Buy it: Lulu and the Brontosaurus
Lulu and the Brontosaurus (By Judith Viorst) – Lulu always gets what she wants. So when she asks her parents for a brontosaurus for her birthday, she throws a major fit when they say “no. ” Lulu packs a suitcase and heads out into the forest to find her own brontosaurus. And she actually finds one. But unfortunately, the brontosaurus doesn’t want to be Lulu’s pet, he wants Lulu to be HIS pet. Lulu decides she doesn’t like the idea of being a pet, outsmarts the brontosaurus and escapes. And later when she and the brontosaurus meet up again, they realize that neither one of them wants to be a pet but that they can be friends. During the story, Lulu realizes also that being polite and sweet is much better than being selfish and throwing tantrums. This is a chapter book, but the chapters are short and funny, and feature interesting black and white illustrations. I would recommend it for kids ages 5 to 8.
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: Babushka’s Doll
Babushka’s Doll (By Patricia Polacco) – Natasha is impatient with her grandmother (Babushka). The little girl wants her Babushka to stop doing laundry and other chores around the house and come push her on the swing and fix her lunch. Babushka explains that she needs to do her chores first. Later, Natasha spots a doll up on the shelf. Babushka says that it was her doll when she was little, but she only played with her one time. Babushka lets Natasha play with the doll while she goes to the store. As soon as Babushka leaves, the doll comes to life and she and Natasha run outside to play. But Natasha soon gets a taste of her own medicine when the doll keeps whining to be pushed on the swing and demands to have lunch. Natasha tries to please the impatient doll, but the doll only whines and asks for more. When Babushka comes home, the doll is just a doll again. And Natasha says she doesn’t want to play with her anymore. As Babushka is putting the doll back on the shelf, the doll gives her a wink. Natasha turns out to be a nice child in the end. A great book for teaching children about manners.
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 Truly Terribly Horrible Sweater…That Grandma Knit
The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweater … That Grandma Knit (By Debbie Macomber and Mary Lou Carney) – Cameron’s grandma sends him a sweater that she knit for his birthday. It has red, yellow, green, blue and orange stripes and big buttons. Cameron decides he will never wear it and tries to think of ways to ruin or lose the sweater. But when Grandma visits, she explains that each part of the sweater has a story behind it. As she knit the green stripes, she thought about watching Cameron kick the winning goal on the soccer field. As she knit the orange stripes, she was remembering how much Cameron loves to eat oranges. Each color has a reason behind it. Suddenly, the sweater doesn’t look so horrible anymore and Cameron is proud to wear it.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, 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: Llama Llama Mad at Mama
Llama Llama Mad at Mama (By Anna Dewdney) – Llama has to run errands with his Mama, but he would rather play. Soon Llama gets bored and whiny. So he starts fussing, throws the groceries from the cart and makes a mess. Mama lets her little Llama know that she thinks shopping is boring too, but she does enjoy spending time with her little one. So Llama and his mama work together to pick up the mess and finish the shopping. Llama learns a lesson in being patient and helpful.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, 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: Tea for Ruby
Tea for Ruby (By Sarah Ferguson) – Ruby has been invited to have tea with the queen. But as the little girl rushes around to tell her family and friends the news, she shouts, interrupts and talks with her mouth full. Everyone reminds Ruby to have good manners when she goes to the tea. At the end, Ruby is surprised to discover that the “queen” is actually her grandma. They sit down to tea together and Ruby remembers all her manners.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, 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: Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem
Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem (By Mac Barnett) – If you’re tired of reminding your children to clean their room or eat their vegetables, this is the book for you. When Billy Twitters’ parents grow tired of these daily reminders, they threaten to get him a blue whale. And they soon make good on their threat. Billy is told that the blue whale is all his responsibility. He drags the whale behind him on his bike to school, crams him into his classroom and discovers that taking care of a whale is a lot of hard (and smelly) work. My 5-year-old daughter loved this story and the pictures of Billy with his enormous whale. It’s a fun book to remind children that they should listen to their parents.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, 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: Martha Doesn’t Say Sorry!
Martha Doesn’t Say Sorry! (By Samantha Berger) – This book teaches children about how important it is to apologize when you’ve done something wrong. Martha does lots of nice things. But when she does things that aren’t so nice, she doesn’t apologize. She spills food on her mom, brushes paint on her dad and wakes up her baby brother. But she doesn’t say sorry. Then Martha realizes how upset her family is by her actions. She thinks it over and apologizes to her family. And from then on, she remembers to apologize nicely when she does something wrong.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, 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!
