It’s MAY!!! At last! And the weather has suddenly turned nice like it just realized it’s supposed to now that April is officially done. Shall we celebrate with some good books to enjoy outside?
Elf
Mouses’s First Summer – I like these mouse books for the toddler age – they are simple, cover their themes nicely, and have just enough softness and sweetness, but not enough to make your teeth ache. Good introductions, aimed at just the right level.
One Love – I like this adaptation of Bob Marley’s classic song to have a message about community spirit. I’ve got a full review of this here from last year!
Sing & Read Collection – I love song books. if you’re like me and can’t always remember all the words, they help you out. They are great for sharing, and giving kids something to look along with. They reinforce that text has meaning, connecting the words on the page to the words of familiar songs. They can help expand your repertoire. If you like singing with your kid, these are a great way to go.
Make Your Own Popsicles – Cooking with kids is great – it reinforces literacy skills as well as math skills, and it’s a fun project to do together. For little kids, this is a nice simple place to start, and perfect for summer!
National Geographic Little Kids: Big Book of Why – Little kids are full of questions, and books like this are a fun way to start exploring the world with them. National Geographic has a nice line of non-fiction for kids now, with solid information, an attractive format, and content aimed at their level.
Balancing Act – This is one of those rare cases in which I am about to recommend something I’ve never seen. Why? Because I’ve enjoyed all of her concept books, which she populates with these same cute little collage art mice, and she does a great job on getting the idea across on a little kid level every time. This is totally a good bet, if you ask me – and I’m ordering one for myself.
Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go – This is a classic book about vehicles of all sorts, jammed with fun little stories, kooky characters, and lots of lots of funny details. If you’e got a kid who likes to pore over pictures, this will keep them happy for hours. Also just the thing for the young truck and car enthusiast.
The Usborne Book of Everyday Words – This is not a book for everyone, but for anyone who is looking for vocabulary helpers to push along language acquisition, these books do a great job of it. If you know a kid who needs a little boost in their language, this is a good choice.
1001 Things to Spot Pack – These are books for kids who love a little puzzle and will want to spend time hunting through the pictures for details. They are great for trips, waiting rooms, and those times when you need to keep them busy, and with a few in the pack, this could keep you going for a while. (They are also great loot bag goodies!)
***Frog and Toad Pack – If you don’t have these and are only going to order one thing this month, make it these. Packed with funny little stories of friendship and gentle life lessons, these are great for sharing, and are solid classics. I love them, and you will, too.
Llama Llama Pack – These Llama Llama books are, to be honest, not the favourites of
parents, but young kids love them, because they really capture the way a
toddler works, that is to say, Llama throws a fit when he is
overwhelmed with emotion, and then reassured by his mama.
Franklin Classics Library – These are some of the original Franklins, written by the author before
the television show. These ones are still repetitive, being a series,
but I like the quality better. Franklins often appear in various
differently-sized packs and collections, so while this is huge, others will definitely appear.
SeeSaw
The Dot – This story is about making art, but also about gaining the confidence to go ahead and try something. It’s lovely, and a great boost for the kid who finds it hard to take a risk.
The Boy Who Cried Ninja – A funny twist on the boy who cried wolf story, in which ninjas keep doing naughty things and a boy finds himself blamed and not believed when he explains the ninjas. In the end, everything turns out, of course, but it’s a cute take on the topic of lies.
Klutz Build-a-Book: Why I Love My Dad – By now, I’m sure you all know I’m a fan of the nice clear instructions and successful outcomes that tend to come from Klutz books. And what’s not to love about an activity that culminates in a book for and about your dad? if you’re going to celebrate Father’s Day, this is a great way to do it.
Get Outside – Like any parent, I’m all for kids getting outside, and with the help of
some good ideas, it can be so much fun that it outweighs the bugbites
and sunburn, if you play your cards right! This should help those of you
who, like me, are not inspired to create organized fun by temperament
and need a little nudge.
The Blue Hippopotamus – This is Phoebe Gilman’s last book, with illustrations finished by someone else. It tells the story of a hippopotamus who loves an Egyptian princess and is turned into her toy by a magician so that he can be near her. Gilman is a great storyteller, and I love that she wrote a story that seems inspired by William, the Met’s blue hippo.
