The Dark - Lemony Snicket (2013)

         Fear of darkness starts from  the absence of en(light)enment. En(light) darkness and there would be no fear left out.

The 'Dark' Truth

         Laszlo is afraid of the dark. But, the dark is not afraid of him (Yes, meet the other character in this book, the 'personified' dark). The dark lives in the basement of Laszlo's house. Every morning, Laszlo would peek the dark in the basement and say "Hi" (He believes that if he visited the dark, then the dark won't come visit his room and he would be safe).

The Adventures of Beekle : The Unimaginary Friend - Dan Santat (2014)

               Caldecott Winner - 2015

     What comes before imagination? All we know is, imagination comes first in mind and then people work on them. But, the author and illustrator, San Dantat has this special imagination, where "imaginations" are waiting for someone to be imagined.

Yet-to-be-befriended

       He is a not-yet-imagined creature (not-yet named too), born in a faraway island, where all imaginary friends of  every "Earthling" kid is born. Day after day, he waits under stars, waiting for a kid to imagine him, along with his fellow island-mates. But his turn doesn't come yet.

Understanding Sam And Asperger's Syndrome - Clarabelle Van Niekerk & Liezl Venter (2008)

ISBN 10: 0-9747217-1-9
ISBN 13 : 978-0-9747217-1-2
(Hardcover)

       Is Autism a hard topic for a kid, to understand? No, I believe. It is a comprehensible and even an important topic for every kid.

A happy understanding

       Sam is a small boy, part of a lovely family. Playing cello, humming tunes and building puzzles have always made him happy. But there are some aspects, where Sam is a little different from other kids. He cannot make friends easily. He is sensitive towards some situations. Most importantly, it happens that he wanders off out of home, one night. Soon, Sam is diagnosed with "Asperger's syndrome", a form of Autism. 

The Last Stop On Market Street - Matt De La Pena (2015)

   * Newbery Winner - 2016
   * Caldecott Honor - 2016  
   * Coretta Scott King Book Awards (Illustrator) - 2016

    
        How do you define beauty? Does it come with appearance? Not necessarily. Anything, that is soulful, even if it is dirty, is beautiful.

A ride to happiness

       CJ and his nana are coming out of the church, and boarding a bus, when it is raining. Everything in his life is not okay with CJ. Why don't they have a car? Why are they waiting for bus, in rain? How come some (blind) people are not able to see? and various other reasons.

The Best Night Out With Dad - Lisa McCourt (1997)

ISBN 10 : 1 55874 5084
ISBN 13 : 978 1 55874 5087
(Hardcover)

  (Note : This story is adapted from the story 'The Circus' by Dan Clark. This book is part of the series "Chicken Soup" Books, for young readers, marked as "Chicken Soup For Little Souls".)

It's Not Just A Fun Night

        Rocket Science can be taught and learnt. But, how to teach the kids about empathy, nurturing, sharing and caring for others? Well, we can rely on children's literature for this purpose and this book is one such best example for that.

How Are You Peeling? - Saxton Freymann & Joost Elffers (1999)

ISBN 10 : 0 439  10431 9
(Scholastic 2004 Edition)
Hardcover

           A tomato is happy. An orange is jealous. An onion is sad. Oh, yes, you read it right. Those are all vegetables and fruits, emoting out. And, also they come out with a perfect moral "It's alright to show your emotions".

To Emote Is Your Right
     
      This book talks about emotions, but not in a philosophical way. In a very funny and ingenious way, with the vast array (photographs) of various vegetables and fruits, the authors have showcased emotions from happy, sad, tired, frustrated, angry etc. (The cover shows a smiling bell pepper).

Red : A Crayon's Story - Michael Hall (2015)

ISBN 10 : 0 06 225209 7
ISBN 13 : 978 0 06 225209 8
(Hardcover)

A blue's got the blues     

          Blue Strawberries? Blue fire engine? That's what happens when a blue crayon is wrongly considered as a red crayon. 

          He is blue (crayon), but wrongly labeled as red. He has a whole set of family members and classmates (all are various colors of crayons). As he goes on drawing blue strawberries and blue foxes, everyone thinks he is not good enough to be a red crayon.

Nana In The City - Lauren Castillo (2014)

ISBN 10 :  0 544 104439
ISBN 10 : 978 0 544 104433
(Hardcover)

                 (Caldecott Honor -2015)

Vibrantly Busy, Cheerfully Loud

            Every coin has two sides. Whatever that looks scary and dreadful, could also have a tender, brighter side. This book is a lovable, child-size version of this universal message.

             A city is busy, loud and filled with scary stuff. A city is not a right place for a grandma to live in. This is the opinion of the young boy, who visits his nana in the city and spends a day with her in the city streets. 

Always - Emma Dodd (2014)

ISBN 10 :  0 7636 7544 X
ISBN 13 : 978 0 7636 7544 8

        (This book was published under the names "Sometimes" and  "No Matter What" in 2007 and 2008).

