture Books

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Nancy's picks for the best picture books of Spring/Summer 2006. Compiled by Nancy Polette © 2006.

Last updated: Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Alvarez, Julia. A GIFT OF GRACIAS. Illustrated by Beatriz Vidal. Knopf, 2005. Grades 2-4
When the olive crop fails, a lady appears in Maria's dream surrounded by orange trees. Can she save the farm?
Armstrong-Ellis, Carey. SEYMOUR SLUG STARTS SCHOOL. Abrams, 2005. Pre K-1
Children will laugh at Seymour Slug and his fairy slugmother who offers to help him out the first day of school with disastrous results.
Bernstein, Dan. THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE RACE AGAIN. Illustrated by Andrew Glass. Holiday House, 2006 Grades K-3
Lots of pun fun in this tale of the tortoise who wants to go back to his quiet life and the hare who is taunted by his friends for losing the first race.
Bunting, Eve. THAT'S WHAT LEPRECHAUNS DO. Illustrated by Emily A. Mccully. Clarion Books, 2005.
Ari, Boo and Col must race to the pot of gold and dig it up before the rainbow comes so they can put it at the end of the rainbow. The task turns out to be more difficult than expected.
Crunk, Tony. RAILROAD JOHN AND THE RED ROCK RUN. Illustrated by Michael Austin. Peachtree Books, 2006. Grades 2-4
Lonesome Bob and Granny Apple have a hard time getting to Red Rock for Lonesome's wedding. Here is a fun tall tale with unusual illustrations to look at again and again.
Cuyler, Margery. GROUNDHOG STAYS UP LATE. Illustrated by Jean Cassels. Walker, 2005. Grades K-3
Groundhog tricks his friends into believing spring has arrived, When spring does arrive groundhog is too tired to enjoy it.
Elting, Mary. Q IS FOR DUCK. Claion Books, 1980 Reissued 2005.
An animal alphabet guessing game. Why is Q for duck? Ducks quack.
Glass, Beth R. and Lubner, Susan. NOISES AT NIGHT. Illustrated by Bruce Whatley. Abrams, 2005. Grades K-3
Great for flexible thinking as night noises can be anything but what they appear to be.
Hahn, Mary Downing. JANEY AND THE FAMOUS AUTHOR. Illustrated by Timothy Bush. Clarion Books, 2005. Grades 2-4
What if your favorite author comes to your school but you miss seeing her. Some days nothing goes right!
Hennessy, B.G. THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF. Illustrated by Boris Kulikov. Simon & Schuster, 2006. Grades K-2
A marvelous retelling of a familiar tale with hilarious illustrations.
Hopkins, Jackie Mims. THE GOLDMINER'S DAUGHTER. Illustrated by Jon Goodell. Peachtree Books, 2006. Grades 2-4.
Here is an old time melodrama complete with the poor heroine who finds she has plenty of company to suffer with. A fun mixture of drama, fairy tale characters and a desperate heroine with illustrations sure to appeal.
Jackson, Ellen. EARTH MOTHER. Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. Walker, 2005. Grades 2-4
As Earth Mother walks the land she receives advice from nature's creatures. Beautifully illustrated.
Kimmel, Eric. BLACKBEARD'S LAST FIGHT. Illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher. Farrar, 2006. Grades 2-4
An exciting tale of young Jeremy who signs on with the Royal navy to take part in a fight to wipe out a nest of pirates. Bold, colorful illustrations.
Lee, Milly. LANDED. Illustrated by Yangsook Choi. Farrar, 2006. Grades 1-3
To enter America Sun must pass a difficult test at Angel Island and worries he might be turned away. Based on a true story.
Lord, Michelle. LITTLE SAP AND MONSIEUR RODIN. Illustrated by Felicia Hoshino. Lee & Low Books, 2006. Grades 1-3
Little Sap, a Camodian country girl travels to Paris as part of a dance troop where she captures the attention of the artist Rodin, grows as a dancer and fulfills her special duty to her family.
Meserve, Adria. NO ROOM FOR NAPOLEON. Farrar, 2006. Grades K-2
Napoleon, a small brown dog, is welcomed to a beautiful island until he takes up most of the space with his plans to the dismay of his new friends.
Mora, Pat. DONA FLOR. Illustrated bu Raul Colon. Knopf, 2005. Grades 2-4
Dona Flor, a giant woman, sets off to protect her village neighbors from a terrifying animal but the tables are turned when they need to rescue her.
Norman, Lissette. MY FEET ARE LAUGHING. Illustrated by Frank Morrison. Farrar, 2006.
Childhood experiences to which many children will relate.
Osborne, Mary Pope. AMERICAN TALL TALES. Illustrated by Michael MCurdy. Knopf, 2006. Grades 3-6
Excellent retelling of the escapades of tall tale heroes and heroines. Illustrated with wood engravings.
Palatini, Margie. OINK? Illustrated by Henry Cole. Simon & Schuster, 2006. Grades K-2
All of the farm animals attempt to get the pigs to clean up their act with funny results.
Russell, Barbara. MAGGIE'S AMERIKAY. Illustrated by Jim burke. Farrar, 2006. Grades K-3
An immigrant girl, Maggie, finds life hard in New Orleans until she develops a kinship with a ragtime musician and music that will change her life.
Santore, Charles. THREE HUNGRY PIGS AND THE WOLF WHO CAME TO DINNER. Random House, 2005 Grades 1-3
Bianca, a pig, has two hungry piglets to keep safe , then meets a hungry wolf who comes to dinner. Powerful illustrations!
Schubert, Leda. HERE COMES DARRELL. Illustrated by Mary Azarian. Houghton Mifflin, 2005 Grades K-3
Darrel takes care of his neighbors, delivering firewood, digging holes and clearing snow. When a terrible storm destroys his barn roof the neighbors come to the rescue.
Scotton, Rob. RUSSELL AND THE LOST TREASURE. HarperCollins, 2006. Grades K-3
Russell, the sheep, finds a lost treasure that turns out to be very different and even more valuable from what he expected.
Smith, Lane. JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE AND BEN. Hyperion, 2006. Grades 1-3
A brief and humorous introduction to the founding fathers, John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
Sobel, June. SHIVER ME LETTERS: A PIRATE ABC. Illustrated by Henry Cole. Harcourt, 2006 Grades 2-3
A pirate who says only 'R' sets off with his crew to find the other letters of the alphabet..all related, of course, to pirates. A different and fun ABC book.