June 20, 2009 at 4:30 pm (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, profound messages)
Title: Frederick
Author/ Illustrator: Leo Lionni
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-0-590-97939-9
ISBN-10: 0-590-97939-6
Summary: Frederick the field mouse confuses his family when he does not work to set aside food for the winter months. Instead Frederick insists that he is gathering memories to share during the cold, bleak months ahead. When winter hunger and boredom hit the family, they call on Frederick to share his gifts.
Butterfly’s notes: This is a beautiful story about valuing all different kinds of work. Frederick may not seem to be much help during the autumn work, but he proves valuable to have around come winter. This is a Caldecott Honor Book.
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, profound messages
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June 20, 2009 at 4:12 pm (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, profound messages)
Title: Swimmy
Author/ Illustrator: Leo Lionni
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
ISBN-13: 987-0-590-43049-4
ISBN-10: 0-590-43049-1
Summary: After a personal tragedy, the small fish Swimmy learns to vanquish fear through adventure.
Butterfly’s notes: This Caldecott Honor Book features colorful, imaginative illustrations. It would be fun to try re-creating Lionni’s artistic style with kids after reading the book.
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, nature, picture books, profound messages
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June 15, 2009 at 9:47 pm (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, picture books, profound messages)
Title: It’s Mine!
Author/ Illustrator: Leo Lionni
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
ISBN: 0-590-62198-X
Summary: Three selfish frogs cannot enjoy themselves and appreciate the world the way they ought to because they are too busy arguing about the ownership of everything. A wise old toad and a natural disaster set them straight.
Butterfly’s Notes: I have high hopes that this book would be useful to read to second and third graders to help them realize that the world is bigger than just themselves. Lionni calls this a fable, and it does have a modern fable ring to it.
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, picture books, profound messages
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January 22, 2009 at 11:01 am (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, funny stories, nature, picture books, profound messages)
Title: The Mixed-Up Chameleon
Author/ Illustrator: Eric Carle
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
ISBN: 0-690-04396-1
0-690-04397-X (lib. bdg.)
0-06-443162-2 (pbk.)
Summary: A chameleon at a zoo envies the traits of other animals and imagines what it might look like if it had the skills and body parts of other animals.
Butterfly’s notes: It may be fun to imagine, but at the end of the book the chameleon realizes it would be better off to remain a chameleon. Though it may still wish it had the abilities of other animals, the chameleon finds it is happy to be itself.
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, funny stories, nature, pictures books, profound messages
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January 22, 2009 at 10:17 am (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, Butterfly's favorites, fairy tales, fantasy, mythology and legends, picture books, profound messages, re-thinking fairy tales)
Title: Babushka Baba Yaga
Author/ Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Philomel Books
ISBN: 0-399-22531-5
Summary: The forest creature Baba Yaga is considered to be an evil witch, but she feels misunderstood. Wishing for a grandchild of her own, she disguises herself as a babushka (grandmother) and offers her help to Natasha, a single mother whose son has no babushka. But, when Baba Yaga’s foster grandson is scared by tales of the forest witch, she flees lest he discover the truth about her. Only when danger threatens her foster family does the Baba Yaga reveal her true identity.
Butterfly’s notes: There are many tales about the Russian witch, Baba Yaga Bony Legs. This story shows a much softer side of the Baba Yaga that is compeltely loveable. You can’t help but sympathize with her as a social outcast and rooting for her in her disguise as a babushka. I love the drawings too!
For a more traditional Baba Yaga story, try reading Baba Yaga Bony Legs in Magical Tales From Many Lands.
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, fairy tales, fantasy, mythology and legends, picture books, re-thinking fairy tales, profound messages, Butterfly’s favorites
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January 21, 2009 at 2:39 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, picture books, profound messages)
Title: Thank You, Mr. Falker
Author/ Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Philomel Books
ISBN: 0-399-23166-8
Summary: Trisha enters kindergarten extremely excited about the prospect of learning to read. But as the other children in her class learn letters and numbers and begin putting sentences together, Trisha is left behind. Convinced she is dumb, Trisha resigns herself to a life without reading. But when she meets Mr. Falker, the kind young teacher of her fifth grade class, her life is about to change. Mr. Falker not only promises to teacher Trisha to read, he sees in her wonderful qualities that she had begun to doubt herself.
