A NIGHT IN SANTA'S GREAT BIG BAG

Author (last name first):
Kladstrup, Kristin

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Viking, A Division of Penguin Young Readers Group/2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

4th and Up

Classification:  Fiction 

 

 

  

Louis's  toy lamb was his favorite toy. Santa gave it to him when he was a baby. Lamb decides he wants to see inside Santa's bag and accidentally falls into it. Santa picks up the bag and gets in his sled. Lamb meets and talks with all the toys in the bag. Toy Truck, Look Alike Doll, Backhoe Truck, and a Bunny. After all the toys are gone he is afraid he is not going to get back to Louis. Santa pulls him out of the bag and tells him he knows who he is and where he belongs. Santa lets him ride in the seat next to him and delivers him back to Louis in his stocking on Christmas morning. 

The illustrations are wonderfully done, colorful like a painting you'd see in a gallery. The illustrations also help the reader visualize Lamb's adventure in Santa's toy bag.  This story would be great to read to children during the Christmas season. 

 

 Reviewer: Patty Bruce (Electra ISD Social Worker)

PORKY AND BESS

Author (last name first):
Weiss Ellen & Friedman Mel

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Random House Childrens Books /2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

2nd-3rd

Classification:  Fiction 

 

 

 

 

Porky and Bess are good friends. Porky doesn't mind if things aren't perfect but Bess likes things perfect. Porky is trying to write a poem for "Tuesday in April Poem Reading Day" Bess wants him to go skating  with her and her kittens. Porky thinks her skating is beautiful and decides being perfect isn't so bad. The story continues with them baking a cake and being friends. Porky finishes his poem and it is about Bess and how he likes to spend time with her. Despite the fact that they are different, they are best friends.

 

Reviewer:Patty Bruce (Electra ISD Social Worker) 

HOW ROCKET LEARNED TO READ

Author (last name first):
Hills, Tad

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Schwartz & Wade Books /2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

K-2nd

Classification:  Fiction 

 

 

 

 

HOW ROCKET LEARNED TO READ is a story about a little dog named Rocket who just wants to nap in his favorite spot. He soon finds out that his spot has been taken over by a pesky yellow bird who wants to teach. He decided to go to a spot nearby to sleep, and the little yellow bird starts to read a book about a dog who can't find his bone. Rocket becomes interested and soon finds himself learning the alphabet, how to read and how to spell. When the yellow bird goes away for the winter, Rocket practices his spelling and teaches other animals how to spell and he makes new friends. When the yellow bird returns, Rocket and the yellow bird start all over reading again.

The illustrations are colorful and they capture the story perfectly and help the reader enjoy Rocket's adventures. The back of the book has an excerpt about the author and shows a picture of his real dog Rocket who the book is written about. How Rocket Learned to Read would help as a starter reader for young children.

 

Reviewer: Lila Davis(Night Circulation Manager Moffett Library) 

I'M AND WON'T THEY'RE AND DON'T What's a Contraction?

Author (last name first):
Cleary, Brian P.

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Millbrook /2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

1st-2nd

Classification:  Fiction 

 

 

 

 

This book explains a very simple and illustrative way how to put words together to make contractions. The pictures are really cute and the funny rhymes use the new words to help a student remember how to put two words together and spell them correctly.

 

Reviewer:Patty Bruce (Electra ISD Social Worker)  

DOG LOVES BOOKS

Author (last name first):
Yates,Louise

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Alfred A. Knopf /2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

K-2nd

Classification:  Fiction 

 

 

 

 

Dog loves books so much that he opens a book store to share his new found love for books. When customers come in for every thing but books, Dog gets downhearted. Soon Dog decides he is going to read to pass the time away while he's waiting for more customers. He goes to all sorts of places in his imagination while he's reading and suddenly a little girl comes into the shop looking for books. Dog knows just what she wants, and reads diffrent books with her while they go on different adventures together. 

The illustrations are wonderful and add a comedic interlude while Dog is waiting for his customers to come inside. This would be a good book to read to children to promote reading.

 

Reviewer: Lila Davis (Night Circulation Manager Moffett Library) 

DID DINOSAURS EAT PEOPLE?

Author (last name first):
Bowman,Donna H.

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Picture Window Books /2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

3rd-4th

Classification:  Fiction 

 

 

 

 

This is a book about questions kids ask concerning dinosaurs, what did they eat, drink, could they swim or fly, etc. The pictures are really cute to match the questions which makes it a little more enjoyable. The book teaches as well as entertain.

