mystery books for early readers

As a kid I loved a great mystery book. I wanted to be Miss Marple, or Mandie Shaw when I grew up. Often I would stay up all night reading my favorite mystery series because I just had to know who did it. Mystery books are great for kids because they encourage readers to use logical thinking and deductive reasoning. They're also fun to read! This month, Lucas and I picked out some of our favorite mystery books from the library to share. Some of the books he was able to read, but mostly I read aloud to him.  Overall, he enjoyed reading/listening to the stories and tried to solve the mysteries right along with the characters.

1. Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat is the first book in this fantastic series about a pancake loving boy detective. In this book Nate is working on the case of the missing painting. He takes detective work seriously. This was a favorite for Lucas. He could relate to Nate's love for pancakes and enjoyed trying to solve the mystery of the missing painting. These books are clever and funny, and are perfect for early readers.

2. The A to Z Mysteries Series by Ron Roy was also a favorite for Lucas. As the name suggests..A to Z.., the book titles in this series follow the alphabet..The Absent Author, The Bald Bandit, The Canary Caper..etc. In The Absent Author, readers are introduced to detectives Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose. In this story the three friends have to figure out what happened to their favorite author!  This series is well written, the clues make sense and the author wraps up the mysteries in a way young readers can understand and feel good about solving. 


3. Miss Nelson is Missing by James Marshall is a favorite of mine. I used to read this book to my students when I worked as a substitute teacher. It is a fun read, and a great way to talk about classroom expectations. In the story, Miss Nelson's students have gone a little crazy! They won't stop talking, they won't do their homework and spitballs are flying everywhere!  Miss Nelson has had enough. She calls in sick and brings in the horrible, Miss Viola Swamp as her substitute. Miss Viola Swamp cancels recess and gives out lots of homework. When the students try to find Miss Nelson, no one knows where she is! After Miss Viola Swamp whips the class back in shape, the sweet Miss Nelson returns to a much better behaved and appreciative class.

4. Young Cam Jensen series by David Adler is a great series for early readers. In Young Cam Jensen and the Library Mystery, her father's shopping list has gone missing! Cam and her friend Eric put their brains together and solve the mystery of the missing shopping list. Out of the four books we read, this was the one that Lucas could read himself. He enjoyed the story, and illustrations that went along with the book. We are looking forward to reading more books from this series. 

four not-so-scary Halloween pictures books

My earliest memory of going trick-or-treating on Halloween didn't end well. I was about 3 or 4 years old and this was probably my first time going trick-or-treating.   According to my Mom, we stayed within our neighborhood and only went to peoples' homes that we knew.  Everything was going well, until the last house...a friend of my Mom's. By the time we arrived at her home, I was pro...I knew what to do..and what to say. My parents stayed behind at the curb as I walked up to the front door with my cousins. The door swung opened and out popped the biggest scariest witch I've ever seen! Smoke poured out of her house, and her large black cauldron bubbled with an unknown green substance. I screamed bloody murder and ran back down to where my parents were standing with my Aunts and Uncles. After running back to my parents screaming...my memories of what happened next are a little fuzzy, but apparently my mom's friend (who was dressed up as the a witch) felt horrible and gave us all extra candies. I'm sure my parents appreciated the extra candies after I went to bed.

Anyways..

This week at the library we have gathered four of our favorite not-so-scary Halloween books. 

1. The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone is a childhood favorite of mine! I remember my Mom reading this book night after night before and after Halloween. In the story, the lovable, furry old Grover insists that there is a monster at the end of the book and warns readers not to turn the page. Of course at the end of the book it's only Grover himself and not a monster. My kiddos love hearing this book real aloud. It is a fun not-so-scary book that can be read all year long. 

2. How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? by Wendell Minor encourages young readers to dream BIG! Going to the pumpkin patch is tones of fun! But what if your pumpkin was big enough to be carved into a boat? Or grow up to be a President? This beautiful picture book shows giant pumpkins as national monuments, or competing in contests. My kiddos' favorite part was in the back where it shows picture and real life facts about each of the locations illustrated for the book. Ex: in Vermont people actually carve out real pumpkins into boats and sale them down rivers. 

