In the summertime, school’s out for most, and everyone’s off doing their own thing. So if you just finished a terrific book, it’s tougher to find someone to whom you can say, “You’ve got to read this!”
Why not tell us?
Every Sunday in August, through a project we call Read & Write, the Chicago Tribune will publish book reviews written by children and teenagers. We hope to hear from kids of all ages, expressing a variety of viewpoints. We asked librarians to recommend 100 books, to give you some ideas.
If you’re a kid who would like to take part in Read & Write, just read a book from this list or one based on your own interests. Then write a review, in the form of a letter to Chicago Tribune readers, emphasizing why you enjoyed it and want to recommend it to others.
Reviews should be no more than 150 words and may be edited by the Tribune for length and clarity. No e-mailed or faxed submissions, please. Sorry, but we won’t be able to print all the reviews or return them. If you like, please feel free to send in an illustration to accompany your review.
The deadline for submissions is July 16. Mail them to Chicago Tribune Read & Write, Attn. Desiree Chen, Books section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.
To be considered for publication, the review must include the title and author of the book and the reviewer’s name. A completed permission slip (below, or download from chicagotribune.com/books) from a parent or guardian also must be attached.
We look forward to hearing from you.
About storytellers
Five Pages a Day: A Writer’s Journey
By Peg Kehret (Ages 9-12)
Readers who have read Peg Kehret’s previous book, “Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio,” will enjoy reading more about this inspiring author. In spite of having polio as a child, she fondly recalls developing as a writer by writing a dog newsletter in her neighborhood, creating radio commercials and winning writing contests.
Knots in My Yo-Yo String: Autobiography of a Kid
By Jerry Spinelli (Ages 10-13)
The author of the Newbery award-winning “Maniac Magee” looks back at his childhood in Norristown,
Pa., in the 1950s and the events that led him to become a writer.
My Life in Dog Years
By Gary Paulsen (Ages 10 and up)
Dog lovers and fans of Gary Paulsen’s adventure books will enjoy these tributes to the dogs he has owned. While offering insight into the author’s life, the focus is on his relationships with the dogs that have provided him with love, companionship and protection over the years.
The Pigman & Me
By Paul Zindel (Ages 12 and up)
Readers of the classic teenage novel “The Pigman” will be interested to learn about the inspiration for its title character and about the real people that inhabited the late author’s life. One chapter title, “The Day It Rained Cockroaches,” is an example of his quirky humor.
On the Bus With Joanna Cole: A Creative Autobiography
By Joanna Cole, with Wendy Saul (Ages 7-11)
The author behind the popular “Magic School Bus” series reveals how she creates her books and the reasons she became a writer. Illustrations from her books as well as personal photographs are sprinkled throughout this entertaining and informative book.
The Abracadabra Kid: A Writer’s Life
By Sid Fleischman (Ages 10 and up)
Sid Fleischman shares his experiences as a child magician, Vaudeville performer,World War II sailor and, eventually, a writer. Each chapter begins with a humorous quote from his fan mail.
Bad Boy: A Memoir
By Walter Dean Myers (Ages 12 and up)
Walter Dean Myers, writer of many gripping young-adult books, takes us back to his Harlem childhood during the 1940s and ’50s. Myers describes his struggle to find himself and his place in the community, overcoming obstacles to become a successful writer.
Bill Peet: An Autobiography
By Bill Peet (Ages 8 and up)
Black-and-white illustrations fill every page as the late author recalls his artistic past. Peet struggled as a student until he discovered art school, opening up new possibilities. He went on to work for Disney Studios for 27 years, leaving to create his own popular picture books. This autobiography won the Caldecott Honor Award for its expressive illustrations.
When I Was Your Age: Original Stories About Growing Up, Vols. 1&2
Edited by Amy Erlich (Ages 10-13)
Award-winning authors tell stories based on childhood experiences. Authors’ notes that explain how much of their stories are based on real events accompany the stories.
–Carol Kaner, youth services librarian, Vernon Area Public Library District
Graphic novels
Amelia Rules!
