Happy Birthday David!

One of my favorite picture book authors is David Shannon.  His books are fun, colorful, and child friendly.  In celebration of David Shannon's birthday on October 5th, here are my favorite David Shannon books . . . .

No, David! by David Shannon
A young boy is depicted doing a variety of naughty things for which he is repeatedly admonished, but finally he gets a hug.

Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
A duck decides to ride a bike and soon influences all the other animals on the farm to ride bikes too.

Alice the Fairy by David Shannon
Alice, who claims to be a Temporary Fairy, still has a lot to learn, such as how to make her clothes put themselves away in the closet.

Good Boy, Fergus! by David Shannon
Except for his bath, Fergus experiences the perfect doggy day, from chasing cats and motorcycles to being scratched on his favorite tickle spot.

Fairy Tales Retold

"Once upon a time . . . "
These is one of my favorite ways for a book to start.  I love fairy tales -- whether the original Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen or new tales.  Today I thought I would share some great retellings of fairy tales for kids . . .

The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler
Zita, cast aside by her father and raised as a kitchen maid, learns when she is nearly twelve that she is a princess and that her twelve sisters love her, and so when she discovers they are victims of an evil enchantment, she desperately tries to save them. A retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses".

I Was a Rat! by Philip Pullman
A little boy turns life in London upside down when he appears at the house of a lonely old couple and insists he was a rat.  A retelling of "Cinderella".

The Brixen Witch by Stacy DeKeyser
Twelve-year-old Rudi stumbles upon a witch's lair while out hunting, takes a gold coin he finds there but loses it again, then must deal with the witch's servant who promises to end the town's rat infestation only if he receives that gold coin.  A retelling of "The Pied Piper".

Ugly by Donna Jo Napoli
When the rest of the ducks turn on her little duckling, Ugly, because he isn't like them, Mother Duck sadly leaves him behind in order to protect her other children. With the help of some new friends, Ugly makes his way alone, but he doesn't know where he's going or what he's looking for.  A retelling of "The Ugly Duckling".

More Fairy Tale Retellings --
Beauty and the Beast: The One Who Didn't Run Away by Wendy Mass
Fairest by Gail Carson Levin (Snow White)
The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker (The Frog Prince)
Spinners by Donna Jo Napoli (Rumpelstiltskin)
Straw Into Gold by Gary D. Schmidt (Rumpelstiltskin)
A True Princess by Diane Zahler (The Princess and the Pea)

It's a Mystery!

Mystery books are one of the most common genre of books written.  Here are some great mysteries for teens . . . .

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington
New student Jade uncovers a murder mystery when she moves into a house haunted by the ghost of a beautiful, mean girl who ruled Jade's high school.

From Charlie's Point of View by Richard Scrimger
Best friends Bernadette and Charlie begin seventh grade and help unravel the mysterious case of the Stocking Bandit.

The Season by Sarah MacLean
Showing no interest in the sumptuous balls, lavish dinner parties, and country weekends enjoyed by the rest of early nineteenth-century London society, seventeen-year-old Lady Alexandra Stafford seeks adventure as she investigates the puzzling murder of the Earl of Blackmoor, father of devilishly handsome Gavin.

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk
When Will Halpin transfers from his all-deaf school into a mainstream Pennsylvania high school, he faces discrimination and bullying, but still manages to solve a mystery surrounding the death of a popular football player in his class.

Suspect by Kristin Nitz
As the family gathers at her grandmother's bed-and-breakfast for a murder mystery weekend, seventeen-year-old Jen confronts her ambivalent feelings about her mother, who disappeared fourteen years earlier, and about the possibility that she might be dead.

More Mysteries for Teens --
Blood Trail by Nancy Springer
Burning Blue by Paul Griffin
Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson
The Death Collector by Justin Richards
The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry
Legacies: A Shadow Grail Novel by Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Hill
Phoning a Dead Man by Gillian Cross
Something Rotten by Alan Gratz
Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas
Trash by Andy Mulligan

Happy Fall!

Today is the first full day of fall for the year!  It's exciting to see the cooler temperatures, the changing leaves, and the upcoming holidays.  So today, I am sharing some of my favorite books about fall . . .

Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall
When fall comes, two brothers enjoy catching the falling leaves, stomping on them, kicking them, jumping in piles of them, and using them to make pictures.  Includes a description of how leaves change through the year.

Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka
The delights of autumn are described in mixed-up verse and illustrations, and the reader is challenged to uncover the errors.

Red Are the Apples by Marc Harshman
Leads the reader through a bountiful garden in autumn while drawing particular attention to the variety of colors found within it.

Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley
A tree tells why, out of all four seasons, autumn is the hardest.

Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky
Every autumn a bear shows up behind the farm, and goes through a series of routines before finding a den among the hilltop boulders where he sleeps all winter long.

Go On an Adventure with a Book

Books are the ultimate adventure.  You can go anywhere and do anything in the pages of a book.  Here are some great adventure books for kids . . .

The Death-Defying Pepper Roux by Geraldine McCaughrean
Having been raised believing he will die before he reaches the age of fourteen, Pepper Roux runs away on his fourteenth birthday in an attempt to elude his fate, assumes another identity, and continues to try to outrun death, no matter the consequences.

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool
Odyssey-like adventure of two boys' incredible quest on the Appalachian Trail where they deal with pirates, buried secrets, and extraordinary encounters.

The Abernathy Boys by Laura Hunt
A fictionalized account of the adventurous 1909 journey of nine-year-old Bud Abernathy and his five-year-old brother, Temp, who traveled alone, mostly on horseback, from their home in Oklahoma to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and back again, crossing t he vast, desertlike no-man's-land in the Texas Panhandle known as the caprock.

Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson
hen Hilary Westfield escapes Miss Pim's finishing school to join a misfit pirate crew, she embarks on an unexpectedly magical swashbuckling, plank-walking, searfaring journey.

The Tunnel of Hugsy Goode by Eleanor Estes
Following a prophecy of a former resident of their Brooklyn alley, two boys discover an underground passage behind their houses.

More Adventure Stories --
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
The Big Book of Adventure by Alyssa Heyman
Island of Thieves by Josh Lacey
The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis
Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a (Somewhat) Brave Shrew by Ursula Vernon
The Privateer's Apprentice by Susan Verrico

Talk Like a Pirate Day - Friday, September 19

Pirate stories are just for younger kids.  There are an abundance of great pirate stories for teens . . .

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King
Cursed to live the lives of 100 dogs, a seventeenth-century pirate finally returns to life as a human being and has only one thing on her mind--to recover the treasure she had buried in Jamaica three hundred years before.

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Clarke
When her parents try to marry her off to a member of another pirate clan, Ananna flees her ship and is chased by an assassin from the jilted clan.

Demons of the Ocean by Justin Somper
When twins Connor and Grace's ship is wrecked in a storm and Connor is rescued by pirates, he believes that Grace has been taken aboard the mythical Vampirate's ship, and he is determined to find her.

Terry and the Pirates by Julian Thompson
When sixteen-year-old Terry Talley stows away on a yacht, she doesn't expect to encounter another runaway and end up shipwrecked on a tiny island with a bunch of oddball pirates who are looking for some buried treasure.

Aaargh! Pirate Stories for Children

Young children love stories about pirates.  So in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day coming up, here are some of my favorite pirate picture books . . . 

Pirate Nap: A Book of Colors by Danna Smith

Two brothers use their imaginations to turn their surroundings--from a white bandana and yellow coins to a red blanket and even their baby sister--into a colorful pirate adventure before naptime.

The Night Pirates by Peter Harris

Despite the fact that he is "only a boy," Tom convinces the band of rough, tough, little girl pirates who have come to steal the front of his house to let him join in their adventures.

Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies by Carolyn Crimi

Captain Barnacle Black Ear, baddest of the Buccaneer Bunnies, is ashamed of his book-loving son, Henry, until the day a great storm approaches.

Bubble Bath Pirates by Jarrett Krosoczka

When pirate mommy announces bath time, it is yo ho ho and to the bath we go for her little pirates.

Help Wanted! Stories About Teens and Jobs

A basic ritual for teens is looking for their first job.  Whether it is babysitting in the neighborhood, working at the local amusement park or getting a job at the fast food restaurant -- most get their first job as a teen.  Here are some great books about teens working . . . .

