All Things Bright and Beautiful

Name of Book: All Things Bright and Beautiful Author:  Cecil F. Alexander; illus. Ashley Bryan Publisher: Atheneum ISBN: 978-1416989394 Audience: Ages 2-5 Summary:  Cut-paper collages depict scenes of people, animals, and nature that perfectly interpret this wonderful 19th c Irish hymn. Bryan has created a masterpiece in which art and text work together to God’s [...]

The Curious Garden

Title: The Curious Garden Author: Peter Brown Illustrator: Peter Brown Publisher: Little, Brown, 2009 ISBN: 9780316015479 Audience: 4-8 years Summary:  There was once a city without gardens or trees or greenery, a dull and dreary city where everyone stayed inside.  Except young, red-headed Liam who, while splashing in the rain one day, discovered a few [...]

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors

Name of Book: Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors Author: Joyce Sidman Illustrator: Pamela Zagarenski Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ISBN: 9780547014944 Audience: Ages 2-5. Because this book is divided into 4 separate poems, for younger children only a portion of the book could be read at a time. Summary: This children’s book is [...]

The Baronet’s Song

Name of Book:   The Baronet’s Song Author:  George McDonald, edited by Michael R. Phillips Illustrator:  Cover Art by Dan Thornberg Publisher:  Bethany House Publishers Audience:   Ages 12 and up Summary:  This is the story of a young boy, Gibbie Galbraith, unable to speak but who lived a life of innocent love, goodness, and truth.  After [...]

All the World

Name of Book: All the World Author: Liz Garton Scanlon Illustrator: Marla Frazee Publisher: Beach Lane Books, 2009 Audience: Ages 4-8 Summary: A multicultural family with young children spends a summer day interacting with each other, their community and the land on which they live.  That’s the simple but it doesn’t do justice to this [...]

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Name of Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Author: Eric Carle Illustrator: Eric Carle Publisher: Scholastic Audience: Ages 2 and up Summary: This is a story of a caterpillar’s life. The caterpillar hatches from an egg, grows through eating, and then builds a cocoon for himself. After a bit of time, he emerges as a beautiful [...]

Ice Bear: In the Steps of the Polar Bear

Name of Book:   Ice Bear : In the Steps of the Polar Bear Author:  Nicola Davies Illustrator:  Gary Blythe Audience:  Children Age 5-8+ Summary:   Ice Bears is a non-fiction children’s book that tells us about the characteristics and lives of polar bears, “Nanuk”,  as seen through the eyes of the Inuit, people of the Arctic.  [...]

Big Blue Whale

Name of Book:  Big Blue Whale Author:  Nicola Davies Illustrator:  Nick Maland Publisher:  Candlewick Audience:  Children Age 5-8+ Summary:   Big Blue Whale is a non-fiction children’s book that tells the reader us about the characteristics and lives of Big Blue Whales.  The colorful illustrations, music CD, and facts guide the reader into the wonderful undersea [...]

One Tiny Turtle

Name of Book: One Tiny Turtle Author: Nicola Davies Illustrator: Jane Chapman Audience: Ages 5 – 8+ Special Feature: Story-time recording on audio CD read by Alan Marriott.  Alan Marriot is best known for his voices on television show Bob the Builder.  The read-along and story-time recording includes information about Loggerhead Turtles. Comments: An International [...]

How to Heal a Broken Wing

Name of Book: How to Heal a Broken Wing Author: Bob Graham Illustrator: Bob Graham Publisher: Candlewick Press Audience: Young children ages 5-7 Summary: Will and his mother are out in the city and he sees a bird that has fallen and is injured.  Will picks up the bird and takes it home. He and [...]