By Jimmy Gownley (Ages 9 and up)
Moving with her mother and sister to a small town after her parents’ divorce, 9-year-old Amelia quickly acquires a motley group of friends. There’s Reggie, who wants to be a superhero; Rhonda, who is sometimes Amelia’s friend, sometimes her rival; and the kid known only as Pajamaman. Together they deal with life in the 4th grade.
Bearskin, a Grimm Tale
By Gareth Hinds (Ages 13 and up)
A soldier returns home from war to find that he has no home and no way to earn a living. He is despondent until a stranger appears with a peculiar deal: If the soldier can survive seven years without bathing, cutting his hair or nails, brushing his teeth, changing clothes or sleeping in a bed, all while wearing a bearskin, the stranger will grant him unlimited wealth. If he fails . . . Based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, only the end keeps it from being appropriate for a younger audience.
The Best of Ray Bradbury: The Graphic Novel
By Ray Bradbury (Ages 13 and up)
What do you get when you take fantastic tales from one of the best storytellers of our time and combine them with exciting art? This is Ray Bradbury at his best (with a little help from the artists, of course). From dinosaurs to space travel, each tale includes a brief introduction by Bradbury before its reinvention in graphic form.
The Collected Alison Dare: Little Miss Adventures
By J. Torres (Ages 9 and up)
Alison Dare is not your typical 12-year-old. Her mother is a world-famous archeologist, and her father is a superhero known as the Blue Scarab. After they divorce, they send Alison to the St. Joan of Arc Academy for Girls, hoping this will provide her with a “normal” life. There, Alison becomes friends with Wendy and Dot, and together, if there is trouble to be found, these girls find it.
The Patrick the Wolf Boy Collection, Vol. 1
By Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani (All ages)
With his Charlie Brown T-shirt and habit of chasing squirrels, Patrick serves up gentle silliness. No one seems to notice he is a wolf boy– he’s just a weird kid who grunts instead of speaks, brings his teacher gifts (though rarely apples), stows away on Santa’s sled and hangs out with his (human) parents.
Shades of Blue: The Collected Edition, Vol. 1
By James S. Harris and Rachel Nacion (Ages 11 and up)
Heidi’s just your average teen girl, adjusting to life in a small town after her parents move the family from Chicago to Harrington. Then one day she wakes up with blue hair and electrical powers. Now the boy she likes may be a bad guy, the substitute teacher is definitely a villain, and life is getting a whole lot more interesting.
Vogelein: Clockwork Faerie
By Jane Irwin (Ages 10 and up)
Vogelein is a faerie who runs by clockwork. Jakob has been her guardian for 50 years, taking care of her, making sure her clockwork is carefully wound. When he dies, Vogelein’s life is suddenly turned upside-down. Without a new guardian, she will wind down and be nothing more than a pretty doll. Where will she find a new guardian she can trust?
White Flower Day
By Steve Weissman (Ages 9 and up)
Kids named Pullapart Boy (his father assembled him from body parts of the dead), Li’l Bloody (a vampire toddler) and Kid Medusa (she wears a knapsack over her face) make up a bizarre “Little Rascals”-type gang. The art–in black, white and mustard–has been compared to Charles Schulz. While the stories are a little darker than those found in “Peanuts,” they are not so dark as to make the book inaccessible to younger readers.
Yossel: April 19, 1943
By Joe Kubert (Ages 12 and up)
Yossel is a talented 15-year-old artist growing up in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II. After Yossel is taken to the Warsaw Ghetto, he learns the fate of his parents from a former concentration camp inmate. Powerful and moving, “Yossel” is drawn in a sketchbook style, giving the impression that the young artist wrote down his story as it was happening.
–Katharine Kalweit, director of youth services, Grande Prairie Public Library District
Poetry
Locomotion
By Jacqueline Woodson (Ages 9-12)
Eleven-year-old Lonnie Collins Motion experienced the tragic loss of his parents in a fire when he was 7. His teacher has him keep a poetry notebook, and it is through his poems that we learn his story, how he feels about his loss and his present-day problems and joys.
