How Groundhog's Garden Grew

TITLE: How Groundhog's Garden Grew
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Lynne Cherry
PUBLISHER: Blue Sky Press
COPYRIGHT: 2003

Little Groundhog eats from a neighbor's garden when he is hungry. Squirrel teaches Little Groundhog how to grow his own garden. The detailed illustrations in this book are lovely and very enjoyable to view. Preschool through elementary aged children will enjoy looking at this book and hearing this story. It would be a wonderful addition to a classroom library.

My son and I enjoyed this book.

Stink Bug Saves the Day!

TITLE: Stink Bug Saves the Day! The Parable of the Good Samaritan
AUTHOR: Bill Myers
ILLUSTRATOR: Andy J. Smith
PUBLISHER: Zonderkidz
COPYRIGHT: 2008

Pop Roly-Poly is on his way to vacation with his family when he is attacked by a gang of flies in the book that is a retelling of the parable of the Good Samaritan. He is helped by a stink bug. This book teaches a wonderful lesson. Young children will enjoy this book and the cartoon illustrations.

My son and I enjoyed this book and the lesson it taught.

How to Make a Cherry Pie and see the USA

TITLE: How to Make a Cherry Pie and see the U. S. A.
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Marjorie Priceman
PUBLISHER: Alfred A. Knopf
COPYRIGHT: 2008

The reader gets to take an adventure across the U. S. A. in this book to gather the materials to make the utensils (pie pan, pot holders, rolling pin, measuring cup, plastic, and others)needed for making cherry pie since the cook shop is closed. A cherry pie recipe is also included in the book. This is by the author of the popular book How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World. Primary and elementary aged children will enjoy this book. It would be excellent for the classroom library.

My son and I enjoyed this book.

The Berenstain Bears God Loves You!

TITLE: The Berenstain Bears God Loves You!
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Stan and Jan Berenstain with Mike Berenstain
PUBLISHER: Zonderkidz
COPYRIGHT: 2008

Both Brother Bear and Sister Bear receive surprising news when they try out for the basketball team and a play at school. They learn a lesson about God's love through this experience of not being chosen. Primary and elementary aged children will enjoy this story and the lesson it teaches about God's love for each of us.

My son and I enjoyed reading this book.

God Is with Me through the Day

TITLE: God Is with Me through the Day

AUTHOR: Julie Cantrell

PUBLISHER: ZonderKidz

COPYRIGHT: 2009

This book is a reminder that God is with us where ever we go and He will never leave us alone. Through simple wording and minimal text per page along with stunning animal photographs, the author reminds the reader God is there all day. This book would be excellent for any home library with young children. The children will enjoy the photographs as they listen to a Bible truth.

My son and I loved this book, and the beautiful photographs made us smile as we looked at each one.

Natalie and the One-of-a--Kind Wonderful Day!

TITLE: Natalie and the One-of-a-Kind Wonderful Day!
AUTHOR: Dandi Daley Mackall
ILLUSTRATOR: Lys Blakeslee
PUBLISHER: Zonderkids
COPYRIGHT: 2009

Natalie is a five year old girl who wants to have a one-of-a-kind wonderful day. She tries first thing in the morning by making "omel-nats." That turns out to be not such a wonderful idea. This sweet, determined little girl continues to try new wonderful things all day long that just lead to disasters. She doesn't feel very happy by bedtime until a talk with her parents shows her God made her special and wonderful. Primary aged girls will enjoy this story and the character of Natalie.

I enjoyed getting to know Natalie in this book and recommend this for your daughter or church library.

The House That Went Ker-Splat!

TITLE: The House That Went Ker--Splat! The parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders
AUTHOR: Bill Myers
ILLUSTRATOR: Andy J. Smith
PUBLISHER: Zonderkids
COPYRIGHT: 2008


Two wasps build houses using very different methods and attitudes which leads to very different results. This is an excellent story about the parable of the wise and foolish builders. Children as well as adults should be able to appreciate the applicaption for living in today's world. The illustrator did a good job too contrasting the two characters with light and dark colors. Children of any age will enjoy this book.

My son and I enjoyed reading this book.

Sally Goes to the Mountains

TITLE: Sally Goes to the Mountains
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Stephen Huneck
PUBLISHER: harry n. abrams, inc.
COPYRIGHT: 2001

Sally is going on camping trip to the mountains. This is the story of things she will see and do in the mountains. Preschool through primary aged children will enjoy this book told from the perspective of the dog. The artwork in this book is also worth noting. The illustrator used woodblock prints for the illustrations.

My son and I enjoyed laughing together as we read this book multiple times.

The Berenstain Bears Play a Good Game

TITLE: The Berenstain Bears Play a Good Game
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Jan and Mike Berenstain
PUBLISHER: Zonderkidz
COPYRIGHT: 2009

Brother and Sister Bear are having fun playing soccer with Papa Bear as their coach until things on the field get a little ugly as they face a team of bullies. The team and the coaches learn some valuable lessons about playing fair and having good sportsmanship from their game. Primary aged children will enjoy this story and the familiar Berenstain Bear family.

My son and I enjoyed reading this book and appreciate the lessons it taught.

Pal the Pony

TITLE: Pal the Pony
AUTHOR: R.A. Herman

ILLUSTRATOR: Betina Ogden

PUBLISHER: Grosset & Dunlap
COPYRIGHT: 1996

A little pony at Star Ranch tries to do everything the big horses do. He feels he is too little for the rodeo until a little girl notices him. Preachool aged children will enjoy this book. It is appropriate for beginning readers to read on their own as well.

My son and I liked this story.

Daddies

TITLE: Daddies
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Lila Prap
PUBLISHER: North-South Books
COPYRIGHT: 2007

A daddy and his little boy pretend they are animals--giraffes, hippos, kangaroos, monkeys, snails, and others--before the little boy goes to bed. Preschool through primary aged children will enjoy this book of pretend as well as the colorful, large illustrations.

My son and I both enjoyed this book.

Monkey and Me

TITLE: Monkey and Me
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Emily Gravett
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
COPYRIGHT: 2007

A little girl takes along her stuffed monkey on a trip to the zoo. Together they see many animals and try to act out how the animals act. Preschool aged children will enjoy the animal illustrations and trying to guess which animal the girl and monkey are pretending to be.

My son and I had fun reading this book.

Kitchen Dance

TITLE: Kitchen Dance
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Maurie J. Manning
PUBLISHER: Clarion Books
COPYRIGHT: 2008

In this book two children awake in the night to kitchen sounds. They tiptoe downstairs and peek through the door to see their parents doing a kitchen dance as they clean up the kitchen. Mama spies her little children and brings the children in to do the kitchen dance with them. Preschool through primary aged children will enjoy this fun book, bright illustrations, and easy to read text.

My son and I enjoyed reading this book multiple times.

A Day with Nellie

TITLE: A Day with Nellie
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Marthe Jocelyn
PUBLISHER: Tundra Books
COPYRIGHT: 2002

Readers get to go through a day with Nellie from the time she wakes up, chooses her outfit, eats breakfast, plays, naps, has a picnic lunch, gets muddy, takes a bath and prepares for bed. Preschool children will enjoy this book for the daily routine it describes with which they would be familiar from their own day.

My son and I enjoyed this book.