Duck! Rabbit! – This simple and fun book introduces the idea of optical illusions where
the image can be interpreted two ways – is it a duck or a rabbit? Voices
from off the page argue about it right to the very end. From a
favourite of mine, Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
Chester’s Masterpiece – Chester is not pleased with the direction his author is taking, and
tries to steer things his way in these very funny picture books that are
a
big hit with kids. This is one of a set, and Chester is likely to appear again, so if you want more than just this one, you could wait it out.
Lucky
Magic Tree House – I’m not always a fan of big series for kids, although they very
definitely serve a purpose. They are by nature formulaic, and often not
well-written. These definitely follow a formula, but the writing is
better than it has to be, and the various times and places visited give
kids a nice little taste of history and different cultures, which I
like.
Ivy & Bean – Among the many series of books about young girls for this grade 2-3 range, I quite enjoy this series about two friends who et up to mischief together. The writing quality is good, the trouble not too terrible, the girls not too bratty, and the fun of a best friend is something I always love in a story. Kids eat these up once they get going, too.
Clementine – There are lots of books about spunky, precocious girls for these grades,
and one of my favourite stars among them is Clementine. She is a good
kid at heart, who just has trouble with her self-control, and gets into
some pretty funny messes because of it. her family, though, is
wonderful, and her teachers do pretty well at working with her, too, so I
like that the overall is a picture of warmth and understanding, rather
than a bratty kid at odds with exasperated adults.
Classic Chapter Books Pack – This pack features two great writers – Andrew Clements, the master of the school story, and Kate DiCamillo, who writes gorgeously. Frindle is a story of a kid who starts an experiment about
renaming something and how words become adopted, based on something that
his teacher said. Because of Winn-Dixie is a moving and fun story of a girl who has trouble fitting in until a dog
with a gift for friendship comes along, it’s satisfying in every way.
Magic School Bus – These are great books, and kids love them. They mesh factual
information with fun adventures that a class goes on with their wacky
teacher and her magic bus. The kids are consistent characters, and each
has a personality that you come to know. There are lots of little extra
bits with factoids, little jokes, and so on that makes it fun for kids
to peruse. these do show up in various different packs often enough, as well.
Cam Jansen – These are classic early chapter mysteries, featuring a girl with a photographic memory (Cam is short for “camera”) who solves problems. The mysteries are pitched right for grades 2-3 or so, the target audience for these early chapter books.
Encyclopedia Brown – Remember these? Little, short mysteries that hinge on a fact that
Encyclopedia Brown (not his real name) knows, but someone else doesn’t.
You have the chance to guess the answer to each one before flipping to
the end of the book to read the solution. For a kid who loves a puzzle,
this is really fun.
A to Z Mysteries – This series does, as the name suggests, have a mystery for each letter.
Nicely pitched for grades 2-3, these are fairly popular and will work
well for a kid who likes mysteries.
Scaredy Squirrel Pack – Scaredy is a squirrel – a neurotic, agoraphobic, OCD-plagued nut of a
squirrel, in fact. He is also hilarious, and a massive hit with kids,
making this a pack worth picking for sharing out loud. These show up
often enough to wait for the full collection, if you want to have them
all.
***Stuart Little – now this is a classic that I love! This little mouse has big adventures,
complete with love, friendship, and peril. No kid should miss the
chance to read or listen to this one.
Klutz Kits Twisted Critters – The Klutz kits aren’t great literature – heck, they aren’t even
literature – but they are excellently done kits for a variety of
activities, and include everything you need for your project. The
instructions are very clearly written, and following instructions is a
discrete literacy skill that is worth exploring. These make for good
gifts, as well, so getting them at a little cheaper price is a nice
thing.
Made By Me – I always like craft books, and not just because my own kid is crafty. Learning to follow directions is a specific and very useful literacy skill, and if you are sometimes, like me, at a loss for an activity ide, it’s a great place to get some inspiration. If your kid is like mine, they will take the book and disappear, and come back later with something awesome (after asking you for 60 things). A win all around.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid – This series has been wildly popular with kids from about grade 2 up to
grade 6, even among the most reluctant of readers, who appreciate its
humour and its half-graphic format. It’s an easy read, and his school
troubles resonate with kids. The pack is on frequent offer.
