Shark Lady: True Adventures of Eugenie Clark (Paperback)
by Ann Mcgovern
ISBN: 0590447718

Price: USD 4.99
174 used & new available from USD 0.10

Ever since she was a child, Eugenie Clark wanted to swim with sharks. She spent hours in the aquarium watching the fish in fascination and dreaming of the day when she would be able to study them in the wild. And when she grew up, she got that chance.

This book chronicles Dr. Eugenie Clark’s life, albeit in a somewhat condensed form. Shark Lady was one of my favorite books when I was somewhere in the eight to ten years old range. It has lovely illustrations, and is told in an engaging manner without being too choppy or “watered down” for young kids.

Petunia (Hardcover)
by Roger Duvoisin
ISBN: 0394808657

Price: USD 16.99
112 used & new available from USD 0.10

One day, Petunia, the silly goose, finds a book lying on the ground. Petunia has heard the farmer say that those who own books and love them will be wise, so she keeps the book, believing that she will no longer be a silly goose. With her new-found wisdom, Petunia feels that she is qualified to give advice to the rest of the farm animals but, since she has never read the book, her advice has disastrous (and explosive) results.

Petunia is a silly story with a moral. Although the moral is a little too obvious, the rest of the book comes across well, is very enjoyable, and makes a good start to a small series featuring the silly goose.

Flap Your Wings (Beginner Books(R)) (Hardcover)
by P.D. Eastman
ISBN: 0375802436

Price: USD 8.99
83 used & new available from USD 0.20

One day, a boy finds an egg lying in the path. He sees a nest nearby and decides to put the egg into it. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Bird are quite surprised when they come back to find a very large egg in their nest. Nevertheless, they take care of the egg until it hatches into… Well, you’ll find out.

A humorous tale, accompanied by P. D. Eastman’s excellent illustrations. I found it rather difficult to read aloud, as the sentences tend to be very short, but it would probably be enjoyable for a beginning reader. Overall, a fun book, but I think I like The Best Nest better.

Frog and Toad Are Friends (I Can Read Book 2) (Paperback)
by Arnold Lobel
ISBN: 0064440206

Price: USD 3.99
631 used & new available from USD 0.10

This book contains five stories about Frog and Toad, in which spring comes and Frog tries to wake Toad up, Toad tries to think of a story to tell Frog, Toad loses a button, Frog and Toad go swimming, and Toad is unhappy because he never gets any mail.

Light-hearted tales that are fun to read aloud. My favorite is the one where Toad tries to think up a story, perhaps because I myself am a writer. If you enjoy this book, you may want to also read Frog and Toad Together.

Ella Enchanted (Trophy Newbery) (Paperback)
by Gail Carson Levine
ISBN: 0064407055

Price: USD 6.99
461 used & new available from USD 0.10

Ella has a problem. At birth, a foolish fairy granted her the gift of obedience. Now any command she receives, however big or little it be, she is compelled to obey. This has obvious disadvantages, and if the knowledge of her curse falls into the wrong sort of hands… well, it could be very bad indeed. However, Ella is not one to simply accept her fate. She determines to find the cure, no matter how long it takes.

This is a delightfully fun read. It’s lighthearted, but at the same time isn’t meaningless fluff. The story is cleverly written, and I found it almost impossible to put down. In short, Ella Enchanted is… enchanting! I’d say it’s best suited for ages 12 and up, but it could be a good read aloud book, too.

Manuelo, The Playing Mantis (Paperback)
by Don Freeman
ISBN: 0142405604

Price: USD 6.99
38 used & new available from USD 0.64

Manuelo the mantis loves music, and he spends a lot of his time listening to outdoor concerts. One day, he decides to try making an instrument that he could play. Try as he might, nothing works out, and he gets very discouraged. Then, a small spider offers her help, and together they try one last time.

I’d never heard of this book until just recently, but I’m glad I found it. It may not be one of Don Freeman’s most popular books, but the story is unique and sweet. I definitely encourage everyone who enjoys this author’s books (or anyone who enjoys music) to look into Manuelo the Playing Mantis.

The Snowy Day (Mass Market Paperback)
by Ezra Jack Keats
ISBN: 0140501827

Price: USD 6.99
164 used & new available from USD 0.92

One day, Peter wakes up and sees snow out his window. He spends the day making funny tracks, building a snowman, and making snow angels.

The Snowy Day is a very enjoyable book about all the fun things to do when it snows. It makes a great read-aloud and will have you wishing for a snowfall so you can play, too.

Norman the Doorman (Picture Puffin Books) (Mass Market Paperback)
by Don Freeman
ISBN: 0140502882

Price: USD 6.99
87 used & new available from USD 0.10

Norman, an artistically-minded mouse, loves to show his friends all the treasures hidden in the basement of the Majestic Museum of Art. One day Norman decides to make a sculpture out of the mousetraps that the sharp-eyed guard leaves. He enters the “mouse on the flying trapezee” into a sculpture contest the museum is having, and much to his surprise, wins first place!

I love this book. It ends so well, and Norman is such a decent little mouse—and his wire sculpture is really fun.

Blueberries for Sal (Paperback)
by Robert McCloskey
ISBN: 014050169X

Price: $0.01
139 used & new available from USD 0.10

One morning, Little Sal and her mother go to Blueberry Hill, in order to pick lots of berries to can for the winter. Mother picks steadily, but Little Sal is more interested in sitting and eating the blueberries. And meanwhile, Little Bear and Little Bear’s mother are coming up the other side of the hill. It’s not long before Little Bear begins to lag behind… A mix-up of mothers is bound to ensue.

Such a fun book, and definitely a classic. It’s a simple but delightful story, with very nice pictures that are plenty big. And I think readers of Blueberries for Sal will find it hard to ever pick blueberries without remembering the book and how Sal drops her berries into her pail: Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk.

Where the Wild Things Are (Paperback)
by Maurice Sendak
ISBN: 0064431789

Price: USD 8.95
349 used & new available from USD 0.20

When Max is sent to bed with no supper (he was being far too wild) he wiles the time away pretending he is on a voyage. He sails away for almost a year and comes to the place where the Wild Things are. After a wonderful time playing with the Wild Things, Max smells supper cooking and sails for home.

This is one of those odd little books that seem to have no reason, and no structure, but is thoroughly enjoyable. It’s just a little boy imagining, and it’s fun to imagine with him. Some fuss could be made over Max’s being sent to bed with no supper as punishment and then having a fun time, but imaginations are very wild things. And I guess you have to do something while you’re sitting there, waiting.