Best New Books for Primary Readers
2004 AWARD-WINNING CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Compiled by Barb Swanson Sanders
FOR PRIMARY READERS:
2004 CALDECOTT WINNER! Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes A wonderful look at a curious kitten who would love to get her “licks” in at the full moon! This is a very different artistic style for Henkes, and little kids love the illustrations, even though they are in black and white!
CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK The Red Book by Barbara Lehman This wordless look at how books can take us from one place to another reminds me, in some ways, of “Zoom”; the theme is the power of literature to “move” us and it really works!
CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems Again, an artist is recognized for a visual style very different from his previous books about “The Pigeon” who drove a bus and tried to eat a hot dog! It’s a tale every young child can relate to…what to do when you can’t find a precious toy! Photos and comic drawings really get the point across!
CORETTA SCOTT KING ILLUSTRATOR HONOR BOOK God Bless the Child by Jerry Pinkney & Billie Holliday Joyous Pinkney illustrations bring the old gospel song to life with vibrant color and movement!
CORETTA SCOTT KING ILLUSTRATOR HONOR BOOK The People Could Fly: the Picture Book by Virginia Hamilton Illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon If you remember the original edition of this wonderful book, you’ll rejoice at this version aimed at a younger audience. New illustrations by the Dillons make this a treat for young children…and introduce the more complete edition that they can enjoy when they are older!
NOTE: THE CARNEGIE MEDAL, given for best video story for children, was given to Paul R Gagne & Melissa Reilly of Weston Woods for the video version of “The Dot” by Peter Reynolds…one of our favorite books of 2003!
Best of Picture Books and Poetry for 2004
Asch, Frank and Devin Mr Maxwell’s Mouse Kids Can Press
Brett, Jan Umbrella Putnam
Downard, Barry Little Red Hen Simon & Schuster
Frank, John The Toughest Cowboy (Or How the Wild West Was Won) Simon & Schuster
Frazier, Craig Stanley Goes for a Drive Chronicle
George, Lindsay Barrett Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse Greenwillow
Henkes, Kevin Kitten’s First Full Moon Greenwillow
Hoberman, Mary Ann Whose Garden is It? Harcourt
James, Simon Baby Brains: Smartest Baby in the Whole World Candlewick Press
LaRochelle, David Best Pet of All Dutton
Lear, Edward and Valerie Fisher Nonsense! Atheneum
Lehman, Barbara Red Book Houghton Mifflin
Lyon, George Ella Weaving the Rainbow Atheneum
Pollacco, Patricia An Orange for Frankie Putnam
Prelutsky, Jack and Ted Rand If Not For The Cat (Haiku) Greenwillow
Rees, Douglas Grandy Thaxter’s Helper Atheneum
Reynolds, Peter Ish Candlewick Press
Rockhill, Dennis Polar Slumber/Sueno Polar Raven Tree Press
Sams, Carl Jr and Jean Stoick Lost in the Woods (self-published)
Scieszka, Jon and Lane Smith Science Verse Viking
Shannon, David Alice the Fairy Blue Sky/Scholastic
Sierra, Judy and Marc Brown Wild About Books Knopf
Spinelli, Eileen Do You Have a Hat? Simon & Schuster
Stewart, Eileen The Friend Farrar Straus
Tavares, Matt Oliver’s Game Greenwillow
Thomas, Joyce Carol and David Diaz The Gospel Cinderella
Amistad/Harper
Ward, Helen Unwitting Wisdom: Aesop’s Fables Chronicle
Weatherby, Brenda & Mark The Trucker Scholastic
Wilcoxen, Chuck Niccolini’s Song Dutton
Willems, Mo Knuffle Bunny Hyperion
November is a focus on Fantasy books. Next month is Black History Month and mid-January we learn the new prize winning books in Childen's Literature.
The Little Red Hen by Barry Downard (Simon & Schuster 2004)
A wonderfully illustrated version of this favorite folktale, using photos and computer-adapted enhancements to present the characters in a way you’ve NEVER seen them before! Great introduction to folklore and traditional tales for the modern youngster!
The Red Book by Barbara Lehman (Houghton Mifflin 2004)
A wordless look at a magical red book that unites two children in very different parts of the world! Perfect for a writing follow-up…how does the book in the first pages get into the city in the first place? What happens after the open-ended closing page? Kids will love to piece that together!
The Trucker by Brenda and Mark Weatherby (Scholastic 2004)
Wesley’s daddy is a trucker…and Wesley has a toy rig just like his father’s! One day something happens to the toy truck that takes Wesley out of his playroom and onto the road, just like his dad!! Great illustrations that will intrigue the youngest boys!
More Complex Picture Books (grades 2-5)
Mr. Maxwell’s Mouse by Frank and Devin Asch (Kids Can Press 2004)
Using computer-enhanced art, the Asch family patriarch and his son have created a detailed look at the world of SOPHISTICATED cats and mice! Mr Maxwell wants to celebrate his promotion at the Paw & Claw Restaurant, and so decides to have a LIVE mouse for his main course! Hilarity ensues when the mouse takes charge of the meal!
The Toughest Cowboy, or How the Wild West Was Tamed by John Frank (Simon & Schuster 2004)
“Grizz Brickbottom was the toughest cowboy ever to drive a herd of cattle across the open range.” When he decides that he and his gang need a dog, who would ever think that the dog this mangy crew ends up with will tame THEM, not the other way around! Terrific illustrations of the mangiest group of cowpokes (and the sweetest little poodle!) you ever saw!!
Golden Doodler Doodling by Rita Gelman (Greenwillow 2004)
Give a young girl a multi-colored pen and a clean sheet of paper and you never know what she’ll create! This is word play, artistic license and a whole lot of fun in an almost wordless book that challenges the artist in each of us!