A Statement of Love      

         
       It is unconditional. It is immeasurable. It is irreplaceable.  Go ahead and try fitting it with all the goodness in the world. It down weighs everything else. And, yes, it is mother's love.

The Hundred Penny Box - Sharon Bell Mathis (1975)

ISBN 10 : 01424 0702X
ISBN 13 : 978 01424 07028
(2006 Puffin Books Edition)

             Newbery Honor - 1976

A Hundred Year Memory

       What could be a hundred years of life like? Is it burdened with pains of past, or flashes with delightful memories? Or does it dangle between the array of emotions? Maybe, this book can tell you that.

       Dewbet Thomas, the great-great-aunt of Michael John Jefferson, is one hundred years old. She cherishes an old wooden box, as dear as her life, where she collects a penny for every year of her life. As she moves to Michael's house, Michael grows attached to her and the box. His favorite time is counting the pennies from the box and hearing the past stories from Aunt Dew, as her memory relapses to past.

The Very Lonely Firefly - Eric Carle (1995)

ISBN 10 : 03992 27741
ISBN 13: 978 03992 27745 

      (Note: Eric Carle has written a 'The Very' quartet, starting with 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. This book is the last one among them.

Is it Science, or, Poetry?

     Science - Fireflies have bioluminescence. 

     Poetry   - Fireflies are little stars, that flicker.

     Apart from science and poetry, Eric Carle shows a little firefly, who is searching for a place, where it belongs. (Eric Carle's words classify that "The Very Lonely Firefly" is about belonging (to a group)).

      A lonely firefly, born at the time of sunset, sets out on a search for other fireflies.  But, the night takes the firefly to various lights such as a light bulb, a candle, a flashlight and a lantern. Even, the firefly flies towards the gleaming eyes of a dog, a cat and an owl. 

A Mountain of Friends - Kerstin Schoene (2014)

ISBN 10 :  15545 5313X
ISBN 13 : 978 15545 53136

        ( Note: This book was originally written and published in German language by Kerstin Schoene in 2013. It was translated into English by Natalie Hyde in 2014)

Penguin can fly

            Penguins are flightless birds. But, if a penguin is among a great group of friends, things might take a different turn, like in this story.

            A penguin wants to, but cannot fly. He wishes to soar through the clouds one day. No matter how hard he tries, he could not fly. Then comes this great group of friends, including you (Yes, you, as a reader, are part of the group).

Planet Kindergarten - Sue Ganz-Schmitt (2014)

ISBN 10 : 14521 18930
ISBN 13 : 978 14521 18932

3...2...1... To Planet Kindergarten

  The Countdown starts!

         3.... Suit up.

         2.... Gears up.

         1.... Heads up.

   Now................ launch into mission kindergarten.


           Well, yes, it is first day of kindergarten. This brave boy is all set to accomplish the great mission. Assigned to a commander (teacher), he takes a look at his space capsule (classroom). After some initial disagreement, he becomes friendly with a crewmate (classmate). But after some time, he cannot withstand this new atmosphere. But, it is time, he remembers the saying in NASA: "Failure is not an option".

Nap Time - Iris De Mouy (2014)

ISBN  10 : 15549 84874

ISBN 13 : 978 15549 84879

          (Note : This book was originally written in French by the author, Iris De Mouy, in 2013. It was translated into English by Shelley Tanaka, in 2014.)

It's naptime in Savannah

       Many kids hate to hear this from mom, "It's naptime". You can expect a "I'm not tired", "I am not a small baby to sleep" etc. Finally, what is your tactic to make your little protester to nap?

        Here, a little girl has the responsibility to put animals in savannah to nap. But the animals are not making things easy(just like our little protesters). The zebra looks crossed at the talk of nap. The hyena laughs as if it heard a joke. The crocodile and hippo consider nap is just for babies (tiny little babies, to say it right). 

Zen Ties - Jon J. Muth (2008)

                       (Note: This book is a sequel of "Zen Shorts" by Jon J. Muth. But this book can be enjoyed as a stand alone book also.)

Some Haiku and a Cup of Apple Tea

        Sometimes, small acts of kindness can change stones. Michael, Addy and Karl understand this, with Stillwater's kind and tender actions (The same characters occurred in Jon J. Muth's "Zen Shorts" also.)

Corduroy Lost and Found - Don Freeman (2006)

ISBN 10 : 06700 6100X
ISBN 13 : 978 06700 61006

        (Note : This story is written by the author, B. G. Hennessy, based on the lovable character, Corduroy, created by Don Freeman.)

The Best Gift for a Best Friend

        It is Lisa's birthday, tomorrow. Her best friend, Corduroy, the adorable bear, wants to give her a wonderful gift. As he walks alone out of the house in a early morning, he considers various gifts for his friend. Whether the impressive number panel in the lift would be perfect, or the big yellow round thing in the sky would be perfect?   

