Submitted by Jill from Leonardtown!
The Giant Hug by Sandra Horning. “What do you want to send Granny for her birthday?” Asks Owen’s mother. “A GIANT hug,” is Owen’s answer. But the birthday gift has to go by mail. Does Owen mean he’ll send a picture of a hug? No, young Owen intends to send a real hug through the mail. So, his mother takes him to the post office, where they give Postmaster Nevin Granny’s address, and a giant hug. The hug is transferred along a long chain of postal workers all across the country, brightening everyone’s day in the process, until Granny’s own neighborhood letter carrier finally delivers Owen’s giant hug. Granny is delighted, and mails an equally special thank-you back to her grandson! Young readers will love seeing how the hug (and other mail) progresses through the postal network via neighborhood carriers, small-town and big-city post offices, a variety of trucks, and even an airplane to arrive at its destination.
Sue MacDonald Had a Book
Submitted by Catherine from Charlotte Hall!
Can you read without vowels? Of course not! Sue MacDonald Had a Book, by Jim Tobin and illustrated by Dave Coverly, tells the story of a little girl who loses all the vowels in her book. Set to the tune of “Old MacDonald,” Sue must go on a quest to return these important letters to her book. The words of the book fit pretty much perfectly with the song, making this a fun and easy book to sing or read aloud. Bright colors, and silly pictures make this an engaging and funny book to share with children who are starting to recognize and understand their letters. So remember, you cn’t rd wtht vwls* so always keep A E I O and U nearby! And sometimes Y.
*can’t read without vowels
Where to Sleep
Sumitted by Tammy, driver of the WoW van!
Where to Sleep by Kandy Radzinski. I think this would be a great book to read aloud before a nap or bedtime. In this book, children are taken in and around a farmhouse in search of a perfect sleeping spot for a kitten. On one page a sleeping spot is suggested only to be rejected on the next page for various reasons such as noisy, crowded, or spot already taken. The colorful, full page pictures are sure to keep a child’s attention, while the text is simple enough for beginning readers to follow. Children will enjoy sharing the reasons why they think each spot wouldn’t be a good choice, and will be delighted to see where the kitten finally finds to rest.
Moonpowder
Submitted by Allana from Leonardtown!
Moonpowder by John Rocco. Eli Treebuckle likes to fix things, and as we quickly find out he also fancies himself an inventor. He has just fixed the radio, and is listening to it when his mother tells him it’s time for bed. “Sweet dreams” she tells him, however, Eli hasn’t had “sweet” dreams for months. His dreams are more like nightmares. Mr. Moon pays him a visit that night and takes him on a strange and wonderful adventure to the Moonpowder factory. Mr Moon tells Eli that moonpowder is a “magical marvel, a masterful miracle, a mystical masterpiece……”
Moonpowder, it turns out, is the essence that makes sweet dreams. So, Mr. Moon flies Eli off to the factory where his fixing services are required, and he flies him in a life size helio-rocket copter, the very thing that Eli himself has designed and is in the process of building! While at the factory, Eli has a nightmarish episode inside Mother Nature’s closet. This is a beautifully written and illustrated story with shades of Roald Dahl.
Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes
Submitted by Sue from Leonardtown!
Lousy Rotten Stinkin Grapes by Margie Palatini and illustrated by Barry Moser. Fox makes a plan. After all, he believes himself to be sly. Clever. Smart. Fox eyes a bunch of tantalizing grapes hanging high in a tree and decides those juicy morsels should be for him! So he sets out to find a way to get to them using his sly, clever, and smart ideas to come up with a plan. After all he is a fox. With his clever plans, and the help from Bear, and Beaver, and Porcupine, and Possum, Fox comes up with complicated plans for getting the grapes. Will Fox get those juicy grapes, or will his plans fall apart and leave him frustrated? Read this twist to the Aesop’s fable “The Fox and the Grapes.” The bright and colorful water color illustrations help to create a silly twist to a popular story.
Amish Horses
Submitted by county youth coordinator Janis!
Amish Horses by Richard Ammon. This story is about horses and their role in daily Amish life. A little boy tells the story of Amish life and the process of feeding the animals, shoeing the horses, and going to an auction to buy or sell their animals. This book gives you a great glance of the everyday life of an Amish family from the work they do, to the games they play for entertainment. This story shows the process of planting and mowing hay. It also shows how the entire family helps on the farm. The pastel horse illustrations look so real you want to reach out and pet the horse. This is a great book for horse lovers of all ages!