An unlikely hero brought into Mrs. Brisbane's classroom by a fluke. She has to take an extended leave because her husband got hit by a car. Her long-term sub, Ms. Mac brings in Humphrey the hamster as a classroom pet. Everything is great until Mrs. Brisbane comes back and is disgusted by the little creature in a cage in her room. At first, she wants to get rid of him, but he is so loved by the class, and eventually the school, that she can't. Humphrey proves himself worthy again and again by mysteriously intervening in lives and helping students, and adults (even the principal) through their most difficult problems. It's a good book because that's just what pets do for us in real life! My dog has.This book is great for that real connection to the world and to what they are reading.

A collection of silly Mother Goose rhymes that don't always make a lot of sense, but have that great four beat cadence and clever rhymes. They are are fun, and a good way to introduce words that we otherwise wouldn't hear: There was an owl lived in an oak, Wisky, wasky, weedle: and every word he ever spoke was, Fiddle, faddle, feedle. It's just silly, but among the obscure rhymes, you run into a common one like the Muffin Man or Twinkle Twinkle. I think its a great way to encourage reading.

The layout is stupendous. This book just feels like a good time. An inside look at what's inside a garbage truck, who has a persona of a blue collar garbage collector. Each stinky piece of garbage is labeled with its beginning letter sound. A stinkin' good time.

Big book with big pictures. The colors are vivid and the layout of the book is so clearly organized. It has enough information to draw the reader in, but not too much to confuse young minds.

This book is kind of weird at first because everything has such a stark contrast (of black and white). But at the same time, it makes you see things differently. The pages are grouped in themes, like office supplies, with no words.

Great read about an orphaned African American boy who seeks to find his father. He's got a lot of rules to live by and is very resourceful. He encounters many trials on the way in soup lines, shanty towns, and foster parents. He ends up being wrong about some things, but ultimately he uncovers a new world for himself and finds what he's looking for. I loved this book and the places it took me.

This book is fun to read because Kann makes up new words (pinktastic) that are fun to say and experience. the main character has an adventure with her brother that involves pirates, treasure and a missing unicorn.

Stylized cute drawings with fun poems.

The boyish illustrations are great and funny. The poems are funny and have fun rhymes (some do anyway). "I looked out the window and saw a snake crawling around the yard. My dad tried to find it, but it got away. I don't think my dad tried very hard to find it."

I love the pictures and printed type font. Here's a little Poem has authentic topics to engage children, and make real life connections: "mum is having a baby, I'm shocked! I'm all at sea! What's she want another one for? WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH ME!"

Great illustrations with word bubbles. I love the pig's face when he says "they're in love". The elephants reactions to the "straight man" pig are fun, and elicit a reaction. There is a Bird on Your Head has a funny ending, and helps kids to learn that they can ask when they get frustrated.

I love this book because the pictures move, and that progresses the wordless story nicely. I like the bird watching the girl. When the girl jumps in the water and then sticks her tongue out are funny and engaging scenes.

Jenkins skillfully outlines the colors of animals and what the colors means. The pages are separated by color and so vivid and enticing that you find yourself saying, "I didn't know animals could be that color", or why mammals are so drab and lack color. The back has an encyclopedia of the animals in the book which is very helpful in finding information quickly.

This brightly colored book is fun and educational. I had a hard time reading it because I hate spiders, but I wanted to see what was next. The eight eyes that can see several directions at once, and hair that is so sensitive it can feel a flying insect nearby make spiders appear to be straight out of a science fiction movie. I still hate them, but page after page, this book is hard to put down.

An egg is quiet is an amazing book. I never thought a book about egg's could be so engaging as I had no idea about the variety of egg shapes, colors and sizes. I became more and more engrossed as I read it and looked at the pictures. The title is clever and fitting as well.

Steve Jenkins shows the actual size of animals in fold out pages and two page layouts that are impressive to look at. Each picture comes with the size and weight information of each animal listed. It almost feels like looking into the eyes of the animals.

Ruby was one of the first African American's to enter the halls of an integrated public school. This story is so poignantly sad because of the way mothers, teenagers and adults responded to integration. The insults and threats that were presented to a small child are physically sickening. Ruby Bridges is a book about faith. Her mother was so strong to send her in the midst of much turmoil. Her father was right to have fear for his daughter and his family. I don't know if I would have sent my daughter into that kind of fire. Ruby Bridges perserverence and telling of her story is very important in our society today. Racism is like a disease, but I think this book can be a cure.

Visually very funny and fun to read. I like the way it introduces a chapter book and maybe feels like a more advanced book. The pictures are hilarious, especially of what's floating around in grandma's stomach. The book has a story-line that builds up to a climax, then has a happy ending. Grandma looks like she always does, even after consuming half the farm.

