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So You Want to Be President?
by Judith St. George |
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Danny Says: Even though this won the Caldecott
Medal in 2001, I somehow had never heard of this fun book of Presidential trivia. What I like most about the book is its central premise: ANYONE can be President. |
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Bad to the Bone
by Lucy Nolan |
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Danny Says: Another in the delightful series of two dogs, Down Girl and Sit. Down Girl narrates her adventures with Sit as they deal with obedience school and proffer important advice like “ cats and squirrels are dangerous” and “dogs need attention.” Kids get a giggle, and they especially enjoy Mike Reed’s illustrations. |
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Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde, The
by Robert Louis Stevenson |
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Danny Says: Now that I have reverted to classics, I cannot say enough about this RL Stevenson page-turner. It is part of a series of classics you can buy on Amazon for a buck a book. |
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Story of Babar, The
by Jean De Brunhoff |
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Danny Says: Ah – this one is a trip down memory lane, as I loved the friendly elephant Babar as a child. A must read for parents, as the entire series of Babar books deal with pretty deep issues in a very simple, powerful and tasteful way. The next time you decide to gripe about the French, I remind you that they gave us two of our greatest children’s characters, Babar the elephant and a little curious monkey named George, not to mention the best-selling fiction book of the 20th century about a “little prince.” |
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Insectlopedia
by Douglas Florian |
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Danny Says: Beautifully illustrated book of poetry that blends humor with science. A good book to read with a child before going out for a nature walk. This is the type of book that should be required in schools, as it is absolutely wonderful. Grab a copy and see what I mean. |
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Adventures of the Spy Kids
by Keven J. Christopherson |
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Danny Says: Subtitled “Lost Treasure of Kolob Canyon,” this is a really easy chapter book that boys seem especially drawn to, as it deals with camping, lost treasures and Indians. This reminded me of the simple books I read when I was a cub scout growing up. Why aren’t there more books like this nowadays? I guess I am starting to sound like a reminiscent curmudgeon. |
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Lorax, The
by Dr. Seuss |
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Danny Says: Are you recycling? Read this children’s classic, and hopefully you’ll think about environmental preservation a bit. |
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Value of Believing in Yourself, The: The Louis Pasteur Story
by Spencer Johnson |
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Danny Says: If the author looks familiar, it’s because he co-wrote “The One-Minute Manager” with Ken Blanchard. What I really admire Spencer Johnson for is this inspiring series of “value stories” that show children examples of people who valued patience, determination, etc. There are a bunch of these books, and I selected this one because I often find the best way to get me interested in a person or subject is to read a brief children’s version first. Louis Pasteur was an amazing person – so amazing he has an adjective and a verb named after him. |
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Call of the Wild, The
by Jack London |
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Danny Says: Before having a square named after him in Oakland, Jack London wrote a few good books. This remains one of my favorites, and I noticed that Dover Publications is offering copies for a buck on Amazon. |
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Commander Toad and the Dis-Asteroid
by Jane Yolen |
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Danny Says: Commander Toad and his spaceship Star Warts answer a mysterious call for help from a flooded asteroid. One of a series of fun picture adventures about the lovable Commander Toad. |
