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Little Raccoon’s Big Question
Author: Miriam Schlein
Publisher: Greenwillow, imprint of HarperCollins
Price: $15.99
ISBN: 0060521163

“When do you love me most of all?” begins this charming tale of a young raccoon’s need to know the level of his mother’s love. Preschoolers will enjoy the lively illustrations portraying the young raccoon’s daily antics in trying to determine when he earns his mother’s affections. In the end, mother raccoon explains that there is no specific time that she loves him most of all—rather, she loves him all the time! This endearing tale reinforces the strong bond between mothers and their young—whether they are animals or humans, there’s nothing quite like the love shared between the two.


The Kingfisher Treasury of Stories for Eight Year Olds
Publisher: Kingfisher
Price: $5.95
ISBN: 0753457148
This suburb collection has been specially chosen to be read to eight-year-olds, but all ages will enjoy the variety and excellence of these stories of ranging from tales about unwanted ghosts to soup tureen antics to a charming wizard’s house. While the number of illustrations is few, each tale has at least one illustration that charmingly depicts the elements of the story. What’s more, the illustrations vary according to each story. Some are whimsical, others are more serious.

The anthology includes contributions from James Berry, Robert Newton Peck, Emily Smith, and Alison Lurie, among others and is part of the Kingfisher Treasury series, each featuring a wonderful array of authors on stories ranging from ballet to pirates to monsters.


The Foot-Stomping Adventures of Clementine Sweet
Author: Kitty Griffin; Kathy Combs
Publishers: Clarion Books
Price: $15.00
ISBN: 0618247467
For anyone looking to learn a little Texas slang, this hilarious, upbeat book is filled with cultural gems. Six-year-old Clementine’s true personality shines when her family ignores her on her birthday. As a result of being forgotten, Clementine turns into one of the meanest girls in the county—stomping on people’s feet to get attention. But this pugnacious behavior doesn’t last long. A giant twister storm comes to town and the brave Clementine goes out of her way to save her town. A surprising turn of events leads to a nicer, sweeter Clementine. Reading this book aloud will keep kids coming back for more—especially if it is read with a true Texas drawl.

The Perfect Clubhouse
Author: Daniel Mahoney
Publisher: Clarion Books
Price: $15.00
ISBN: 061834672
What better way to spend a summer day than by building a clubhouse with your closest friends? But when animal friends Stanley, Heston, Julius, and Floyd begin the task, they have different ideas of what the perfect clubhouse should be. From playing superheroes to creating works of art to doing science experiments to camping out, the friends find they what to pursue different activities in their new hangout—leading to feelings of frustration and irritation. Naturally, the friends come together in a “perfect” ending. Rich and imaginative illustrations by the author bring Mahoney’s prose to life and add a colorful dimension to this charming tale. The relatively simply faces of the animals are remarkably expressive.

The Firekeeper’s Son
Author: Linda Sue Park
Publisher: Clarion
Price: $16.00
ISBN: 0618133372
The Firekeeper’s Son is a picture book that tells of life in a Korean village several hundred years ago—in the early 1800s. At that time, bonfires were lit by villages on the mountains as a signal that all was well. If a king did not see a fire, that meant trouble and he would send out his army, complete with glistening swords and enormous soldiers. In this exciting story, young Sang-hee dreams of meeting these infamous soldiers. When his father is unable to light the bonfire one night, Sang-hee must take his place. Torn between his duty and responsibility and his longing to see the soldiers, Sang-hee is forced to make a difficult decision. Based on the real Korean tradition of the bonfire signal system, Julie Downing’s radiant illustrations depict traditional Korean village life.

Hot Potato Mealtime Rhymes
Publisher: Clarion
Price: $16.00
ISBN: 0618315543
Through the teeth and past the gums look out stomach, here it comes! This anthology of 18 glorious poems and rhymes celebrates all things yummy. From beautiful soup to delectable cinnamon buns to scrumptious chocolate cake, kids and parents alike will find everlasting fun in poems by Spike Mulligan, Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, Douglas Florian, and others. This mouth-watering compilation is sure to keep kids’ mouths watering and them wanting to come back for second helpings.


Lizzy’s Ups and Downs: Not An Ordinary School Day
Author: Jessica Harper
Publisher: HarperCollins
Price: $15.99
ISBN: 0060520639
“Tell me about your day.” How many times have you said that to your kids? When Lizzy’s mother asks how her day was, poor Lizzy relives the ups and downs of her day at school. Rather than being a typical day, Lizzy explains how every moment—from sleeping late to wearing mix-matched socks to saying goodbye to a classmate who is moving—has had a profound effect on making this one of the worst days she’s had in awhile. Jessica Harper does an exceptional job at capturing some of the emotional challenges of a typical school day—challenges children of all ages can relate to. Jessica’s sister, Lindsay, offers simple, yet emotionally packed illustrations to capture Lizzy’s experiences. In the end, Lizzy findscomfort in her giving her dog and cat kisses and hugs. Even though she realizes that world is filled with ups and downs, Lizzy decides not to let her day get her down. She ends her crazy day with a simple hug and kiss for her dog and cat. After that, all is right with the world.