 

Reviewer:Patty Bruce(Electra ISD Social Worker) 

ASTROBLAST! CODE BLUE!

Author (last name first):
Kolar,Bob

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Scholastic Inc. /2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

K-2nd

Classification:  Fiction 

 

 

 

 

ASTROBLAST! CODE BLUE! is a story about a little monkey named Radar, who gets stuck trying to let his friends know that there is a code blue. Radar's friends have different obstacles they have to go through just to make it back to their command center. At the bottom of the page it asks the reader to navigate through an asteroid maze, dig for moon stones, find all Apollo's missing tools, and untangle the wires. Radar pushes the right button on the control pad. This helps the reader interact with the characters and make reading the book more fun. In the back of the book it gives you extra missions that the reader can do going back through the book to find the answers.

 

Reviewer:Lila Davis(Night Circulation Manager Moffett Library) 

MR. PUTNEY'S QUACKING DOG

Author (last name first):
Agee,Jon

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Scholastic/2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

1st

Classification:  Fiction 

 

 

 

 

This book has great illustrations that young children would absolutely love. It is a story about all kinds of different animals with the author creating a series of knock- knock jokes with a play on the animals names each time. Young children would love predicting the answer to each joke told in the story. The author is very creative with the play on words for each animal, and the pictures are delightful! Pre-K-1st graders would love this book and want to read it to all of their friends.

 

Reviewer: Linda Baughman(5th and 6th Grade Teacher)  

FLY GUY MEETS FLY GIRL

Author (last name first):
Arnold, Tedd

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Scholastic/2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

K-2nd

Classification:  Fiction 

 

 

 

 

Fly Guy and his owner Buzz go to the park and meet Fly Girl and her owner Lizzie. Buzz and Lizzie have a competition letting each other know how their fly is better the the others. Fly Guy and Fly Girl fall in love right away. When they realize that they will have to leave their owners they decide to be friends. This is a fun story for children of all ages. The illustrations are bright and colorful and help captivate your imagination.

 

Reviewer:Lila Davis (Night Circulation Manager Moffett Library) 

YOU ARE MY WISH

Author (last name first):
Love, Maryann Cusimano

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Penguin Group/2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

Pre-K- 2nd

Classification:  Fiction 

 

 

 

 

This is a very simple to read book about the bond between grandparents and their grandchildren. This picture illustrate the different things that they do together and how special they are. The grandmother is pictured as a bear(gentle) with a hat and granny glasses, smiling and playing with her grandchild (cub) and enjoying the every day things together.

 

Reviewer: Patty Bruce (Electra ISD Social Worker) 

KINDERGARTEN CAT

Author (last name first):
Lewis, Patrick

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Schwartz & wade Books a division of Random House Childrens Books/2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

Pre-K-1st

Classification:  Fiction

KINDERGARTEN CAT is a story about a little cat that is found outside by the jungle gym near an elementary school. She is brought inside and put on a little pillow in a kindergarten class room. The next day when the children came to school they saw her cuddled in a ball on the pillow. The children named her Tinker Toy. Each child wants Tinker Toy to sit next to then on their little square on the carpet. Tinker Toy has different plans. She curls up next to a little girl who is sitting by the teacher. All the students have theories that the cat can't read,count, and learn the alphabet. The teacher says she thinks any one can learn even Tinker Toy. Tinker Toy meows and it sounds like she is talking to every one. Every one in the class finds out that Tinker Toy is very smart, and the teacher tells the class that Tinker Toy will be their kindergarten cat.

This is a book for children just starting out in school. The illustrations by Ailie Busby  are very colorful and help tell the story.

Reviewer: Lila Davis (Night Circulation Manager Moffett Library)

IF I WERE A FIREFIGHTER

Author (last name first):
Troupe Thomas Kingsley

Publisher, Date of Publication: 

Picture Window Books/2010

Grade Level/ or Age Level: 

K-2nd

 Classification:  Fiction  

  

This book is about a little  girl who dreams of being a firefighter. It illustrates very nicely the different things firemen do and how they save lives. There are explanations of how to become a fireman. There also is a glossary with the meaning of several words in the book; and a very good and quick overview of a fireman. It also tells it through the eyes of a girl... allowing readers to see that girls and boys can do different jobs.

Reviewer: Patty Bruce (Electra ISD Social Worker)