Officer Buckle And Gloria - Peggy Rathmann (1995)

                 Caldecott Winner - 1996

         Safety Tip #1 : Never tell a safety tip, without some fun added to it. Well, this book followed this tip to a T, and it is a grand success with kids.

Safe Fun

        Officer Buckle, of Napville town, knows many safety tips. But, safety tips are not fun to hear. So, no student in Napville school listens to the officer's 'safety tip' speech. But, things change, when Officer Buckle brings a new police dog, Gloria, along to his speech.

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.

It's An Orange Aardvark - Michael Hall (2014)

          With five carpenter ants and some peep holes, what story could you possibly write? But Michael Hall can write an amazing story with an outstanding moral in it.

Is it really an aardvark?

       
           Five carpenter ants living in a wood stump, hear a rumble outside. An ant with 'red hat' (The ants are color-coded with carpenter hats) is sure that it is an aardvark. The three 'blue hat' ants are scared to death now, as aardvarks prey on ants. But the brave 'yellow hat' ant drills a peep hole in the stump to see the outside. When orange color appears in the peephole, the 'blue hat' ants are relieved. (It's just orange color like orange). But, the 'red hat' ant scares everyone that it could be an orange aardvark.

Finders Keepers - Keiko Kasza (2015)

        "Finders are Keepers". Especially, the animals in this book follow this rule. But, though each of the animal find the same object, they keep it in different ways. Confusing? Read further and you will understand.

A hat? A nest? A boat? A nose?

     
          The hat in this story starts as a marker to where a squirrel stores its acorn. Soon the wind lifts the hat and lands it on a tree and a bird uses it as a nest. (Remember "Finders Keepers"). It doesn't stop there, the hat (Or, the nest now) soon becomes a boat and a clown nose. (Yes, it moves in the hands of various animals). After all life is a circle, so the hat finally reaches the place where the squirrel leaves it.

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.

Any Questions? - Marie-Louise Gay (2014)

ISBN 10 : 1 55498 382 7
ISBN 13 : 978 1 55498 382 7
(Hardcover)

A story starter pack

        Where does a picture book start? Is it from a word, a setting, a doodle or from a scribble? With a fictional twist, author Marie-Louise Gay, has sketched and developed a story on how to build a story.

         Believe it or not, every story starts from a blank page. In first person narration, the author first suggests some (imaginary) kids, to check for different colored canvases. (A white color - snow storm, blue - ocean theme, black - horror story and so on.) If canvas does not strike well, some introductory phrases or doodles could work. 

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. 

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.

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".

The Greedy Python - Richard Buckley (1985 - First Ed.)

ISBN 10 : 0887080014

Too much of anything is good for nothing

      Overeating has never been a good thing. And that's exactly what happened to this python. He is very long and strong. Also, he is very greedy, especially when it comes to eating. 

      One day, he starts eating a mouse, then a frog and a bat. This list goes long with a fish, a bird, a porcupine and so many other animals ending with a giant elephant. Soon he feels sick and he coughs back every animal, he has eaten. 

      Being a greedy python, he has never learnt his lesson and started eating his own tail and OOPS......?

Illustrator : Eric Carle

Publisher : Picture Book USA - First Ed.

Classification : Moral, Emotional (Greedy)

Age : Preschooler, Kindergartener, Grades 1- 3

My Comment:

       This book comes from the rich combination of Eric Carle and Richard Buckley (I cannot count how many times I have read "The Foolish Tortoise" to my kids, another book from the same author and illustrator combination).

       The animal illustrations by Eric Carle are always vibrant and could catch the eyes and minds of kids (including babies and toddlers). This book gives me another opportunity to tell the same about the great illustrator.

       The narration of Richard Buckley combines mockery and rhyming, with a perfect moral. In my view, the moral works in two ways:

• My preschooler son understands it in a simple way; 'If you eat with greed, you will destroy yourself'.
• To my second grader, I explained this analogy; 'If you become greedy about anything (money, fame etc.), it would eventually destroy you' (A bigger moral for a bigger boy).

      Also, the narration of the author is direct and precise to make it understandable to even smaller kids. To sum up, this python would make a good reading time, filled with fun and moral.

      Note : This book fits toddlers also. But since the concept of a python eating himself might be heavy for that age group, I didn't mention 'toddlers' in the age group of this book.

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Big Sarah's Little Boots - Paulette Bourgeois (1987 - First Ed.)

From SQUISH to SPLASH & WHOOSH

ISBN 10 : 0922103700

             Sarah loves her yellow rain boots, which are as yellow as a bathtub duck. They went SQUISH, when she jumps. And, finally, that day comes, when Sarah can no longer fit into those boots. Poor Sarah, what would she do, if her dear boots shrunk? She tries to pull them hard, fills them with rocks, plants and waters them. But the boots are not growing back.

             It was then, her mom informs her that it is not the boots that are shrunk, it is Sarah who has grown. Big Sarah has to get a new pair of red striped yellow boots and pass her old boots to her little brother. Alas, the new boots went SPLASH, when she jumps. Will Sarah really enjoy her new boots?

            Illustrator : Brenda Clark          

            Publisher : Kids Can Press

            Classification : Emotional (Growing up)

            Age : Preschooler, Kindergartener, Grades 1 - 3

My Comment:

           Yes, this story is absolutely enjoyable. But I would say, it is a must-have book in home, if you have a emotional kid, who don't want to grow out of anything. The little girl, Sarah, of this story can be easily matched to any kid, who gets pretty attached to their things. The narration is lovely and the tricks by Sarah to "grow up" the boots are heartily enjoyed by me and my kids.

