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Miss Rumphius

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Submitted by Ms. Cassie!

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney begins long ago with the arrival of Alice Rumphius’s grandfather on the shores of America. Alice loves to hear her grandfather’s tales of distant lands. It inspires in her an ambition to see these faraway places, but also a desire to return to live by the sea. Her grandfather encourages her in these dreams, but admonishes Alice to also do something to make the world more beautiful. Eventually, after many adventures in faraway lands, grown-up Miss Rumphius returns to live in a place by the sea. It is there that she finds her act of beauty: she plants lupines all over the hillsides and towns. The beauty she creates in shades of blue, purple, and rose inspire the narrator, her young great-niece, to search for her own adventures in foreign lands and to be sure to do something to make the world more beautiful. Miss Rumphius is a touching and thought-provoking read, filled with gorgeous paintings in acrylic and pencil. Share it with school-aged kids who may also dream of beauty in faraway places! See this book listed in our catalog

Harold and the Purple Crayon

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Submitted by Ms. Cassie!

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. This classic is a timeless tale sure to be enjoyed by the newest generation. We journey with Harold, a well- prepared and careful child, as he searches for sleep. Harold’s purple crayon is his imagination’s tool; with it he builds skyscrapers, forms mountains, and creates fearsome dragons. He starts his quest with a walk in the moonlight and must conquer all kinds of obstacles before settling back into his cozy bed. The monochromatic illustrations might seem simplistic, but they remind us that a child’s imagination is not bound by color or form, but is an incredible and versatile tool for learning. Take this sweet story for a spin as your little one drifts off to sleep, where they are sure to dream of their own wild adventures. See this book listed in our catalog

The Wolves in the Walls

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Submitted by Ms. Wendy!

The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman. Everyone knows that it’s all over when the wolves come out of the walls. And Lucy just knows that there are wolves living in the walls of their big, old house. Her mom thinks it’s mice, her dad thinks it’s rats, and her brother thinks she’s bats, but Lucy knows it’s wolves. That night, while everyone is sleeping, the wolves come out of the walls, and the family flees to the bottom of their garden. What else do you do when the wolves come out of the walls? When Lucy realizes that she left her beloved pig puppet behind, she knows she must take back the house. Neil Gaiman’s quirky sense of humor will delight children who are not afraid of the things that go bump in the night.  Dave McKean’s unique artwork helps to make this book a delightfully scary, strange, and hilarious romp for children who like stories that are not all rainbows and sunshine. See this book listed in our catalog

Paddington

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Submitted by Ms. Sue!

Paddington by Michael Bond, illustrated by R. W. Alley, is a story about a little lost bear, a bear that stows away on a ship headed all the way to England! The bear is discovered at the train station by Mr. and Mrs. Brown with a note around the bear’s neck that says “Please look after this Bear. Thank you.” “Wherever did you come from?” they ask. “Darkest Peru, I’m not really supposed to be here at all. I’m a stowaway.” he says. After chatting with the little lost bear, Mr. and Mrs. Brown decide they just can’t leave him all by himself, and invite him to stay with them. He says he would like that very much, for he has nowhere to go, and everyone seems in such a hurry. They name him Paddington, after the train station. Paddington goes to get a snack with Mr. Brown while Mrs. Brown goes to collect their daughter Judy. Paddington is so hungry after only eating marmalade on his trip, he slips in the tart at the snack table, and slide in the cream, landing in a cup of tea! After an eventful trip home in the taxi (he got cream and jam on the cab driver’s coat), they arrive home, and Paddington is welcomed into the family. See this book listed in our catalog

Goatilocks and the Three Bears

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Submitted by Ms. Carol!

Goatilocks and the Three Bears by Erica S. Perl is a story about a goat named Goatilocks. Goatilocks waited until the family of bears that lived down the street went out for the day and then she peeked into the bears’ house. She found three bowls of porridge. She tasted them all but decided the little bowl tasted the best so she ate it all, even the spoon. Then she found three chairs and after trying them all she decided that the little chair was the best so she ate it all (even the cushions). Then Goatilocks was tired. She went upstairs and tested out all the beds and decided the little bed felt the best so she ate it , the blanket and pillows and pajamas too, then she fell asleep. The bears came home and they knew someone had been in their house.  Baby Bear’s porridge, chair, and bed were all gone. When they found Goatilocks she woke up and ran home. The next day Goatilocks felt really bad about what she did so she decided to pay her bear neighbors a visit. She picked them a bouquet of flowers and delivered them to the three bears’ door. The bears forgave her and they all sat down together and ate the bouquet of flowers. See this book listed in our catalog

Dog in Boots

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Submitted by Ms. Tammy!

Dog in Bootsby Greg Gormley. Dog just finished reading all about a cat who wore a pair of magnificent boots. Dog heads to the local shoe store and emerges with some splendid footwear. But Dog soon discovers that his fancy shoes are not splendid for digging. He tries flippers, high heels, even skis, but can’t find anything that is just right. Dog returns to the shoe store to see if they have anything that would be good for digging, swimming, scratching, running, and was nice and furry too. The shopkeeper quickly points out that Dog already had the perfect shoes for him: they are called PAWS! Dog is pleased with his practical paws and heads out to do all his favorite things. See this book listed in our catalog