Book Suggestions for your Shopping List
Compiled by the Fairfield County Children's Librarians Roundtable and the Litchfield Hills Children’s Librarians Roundtable of the Western Connecticut Library Council
Age Level: Infants – Preschool
Bark, George by George Feiffer
HarperCollins, 1999, ISBN 0062051865
Animal sounds, bold illustrations, and an unexpected ending make this a picture book any young child will love to read over and over.
The Everything Book by Denise Fleming
Holt, 2000, ISBN 0805062920
For the very youngest, a delightful collection that introduces colors, shapes, numbers, animals, food, and nursery rhymes.
Here Comes Mother Goose by Iona Archibald Opie (Editor)
Candlewick Press, 1999, ISBN 0763606839
A 1999 Parent’s Choice Gold Award winner, this charming version of over 60 traditional rhymes is sure to be a lap-time favorite for the toddlers on your list.
Little Boat by Opal Dunn and Bettina Paterson
Henry Holt, 2000, ISBN 0805064168
A board book with a removable boat that the reader moves from page to page as part of the story.
Seals on the Bus by Lenny Hort
Henry Holt, 2000, ISBN 0805059520
Animal antics and sounds based the popular nursery song.
Age Level: Pre-K – Second Grade
26 Fairmount Avenue by Tomie DePaola
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1999, ISBN 039923246X; paperback 0698118642
Children’s author-illustrator dePaola tells about his childhood experiences in Meriden, CT.
Are You There, Baby Bear? by Catherine Walters
Dutton's Children's Books, 1999, ISBN 0525461612
While waiting for the family’s new baby, Alfie approaches different animals looking for his new brother or sister. An adorable picture book to share with a young child.
The Big Bug Search by Ian Jackson
Osborne, 1996, ISBN 0881108944, paperback 0746027036
Colorful book/puzzle for young scientists. Incorporates facts with the "Where's Waldo" or "I Spy" search-and-find format.
Big Cheese for the White House: The True Tale of a Tremendous Cheddar by Candace Fleming
DK Publishing, 1999, ISBN 0789425734
A fictionalized and funny telling of a true historical event. The folks of Cheshire, MA, jealous of the Connecticut cheese served at the White House, plan to send a 1235 pound cheddar to President Jefferson.
Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story by Eve Bunting
BridgeWater Books (Troll), 2000, ISBN 0816765200
The heartwarming story of Annie Moore’s journey to America, as the first immigrant to be processed through Ellis Island on January 1, 1892. Period photos add authenticity to this drama of a voyage to a new land.
Elizabeti's Doll by Stephanie Stuve-Badeen
Lee & Low Books, 1998, ISBN 1880000709
A young girl finds a way to have a special baby doll.
Frederick’s Fables: A Treasury of 16 Favorite Leo Lionni Stories by Leo Lionni
Knopf, 1999, ISBN 0679888268
A collection of sixteen of Lionni's favorite stories, with an author’s note.
Hedgie’s Surprise by Jan Brett
Putnam's Sons, 2000, ISBN 0399234772
Henry doesn't like the trolls taking her eggs to eat for breakfast, but it's Hedgie who comes up with a tricky plan to fool them. Hedgie’s eggs finally hatch, but where did Hedgie hide the chicks?
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen
Blue Sky Press, 2000, ISBN 0590316818
Dinosaurs, from Allosaurus to Pteranodon, teach bedtime manners in rhyme.
Just One More Story by Dugald Steer
Dutton's Children's Books, 1999, ISBN 0525462155
Small books pull out from the main book. These funny books are sure to be asked for again and again.
Little Red Hen: Makes Pizza by Philemon Sturges
Dutton’s Children's Books, 1999, ISBN 0525459537
A humorous new spin on an old tale with a surprising ending. Cut-paper illustrations add just the right touch to this saucy retelling.
Olivia by Ian Falconer
Atheneum, 2000, ISBN 0689829531
Olivia, like many preschoolers, is very good at lots of things, but the thing she's really best at is wearing people out.