Full Service by Will Weaver
In the summer of 1965, teenager Paul Sutton, a northern Minnesota farm boy, takes a job at a gas station in town, where his strict religious upbringing is challenged by new people and experiences.

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
In 1906, sixteen-year-old Mattie, determined to attend college and be a writer against the wishes of her father and fiance, takes a job at a summer inn where she discovers the truth about the death of a guest. Based on a true story.

The Big Game of Everything by Chris Lynch
Jock and his eccentric family spend the summer working at Grampus's golf complex, where they end up learning the rules of "The Big Game of Everything."

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
New York high school student Elizabeth gets an after-school job as a page at the "New-York Circulating Material Repository," and when she gains coveted access to its Grimm Collection of magical objects, she and the other pages are drawn into a series of frightening adventures involving mythical creatures and stolen goods.

The Morgue and Me by John C. Ford
Eighteen-year-old Christopher, who plans to be a spy, learns of a murder cover-up through his summer job as a morgue assistant and teams up with Tina, a gorgeous newspaper reporter, to investigate, despite great danger.

More Stories of Teens on the Job --
Acceleration by Graham McNamee
Alice on Board by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Double Helix by Nancy Werlin
Enchanted, Inc by Shanna Swendson
Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen
Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo
Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer
My Lost and Found Life by Melodie Bowsher
Od Magic by Patricia McKillip
Project Sweet Life by Brent Hartinger
Runner by Carl Deuker
Sarah's Ground by Ann Rinaldi
Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

A Bounty of Books

Talk Like a Pirate Day is coming up next week.  To celebrate, I will be sharing some of my favorite pirate books for all ages.  Today we'll be looking at some great chapter books for kids . . .

Uncle Pirate by Douglas Rees
Wilson is one of the most bullied fourth-graders at the chaotic Very Elementary School until his long-lost uncle, Desperate Evil Wicked Bob--a pirate--and his talking penguin arrive and begin making everything ship-shape, one classroom at a time.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
Soon after Peter, an orphan, sets sail from England on the ship Never Land, he befriends and assists Molly, a young Starcatcher, whose mission is to guard a trunk of magical stardust from a greedy pirate and the native inhabitants of a remote island.

Dragon's Plunder by Brad Strickland
Having been kidnapped by former pirates because of his ability to whistle up the wind, fifteen-year-old Jamie agrees to help their leader, a living corpse, find the dragon of Windrose Island.

Alex and the Ironic Gentleman by Adrienne Kress
When the pirates of the Ironic Gentleman kidnap Alex Morningside's beloved new teacher, Mr. Underwood, Alex sets off on a journey to rescue him and tries to enlist the help of Captain Magnanimous, Coriander the Conjurer, and the Extremely Ginormous Octopus along the way.

Raider's Ransom by Emily Diamond
In 22nd-century Great Britain, where climate change has caused vast flooding, piratical raiders kidnap the Prime Minister's daughter and thirteen-year-old Lilly Melkun, an English fisher-girl, takes her seacat on a daring rescue attempt, with a mysterious talking jewel from a past computer age tucked in her belt as ransom.

More Pirate Stories --
The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story by Sid Fleischman
Fergus Crane by Paul Stewart
Fish by Gergory Mone
Misty Gordon and the Mystery of the Ghost Pirates by Kim Kennedy
The Mousehunter by Alex Milway
Nick of Time by Ted Bell
Pirate Curse by Kai Meyer
The Pirates of Turtle Rock by Richard W. Jennings
Remarkable by Lizzie Foley
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Treasure of Savage Island by Lenore Hart

Oink! Oink! Let's Hear It for Pigs!

This week I thought I would share some great picture books featuring pigs . . . .

Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore! by David McPhail

Pigs galore invade a house and have a wonderful party.

Pigs to the Rescue by John Himmelman

All week long the pigs help out around the farm in unexpected ways.

Leon and Albertine by Christine Davenier

Leon the pig follows the advice of the other barnyard animals in trying to get the attention of Albertine the chicken, with whom he has fallen in love.

If You Give a Pig a Party by Laura Joffe Numeroff

One thing leads to another when you give a pig a party.

Princess Pig by Eileen Spinelli

A pig believes herself to be a princess and behaves accordingly, but soon learns that being royalty has a price.