Butterfly’s notes: Almost everyone has had a teacher in his or her life as inspiring and thoughtful as Mr. Falker. Kids troubled by dyslexia like Trisha will benefit from hearing that they aren’t alone. I love the illustrations and the metaphors Polacco uses in this book.
Categories: ages, 7-9, ages 10-12, picture books, profound messages
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January 20, 2009 at 4:16 pm (ages 4-6, ages 7-9, animal stories, Butterfly's favorites, funny stories, picture books, profound messages)
Title: Horton Hatches the Egg
Author/ Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 0-394-80077-X
0-394-90077-4 (lib. bdg.)
Summary: Horton the Elephant vows to keep watch over an egg until the mother bird (Mayzie the lazy) returns. After many trials and difficulties, the egg starts to hatch, but who will be the true parent? Horton, who sat faithfully by the egg for months, or Mayzie who laid it?
Butterfly’s notes: This is one of my absolute favorite books to read aloud. There is something so unbelieveably loveable about the character Horton!
Categories: ages 4-6, ages 7-9, funny stories, profound messages, animal stories, picture books, Butterfly’s favorites
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January 14, 2009 at 9:39 pm (ages 10-12, ages 7-9, animal stories, Butterfly's favorites, fantasy, mythology and legends, picture books, profound messages, re-thinking fairy tales)
Title: I Can Hear the Sun: A Modern Myth
Author/ Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Philomel Books
ISBN: 0-399-22520-X
Summary: Stephanie Michele, animal caretaker at Lake Merritt, befriends Frondo, an orphan boy from the settlement house in town. In Frondo, Stephanie Michele finds a kindred spirit; they both have a way with animals and they both listen to the sun for wisdom. Together with a few of the “regulars” at the park, they form a strong friendship. But, when the people from the settlement house propose to send Frondo away, the friends are faced with a harsh reality.
Butterfly’s notes: The characters in this book are all unwanted by society, but they form friendships based on their mutual outcast status. Patricia Polacco refers to I Can Hear the Sun as a “modern myth”, and it is just that. It is a story with strong characters, true friendships, and a mystical but bittersweet ending. Since the author often bases her stories on her own experiences or those of her family, this book is particularly intriguing. What real-life thing could have happened to her that would prompt a fantasy like this one?
Categories: ages 7-9, ages 10-12, animal stories, fantasy, mythology and legends, picture books, re-thinking fairy tales, profound messages, Butterfly’s favorites
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January 9, 2009 at 12:03 pm (ages 4-6, picture books, profound messages)
Title: Hey, Look At Me! I Can Be
Author: Merry Thomasson
Illustrator: Valerie Poole
Publisher: Merrybooks
ISBN: 0-9615407-1-0
Summary: Narrated by your child, this book will take you and your child on a journey through several possible careers with a positive message about each.
Butterfly’s notes: Place a photo in the back of the book so that your child’s face shows through on every page!
Categories: ages 4-6, picture books, profound messages
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January 9, 2009 at 11:44 am (ages 7-9, picture books, profound messages, religious)
Title: Chicken Soup for Little Souls: The Braids Girl
Author: Lisa McCourt
Illustrator: Tim Ladwig
Publisher: Health Communications, Inc.
ISBN: 1-55874-554-8
Summary: One Sunday, Izzy goes along to help her grandpa with his volunteer work at the Family Togetherness Home for the poor. There she meets the Braids Girl, a young child living at the home. Izzy wants to help the Braids Girl, but no matter what she gives away, the Braids Girl does not seem happy. Izzy will learn that sometimes the best gift you can give is friendship.
Butterfly’s notes: Izzy comes to see volunteering, or “God’s Work”, as her grandpa calls it, as not a material thing you can give away but a piece of your heart to share with others. This is a wonderful story, especially for those wanting to learn about volunteering.
Categories: ages 7-9, picture books, profound messages, religious
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