Have You Been to the Beach Lately?
By Ralph Fletcher (Ages 9-13)
If you can’t get to the beach this summer, this collection of 33 poems will take you there. Experience the people at the beach–“Beach Baby,” “College Girls,” “Lifeguard” and the “Man with the Metal Detector”–through the eyes of an 11-year-old boy.
Timothy Tunny Swallowed a Bunny
By Bill Grossman (Ages 5-9)
Fans of Shel Silverstein’s poetry will enjoy this hilarious collection of poems about people who do crazy things, like “Squeaky Clean Keith,” who brushes his teeth so much he eventually brushes away his head.
A Rumpus of Rhymes: A Book of Noisy Poems
By Bobbi Katz (Ages 7-11)
This collection of poems is one you’ll want to read aloud. All have great sound effects, starting with the opening poem “Listen,” which asks us to imagine what happens in the library late at night. What if the words “burst out of the books in a rackety riot . . .”?
Here’s What You Do When You Can’t Find Your Shoe: (Ingenious Inventions for Pesky Problems)
By Andrea Perry (Ages 8-11)
Are you plagued by fuzz between the toes, aggravated by spiders, annoyed that you have to consume vegetables? Try “Filbert’s Footsie Floss” and “Veggie Be Gone” Spray, just a few of the poetic solutions to some of life’s more annoying problems.
Rhyolite: The True Story of a Ghost Town
By Diane Siebert (Ages 7-10)
A story in verse of an actual Nevada mining town that grew in a very short time into a “little city [that] had it all” and just as quickly deteriorated into a “man-forsaken place that boasts/Of little more than graying ghosts” when the mines shut down.
The Essential Worldwide Monster Guide
By Linda Ashman (Ages 5-9)
If you’re traveling, it’s always a good idea to be prepared. These poems describe the monsters you might want to avoid, such as the Hotot that “lurk in the muckiest murk” of Armenian swamps.
Moon, Have You Met My Mother? The Collected Poems of Karla Kuskin
By Karla Kuskin (Ages 5-10)
This collection contains classic and new poems by a poet who has written more than 50 books for children. Most of the poems are short: “I’m sick of boots and winter clothes. I want to wear just shorts and toes.”
All the World’s a Stage
By Rebecca Piatt Davidson (Ages 5-10)
Told in the style of “This Is the House That Jack Built,” this book describes nine characters from some of Shakespeare’s well-known plays.
–Lori Pulliam, children’s services manager, Oak Park Public Library
Sports
Kick, Pass, and Run
By Leonard Kessler (Ages 4-8)
When some animals find a football they quickly learn there is more to the game than meets the eye. This reader also provides a primer of American football rules.
Babar’s Yoga for Elephants
By Laurent de Brunhoff (All ages)
Babar and Celeste share step-by-step instructions for simple and practical exercises. This book reminds kids that these exercises are for elephants only, but provides a great guide to the ancient elephant–and human–arts of healing and relaxation.
Girls Got Game: Sports Stories and Poems
By Sue Macy (Ages 11-14)
Empowering reading, these 18 original vignettes written for girls cover traditional and non-traditional aspects of the sporting life, including synchronized swimming, tetherball, horseback riding, first love, teamwork and relationships with friends and family.
The Kite Fighters
By Linda Sue Park (Ages 9-12)
Newbery award-winning author Linda Sue Park takes a serious look at sibling relations and ritual in the Far East. Together, two brothers train for the ancient tradition of kite fighting in 17th Century Korea.
The Concrete Wave: The History of Skateboarding
By Michael Brooke (Ages 11 and up)
Have you ever bombed a hill, carved a bank, blasted an air, or grinded a 15-stair handrail? If these terms are not familiar to you, they soon will be. From the days of nailing old roller skates to a piece of wood to the outrageous tricks of today, this history of skateboarding covers it all.
The Nazi Olympics: Berlin 1936
By Susan D. Bachrach (Ages 12 and up)
This book tells the story behind the story of the Berlin Olympics of 1936. A behind-the-scenes account looks at the political factors and the lives of the athletes, including many minorities, who exposed the facade of Hitler’s racial theories with stunning victories.