3. The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams was a fun and random find for us. The story is about a little old lady who while walking the forest comes across a spooky set of clothing. In the end she turns that fear around and uses it to her advantage! 

4. Big Pumpkin by Eric Silverman is a story about teamwork and sharing. Once there was a witch who planted a pumpkin seed. Now it is Halloween night and the pumpkin is ready to be picked. However, the pumpkin is too heavy for her to pick all by herself. The typical cast of Halloween characters (mummy, vampire and ghost) all come and help. However, it isn't until the all work together that the pumpkin finally pops off the vine. To thank her helpers, the witch bakes a delicious pumpkin pie.  Yum!

June Reading

Corduroy by Don Freeman will always have a special place in my heart. My Mother read Corduroy to my sisters and I when we were little, and now I'm reading this book to my own kiddos.

It is a sweet story about a little bear who lived in the toy department of a big store. Day after day he would wait for someone to come and take him home. One day, a little girl came into the store and asked her Mother to buy Corduroy. Sadly, the Mother said no, and that "he's lost the button to one of his shoulder straps." Curduroy didn't know that he had lost a button, and this realization sets him off on an adventure to find the missing button.

Lisa, the little girl does come back for Corduroy and buys him. She takes him home and fixes his should strap saying "I like you the way you are but you'll be more comfortable with your shoulder strap fastened." I love this. The story ends with message of unconditional love, the beauty of home and family.

a new podcast to share

It is no secret that I'm a huge fan of podcasts! Our daily drive to school and back is anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes often in traffic. I needed something to keep the kiddos occupied and from arguing about who knows what (once the kids fought over a ripped piece of junk mail). 

Enter the Circle Round podcast!

Circle Round is a story telling podcast for kids 4-10 years old. However, my two..almost three year old daughter enjoys the stories and often asks for her favorites.  The podcast focuses on folk tales from around the world, narrated by Rebecca Sheir and is brought to life by a variety of talented actors and actresses. The stories run anywhere from 10-20 minutes and each story covers such topics as kindness, sharing, and the importance of hard work.

In anticipation of the summer travel season, Circle Round has a couple of special two hour episodes. We have several long trips planning and will definitely be downloading the long episodes for the trip.   

Dig! by Andrea Zimmerman

I'm not exactly sure how this book found its way to my home, but I'm glad that it did. This sturdy board-book tells the story of Mr. Rally and his faithful dog Lightening as they work together on construction projects around their community. I like this book for several reasons 1) Mr. Rally and Lightening have a strong positive work ethic 2) It's also a counting book and 3) The story is catchy and short.

"We're Going on a Bear Hunt" retold by Michael Rosen

"We're Going on a Bear Hunt" retold by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury has been one of my favorite children's books for many years. I bought this book for my husband (at that time he was my boyfriend) eight years ago. We worked at a summer camp together. One of the camp fire songs we sang was "We're Going on a Bear Hunt." It was a fun song with sillyhand motions - a camp favorite among campers and staff. I gave this book to him as an anniversary gift.

Much to my delight Lucas has discovered this book. He loves the part where family tromps through the mud, swims through the river and tip toes up to the bear cave. Hand motions and voices are a must with this fun loving adventure book.

The author's use of repetition is catchy and engaging which encourages young readers to join in. I like how the author uses vivid descriptions -long wavy grass, a deep cold river, and thick oozy mud - to encourage the readers imagination.  The illustrations are beautiful. I like how Oxenbury switches back and forth from black and white drawings to color drawings.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt is a fantastic book for readers of all ages.

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker

"Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site"  is a wonderful picture book for boys and girls who love big machinery. The author tells a story of how after a long hard day of "rough and tough construction play" it is time for the machines to "end their fun" and go to bed. As each machine ends their day and prepares for bed; readers get to say goodnight creating just the right atmosphere for bedtime.

The illustrations are fantastic. Using a muted color palette, the illustrator created a world with a classic old fashion feel. I love the attention to detail - from the crane with a nightlight to the cement truck getting a bedtime bath.

Between the cute story, and beautiful illustrations this book has it all!