           There is a lot of emotion binded in this story. Through the eyes of Sarah, the author has passed on happiness, sadness, naughtiness and other feelings to the reader. The segments where Sarah passes her boots to her brother will, sure, make you love this big sister.

          The illustrations keeps you nearer to Sarah by exhibiting even her minute expressions of disappointment, grunts, hopes, delights and anger. In total, I am sure, you would hear "Can we read it again?" from your kid, after the first time.

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The Three Questions - Jon J.Muth (2002)

Three Questions and three values for life

ISBN 10 : 0439199964

          Based on the short story 'The Three Questions' by Leo Tolstoy, this clever adaptation by Jon J. Muth, gives answers to three questions, asked by a boy named 'Nikolai'. 

          Nikolai searches answers for three questions:

• When is the best time to do things?
• Who is the most important one?
• What is the right thing to do?

           Since he is not satisfied by the various answers given by his friends, he goes to a wise turtle. But, Leo, the wise old turtle, is not going to reveal the answers directly. He has a way to make Nikolai to understand them.

         Publisher : Scholastic Press

            Classification : Moral (Philosophy)

            Age  : Grades 1- 3

My Comment:

      We might have read many books to our kids, to enhance their vision. But there are certain books, which enrich us in the process. I consider this book as one. The answers to the three questions not only appease the kids' quest, but make us a bit more enlightened.

    The adaptation of this story, from Leo Tolstoy's original, is very apt. While the original comes with a king and a hermit, this adaptation characterises a boy who is asking the questions and a wise turtle answering them. This makes the book more approachable to kids. The watercolor paintings add a firm backstage to this wonderful story.

            Totally, I consider this book reading as a distinctive experience with my kids.

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The Runaway Rice Cake - Ying Chang Compestine(2001)

ISBN 10 : 0689829728

         A new year is the time for new changes. With hospitality and kindness, the Chang family is in for a positive changes.

A new year to enjoy nian-gao

           After a year of drought and scarcity of food, the Chang family is celebrating the Chinese new year. As they are about to eat the only nian-gao(steamed rice cake) they have, it starts to run suddenly. It reaches a old woman soon, who had not eaten properly for the past few days. The Chang family offers the whole rice cake to the old woman and returns home.

The Foolish Tortoise - Richard Buckley(1985 - First Ed.)

A Bold Message - "Consider the Consequences"

ISBN 10 : 0689820585

       Everyone makes bad decisions at times. A tortoise is no exception. The  tortoise in this story hates being always slow and takes off his shell to move fast. But before the end of the day, he learns that his shell protects him from various dangers and harsh weather. Finally reaching the shell, he feels safe once again.

             Illustrator : Eric Carle 

               Publisher : Little Simon

               Classification : Moral, Science (Shells)     

              Age : Preschooler, Kindergartener, Grades 1 - 3

My Comment:

    I have always felt certain messages are hard to tell in a kid-friendly way. But this book broke my opinion. It comes with a high level message of "understanding the consequences", in a way even kids can get it. The poetic narration makes it a pleasure to read again and again. 

     Eric Carle's illustrations should be noted separately, as they carry the  entire background of the story in bright colors.(Obviously, the reason why small kids get attached to Eric Carle's books much. They love to go through the pictures repeatedly.) I am also happy that I can explain to my younger son why tortoises and turtles need shells. So, a lot is packed in this simple book - moral story, poem, bright and meaningful pictures, science. Whichever angle you read this book, you can interpret good things from here.

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Stone Soup - Marcia Brown (1947)

                     (Caldecott Honor - 1948)                              

        When the cloud of greed is cleared away, there will be always a sunshine of sharing in every heart. And, this French folktale enunciates that point.

A tale of sharing and caring   

         Three hungry soldiers enter a French village, in the hope of getting some food and shelter for the night, as they were on a long journey and had not eaten in two days. But the villagers, fearing strangers, hide all their food and inform the soldiers that they too are making through a poor harvest.

Once Upon an Alphabet - Oliver Jeffers(2014)

              Oliver Jeffers has tried a new wave of short stories, each one to go with an alphabet A to Z. The story for A is with an astronaut, B centers a bridge, C is about a cup and so on.

A is for Amazing, B is for Brilliant ....... Z is for Zesty    

            Bob and Bernard live on either side of a bridge. As they were battling for a long time, Bob decides to end this battle. He burns down the bridge from Bernard's side, so that Bernard can't use the bridge. Alas, how could he return to his own home now, without the bridge?

Seven Blind Mice - Ed Young (1992)

                                Caldecott Honor-1993

ISBN 10 : 03992 22618

         
         Opinions differ from person to person. But how could seven blind mice decipher the same object as various things? Here is an Indian fable that establishes that incomplete knowledge could lead to false ideas.

A pillar + A snake + A spear + A cliff + A fan + A rope = ?

            Seven blind mice got curious about the new strange thing near their pond. Each day, each mouse takes a turn and examine the new thing. But their opinion differs, since they examined the different parts of that new big thing. One says that it's a pillar, one says that it's a snake, other a spear and so on. 

A Pair of Twins - Kavitha Mandana(2014)

         (Tradition :  Dussehra is an Indian festival. It is an ancient custom in India, that during 'Dussehra' festival, a bull elephant with his mahout, heads the procession, which is the highlight of the festival.) 

Dreams don't have gender

        
         This story circles about a young girl and a cow elephant.The 'unusual' twins, the girl and the cow elephant (named 'Sundari' and 'Lakshmi'), born on the same day, develop a special bonding. The girl dreams of becoming a chief mahout (a person who rides and controls an elephant). But that profession is reserved only for boys of  the family.