The First Olympic Games: A Gruesome Greek Myth With a Happy Ending
By Jean Richard (Ages 6-9)
This colorful picture book gives the history of the ancient games with all the gory details, including the somewhat grisly events that led to the organization of the first Olympics. A rich legend that may not be historically accurate but will delight the child with the taste for something different.
Olympics!
By B.G. Hennessy (Ages 4-8)
This title focuses on various aspects of the Olympic Games, from the preparation of the athletes and trainers, to the joys of winning and the agony of defeat.
Surfer Dog
By Elizabeth Spurr (Ages 8-12)
To ease his loneliness after moving to a new place, Pete adopts a dog that happens to surf like a pro. Unfortunately, this dog has another owner, and Pete must give him up. Find out how Pete and Blackie hang 10 together in this boy-meets-dog story with a twist.
–Jeremy Kitchen. children’s librarian, Northtown branch, Chicago Public Library
Historical
I Have Heard of a Land
By Joyce Carol Thomas (Ages 5-8)
A female African-American settler relates the story of the Oklahoma Land Rush, poetically describing the wonder of the land, the difficulty of pioneer life and the glory of freedom.
Train to Somewhere
By Eve Bunting (Ages 5-9)
When Marianne is sent west on the Orphan Train, she’s sure that her real mother will be waiting for her at one of the stops. By the time they get to the town of Somewhere, Iowa, everyone but Marianne has been placed, and she finds herself faced with a very important decision.
Coyote School News
By Joan Sandin (Ages 6-10)
America may be preparing for World War II, but Monchi Ramirez and his classmates have more pressing problems: They need to get the articles for the school newspaper written on time! Monchi just wants to win the Perfect Attendance Record for his 4th-grade year, but a broken wrist, a cattle roundup and other adventures conspire to prevent it.
All-of-a-Kind Family series
By Sydney Taylor (Ages 8-10)
Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte and Gertie create an uproar in turn-of-the-century New York City, exploring their father’s junk shop, scheming to marry off their favorite library lady, and celebrating the Jewish holidays. The original volume is followed by three more, which carry the family through the end of World War I.
The Strange Affair of Adelaide Harris
By Leon Garfield (Ages 9-12)
Bostock and Harris are bored stiff by their history class until they learn about an astonishing habit of the ancient Romans. In no time flat they’ve decided to try an experiment: What would happen if they left Harris’ baby sister out on the moors with no protection? Would she be adopted and mothered by an animal? The plan fails miserably when their headmaster’s daughter rescues the baby.
The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn series
By Dorothy Hoobler (Ages 9 to 12)
Seikei longs to be a samurai, but as the son of a tea merchant, he is bound to follow in his father’s footsteps. When Seikei sees a “ghost” steal the shogun’s priceless ruby, he finds himself aiding Judge Ooka, a magistrate attempting to solve the mystery.
Fire, Bed and Bone
By Henrietta Branford (Ages 10 to 14)
In England in 1381, a hunting dog’s life is turned upside-down when her master and mistress are arrested for taking part in a peasant uprising. Can she help her owners and their children? Can she survive on her own?
The Eagle of the Ninth trilogy
By Rosemary Sutcliff (Ages 12 and up)
Many years ago, the Ninth Legion disappeared beyond the borders of Roman Britain, taking the precious eagle standard, and Marcus Aquila’s father, with it. Marcus is determined to discover the truth about what happened. He and best friend Esca travel into the northern wilds, whence no one expects them to return. First in a trilogy.
The River Between Us
By Richard Peck (Ages12 and up)
On the eve of the Civil War, Tilly Pruitt’s mother takes in two strangers: the beautiful Delphine and her slave, Calinda. After falling in love with Delphine, Tilly’s brother, Noah, departs to fight in the faraway Civil War, their mother loses her reason, and Tilly finds herself holding the family together. What the girls find when they travel south to Noah’s hospital bed is more than they had imagined.