One Lonely Sea Horse by Saxton Freyman
Arthur A. Levine, 2000, ISBN 0439110149
In beautifully photographed dioramas, fruits and vegetables are transformed into sea plants and animals in an underwater counting adventure.
Red-Eyed Tree Frog by Joy Cowley
Scholastic Press, 1999, ISBN 0590871757
A Central American red-eyed tree frog spends the night searching for food, while attempting to avoid those creatures who would have him for dinner.
Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots by Sharon Lovejoy
Workman Pub., 1999, ISBN 0761117652, paperback 0761110569
A fun and informative guide to gardening with children. Nine concepts for theme gardens, including one for a pizza garden, are clearly defined. An innovative approach to gardening that encourages creativity and individual expression.
Sitting Ducks by Michael Bedard
Putnam & Grosset, 1998, ISBN 0399228470
A wonderfully illustrated story about a duck who escapes his fate, is befriended by an alligator, and goes to Ducktown to warn the other ducks.
The Soccer Mom from Outer Space by Barney Saltzberg
Crown, 2000, ISBN 0517800632
An amusing story about how a mother's enthusiasm can be embarrassing to a child, but inspirational to all the other parents.
The Wheels on the Bus Donna Brooks
Dutton’s Children's Books, 2000, ISBN 0525465065
A fresh, lively, and imaginative adaptation of the traditional rhyme and song. The book also features flaps, fold-outs, and other items to manipulate. The construction is sturdy, and the whole product is enchanting.
Where Do Balloons Go: An Uplifting Mystery by Jamie Lee Curtis
HarperCollins Children’s Books, ISBN 006027980x
Anyone who has ever let go of a balloon string and watched the balloon go up and up and out of sight will appreciate this whimsical picture book.
Age Level: Third Grade – Sixth Grade
Because Of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Candlewick, 2000, ISBN 0763607762
Lots of good things happen to ten-year-old India Opal Buloni during her summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, all because of her big ugly dog, Winn-Dixie.
Dirt On Their Skirts: The Story Of The Young Women Who Won The World Championship by Doreen Rappaport
Dial Press, 2000, ISBN 0803720424
Drama of the 1946 championship game of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, as told by a fictional fan.
Holes by Louis Sachar
Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1998, ISBN 0374332657; Paperback: Yearling Books 044044806
Because of a relative’s family curse, Stanley Yelnats is in the wrong place at the wrong time, and ends up in a Texas correctional camp where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a sense of himself.
Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
HarperCollins, 2000, ISBN 0060284544, Paperback 0060284528
Thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an arranged marriage, and must suffer a destiny dictated by India’s tradition – or find the courage to oppose it.
Michelangelo by Diane Stanley
HarperCollins, 2000, ISBN 0688150853
This easy-to-read picture book biography introduces older children to the life and work of the well-known Renaissance artist.
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Scholastic Trade Bks, 1997, ISBN 0590360809, 0590371258 (pbk.)
Billie Jo relates the hardships of living on her family’s wheat farm in the dust bowl of Oklahoma during the Depression. Young readers experience her enormous strength and courage, as she relates her own mother’s death and her family’s struggle to survive.
Tales of Magic: Boxed Set (includes Half Magic, Knight's Castle, Magic by the Lake and Time Garde) by Edward Eager and N.M. Bodecker
Harcourt Brace, 2000, ISBN 0152025464
Filled with adventure and humor, full of fantasy and magic, similar to Harry Potter.
Women Warriors: Myths and Legends of Heroic Women by Marianna Mayer
Morrow Junior Books, 1999, ISBN 0688155227
Twelve stories of real women who acted with courage and determination to fight for their beliefs. Lovely, muted illustrations.
For All Ages
If Gumdrops Fell Like Raindrops by Thalia Marakas
TM Publishing, 2000, ISBN 0967625815
A collection of poems about feelings, friends, siblings, parents, pets, reading, and more, that is sure to delight everyone.