January 22, 2009 at 8:37 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, anthologies, fairy tales, fantasy, mythology and legends, picture books)
Title: Magical Tales From Many Lands
Author: (retold by) Margaret Mayo
Illustrator: Jane Ray
Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books
ISBN: 0-525-45017-3
Summary: An anthology of stories about magic from around the world.
Butterfly’s notes: These tales feature strong heroes and heroines who stand by their morals and learn from their mistakes. I absolutely loved this anthology as a child; it is one of my personal favorites. There is something about Jane Ray’s illustrations that really brings the stories to life.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, fairy tales, mythology and legends, fantasy, anthologies, picture books
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January 8, 2009 at 7:58 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, animal stories, anthologies, funny stories, picture books, re-thinking fairy tales)
Title: Squids will be Squids
Author: Jon Scieszka
Illustrator: Lane Smith and Molly Leach
Publisher: VIKING
ISBN: 0-670-88135-X
Summary: Quirky fables about loveably obnoxious animals and things.
Butterfly’s notes: Ridiculous morals that will have you laughing follow each story in this unique, absurd book.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, animal stories, anthologies, funny stories, picture books, re-thinking fairy tales
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January 8, 2009 at 11:36 am (ages 10-12, animal stories, anthologies, funny stories, nature, poetry)
Title: Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices
Author: Paul Fleischman
Illustrator: Eric Beddows
Publisher: HarperTrophy
ISBN: 0-06-446093-2
Summary: Inspiring poems meant to be read aloud by two people at once in the voices of insects.
Butterfly’s notes: Some of these poems are silly and others are serious. It’s great fun to read aloud with a partner this way. Joyful Noise is in a genre of its own!
Categories: ages 10-12, animal stories, anthologies, funny stories, nature, poetry
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January 5, 2009 at 9:53 pm (ages 10-12, ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, anthologies, fairy tales, mythology and legends, picture books, profound messages)
Title: Good As Gold: Stories of values from around the world
Author: Barbara Baumgartner
Illustrator: Amanda Hall
Publisher: Family Learning
ISBN: 0-7894-3482-2
Summary: An anthology of stories about our fascination with gold.
Butterfly’s notes: Some of these tales are well-known, but others are not. The author has given each story a condensed, tidy moral at the end. The book attempts to show that there is value in more than just gold.
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-10, ages 10-12, fairy tales, mythology and legends, profound messages, animal stories, anthologies, picture books
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January 5, 2009 at 9:50 pm (Bible, Christianity, New Testament, ages 7-9, anthologies, funny stories, mythology and legends, picture books, religious)
Title: One-Minute Easter Stories
Author: (Adapted by) Shari Lewis and Lan O’Kun
Illustrator: Pat and Robin DeWitt
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0-358-24960-8
Summary: Very short stories to do with the last days of Jesus, Springtime, and various Easter traditions.
Butterfly’s notes: Most of the stories in this book are decidedly religious, and a few are histories. They are lovely stories told in a short and sweet style.
Categories: ages 7-9, mythology and legends, funny stories, anthologies, picture books, religious, Christianity, Bible, New Testament
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January 5, 2009 at 3:35 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, animal stories, anthologies, nature, picture books, poetry)
Title: Demi’s Secret Garden
Author: (Compiled by) Demi
Illustrator: Demi
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
ISBN: 0-8050-2553-7
Summary: A book of poetry about insects by various (often famous) authors.
Butterfly’s notes: Demi has compiled a wonderful set of poetry and created simply stunning artwork to go with them. The illustrations are of a unique style that makes even the creepiest, crawliest insects into delicate, feminine, beauties.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, animal stories, anthologies, nature, picture books, poetry
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January 4, 2009 at 4:05 pm (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, anthologies, funny stories, picture books, profound messages)
Title: The Sneetches And Other Stories
Author/ Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 0-394-80089-3
0-394-90089-8 (lib. bdg.)
Summary: Four great stories about acceptance. The Sneetches learn not to judge others by appearance, the Zax are left behind in a fast-changing world due to their stubborn-ness, Mrs. McCave laments naming all twenty-three of her sons Dave, and Dr. Seuss teaches us not to be afraid of something just because it seems strange and different.
Butterfly’s notes: This book is practically asking to be made into a lesson about acceptance, but silly enough that kids won’t feel they are being preached to.
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 6-9, funny stories, profound messages, anthologies, picture books
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January 3, 2009 at 4:36 pm (ages 10-12, ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, anthologies, funny stories, picture books)
Title: James Herriot’s Treasury for Children
Author: James Herriot
Illustrator: Ruth Brown and Peter Barrett
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: 0-312-08512-5
Summary: An anthology of stores written about encounters with various pets by the veterinarian James Herriot.
Butterfly’s notes: The drawings accompanying these hartwarming stories match every detail wonderfully. These stories are perfect for any animal-lover.
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-9, ages 10-12, funny stories, animal stories, anthologies, picture books
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January 2, 2009 at 11:16 pm (Buddhism, ages 10-12, ages 7-9, anthologies, funny stories, picture books, profound messages, religious)
Title: One Hand Clappping: Zen Stories For All Ages
Author: (Selected, adapted, and retold by) Rafe Martin and Manuela Soares
Illustrator: Junko Morimoto
Publisher: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.
ISBN: 0-8478-1853-5
Summary: Zen stories that help us realize and understand at once both the simpicity and complexity of life.
Butterfly’s notes: As is the nature of Zen, children (and most adults, for that matter) won’t understand every story, but there are enough loveable, easy-to-understand tales to make this an enjoyable read.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, funny stories, profound messages, anthologies, picture books, religious, Buddhism
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January 2, 2009 at 11:08 pm (Buddhism, ages 10-12, ages 7-9, animal stories, anthologies, mythology and legends, picture books, profound messages, religious)
Title: Buddha Stories
Author/ Illustrator: Demi
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
ISBN: 0-8050-4886-3
Summary: Stories told by the Buddha followed by concise, one-sentence morals.
Butterfly’s notes: The stories collected here are wise and fable-like. The morals make good lessons.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, mythology and legends, profound messages, animal stories, anthologies, picture books, religious, Buddhism
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