–Sarah Hagge, children’s librarian, Park Ridge Public Library
Science fiction
Moo Cow Kaboom
By Thacher Hurd (Ages 4-8)
Moo Cow is cownapped by a space cowboy and taken to Planet 246 to become the Wild Beast Earthling Cow at the Inter-Galactic Rodeo!
Cosmo and the Robot
By Brian Pinkney (Ages 4-8)
Cosmo and his family live on Mars with their robot, Rex. After Rex is broken and sent to the asteroid dump, Cosmo is given a “Super Solar System Utility Belt with 10 supersonic attachments.” With it, Cosmo is able to save his sister and Rex.
Moog-Moog, Space Barber
By Mark Teague (Ages 5-8)
Elmo Freem is very upset about the terrible haircut he gets the day before school starts. That night he finds visitors from the planet Moogie in his kitchen. They decide to help by bringing Elmo to see Moog-Moog, the finest barber in the universe.
Fat Men From Space
By Daniel Pinkwater (Ages 8-12)
William gets a filling in his tooth that picks up communications from aliens from Planet Spiegel. The aliens, space pirates weighing 350 pounds, wearing plaid sport jackets and glasses, are intent on invading Earth and stealing all the junk food. William is taken up into their spaceburger to prevent him from spoiling their plans.
Among the Hidden
By Margaret Haddix (Ages 10-14)
Sometime in the near future, the Population Police enforce the law limiting families to just two children. Twelve-year- old Luke, an illegal third child, has been hidden for his entire life on his family’s farm. When he discovers another “third,” who tries to convince him that the government must change the law, his world changes. This is the first book of The Shadow Children series.
Alien Secrets
By Annette Klause (Ages 10-14)
Twelve-year old Puck has been expelled from boarding school and is on her way to Shoon, the planet where her parents are involved in research. On her journey, Puck befriends Hush, a native Shoowa, and, with him, becomes involved in a dangerous adventure as they try to find the missing Soo, an artifact symbolizing his people’s freedom.
The Dark Side of Nowhere
By Neal Shusterman (Ages 12-14)
Jason is bored with his life in Billington. That changes dramatically when he discovers that he is an alien. His parents were members of an invading force sent to conquer Earth whose spaceship crashed. When the thousand ships of the invading force fail to arrive, the survivors decide to use human DNA to disguise themselves. Now, almost 20 years later, the thousand ships are coming.
Interstellar Pig
By William Sleator (Ages 12 and up)
When three exotic neighbors move into the cottage next door, Barney’s boring summer takes a turn for the better, or so he thinks. As they introduce him to a game called “Interstellar Pig,” Barney realizes it’s no game at all and the fate of the planet is up to him.
Ender’s Game
By Orson Scott Card (Ages 14 and up)
War with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years. The government and the military have resorted to genetic engineering to try to develop a leader intelligent enough to defeat them. At age 6, Ender Wiggin is sent off to Battle School, to be put through a harsh regimen in hopes of making him that leader.
–Julie Rothenfluh, children’s services supervisor, Nichols Library/Naperville Public Library
Summer fun
The Neighborhood Mother Goose
By Nina Crews (Ages 3-7)
Smart photo collages bring life to this collection of more than 40 nursery rhymes. Verses are set against urban backdrops, including parks, playgrounds, sidewalks and storefronts with a diverse and joyful cast of children.
The Day the Babies Crawled Away
By Peggy Rathmann (Ages 4-8)
A boy saves the day when five babies leave a picnic to chase after butterflies. Black silhouettes against glowing, multicolored skies combine with rhyming text to chronicle the babies’ escapades as they crawl into a bog chasing frogs and then into a cave to play with bats.
Diary of a Worm
By Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Harry Bliss (Ages 5-8)
Ever wondered what life would be like if you were a worm? Catch a glimpse in this hilarious journal, and you’ll see that a worm’s life is not terribly different from ours. While worms can’t chew gum and may have heads that look just like their rear ends, they don’t get cavities, and they help take care of the Earth.
