Children's Choices for 2005 (continued)
All books on this list should be available through your local library or a local bookseller. Beginning readersActual SizeSteve Jenkins. Ill. by the author. Children were fascinated by the life-size drawings of the animals contained in the book, some so large a fold-out section was necessary. Children measured their hands, feet, and faces against those of the animals. (Team 2) Houghton Mifflin Company. 32 pp. ISBN 0-618-37594-5 (trade). US$16.00. All Year LongKathleen W. Deady. Ill. Linda Bronson. This sensory poem describes the images the four seasons conjure up in the mind of a young girl. The rhythmic pattern of the language coupled with the colorful seasonal illustrations will appeal to young readers. (Team 4) Carolrhoda Books/Lerner Publishing Group. 32 pp. ISBN 1-57505-537-6 (trade). US$15.95. CAN$25.95. And Here's to You!David Elliott. Ill. Randy Cecil. Full-color illustrations and a rhyming tribute to everything from frogs to dogs bound from each page of this salute to all creatures, whether scaled, feathered, or furred. An enthusiastic, rollicking repetition of “I love you!” sends an irrepressible message. (Team 5) Candlewick Press. 32 pp. ISBN 0-7636-1427-0 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$22.99. Baby Brains: The Smartest Baby in the Whole WorldSimon James. Ill. by the author. Baby Brains exceeds his parents' expectations when he becomes a doctor within two weeks. But his space mission proves that all babies are alike in one way—they all want to be with their mommies. (Team 4) Candlewick Press. 32 pp. ISBN 0-7636-2507-8 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$22.99. Beach Day!Patricia Lakin. Ill. Scott Nash. Sam, Pam, Will, and Jill head to the beach—swimsuits, sun hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses in tow. Though temporarily sidetracked by a playground, a picnic, and a nap, these comic alligators hit the shore in time to swim by moonlight. (Team 5) Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers Group. 32 pp. ISBN 0-8037-2894-8 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$24.00. Beatrice Doesn't Want ToLaura Numeroff. Ill. Lynn Munsinger. Beatrice doesn't like books, reading, or the library. Forced to accompany her older brother to the library for three afternoons in a row, Beatrice discovers the magic of books after becoming entranced by a read-aloud. (Team 4) Candlewick Press. 32 pp. ISBN 0-7636-1160-3 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$22.99. The Beetle Alphabet BookJerry Pallotta. Ill. David Biedrzycki. An informative and fun way for the reader to learn what a beetle is and isn't. Illustrations help the reader see the unique aspects of the featured beetles. Upper- and lowercase letters are included on each page, and there's subtle humor throughout. (Team 3) Charlesbridge Publishing. 32 pp. ISBN 1-57091-551-2 (trade). US$16.95. CAN$26.95. Pb., ISBN 1-57091-552-0. US$7.95. The Best Cat in the WorldLesléa Newman. Ill. Ronald Himler. Victor knows that Charlie is the best cat in the world. He is heartbroken when Charlie dies. How can a new kitten possibly fill the void? Happily, he learns that different can also mean special. (Team 3) Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. 32 pp. ISBN 0-8028-5252-1 (trade). US$16.00. Big Week for Little MouseEugenie Fernandes. Ill. Kim Fernandes. Little Mouse spends all week planning a party. Children enjoy the predictability of the sequencing as they learn days of the week, opposites, and rhyming. The three-dimensional clay illustrations are appealing and detailed. (Team 2) Kids Can Press. 24 pp. ISBN 1-55337-665-X (trade). US$14.95. Billy Tibbles Moves Out!Jan Fearnley. Ill. by the author. Family members share, insists Billy's father, and so will you. But rather than share his bedroom with his younger brother, Billy moves out. He returns and, through a predictable plot twist, proves to himself that all families do indeed share. (Team 4) HarperCollins Children's Books. 32 pp. ISBN 0-06-054650-6 (trade). US$15.99. Boom Chicka RockJohn Archambault. Ill. Suzanne Tanner Chitwood. When the birthday cake is left out and the cat is asleep, it's time for the mice to rock and roll. Numbers and number words are reinforced as they bunny hop, tango, and electric slide until the cat wakes up. (Team 4) Philomel Books. 32 pp. ISBN 0-399-23587-6 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$24.00. The Cat Who Walked Across FranceKate Banks. Ill. Georg Hallensleben. When his owner dies, a gray kitty is shipped north. Forgotten and longing for the sea, he walks across France to find home and the love of two children. Vibrant, museum-quality artwork honors the French landscape and one determined cat. (Team 5) Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers. 40 pp. ISBN 0-374-39968-9 (trade). US$16.00. CAN$26.95. Clatter Bash! A Day of the Dead CelebrationRichard Keep. Ill. by the author. El Día de los Muertos brings jaunty skeletons out of the graveyard for a night of singing, dancing, eating, and storytelling. A noisy rhyming banner at the bottom of each page leaves us smiling in two languages. (Team 5) Peachtree. 32 pp. ISBN 1-56145-304-8 (trade). US$15.95.
|