This book is great because it has a lot of repetition. It also moves along nicely as Biscuits moves from one animal to the next. If a kid is a dog, or animal lover, this book will motivate and entertain them immensely.

My friend is sad is very funny and silly. Mo Willems makes reading a delight. The end of the book is really sweet with a great punchline,

The ants labor while the grasshopper plays and chides them for not taking any time for themselves. He doesn't heed their warning of the impending winter cold and ends up outside in the cold.

The pages of this book are fun and intriguing. You can stare at them for a while. The story is of a father who has six sons with special talents. They use their talents to save the father. When the father can't decide who to reward, he calls on Nyame, god of all things to help him. Nyame rewards them all with a bright moon in the night sky.

In this beautifully illustrated book, that practically tells the story with the pictures alone, Goldilocks is forgetful and overly curious, and that's what leads to all her problems. She's out for a walk in the field when she encounters the Bear's house. With each act of trespassing, she "forgets" what her mother told her. However, when she wakes up in the Little Bear's bed, she suddenly remembers that her mother told her not to talk to strangers, and she does just that! Her memory has improved since.

This is a beautifully illustrated book about King Mufaro and his daughters Manyara and Nyasha. Of course, one is pure and the other is selfish and greedy. Manyara is mean to Nyasha and only dreams of being queen one day. Nyasha is gentle and kind and loves the land. She befriends a snake, who eventually is the king. When Manyara is tested, she fails. Nyasha becomes queen and Manyara becomes her servant.

Rose and Blanche are sisters. Rose is thorny and blanche is pure as snow. The mother is as loathsome as Rose. One day, Blanche is fetching water for her sister and encounters an old lady, who she gladly gives water. The mysterious old lady invites Blanche to her house, and asks her not to laugh at anything she sees. Blanche obeys and is greatly rewarded. When the evil mother and sister see Blanche's wealth, they plot to acquire the same. Their selfishness foils the plan and they remain poor and miserable while Blanche lives as a wealthy lady in the city.

Mythological journey from ancient Greece. Bellerophon, a young son of a king is sentenced to death by an enemy of his father. In order to live, he must befriend Pegasus, the flying horse and defeat Chimera, a hideous beast. Pegasus and Bellerophon become brothers and valiantly defeat the beast. Bellerophon marries and lives happily ever after.

Fablehaven is a well written children's fantasy novel about two kids who get stuck with grandparents that they only have an aquaintence with for two weeks. If not for the cover of the book, you wouldn't know what kind of adventure these kids were about to undertake. Seth and Kendra are set up to uncover a fantasy world by their grandfather. Both kids show that they are grounded enough to accept that there are fairies, witches, golems, giant cows, etc. that really exist. This is a classic tale of good vs evil, and of course good triumphs. The story consistently moves forward by the younger sibling Seth's rebellious nature. He is almost balanced by the conservative line his sister tows. The adventure wouldn't have happened without Seth's curiosity coupled with his lack of respect for the rules. However, in the end, it's his sister, who in a desperate moment shows the most cunning and courageous attributes to save her brother, grandfather, and herself. Fablehaven is a fun ride and hard to put down, and takes the reader to places that make you wonder how they were ever concocted.

Desperaux is a book about misfits. Each character stands out for some reason, and some are pathetic. Desperaux is a small mouse with big ears who doesn't do regular mouse things. Roscuro is a rat who is drawn to the light. Muggery Sow sees herself as a princess, but she is a poor dimwitted peasant, the king makes horrible laws that don't make sense, and Princess Pea has compassion for rodents. But each of these characters have redeeming values that make this a wonderful book. Desperaux is small, but valientlly rescues his love in the face of rats and a dark and perilous dungeon. Roscuro forsakes his rat nature to save the princess because he sees her inner beauty, Muggery is just as content being her father's little "princess" as she if she were a real princess. The King's idiotic decisions results of his undying love for his family, and the beautiful Princess Pea finds beauty in the most hideous creatures. In the end, it all works out, but certainly not in a fairytale way, in weirrd way that transcends the barriers between the classes.

This wonderfully illustrated book is about how a kid perceives snowfall. Throughout the book, the adults in his life, and the radio and TV deny the coming snow, but the boy and his dog celebrate the snow from the first flake until the city is blanketed. It's fun because the boy is just as exuberant from the first flake to the millionth.

This is a classic story about a boy and his companion. The toy rabbit becomes his favorite after he can't find the stuffed animal he usually sleeps with. After the boy received him for Christmas, he was forgotten, and even shunned by his toy peers. Later in the book, the boy gets deathly ill, and the rabbit comforts him. When the boy gets better, all this belongings are to be burned, including the Velveteen Rabbit. A fairy appears and spares the rabbit. The boys love has made him real. The most touching part of the book is when t he boy sees the rabbit after he is real and has a glint of recognition.