How I Became a Pirate
By Melinda Long, illustrated by David Shannon (Ages 5-9)
Beachcomber Jeremy Jacob takes off on a high-seas adventure with Braid Beard and his pirate crew. Jeremy loves doing what pirates do until he realizes there is no one to read him a goodnight story.
The Bat Boy and His Violin
By Gavin Curtis, illustrated by Earl Lewis (Ages 5-10)
Papa manages a struggling baseball team in the Negro Leagues and can’t accept that his son Reginald would rather play violin than pick up a bat. Papa changes his tune when Reginald’s music leads the team to victory.
Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems
By Kristine O’Connell George, illustrated by Kate Kiesler (Ages 7-10)
This collection of poems evokes the sights, sounds and smells of the great outdoors.
Summer Reading Is Killing Me!
By Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith (Ages 8-11)
Joe, Sam and Fred are trapped inside their summer reading list. Good and evil characters from children’s books wage wacky wars, and it’s up to the stars of “The Time Warp Trio” to put an end to the mayhem.
Little Rat Sets Sail
By Monika Bang-Campbell, illustrated by Molly Bang (Ages 6-9)
Bravery and determination help Little Rat overcome her fear of water, then it’s “Anchors away!” in this beginning chapter book.
Double Dutch: A Celebration of Jump Rope, Rhyme, and Sisterhood
By Veronica Chambers (Ages 8-12)
Interesting facts, poems, interviews and rhymes keep pace with vibrant photographs in this fun account of the sport and pastime of double Dutch.
The Canning Season
By Polly Horvath (Ages 12 and up)
Ratchet’s uncaring mother sends her off to spend the summer with two eccentric, “casket-ready” relatives. Aunt Penpen and Aunt Tilly are weird, but their offbeat, darkly humorous stories, and their willingness to aid a deserted teen, help Ratchet find comfort and confidence.
–Andy Cross, children’s librarian, Thomas Hughes Children’s Library, Chicago Public Library
Adventure and exploration
This Vast Land: A Young Man’s Journal of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
By Stephen Ambrose (Ages 13-15)
A famous historian fleshes out the character of George Shannon who was, at 19, the youngest member of Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery. This fictionalized journal interweaves historical fact and human interest as George grows from greenhorn to seasoned trailblazer.
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance
By Jennifer Armstrong (Ages 10-14)
In 1914 Ernest Shackleton led 27 men on an expedition to the Antarctic. After their ship, the Endurance, was trapped and crushed by an icy sea, the crew set out in small boats and on foot to reach land.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
By Avi (Ages 11-14)
During a trans-Atlantic crossing in 1832 aboard the troubled ship the Seahawk, Charlotte transforms herself from a priggish 12-year-old to the comrade of a crew oppressed by the cruel Capt. Jaggery. An unforgettable story of a brave young woman who defies society’s values to become “the very soul of justice.”
Shipwrecked!
The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy
By Rhoda Blumberg (Ages 9-12)
A boy from a Japanese fishing village is shipwrecked on a desert island in 1841 and unable to return to his home. Instead, he begins a journey that takes him whale hunting, to the California Gold Rush and back to Japan, where he plays a part in opening his country to Westerners.
The Wanderer
By Sharon Creech (Ages 10-13)
Sophie jumps at the chance to join her uncles and cousins on their sailboat trip from Connecticut to England, for she hears the sea calling her to make a fateful journey. Sophie’s and her cousin Cody’s travel journals reveal hidden family problems they both learn to face during the tempestuous voyage.
The Whipping Boy
By Sid Fleischman (Ages 9-12)
Colorful characters abound in this fast-paced tale set in a world where Jemmy, the whipping boy, gets thrashed whenever Prince Brat misbehaves. When they are nabbed by robbers, clever Jemmy uses his street smarts to escape with his royal companion in tow and in the process teaches the prince a thing or two about friendship.
Lewis and Clark for Kids: Their Journey of Discovery With 21 Activities
By Janis Herbert (Ages 9-12)
How-to information for activities such as animal tracking brings to life outdoor skills used every day by expedition members. In-depth explanations of the corps’ discoveries make this a good choice for young history buffs.
