A Fly Went ByBy Mike McClintockIllustrated by Fritz Siebel A Fly Went By is another old (1958) favorite picture book in the “I Can Read It All By Myself” series. I loved reading it all by myself when I was learning to read. My kids loved it, and now I’m using it with my students…
Tag: picture books
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
When I found this book, I had previously considered myself well-versed in Dr. Seuss. I had never even heard of this one before. The copy I bought at a library book sale was already tattered, so I assumed someone must have loved it. Because it was fun for me to read, my small son loved…
Robert the Rose Horse
Robert was a happy little horse. He lived on a farm. He lived with his mother And father. That is, until the fateful birthday party. All of his friends come. They wait expectantly as Robert’s mother brings in the cake decorated with beautiful red roses. Robert puts his nose right into a rose and takes…
Pickle-Chiffon Pie
Do you read dust jackets? Be honest. Do you? Do I? If I am honest, only sometimes. Last fall Jill Morgan sent me a box of some of her favorite Purple House Press books hoping that I would like them as much as she does. It turns out that I do. I. Really. Do. When…
Miss Jaster’s Garden
Miss Jaster’s Garden by illustrator turned author N. M. Bodecker is one of those picture books that every family library should have. The illustration has a daydream-like quality with soft watercolors, the story line is adorable and the kind that children love to giggle at, and the writing is charming and intelligent. If Anne Shirley-Blythe…
Alexander
What is it about Alexanders and their no good days? One of my favorite books from my childhood is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. In that story, Alexander has one of those days wherein nothing goes right and he is his own worst enemy. Little kids find…
The Little Old Man Who Could Not Read
The Little Old Man Who Could Not Read by Irma Simonton Black is a tender tale about an old craftsman who loves his toy-making work so much that he fails to make time for other important things – like learning to read. In this funny but educational little story, children learn, through the toymaker’s experience, why…
Miss Suzy
Miss Suzy By Miriam Young Illustrated by Arnold Lobel I’m only two years older than Miss Suzy, but I had never seen the book until last year. How did that happen? I didn’t get to share this sweet story with my kids when they were little, but my grandkids love it. Miss Suzy’s story…
The Blueberry Pie Elf
When the delicious smell of the baking blueberry pie stole out from the oven, the little elf sniffed. He wanted that blueberry pie so much that he almost got his nose caught in the oven door. Elmer is a house elf after my own heart! I too truly love blueberry pie, dear Elmer. I understand….
The Practical Princess
The Practical Princess by Jay Williams surprised me. Before reading it, I assumed that it was going to be yet another addition to the current craze of feminist reimaginings of fairy tales. I wasn’t entirely wrong about that, however, I was wrong about how I would feel about that. The other day in our book…
The Library Lion
I cannot remember where I discovered this perfectly sweet picture book. I am sure that someone in my book group suggested it, and I regret that I cannot give them credit for the excellent recommendation. Alas, the best I can do is share this with as many others as I can so that the recommendation…
Harold and the Purple Crayon
“Wow,” you’re thinking, “she’s really going deep with this one!” Well, laugh all you want, but Harold is one of my favorite characters, and it pains me that there are so many folks out there who have never even heard of him. I will fix that right now! Harold has been around since before I…
Handle With Care
A couple of years ago someone gifted this oversized hardbound picture book to my science loving kids. We read it immediately and loved it. This spring, my ten year old was searching for science books to read during his daily quiet hour. When he pulled this one out of our biology bucket, we all enjoyed…
Papa Gatto
Ruth Sanderson is one of my favorite illustrators and children’s storytellers. Her art is classical and magical; her storytelling is traditional and grounded in folk tales. After falling in love with her work in the two Saints: Lives and Illuminations books, I started to request everything else she had from my library. Her Twelve Dancing Princesses is…
The Wishes of the Fish King
In May of 2016, author Doug McKelvey and illustrator Jamin Still collaborated on a Kickstarter project to fund the creation of a gorgeous new picture book. The Wishes of the Fish King is a story that Doug wrote when his first daughter was two years old. At the time, they lived in a house on…