Youngest Readers (Toddlers to Kindergarten)      

COLORS/COLORES: MY VERY FIRST BILINGUAL BOOK
Written and illustrated by Eric Carle (Grosset & Dunlap)
This ingeniously simple board book uses Eric Carle's vibrant artwork to teach simple words. Slide the panel to reveal the name of each color in English or in Spanish.

PEEKABOO BEDTIME
Written and illustrated by Rachel Isadora (Putnam)
Here is a book babies and parents will find familiar. Babies playing peek-a-boo with parents has universal appeal.

ROADWORK
Written by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Brian Lovelock (Candlewick Press)
Summer and roadwork seem to go hand in hand. With this book you can turn this dust-churning and earth-moving event into a fun read-aloud for a curious youngster.

For Readers (Kindergarten to 2nd Grade)

PETER SPIT A SEED AT SUE
Written by Jackie French Koller, illustrated by John Manders (Viking)
It's watermelon season! The kids in this book get the whole town involved in a seed-spitting party extravaganza.

ENCYCLOPEDIA MYTHOLOGICA: FAIRIES AND MAGICAL CREATURES
Written and illustrated by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda (Candlewick Press)
This pop-up book is incredible.  Visiting mythical beings around the world, from household brownies to the merfolk lurking deep below the sea, this breathtaking 3-D book brims with facts and fancy. It will hold humans of all ages in its spell.

THE BEST STORY
Written by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf (Dial)
This is a great read-aloud for adults who are encouraging young writers. Through embedding the elements of a good story, Eileen Spinelli vividly unravels the mystique of writing.

For Readers (3rd to 6th Grade)

WHAT THE WORLD EATS
Written by Faith D'Aluisio, photos by Peter Menzel (Tricycle Press)
What an amazing look at the global village, through the food families eat. This enthralling glimpse into cultural similarities and differences is at once a striking photographic essay and an essential study in nutrition and the global marketplace.

SIPPING SPIDERS THROUGH A STRAW: CAMPFIRE SONGS FOR MONSTERS
Written by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Gris Grimly (Scholastic Press)
Next time you go camping, or head off to summer camp, this book would be a good addition to pack with your gear. The melodies are familiar and the words will rival any campfire ghost story.

THE McELDERRY BOOK OF GREEK MYTHS
Retold by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Pep Montserrat (McElderry)
The Greek myths have never lost their place in the imaginative and literary world. These wonderfully illustrated retellings by Kimmel and Montserrat are great introductions to mythology.  Add Lynn Curlee's recently published book, Mythological Creatures: A Classical Bestiary, for some interesting details on the imaginary animals found in Greek mythology.