New: Mouse and Lion, by Rand Burkert and Nancy Ekholm Burkert

Mouse & Lion
By Rand Burkert and Nancy Ekholm Burkert

Even if you thought Jerry Pinkney’s Caldecott Award-winning telling of this Aesop’s fable was the definitive version, you need to make room on your shelf for this title as well. Unlike Pinkney’s wordless version, this story is told through colorful language. Like Pinkney’s version, the illustrations are stunning. In this case, the power is in the softness and the detail. Two breathtaking double-page spreads bring the splendor of the African savannah landscape to life. The book closes with the Lion and the reader reflecting on the wonders small things. A gem.

Target Age: 3-8

New: Zoozical by Judy Sierra

Zoozical
By Judy Sierra; illustrated by Marc Brown

When the “midwinter doldrums arrive at the zoo,” the animals cheer themselves up by putting on a musical extravaganza. Written by the winning team that brought us “Wild about Books,” this selection is perfect for reading aloud. The rhyme and rhythm move the action along in a rollicking fashion. The cheerful illustrations are a perfect accompaniment to the text. While the book is well suited to reading to a group, it is especially fun read one-on-one in a situation in which you can take the time to fully appreciate all the animals antics portrayed in the pictures.

Target Age: 3-8

999 Tadpoles, by Ken Kimura

999 Tadpoles
Ken Kimura, illustrated by Yasunari Murakami

999 tadpoles are born to mother and father frog and all is well until the tadpoles grow into frogs and their pond becomes too small for them. The giant family of frogs experiences a series of adventures as they search for a new home. The charm of this book lies in the perky illustrations and the absurd idea of 101 frogs trying to scramble out of the pond and cross the meadow single-file. Children will be thrilled with the ending in which disaster is dramatically averted. A sure-fire pick for repeated readings.

Target Age: 3-8

Lower Elementary: Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst

Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst; illustrated by Lane Smith

Pure fun from start to finish, this slim chapter book features a spoiled little girl, an unflappable brontosaurus and a narrator who is as salty as you please. Top that with retro illustrations, a peppy little rhyme that begs to be chanted repeatedly, trademark Lane Smith exploding typeface and three different endings, each more satisfying than the last. Set aside a half hour and grab a glass of water: once you start reading this one aloud, your kids will not let you stop.

Target Age: Grades 1-4

This review originally published in The Kutztown Book Review.

Weekly Read Aloud : Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart

Under the Snow, by Melissa Stewart
This gorgeously illustrated non-fiction selection is the perfect read aloud for this time of year. The book gives us a peek at different animals as they weather the winter: some active, some hibernating and others just slowing down. The text is detailed enough to be interesting, but still not overwhelming for young listeners. The illustrations are detailed and beautiful.
Target age: prek-2nd grade

Connections:
Dear Rebecca, Winter is Here, by Jean Craighead George
Animals in Winter, by Henrietta Bancroft

Museum Trip by Barbara Lehman

Museum Trip, by Barbara Lehman
During a class trip to the museum, a boy wanders away from his class and stumbles upon a little door. Inside is a display of drawings of mazes. The boy imagines himself (is he imagining?) inside the mazes. This wordless book is simply perfect. The Boy and I enjoyed tracing the path through each maze, and we both were delighted and surprised by the ending.
Target ages: 3-8 years

Connections:
The Red Book, by Barbara Lehman
You Can't Take a Balloon Into the Metropolitan Museum, by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman
Flotsam, by David Wiesner

What Do You Do With A Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?, by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

The Boy loves this book. I think he asked me to reread it at least three times today. Jenkins creates fantastic collage images of animals and their various parts. The question and answer format appeals to kids, and the additional notes at the end of the book provide great details and fun facts about the featured creatures.
Target ages: 5-10 years

Connections:
Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World, by Steve Jenkins
Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures On Earth, by Nicola Davies