Science Verse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith (Viking 2004)
Sequel to “Math Curse”, our comedy picture book team is back with the ultimate take-off on classical poetry style, science curriculum content and visual puns in their usual wacky style! This edition includes a CD in which the author and illustrator read some of their wacky poetry aloud…great for an audio book center!
Unwitting Wisdom: An Anthology of Aesop’s Fables by Helen Ward (Chronicle Books 2004)
A beautiful collection of some of the most familiar of Aesop’s Fables, accompanied by the most gorgeous and graceful paintings of Ward’s books to date! A “must see” for every traditional literature unit, all age levels and every reader who loves these enchanting fables.
Here is our October list for Informational Text: The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Sacagawea by Lise Erdrich (Carol Rhoda Books, 2003)
A picture book re-telling of the life of the Shoshone woman who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their epic journey, this book is illustrated with wonderful paintings that add to the mystery of Sacagawea's journey.
Seaman's Journal: On the Trail with Lewis & Clark by Patricia Reader Eubank (Ideals Publishing Company, 2002)
This gorgeous picture book tells the Lewis and Clark story from the point-of-view of the Newfoundland dog, Seaman. Simply written, this is a wonderful introduction to the expedition for younger students!
Lewis & Clark: Explorers of the American West by Steven Kroll (Holiday House, 1994)
With an Afterword, List of Important Dates, and an index, this factual account of the expedition is a great way to begin teaching the nonfiction conventions to young students. A straightforward outline of Lewis and Clark's trip, this would be good for review of the topic or introduction of the highlights of the journey.
Land HO! Fifty Glorious Years in the Age of Exploration by Nancy Winslow Parker (HarperCollins, 2000)
Although this book deals with exploration in the 16th Century, it is an expansion of the topic, insuring that your students will put the Lewis and Clark trip into context with other explorers who came before them. Wonderful diagrams, short biographies of ten European sea captains, and a complete index and collection of maps of the voyages outlined make this indispensable for the youngest children.
How We Cross the West: The Adventure of Lewis & Clark by Roslyn Schanzer (National Geographic, 1997)
The uniqueness of this book lies in the use of direct quotes from the journals of Lewis and Clark; it has not been edited for younger students. Great illustrations expand upon the information in the journal extracts and give an authentic flavor to your study!
The Adventures of Marco & Polo by Dieter Wiesmuller (Walker & Co., 2000)
This picture book tells the story of Marco the Monkey and Polo the Penguin, who both explore each other's native lands...and come away realizing that, although they can appreciate the benefits of the other's way of life, they are happiest in their own climates. A great story to add fantasy to your study!
Here is our August and September list for Back-to-School Reading:
First Year Letters by Julie Danneberg
A lesson in letter writing reveals the ups and downs of Mrs. Sarah Jane Hartwell’s school year!
Souperchicken by Mary Jane and Herm Auch
“Henrietta is a chicken whose beak is always stuck in a book” The other birds think she’s lazy, but when she saves their lives they realize how reading can be an important skill!
On the First Day of Grade School by Emily Brenner
A parody of “The 12 Days of Christmas”, this hilarious book (with terrific illustrations!) starts the year off right--until 12 smart zookeepers save the day!
I Am Absolutely Too Small for School by Lauren Child
Lola is not so sure that she wants to start school, but her brother Charlie convinces her that she will love it--just like he convinced her that tomatoes were wonderful in I Will Never, Not Ever, Eat Another Tomato!
Actual Size by Steve Jenkins
How do you measure up to creatures in the wild? Jenkins has illustrated this book with animals shown at their “actual sizes” so every child can see how big (or little!) they really are!
Remember this Read-Aloud...
Junie B, First Grader--Cheater Pants by Barbara Park
This first chapter book series is WONDERFUL to introduce kids to real school issues and a grand heroine to boot!
Peruse our May, June and July list of recommended summer reading for PreK-primary readers.
Superdog: The Heart of a Hero by Caralyn Buehner, Harper, 2004
Dexter, the dachshund, wants to be a Super Hero; will all his training help? Look closely at the illustrations...they're priceless!
The Neighborhood Mother Goose by Nina Crews, Harper, 2004
A complete traditional Mother Goose set off by amazing photo collages that bring the old rhymes into the 21st Century!
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin, Simon & Schuster 2004
The old gang from Farmer Brown's farm is back...and this time, Duck thinks he's asked to work too hard on the farm! Will running for public office win him the credit he's due?
The Boy on Fairfield Street by Kathleen Krull, Random House 2004
A picture book account of Theodore Geisel's childhood and young adult years on the road to becoming Dr Seuss!
Geronimo Stilton: Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye by Geronimo Stilton, Scholastic 2004
A new format for chapter book readers! This series, long a favorite in Italy, comes to the USA, bringing a colorful, energetic look to this popular genre...written by a memorable mouse in his own words (and pictures!).
Roller Coaster by Maria Frazee, Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (May 1, 2003)
Almost wordless look at the thrills (and chills!) of riding the fastest cars in the park!
No Dogs Allowed by Sonia Manzano, Atheneum 2004
By "Maria of Sesame Street", this is a peek at a wonderfully spontaneous day at the beach!
Oh, Look! By Patricia Polacco, Philomel Books 2004
A take-off on "The Three Billy Goats Gruff", this cumulative rhyme is sure to be a young child's favorite book!
And an old favorite!
Lily's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes, Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media 2001
Summer is the perfect time to revisit this classic about a child's favorite teacher and a wonderful purple plastic purse (which plays "a jaunty tune")!!!