More Pig Stories --

Crispin, the Pig Who Had It All by Ted Dewan

Desert Rose and Her Highfalutin' Hog by Alison Jackson

Dumpy La Rue by Elizabeth Winthrop

The Great Pig Escape by Eileen Christelow

Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis

Olivia by Ian Falconer

A Pig Is Big by Douglas Florian

Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch by Mary Peterson

Piggy Pie Po by Audrey Wood

Pigsty by Mark Teague

The Three Pigs by David Wiesner

Yum! by Colin McNaughton

From Book to Movie

There is an abundance of movies lately that are based on books for children and teens.  Here are four great books that have been made into wonderful movies . . .

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The life of a ten-year-old boy in rural Virginia expands when he becomes friends with a newcomer who subsequently meets an untimely death trying to reach their hideaway, Terabithia, during a storm.

Dairy of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Greg records his sixth grade experiences in a middle school where he and his best friend, Rowley, undersized weaklings amid boys who need to shave twice daily, hope just to survive, but when Rowley grows more popular, Greg must take drastic measures to save their friendship.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her.

Stuart Little by E.B. White
The adventures of the debonair mouse Stuart Little as he sets out in the world to seek out his dearest friend, a little bird who stayed a few days in his family's garden.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DeCamillo
The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?

"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?"  

That is one of the most memorable lines from the movie The Wizard Oz.  This week, I thought I would share some books for teens featuring witches.  It is up to you to determine whether they are good or bad . . .

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

Twelve-year-old Sunny Nwazue, an American-born albino child of Nigerian parents, moves with her family back to Nigeria, where she learns that she has latent magical powers which she and three similarly gifted friends use to catch a serial killer.

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

A retelling of the tale of twelve princesses who wear out their shoes dancing every night, and of Galen, a former soldier now working in the king's gardens, who follows them in hopes of breaking the curse.

Garden Princess by Kristin Kladstrup

Princess Adela, preferring plants and trees to idle chit-chat, attends a garden party hosted by Lady Hortensia and finds something is amiss in the Lady's garden.

Bewitching by Alex Flinn

Tells the story of Kendra, a witch, and the first three-hundred years of her life, including takes on a classic fairy tale, the 1666 plague in Britain, the "Titanic" disaster, and the story of a modern-day, plain stepsister.

Juniper by Monica Furlong

While apprenticed to the witch woman Juniper, a young girl struggles to save her family from the evil machinations of her power-hungry aunt Meroot. 

More Books Featuring Witches --

All Just Glass by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

Plain Kate by Erin Bow

Time of Witches by Anna Myers

Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill

Witch & Wizard by James Patterson

Witch Child by Celia Rees

Remembering the Past

Explaining history to younger children can sometimes be a difficult process.  They don't always understand that things that they are used to seeing and using were not always available.  Books are a great way to introduce history to these children.  Try one of these great historical picture books for children . . . 

The Babe & I by David Adler

While helping his family make ends meet during the Depression by selling newspapers, a boy meets Babe Ruth.

Minnow and Rose: An Oregon Trail Story by Judy Young

Traveling west with her pioneer family in a wagon train, Rose meets Minnow, who lives in a native American village along the banks of a river.

Tricking the Tallyman by Jacqueline Davis

In 1790, the suspicious residents of a small Vermont town try to trick the man who has been sent to count their population for the first United States Census.

Jazz on a Saturday Night by Leo Dillon

Presents an introduction to jazz along with brief profiles of such famous jazz musicians as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Max Roach, and Ella Fitzgerald.

I, Crocodile by Fred Marcellino

While Napoleon goes about robbing priceless treasures from Egypt, he decides to take home a crocodile as a living souvenir of his conquests, yet the poor captured crocodile isn't ready for such travels and has a hard time coping with his new Parisian surroundings.

More Historical Picture Books --

Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming

Dear Mr. Rosenwald by Carole Boston Weatherford

Finding Lincoln by Ann Malaspina

The Flyers by Allan Drummond

Iron Horses by Verla Kay

The Money We'll Save by Brock Cole

Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building by Deborah Hopkinson

Terrible Storm by Carl Otis Hurst

Twenty-One Elephants by Phil Bildner

The Village That Vanished by Ann Grifalconi