Book Finder

Is Hanukkah really all about dancing dreidels and high-flying latkes? Maybe not, but Eric Kimmel and Jon Goodell have put these devilish phenomena to good use in a lighthearted story that teaches Hanukkah traditions — from kazatzkas to gelt — along with a wise, timeless moral.

Adelita’s stepmother and stepsisters relegate her to kitchen duties after her father dies - and they don’t let her attend the fiesta. While details change – a kindly servant takes the place of a fairy godmother and a brightly hued shawl replaces the glass slipper – the story is recognizable as a Cinderella variant. Adelita, published in September of 2002, is rich with the colors, flavors, and sounds of Mexico. Spanish is sprinkled throughout this beautifully decorated book.

Almost 100 fables attributed to Aesop have been selected and illustrated in this oversized collection. Familiar and less familiar tales are included, and most are distinguished by illustrations that give these old fables a fresh face. This large collection is an introduction to these classic stories.

The very short poems compiled here explore the ordinary in extraordinary ways. The terse language and simple illustrations do not abbreviate but heighten wonder and delight.

Grace loves to act, but one day some kids tell her she can’t play the part of Peter Pan because of the way she looks. Grace’s grandmother helps this young girl realize that with effort anything can be achieved. An inspiring and heartwarming story.

The big Green Monster gradually appears on dye-cut pages with its big yellow eyes, a long nose, and a big red mouth with sharp teeth and more to create a “big scary green face!” But readers are in control as they turn the pages making the monster “GO AWAY” feature by stylized feature. Young children will be empowered by this carefully conceived and brightly colored book.

Awful Ogre’s day is much like anyone else’s, but with an ogre-ish twist. He uses onion juice as a mouthwash with just a dab on his chin, writes love letters to a delightfully disgusting ogress and more. The clever rhyming verse and dark-lined illustrations are filled with humor and visual jokes that will make this collection of poetry awfully popular.

A young boy’s flight to freedom is shown from the animal’s point of view in darkly hued, evocative illustrations. The animals reveal what the boy needs to know along the way – frogs point to fresh water, a mouse shows edible berries – until he emerges and is shown walking toward a safe house on the Underground Railroad. Text and illustration impart a taut, nocturnal journey.

Every year the narrator and his family take a trip down to Cottondale, Florida, to visit his grandmother, Bigmama. This autobiographical story recalls the joys of summer and the contrast between the author’s life in the city and Bigmama’s lush, rural home. While the illustrations suggest it was a period of segregation, this thought never overpowers the carefree summer celebration.

The most celebrated black cowboy was Bill Pickett, a fearless rodeo star with a knack for taming bulls that brought the crowds to their feet. The closing note in this book provides an overview of the history of rodeos and black cowboys.

It’s Valentine’s Day and Biscuit and the little girl have a lot of special deliveries to make. But when Biscuit smells a treat that silly puppy just can’t seem to help himself. How will the little girl show Biscuit how much she loves him? Pull back the big flaps in this heartwarming story to find out!

The basics of the events that led up to the Boston Tea Party in 1773 are revealed gradually, building through the familiar cadence of “The House That Jack Built.” Rhyming text and realistic illustrations successfully introduce the event that preceded the Revolutionary War. Small Colonial and English mice appear on each page, adding humor and a touch of information to this otherwise straightforward, clearly illustrated historical book.

Livingstone Mouse discovers that the woodland creatures just don’t have the rhythm needed for an effective musical performance. Even though he’s told to mind his own business, he puts a band together and makes it all work. The adventures of this mouse-explorer, first introduced in Livingstone Mouse (HarperCollins, 1996), are told and illustrated with humor and verve.

Four African American children interact with one another in a preschool environment, exploring their facial features, skin tones, what they wear, what they do, and how they learn from and enjoy each other. A happy book and nice addition to preschool and kindergarten classrooms.