The I'm not Scared Book- Todd Parr (2011)

        "Are there real monsters under my bed? What if I get lost? What to do if I make a terrible mistake?". Almost all the kids would have some kind of fear at some point of time.

Chicken-hearted to lionhearted   
   
         Do you want to get your kid out of fear, while laughing all through the way? The great author, Todd Parr has a solution for that.

Show Way - Jacqueline Woodson (2005)

                           (Newbery Honor - 2006)

         We all have a story of our ancestral history to share with our kids. Here is the tender and inspiring story of the author, Jacqueline Woodson, about her maternal ancestors, that she shares with her daughter.

A Way to Moons and Stars

           The story starts with Soonie's great-grandma being sold as a slave (Soonie is the great-grandma of the author). Her slave life starts in another land without her parents, with her only hope being quilting stars and moons. Life remains same for her daughter, Mathis May, but she has the power to make 'Show Way', the quilt that shows the road to freedom.

The Crunching Munching Caterpillar - Sheridan Cain (2000)

ISBN 10 : 04392  98008

Eat, Sleep, Dream, Fly 

           A pair of wings and a feather-light body are needed for flying. Where on earth, a caterpillar can get those, if he wishes to fly? Simple, all he has to do is crunch and munch fresh blackberry bush leaves and sleep well.

           There is a cute caterpillar who wanted to fly. The caterpillar meets a bumble bee and tells his wish. But bumblebee says that the caterpillar don't have wings and he cannot fly. Then the caterpillar meets a sparrow, who says that the caterpillar is heavy and he cannot fly.

          But finally he meets a butterfly. The butterfly asks him to sleep well and says that his dreams might come true. After eating, sleeping and Voila!, the caterpillar is now a ...........

       Illustrated By : Jack Tickle

       Publisher : Tiger Tales

       Classification : Moral (Never Let Negative Words Drown You)

                                 Emotional(Dreams & Wishes), Science(Butterfly Life cycle, Flying)

       Age : Preschooler, Kindergartener, Grades 1- 3

My Comment:

       No kid is ever going to get bored with caterpillars and butterflies. This book would be another successful example for this theory. Apart from a cute story, that any kid would love, this book has adorable layout designs and lovely pleasant illustrations:

• The bitemark at the corner of the book, similar to the marks on leaves bit by the caterpillar (I think this is only in paperback format).

• The font changes with the moods of the story, in some places: The dream version has a different font. The font of the phrase 'stretched and stretched' really stretches and stretches.

• I can see that adorable caterpillar with his lovely smile, again and again.

• The Background colors are vibrant and the exquisite illustrations can hold the attention of even impatient kids.

       In the background of this story, I can see two science lessons: 1. Life Cycle of Butterfly 2. Science of Flying. If you want, you can extend the lesson by asking what are the basic necessities for a thing to fly.

       For the love of butterflies and caterpillars, travel along with this caterpillar's life.

        What is your 'book thoughts' about this book? Best, Good, Okay or Yet to Read. Mark your options down.

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Ten, Nine, Eight - Molly Bang (1983)

ISBN 10 : 08620 31397

                           (Caldecott Honor - 1984) 

Countdown to Fall Asleep

     What could be more inviting than a cozy sleep on a winter night? Counting down, with Molly Bang's soothing narration, may make your little one's eyes to fall asleep in a breeze.

     There are ten little warm toes, nine soft cuddly friends, eight snow clad  window panes, seven tucked-in-a-row empty shoes and all the way up to one big girl who is ready to ............ZZZzzzzzzzz.

        Publisher : Greenwillow Books

        Classification : Emotional (Soothing), Numbers (Counting Down)

         Age : Preschooler, Kindergartener, Grades 1 - 3

My Comment:

        This is a very simple, soothing book, that fits perfect for the calm night time reading. Though this book involves numbers and backward counting, I consider this book effective at home, than at classrooms.

            As a Caldecott Honor book, this book exhibits cute, delightful illustrations, which shows details for careful eyes. The details may not be that important, but I wondered the illustrator's visual clarity. I awed the illustrations for this following reasons.

• All the illustrations show the same room in multiple angles and from multiple distances. (The first page shows ten toes and the second page shows nine stuffed animals from the viewpoint of ten toes)

• Whatever angle, the illustrations are, there is not even a single detail, missed out. Each detailing in the pictures are precise, regarding the angles and distances. (There are seven shoes in a page, three pairs and one shoe is alone, without a pair. In another page, the cat is chewing on the other shoe.)

• The illustrations are rich and colorful, to catch the eyes of a little kid, who is not going to worry about the details(like me).

      All being said, a cozy bedtime reading is in due, with this pacifying countdown book.

What is your 'book thoughts' about this book? Best, Good or Okay? Check your options down.

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