Submitted by Ms. Sue!
First Rain by Charlotte Herman, illustrated by Kathryn Mitter. Abby and her family are moving to Israel, where a lot of Jewish people are moving every year. But Grandma is not coming. Abby’s family has dreamed of living in Israel. They will have lots of new adventures like learning a new language, eating new foods, and seeing new places. Grandma gives Abby a plane letter to read on her way. When Grandma gets home, there’s a letter from Abby waiting for her. After the plane takes off, Abby wonders how long it will be before she sees rain. It doesn’t rain all summer in Israel. How long will it be before she sees Grandma again? Abby remembers how she and Grandma used to go out and splash in the puddles wearing their yellow slickers and boots. Abby talks to Grandma on the phone, and writes letters to Grandma. She describes the places she has visited, the new things she is eating, and what it’s like to not be able to sink in the Dead Sea! Finally, early one morning, Abby hears raindrops. She hurries downstairs to open the front door, and there in a yellow slicker and boots is Grandma! See this book listed in our catalog
Seasons
Jack’s Garden
Submitted by Ms. Jill!
Jack’s Garden by Henry Cole is one of my all-time favorite books to read in the springtime, and it always inspires me to get outside and plant something! The cumulative text builds up, page by page, like the traditional story of “The House that Jack Built.” And page by page, beautiful drawings show the progress of a young boy’s garden throughout the growing season. Beginning with the title page, on which Jack and his father are shown laying out the garden beds, richly detailed drawings depict each stage in the garden’s growth. We see the soil that makes up the garden, the seeds, the rain, and the first tiny seedlings. The seedlings grow into plants, which sprout buds, which blossom into glorious flowers. Insects come to sip nectar, in turn attracting birds and other wildlife. By the end of the book, a simple plot of dirt is transformed into an extravagant garden and backyard habitat. Young readers will especially enjoy the details in the borders of the illustrations: garden tools, insects, birds, and bird eggs are all carefully drawn and labeled. (Fun fact: Ms. Jill got to meet the author in person, and he signed her copy of this book! He’s a very nice man.) See this book listed in our catalog
The Scarecrow’s Dance
Submitted by Sue from Leonardtown!
The Scarecrow’s Dance by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. This sweet rhyming story about a scarecrow’s place on the farm, and the magical night he becomes free from his post, will enchant young readers and inspire them to rhyme. The full page, beautiful illustrations are done in acryl gouache and watercolor. Scarecrow finds himself free from his post one early autumn night. He skips through the fields and farm, and dances under the moon. As he passes by the farm house, he hears a young boy’s prayer for the farm and for him. Scarecrow is touched, and understands where he belongs, and his importance for the first time. He dances back towards his pole back in his field, and kneels to pray of rain, and sod, and faith, and beauty. “For anyone can dance,” thought he, “But only I can keep fields free.” See this book listed in our catalog
Anna’s Wish
Submitted by Sue from Leonardtown!
Anna’s Wish, by Bruno Hachler and illustrated by Friederike Rave, is the story of a little girl who has never seen or felt snow. She can only imagine how it feels as she listens to her mother tell about how she played in the snow a very long time ago. Then one day, as Anna passes by a bakery window, she sees a little white horse standing on a cake. The horse is covered with crystals, sugar that sparkles. Did he wink at me she wonders? Suddenly Anna feels something very soft and cold touch her cheek. What was it? That night Anna wishes harder than anything she has ever wished for before. She wishes for snow. This is a sweet and wishful story describing every child’s desire to see, to feel, to play and to dream of the magic of snow. The illustrations are rich in detail and encompass most of the page with coloring book pictures. See this book listed in our catalog
The Other Side
Submitted by Tess from Lexington Park!
I love Jacqueline Woodson. I’ve had the privilege to see her speak several times and her classic The Other Side almost always comes up. She was inspired by a modern, urban setting, but the illustrator E.B. Lewis interpreted her words as referring to a time and place of segregation. It’s the story of two girls, one black and one white, Clover and Annie, who live on different sides of a fence that divides their town. After watching each other all summer, Clover feels brave enough one day to approach the fence to talk to Annie. They might not be able to go over the fence, but they can sit on top of it together. This is a heart-warming tale of a color-blind friendship, written in a style children can relate to, that I treasure and hope you will too. See this book listed in our catalog
The Mitten
Submitted by Melissa from Lexington Park!
The Mitten, adapted and illustrated by Jan Brett, features beautiful pictures of a boy and his mittens. These mittens, made by his grandmother, are white, and blend in perfectly with the snow when he drops one of them to the ground. Once there, many woodland creatures happen upon it, and take refuge in its warmth. Meanwhile, the boy retraces his steps in search of his mitten. He finally finds it floating in the air. With every turn of the page, young readers are introduced to three scenes: two explain what is happening in the present, and the one on the right predicts what is to come next. Who would have ever thought that eight animals could fit in one small mitten? Children can count the mole, rabbit, hedgehog, owl, badger, fox, bear, and mouse, as they climb into the cozy mitten. You can explore this book in our Side by Side collection, where you will find more suggestions and activities you can do with your child while you read. See this book listed in our catalog