The Day the Crayons Quit written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Lucas received this cute quirky picture book for his 3rd birthday. It's now one of his favorite bedtime/nap time books. By the end of the last page, he is already asking for more. He enjoys the bright colorful illustrations and short text. It takes about seven to ten minutes to read this book - depending on how long he wants to look/talk about each page. Perfect for our bedtime routine and my 3 year old's short attention span.

While googling information on the author and illustrator, I found that this book had many negative reviews. Everything from whiny crayons, racist intentions on the authors part (in particular with the Peach and Beige crayons), and a possible plagiarism charge.

How much of this is simply adults reading into/over-analyzing The Day the Crayons Quit?  I'm not sure?

I have enjoyed reading this book. The illustrations are fantastic. I love the details Jeffers puts into his artwork. I think half of this book's success comes from the illustrations. The letters to Duncan are hysterical. Each crayon has something to say - some are upset, some have been used to much or too little, some some are in disputes with one another, and some just want to let Duncan know that he is doing a fantastic job. 

These Happy Golden Year by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Ingalls family will always have a special place in my heart. As a little girl, I grew up reading (and watching) the Little House on the Prairie series. And now as an adult I'm thrilled to be able to reread and enjoy the adventures of Pa, Ma, Mary, Laura, Carrie and little Grace.

"These Happy Golden Years," which won the Newberry Honor award in 1944, continues the autobiographical account of the Ingalls family. The book starts when Laura is fifteen and ends when she turns eighteen. Laura is now a young lady, and her life is getting interesting. To help make ends meet, Laura takes on a teaching job twelve miles away from home. This is the first time Laura is living away from home and she struggles with homesickness and learning how to be a good teacher. Every Friday afternoon, the handsome and much older Alamanzo Wilder braves the cold weather to take her home. As the story progresses, Alamanzo becomes an even bigger part of Laura's life. Between the buggy rides, the singing school and sledding; soon a friendship turns to love for Laura and Alamanzo ending in their marriage and the start of a new life together.

Laura's romance with Alamanzo is an excellent example of a wholesome courtship without the pressures of modern dating. Should I have daughters I would definitely suggest this book during their tween/teen years. Laura is a fine example for young girls - someone who studies hard, goes out and does what she needs to do, has adventures and along the way finds true love.

Roadwork by Sally Sutton

"Roadwork" by Sally Sutton is a fantastic book about the process of building a road. My son received this book as a Christmas present. He loves the colorful illustrations, the different types of machinery and the fun action "sounds" on each page. I've read this book so many times (my all time record was sixteen in one sitting) that I have it committed to memory.

It takes a lot of work, people and heavy machinery to build a road. From surveying the location, to clearing a pathway, to spreading and flatting the tar, to planting and hanging up the lights, this book tells it all.

The text is simple and easy to read. My son loves the action "sounds" at the end of every page - "Gulp! Slurp! Crunch!" - what little boy doesn't love silly sounds!

The illustrations are bright and accurately portray the actions in the text. I like that male and female characters are equally represented in the illustrations.

This book is excellent and I highly recommend it for for preschool readers.

Alphabet Trucks by Samantha R. Vamos

"Start the engines, lift and load. Shift the gears and hit the road.....Day and night, just watch and see. Trucks work hard from A to Z."

Words cannot express how excited I am to have found this book. My son is a huge fan of trucks and recently has become interested in his letters.

With its colorful illustrations, engaging text and fun subject matter, "Alphabet Trucks" is a great addition for any children's library.

"Dig, Dig, Digging" by Margaret Mayo

My son son loves this book. I've read "Dig, Dig, Digging" so many times that I have it committed to memory. In fact, this morning while I folded the laundry Lucas sat next to me and turned the pages while I recited the story.

This book is a must for children who love large vehicles. From dump trucks to tractors, this book has it all.

The text is brief. I enjoy the colorful adjectives and  descriptive language the story uses to capture the noises and jobs the vehicles do. It is a great way to teach children about the different types of heavy machinery.

The illustrations are bright and provide plenty of details for children to enjoy. One thing that I did noticed (not a big issue for me, but some parents may take offense) is that all of the characters are male. It does not have any female workers portrayed in the book.

This book is excellent and I highly recommend it for young readers.