The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest
By Steve Jenkins (Ages 8-12)
Jenkins prepares his readers for a climb to the top with facts about the history, terrain and culture of Everest. His vivid cut-paper illustrations show the equipment mountaineers use to reach the summit as well as the beauty and danger they encounter along the way.
Treasure Island
By Robert Louis Stevenson (Ages 11-14, read-aloud for 6-10)
Soon after a mysterious old pirate gives a treasure map to young Jim Hawkins, he finds himself aboard a ship crossing the Atlantic with a mutinous crew led by the cunning and treacherous Long John Silver. A perfect family read-aloud.
–Linda Wicher, director of youth services, Highland Park Public Library
Nature connections
About Arachnids: A Guide for Children
By Cathryn Sill (Ages 6-8)
Spiders, and scorpions and tarantulas–Oh my! Beginning readers will be captivated by simple facts and beautiful, full-page color pictures that feature a favorite and fascinating creepy, crawly subject.
All About Sharks
By Jim Arnosky (Ages 5-9)
Appreciate the beauty, power and unusual features of different shark families with this book. Colorful pictures and simple text help bring these fascinating creatures, their habitats and their unique behaviors to the surface.
Birds: Nature’s Magnificent Flying Machines
By Caroline Arnold, illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne (Ages 5-9)
Readers will soar to new heights when they learn about the more than three-dozen bird species covered in this book, and be captivated by the principles of bird flight from takeoff to landing.
Butterflies in the Garden
By Carol Lerner (Ages 7-9)
Children will learn the basic life cycle of a butterfly and types of plants to attract them to any back-yard garden or city park. The stunning color illustrations are labeled for easy identification, and scientific explanations are straightforward and easy to understand for those budding gardeners and beginning entomologists.
Crinkleroot’s Guide to Knowing the Birds
By Jim Arnosky (Ages 7-9)
This easy-to-use picture book and guide will introduce youngsters to the basics of bird-watching, from how to use binoculars to identifying bird species. It also includes informative bird-identification charts and illustrations steeped in wonderful details and subtle humor.
I Saw a Bullfrog
By Ellen Stern (Ages 5-8)
Children’s imaginations will be roused by such inventive poetry as, “At the circus, I’ll go see the elephant seal. Should I take along peanuts or fish for his meal?” This powerful and playful combination of poetry and pictures will surely lead to lively discussions.
The Moon
By Seymour Simon (Ages 7-11)
In this updated edition of his 1984 book, the author takes advantage of advanced imaging technology and color photography to transport his readers into space. During their visit they’ll learn everything from “why there is no weather on the moon” to “how a crater is formed.”
New Dinos: The Latest Finds! The Coolest Dinosaur Discoveries!
By Shelley Tanaka (Ages 9-12)
Straightforward text and dramatic illustrations make this book easy to understand for would-be paleontologists. Learn how new computer imaging helps scientists reassess old theories of how dinosaurs roamed the planet.
Wild Babies
By Margaret Ruurs (Ages 5-8)
Featuring 12 animals in their natural habitats, this book will introduce budding naturalists to a few native North American forest dwellers. Each animal is featured in a full-page, lifelike painting accompanied by a short description of the scene.
–Kimberly Zella-Moline, children’s librarian, Wrightwood-Ashburn branch, Chicago Public Library
Just to tickle your funny bone
Ella Sarah Gets Dressed
By Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Ages 2-5)
Ella Sarah has to get ready for the tea party, but what shall she wear? This book is filled with vivid colors and amusing ensemble choices as Ella Sarah searches her closet for the perfect outfit. Individuality is to be celebrated, and Ella Sarah celebrates in hilarious style.
Diary of a Wombat
By Jackie French (Ages 4 -7)
Ah, the life of a wombat. Oh, to eat carrots and sleep all day, what a perfect life! At least, that is, until human neighbors arrive and wombat finds herself in such amusing situations as battling a “worthy adversary” (the welcome mat) and finding a new scratching post (the neighbor’s patio furniture).
