Buy it: Princess Peepers Picks a Pet
Princess Peepers Picks a Pet (By Pam Calvert) – Princess Peepers isn’t like the other princesses at the Royal Academy. She hangs from trees while the other girls work on their posture. And she ruins their tea party when she accidentally crashes her skateboard into the table. And when the teacher announces there will be a pet show, Princess Peepers finds out she’s the only one who doesn’t have a pet. But when Princess Peepers is out walking in the forest, she bumps into what she thinks is the perfect pet. Unfortunately, the bump knocked her glasses off, so what she thinks is a flying unicorn, is really a fire-breathing dragon. Peepers flies into the pet show on her new pet only to be told it’s a dragon. And when Peepers puts her glasses on and sees her pet for the first time, she thinks he’s perfect anyway. A cute story about being yourself.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 6, and I have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: Ivy & Bean
Ivy & Bean (By Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall) – Bean has short hair and likes to get dirty. Ivy wears dresses and is always reading books. But these two girls find out that despite their differences, they have a lot of fun together. The chapter book, “Ivy & Bean,” is a great choice for kids 6 to 9 years old. Bean plays a trick on her sister and is worried that she’ll get in trouble. Ivy, who lives across the street, invites her to hide out with her. The two girls quickly become friends as they make a witch’s robe and wand for Ivy; dig for worms and run from Bean’s older sister. These two girls find themselves in lots of humorous situations, which my daughter, age 6, loved to read about.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 6, and I have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: I Am America
I Am America (By Charles R. Smith Jr.) – This is a wonderful book that celebrates what it is to be an American. Featuring colorful photographs of real children, the book explains that we are all different, but all American. Whatever our facial features, color of our skin, clothes we wear, music we listen to, religion or ethnic background – we are America. This is such a simple book, but it’s a great way to show children the diverse people who make up their wonderful country.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, and I have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: Being Friends
Being Friends (By Karen Beaumont) – Two little girls are great friends despite their differences. One wears gowns and crowns and one likes caps and jeans. One likes playing dress-up while the other likes rocks and tools. One pretends to be a princess while the other pretends to be a chimpanzee. But both girls like counting falling stars, having pillow fights and playing ball. But most importantly they both like being friends. A great story to teach children that being friends doesn’t mean being exactly the same.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, and I have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: The Pout-Pout Fish
The Pout-Pout Fish (By Deborah Diesen) – There is one fish in the sea with a constant pout, who spreads the “dreary-wearies.” The other fish try to get the Pout-Pout Fish to cheer up but he says it’s just the way he is and he can’t help it. Then one fish gives the Pout-Pout Fish a kiss and he finally feels happy. He realizes instead that he’s a Kiss-Kiss Fish and he kisses all his friends and spreads happiness. A cute story about having a positive attitude.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, and I have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: The Mud Fairy
The Mud Fairy (By Amy Young) – Emmalina is a fairy who is having a hard time staying neat and dainty as a fairy should. She likes to play in the swamp with the frogs. And while the other fairies earn their wings opening flowers, sprinkling dewdrops and making rainbows, Emmalina finds out she’s not very good at these tasks. As Emmalina is looking for something she is good at, her frog friends come to her with a problem. The frogs are worried because their children don’t jump or catch flies. Emmalina explains that they are only tadpoles, but in time they will be frogs. In the mean time, Emmalina stays in the swamp to protect the tadpoles until they become frogs. When she gets home she is a muddy mess, but the fairy queen gives Emmalina her wings for helping the frogs and she becomes known as the Mud Fairy.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, and I have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: I Can Be Anything!
I Can Be Anything! (By Jerry Spinelli) – There are so many wonderful jobs in the world. This book gives a child’s point of view on the kinds of jobs he’d like to have when he grows up. He’d love to be a “dandelion blower,” “puppy-dog holder,” “puddle stomper,” “bubble gum popper” and “gift unwrapper,” to name just a few. In the end, the boy decides to be everything. The illustrations in this book are colorful and fun. Children will love reading this book and imagining what they’d like to be.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, and I have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: Leo the Late Bloomer
Leo the Late Bloomer (By Robert Kraus) – Leo is a small tiger who can’t do anything right. He can’t read or write or speak like the other animals. Leo’s father worries about him but Leo’s mother knows that he just needs some time to bloom. It takes a while, but one day, Leo blooms! He can read, write and speak just like everyone else. And the first sentence he speaks to his parents is: “I made it!” A great story to let children know that everyone grows and learns at different speeds.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, and I have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: Reach for the Sky
Reach for the Sky and other little lessons for a happier world (By Allison Stoutland) – This is a wonderful book that teaches young children about all the little life lessons that we learn from nature. The book explains that bees teach us that cooperating gets the job done and clouds teach us that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. With great illustrations, the Reach for the Sky points out that lessons we can learn from snowflakes, pigs, turtles, dogs, cats, owls and even snowmen. This book would make a great new baby gift that would be cherished for many years.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, and I have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: Ella the Elegant Elephant
Ella the Elegant Elephant (By Carmela & Steven D’Amico) – Ella is going to be starting at a new school in a new town and she’s worried. But she’s excited when her grandma sends her a “good luck hat,” which is big and orange with flowers on it. Ella wears the hat on the first day and stands out from her classmates, who make fun of the hat and nickname her Ella the Elegant Elephant. But Ella’s mother insists that things will get better in time. One day the school bully is falling off the school wall, when Ella decides to help. As they fall off the wall together, Ella’s hat turns into a big parachute that brings them down for a safe landing. The next day at school, everyone is wearing a big hat like Ella’s to express their love and appreciation for her. Things had gotten better like her mother said.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, and I have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
