The Reading Chair
Global Babies, from Global Fund for Children. 2007. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. 16 pp. ISBN 9781580891745. Ages birth to 3.
Babies and toddlers love looking at photographs of other babies. In this beautiful multicultural board book, babies from all over the world are captured in exquisite local clothing—decorative but not fancy. And even more intriguing than their outfits are their faces. These babies—from Mali to Malawi, from Peru to Afghanistan—seem to be “communicating” with the camera, and therefore with the reader. An excellent browsing book for the very young.
Orange Pear Apple Bear, by Emily Gravett. 2007. New York: Simon & Schuster. 28 pp. ISBN 9781416939993. Ages 2 to 5.
With only five words and four objects, Gravett uses brilliant wordplay and nuanced illustrations to weave a bear of a tale that all readers (adults too) will want to experience again and again. The book starts with illustrations of an apple, a pear, an orange, and a bear, so well rendered that they are fun to look at on their own. But when the bear becomes orange like an orange, and then green like an apple, the game begins. Eventually, the bear works up his appetite and eats the fruits one at a time: “Orange, bear. Apple, bear. Pear, bear. There!” All done. This book is incredibly creative, perfectly paced, and a great pleasure to experience.
Puff, the Magic Dragon, by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton. Illustrated by Eric Puybaret. 2007. New York: Sterling. 24 pp. ISBN 9781402747823. Ages 2 to 6.
Peter Yarrow—of Peter, Paul, and Mary—has collaborated with his daughter to create this book and four-track CD. Adults can reminisce as children are introduced to this classic song. Eric Puybaret’s luxurious illustrations capture the fantasy in the lyrics and illuminate their meaning in a way that children can understand. The book and CD are beautiful from start to finish—the perfect way to bring back Puff!
Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry, collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters. Illustrated by Polly Dunbar. 2007. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. 108 pp. ISBN 9780763631413. Ages 1 to 7.
This 60-poem preschool collection is a winner. Included are selections from Jack Prelutsky, Margaret Wise Brown, Langston Hughes, Rosemary Wells, and other notable poets. Organized into four sensible sections—Me, Myself, and I; Who Lives in My House?; I Go Outside; and Time for Bed—these ear-pleasing poems are honest and straightforward about everyday life. A poem by Langston Hughes starts, “Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head.” The two-word poem “August Ice Cream Cone” covers the essentials: “Lick, Quick.” Mixed-media illustrations are upbeat and full of whimsy. Age-appropriate poetry collections like this one are hard to find. Classrooms and homes deserve a stellar title like this on their shelves.
When Dinosaurs Came with Everything, by Elise Broach. Illustrated by David Small. New York: Atheneum. ISBN 9780689869228. Ages 3 to 6.
Children and adults love freebies—a baker’s dozen, a sticker at the doctor’s office—but what if the freebies in town that day are live dinosaurs? You can imagine the surprise shared by this boy and his mother at the bakery when they see a sign that says, “Buy a dozen. Get a Dinosaur.” At the doctor’s office, the nurse is giving away dinosaurs instead of stickers. Errands never seemed so appealing. Children will love indulging in this fantasy-come-true. Playful watercolor and ink illustrations capture the boy’s amazement and his mother’s bewilderment.
Those Shoes, by Maribeth Boelts. Illustrated by Noah Z. Jones. 2007. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763624996. Ages 4 to 8.
When one of Jeremy’s shoes falls apart on the school playground, he doesn’t have many options. His caretaker grandmother can’t afford to buy him those cool high-tops that all the kids are wearing. So he has to wear an old pair of cartoon-themed Velcro sneakers, and his classmates tease him about them. When he finds a pair of the high-tops on sale at the thrift shop, Jeremy thinks his problems are solved. But only for so long—until his feet are covered in bandages—can he ignore the fact that they’re too small. Jeremy’s grandmother may not have much money, but she knows how to respond to his problems with compassion and dignity, the same characteristics that lead Jeremy to give his cool high-tops to another boy in need of new shoes. A touching story about how a life short on money can be big on love, good values, and friendship.
Isabel Baker, MAT, MLS, is president of The Book Vine for Children, a national company dedicated to getting good books into the hands of preschool children and their teachers. Isabel has worked as a children’s librarian and is currently a presenter on early literacy and book selection.
Miriam Baker Schiffer is a writer and is pursuing an MFA in creative writing at Columbia University in New York.
Copyright © 2007 by the National Association for the Education
of Young Children. See
Permissions and Reprints online at www.journal.naeyc.org/about/permissions.asp.
Return to Beyond the Journal Table of Contents
