Recently Reviewed Books

The Cricket in Times Square

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden, illustrated by Garth Williams Chester Cricket was a country cricket.  He enjoyed hopping around in his meadow, sitting on his stump, and eating liverwurst.  Chester Cricket hopped onto a picnic blanket to eat part of a liverwurst sandwich – and found himself bundled up with the sandwich…

The Blue Hill Meadows

The Blue Hill Meadows by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Ellen Beier Willie Meadow lives with his family (mother, father, and big brother) in Blue Hill, Virginia – a green valley with mountains and lakes nearby. Things in Blue Hill seem to belong to a simpler, slower time.  This is a book about Willie and his…

One Day, Daddy

One Day, Daddy by Frances Thomas, illustrated by Ross Collins Little Monster has a problem: He might want to be an explorer when he grows up.  When Father Monster asks why that is a problem, Little Monster explains: “You see, Daddy, if I’m an explorer, I’ll have to leave you and Mommy behind.” Father Monster…

Iris and Walter

Iris and Walter by Elissa Haden Guest, illustrated by Christine Davenier Iris’s family moved from the big city to the country.  Iris was sad because she missed things from her old life – like roller skating in the long hallway, tango music at night from a neighbor’s apartment, playing baseball after dinner with the neighborhood…

The End of the Beginning

The End of the Beginning by Avi Avon was a snail who lived in a tree, read a great many books, and longed for adventure. “It was absolutely necessary, he decided, to have adventures for himself.  Only then would he be happy.” He set out to have adventures, and was joined by a new friend,…

Bramble and Maggie

Bramble and Maggie by Jessie Haas, illustrated by Alison Friend Bramble is a horse who gives riding lessons in a riding ring.  But, Bramble is getting bored of riding around and around the ring while Mrs. Blenkinsop tells the riders what to do (and they tell Bramble what to do). Bramble expresses her boredom by…

Mouse Mess

Mouse Mess by Linnea Riley What would a house, or a kitchen, look like to a mouse?  What happens when the humans go upstairs at night? Riley’s brightly illustrated story tells of a busy mouse’s adventures in a nighttime kitchen.  The story, told with a single line per page, has the curious mouse explore various…

Library Lion

Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes This was a huge favorite in my house for many years.  A lion, a library, friendship, and some rules – a wonderful story. One day a lion walked into the library.  One of the librarians, Mr. McBee, saw the lion and ran to a different part…

Miss Rumphius

Miss Rumphius, story and pictures by Barbara Cooney When Alice was a little girl, she lived in a city by the sea where she helped her grandfather with his paintings.  Her grandfather told her stories of faraway places he had seen in his travels. Alice told her grandfather that she, too, wanted to travel and…

Chilly Milly Moo

Chilly Milly Moo by Fiona Ross Milly Moo lives on a farm with other cows, but she is a little different.  She is hot.  And, she feels that it is too hot to make milk.  The other cows say the warm sun helps them make milk. “Milly Moo wanted to churn out the finest, loveliest,…

A Penguin Story

A Penguin Story by Antoinette Portis Edna penguin lives with a group of penguins in a land of ice, snow, and water.  The penguins swim, play, slide, and fish – and seem content with things as they are. Edna notices the sameness of things, and wonders if there is something else, something different in the…

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, illustrated by Susan Jeffers In this wonderful book, Jeffers’ illustrations beautifully accompany Frost’s winter poem.  Jeffers shows a man on a horse-drawn sleigh traveling through snowy woods. The man stops to leave food (seeds, grasses, and branches) for the forest animals.  The man also makes…