Arrow
Bridge to Terabithia – This modern classic is an excellent book filled with fantasy and a magic
all its own, but parents should know that it does involve the death of a
child, particularly one who is a best friend.
The Kane Chronicles – Rick Riordan, of Percy Jackson fame, has started a series related to
Egypt this time, and predictably, it’s been a hit. Fans of his are sure
to be asking for these, and yes, they will show up again.
Guinness World Records 2013 – These books are great fun for browsing, and favourites among even the
most reluctant readers, who can find bizarre and fascinating records to
pore over and share with friends. This would make a great gift or a nice
way to hook a kid who doesn’t gravitate toward books naturally.
Klutz Friendship Bracelets – The Klutz kits aren’t great literature – heck, they aren’t even
literature – but they are excellently done kits for a variety of
activities, and include everything you need for your project. The
instructions are very clearly written, and following instructions is a
discrete literacy skill that is worth exploring. These make for good
gifts, as well, so getting them at a little cheaper price is a nice
thing.
Calvin & Hobbes – these are funny – you might remember them from a good 20-25 years ago?
They still appeal. Readers and reluctant readers alike enjoy cartoons, so if your kid won’t
gravitate to a full-on novel just yet, these might grab his/her
attention in the meantime, not to mention that you can share some good
belly laughs reading them together!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid – This series has been wildly popular with kids from about grade 2 up to
grade 6, even among the most reluctant of readers, who appreciate its
humour and its half-graphic format. It’s an easy read, and his school
troubles resonate with kids. These are on frequent offer.
***Rules – This is a phenomenal book about a girl who helps look out ofr her brother with autism, but also comes to realize that she is way more self-conscious and embarrassed about him than she needs to be and finally starts accepting more. Loved this.
A Semester in the Life of a Garbage Bag – I only rarely will suggest a book I haven’t read, but in this case,
well, Gordon Korman is a standard suggestion for kids looking for a
funny but
well-written novel, most of which are set in or around school. Korman’s
been a
Canadian favourite for a good 30 years now, and is still going strong
for good reason!
Award Winners Pack – Packs can be pretty uneven, but there is not a loser in this bunch, and a lot of them are not the dry award-winners of past, but really fun stuff that kids actually enjoy, too, so if you’ve got a reader, this is a good solid choice.
Dear Canada Pack – these diary-format books highlight major events in Canadian history from
the perspective of someone involved or affected, bringing history to
life. The
quality of these books in
generally quite high, and they are written by some top-drawer authors.
Usborne Big Book of Experiments – I love science for kids, and this looks like it has enough in it to keep
them busy for a while trying out new stuff while they (shh!) learn
something, too.
Loser – Spinelli does the most interesting books about characters, and this one is sort of a fascinating study of how a kid goes from being a regular kid to being a loser. It looks really carefully at what other kids consider uncool and asks questions about why those traits are seen that way – a really good way to get kids thinking about other kids, actually.
Fudge Boxed Set – Good old Fudge by Judy Blume chestnut has acquired classic status, and is
still much-requested by kids in grades 2-4. A good read for boys and
girls alike, kids very much relate to Fudge, it seems!
The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set – Another series that needs no introduction, because not only is it a
serious classic, but the movies have been coming out over the last few
years, bringing it a whole new audience. It’s seven books strong, a
perfect introduction to fantasy, and should be read by or to everyone.
The Complete 39 Clues – This series is written by some of the top names in adventurous kidslit,
and keep kids guessing and following along. Be prepared to have an obsessed kid, but here you have the whole set, or, as these are another
often-featured set, you can always put this on the back burner and
know you can order later, too.
Amulet – I’ve read the first three of these graphic novels, and can’t wait to
get around to the last two now. These are beautiful and full of
adventure and fantasy. I reviewed them not long ago here, if you’d like more detail on them.
And that is it, my friends – and only one more to go before – can you stand it? – summer holidays!
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