Wolf!
by Becky Bloom, Grolier 1999; ISBN: 0531301559
Much to a hungry wolf's surprise, the farm animals barely look up from their
books when he comes to devour them. Instead, they tell him to quit disturbing
their reading. The agile watercolor artwork exudes a dry wit as it follows the
wolf on his quest to become as fluent a reader as the other animals. (Horn Book)
More Than Anything Else
by Marie Bradby, Orchard 1995; ISBN: 0531094642
The nine-year-old narrator describes how he works with his father and brother in
the saltworks of West Virginia. The aches from his difficult labor are not as
painful as the boy's longing to learn to read. When he sees a man reading a
newspaper aloud, he knows that he, too, can learn. An evocative text and
dramatic watercolors provide a stirring, fictionalized account of the early life
of Booker T. Washington. (Horn Book)
The Wednesday Surprise
by Eve Bunting, Scott Foresman 1990; ISBN:
0395547768
A loving story about a proud granddaughter and her successful efforts to teach
her grandmother to read. A plug for literacy is just the bonus; the real focus
is on the lessons old and young share when they learn to read each other's
hearts. (Ingram)
The Art Lesson
by Tomie dePaola, Putnam 1989; ISBN: 039921688X
This is a charming exercise in autobiography (one of several) by the great
author-illustrator Tomie dePaola. "Tommy" is consumed with a passion
for drawing. Although encouraged by his family, who treat his pictures with
respect and decorate their houses and workplaces with them, he encounters
misunderstanding and frustration at school. Finally, an art teacher gives him a
chance to do his own thing. (Amazon.com)
The Day of Ahmed's Secret
by Florence Parry Heide, Mulberry 1995; ISBN:
0688140238
As young Ahmed goes about his work delivering tanks of butane gas, guarding his
secret, the reader receives a tour of the streets and bazaars of Cairo. At the
end of the day Ahmed shyly divulges his secret: he has learned to write his
name. The skillful, fluid illustrations capture the city's bustle and activity.
(Horn Book)
School
by Emily Arnold McCully, HarperTrophy 1990; ISBN: 0064432335
Vibrant watercolors highlights this wordless picture book about a mouse family,
in which the eight oldest mice prepare for the first day of school. After
everyone leaves, Mama settles down with her book, and suddenly the house is too
quiet--so the youngest mouse decides to discover what s school is all about.
(Ingram)
Thank You, Mr. Falker
by Patricia Polacco, Philomel 1998; ISBN:
0399231668
Tricia, who has a yearning to learn to read because of her family's love of
learning, discovers that letters in books seem to be all wiggling shapes. As she
progresses through school, her classmates scorn her as dumb. She believes them ... until Fifth Grade when she is blessed with a wonderful teacher, Mr. Falker.
(Parents' Choice)
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!
by Dr. Seuss, Knopf 1998; ISBN: 0679890084
Started by Seuss, finished by Prelutsky, and illustrated by Lane Smith,
"Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!" is a joyous ode to individuality. The
story stars an unsinkable teacher named Miss Bonkers and quirky little
Diffendoofer School, which must prove it has taught its students how to think.
Includes Seuss' original 1989 pencil sketches and hand-printed notes for the
book. (Ingram)
Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book
by Alexander Stadler, Silver Whistle
2002; ISBN: 0152025103
In this sympathetic tale of a budding bibliophile, a light-gray animal with
bearish ears and a tentative manner receives her first library card and uses it
to borrow a volume on dinosaurs. She smiles politely as the green, birdlike
librarian tells her the due date. "On Wednesday, after school, she studied
the iguanodon. On Thursday and Friday, she read about the ankylosaurus. She
spent several days building a prehistoric jungle habitat," then realizes
the book is overdue. Fearful of a fine (or jail, according to a coyote-like
schoolmate), she avoids the library until her mother discovers the problem and
helps her return the overdue book. (Publisher's Weekly)
Morris Goes to School
by B. Wiseman, HarperTrophy 1989; ISBN: 0064440451
A moose in school? Morris the moose can't read or count. So he decides to go to
school. Morris is thrilled after a day of A, B, C's, 1, 2, 3's, hoof-painting,
and make-believe -- he can finally count gumdrops! (Publisher)