What's Inside? by Giles Laroche

What's Inside? Fascinating Structures Around the World by Giles Laroche
I read this picture book to both kids together. Each page has a block of text that tells a little bit about a different structure from a different place/time in the world. The book invites you to turn the page to see "What's Inside?" The text accompanying the inside view gives information about the animals, people or artwork housed by the structure. This book is fantastic and has broad appeal. The Boy pored over the collage illustrations on each page, examining every detail. The Girl enjoyed reading the sidebars that provided more detailed information about each building. Some of the structures are the usual favorites found in other picture books about architecture (The Guggenheim Museum and The Sydney Opera House) but most of the buildings are less well known: Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia, Sakyamuni Pagoda.
Target ages: 5-12 years.

Connections:
Amazing Buildings, by Philip Wilkinson
Building America, by Janice Weaver

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
This is a collection of free verse poems arranged in journal style, chronicling a boy's journey from reluctant to enthusiatic poet.
The kids and I read this in a single read aloud session. We could not put it down! We laughed, we cried and we could not wait to read more poetry!
Target age: 8-12 years.

Connections:
Hate That Cat, by Sharon Creech
A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms, selected by Paul B. Janeczko

Let's Go, Pegasus! by Jean Marzollo

Let's Go Pegasus! by Jean Marzollo
This is a retelling of the Greek Myth, with a distinctly modern feel to it. It is big fun! At the bottom of each page there is a band of owls making comments about the story: a little Greek Chorus. The kids loved the owls' silly comments. They were also inspired by Marzollo's gallery of Medusa illustrations on the endpapers.
Target ages: 4-8 years.

Connections:
Pandora's Box, by Jean Marzollo
Once upon a starry night : a book of constellations, by Jacqueline Mitton

The Pea Blossom, retold and illustrated by Amy Lowry Poole

The Pea Blossom, retold and illustrated by Amy Lowry Poole
This retelling of a Hans Christian Anderson tale, sets the story in China. The author studied scroll-making in Beijing for four years, and her watercolor on rice paper illustrations are lovely. They are the perfect soft accompaniment to this sweet story about a little pea with big dreams. The Girl loved this book: "What if something as tiny as a pea plant could make a sick girl healthy? Isn't that wonderful?"
Target ages: 4-8 years

Connections:
How the Rooster Got His Crown, by Amy Lowry Poole
The Ant and the Grasshopper, by Amy Lowry Poole
The Apple Pip Princess, by Jane Ray

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford
We picked this book up because The Girl hates Stuart Little. To be fair to Stuart Little, she hates all mice in children's fiction. We don't know why this is so, but it is. "Why, Mommy? Why mice? I just don't get it and I don't want to read about mice that talk and do people stuff." As you can may know, this automatically disqualifies some pretty terrific fiction.
It turns out that Moxy does not hate Stuart Little as much as my daughter does. But Moxy does have a procrastination problem. This hilariously funny book is a must read for procrastinators. The author uses chapter titles and chapter length to great comic effect. It is a very fun (and speedy) read aloud for you and your 3rd or 4th grader.
Target Age: 7-12 years

Connections:
Moxy Maxwell does not love writing thank-you notes, by Peggy Gifford
Sophie Hartley on Strike, by Stephanie Greene
Honest Ashley, by Virginia L. Kroll

Step Fourth, Mallory! by Laurie Friedman

Step Fourth, Mallory! by Laurie Friedman
The Girl and I took turns reading this book to one another. We both enjoyed it. Mallory reminds me of what Junie B. Jones might be like in fourth grade: a little calmer, but still letting her enthusiasm get in the way of clear thinking and good decision-making. Mallory's emotions are very real and fully expressed. The conflicts she has with her friends are also believable. Selected passages from the friends' e-mail exchanges place the narrative firmly in the present day.
Target age: 8-10 years.

Connections:
Clementine, by Sara Pennypacker
This is the 10th in a series of books about Mallory McDonald.