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
By Mo Willems (Ages 2-6)
An ambitious pigeon exasperatingly pleads to drive a bus that has been left unattended by a driver who instructs readers,”Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus!” The pigeon continues undaunted and is relentless in his pleas, “I’ll just steer,” “I bet your mom would let me” and “I never get to do anything.”
George Washington’s Teeth
By Deborah Chandra & Madeline Comora (Ages 5-8)
Told in rhyme, this is an amusing story of the dental woes of America’s first president, George Washington. George just can’t seem to keep track of his teeth. Throughout historical events of his life, George is depicted losing his teeth one by one until he has none left, and has wooden teeth made. This book offers a unique look at American history.
The Twits
By Roald Dahl (Ages 7-11)
Twits, as their name implies, are a truly mindless, gruesome couple. Mrs. Twit mixes worms with her spaghetti, and Mr. Twit makes his wife believe she is shrinking. The tricks the couple play on each other and their pets come to an end when their monkey plots hilarious revenge.
Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy:
Part 1: The Night of the Nasty Nostril Nuggets
By Dav Pilkey (Ages 6-9)
In this book filled with goofy pranks, a principal covered in saliva and a bionic booger boy, Captain Underpants saves the world (or at least the elementary school) yet another time. This book contains comic-strip illustrations and the ever-popular Flip-o-Rama animations. Readers will have a hard time fighting off fits of laughter reading this book.
Bedhead
By Margie Palatini (Ages 4–8)
There’s nothing like waking up and starting your day with hair that has a life of its own. One morning, Oliver emits a scream that brings his family running to the bathroom: Oliver is experiencing the worst case of bedhead ever. To make matters worse, it is picture day at school, and Oliver is terrified.
The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders
By Jack Prelutsky (Ages 5 and up)
Frogs in any article of clothing are humorous enough, but even more so when they wear red suspenders. This is a collection of amusing poems on various topics, from Mother Goose rhymes to geography.
Excuse Me!
By Lisa Kopelke (Ages 4-8)
“Excuse Me!” is the story of Frog and his irrepressible burping urges. At first, everyone is enamored with Frog, and little attention is given to his air-expelling habit. After awhile though, as Frog grows, so does his belching, until he is driven from his home by the other frogs.
–Portia Latalladi, children’s librarian, Beverly branch, Chicago Public Library
Different worlds
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
By Marjorie Priceman (Ages 4-8)
Where do all the ingredients for apple pie actually come from?
Arctic Son
By Jean Craighead George
(Ages 4-8)
Family friends give a young boy an Inuit name along with his English name, as he learns the ways of the Arctic.
Stone Girl, Bone Girl: The Story of Mary Anning
By Laurence Anholt (Ages 5-10)
Set in 18th Century England, this biography is about one of the world’s most celebrated fossil hunters.
The Roses in My Carpets
By Rukhsana Khan (Ages 8 and up)
A boy and his family do their best to survive in a refugee camp.
A Long Way From Chicago: A Novel in Stories
By Richard Peck (Ages 10-15)
Laugh-out-loud stories of summer trips made by two Chicago youngsters to Grandma Dowdel’s “quiet” southern Illinois town.
The Breadwinner
By Deborah Ellis (Ages 11-16)
A young Afghan girl must masquerade as a boy to earn a living for her family.
The Storm Warriors
By Elisa Carbone (Ages 11-16)
The historically accurate tale of men who battled the sea and saved sailors’ lives at North Carolina’s Pea Island Life-Saving Station in the 1890s.
Sacajawea: The Story of Bird Woman and the Lewis and Clark Expedition
By Joseph Bruchac (Ages 11-16)
Travel along with the Lewis and Clark expedition and learn of the experiences of Sacajawea, the celebrated interpreter, guide and peacemaker. This story is uniquely told in Sacajewea’s own voice, as well as that of William Clark.
Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution
By Ji-Li Jiang (Ages 13-18)
An unforgettable and moving portrait of life in communist China told through the voice of a brave young teenage girl.
–Susan McKean, head of youth services, Villa Park Public Library
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