The $1,300 Alphabet by Benjamin Weilert is a well-written book that introduces children to twenty-six big vocabulary words, commonly referred to as the $50 words. Benjamin begins this book with a note to parents and a brief historical fact about the 18th President of the...

As an educator, I love sharing books that encourage students to be proud of who they are – stories that promote children to embrace their unique personality traits, and those of their peers. Queen Lillie Dancing in the Park is a great example of a...

Peyton loves things like playing outside, swinging, and coloring with crayons, but she isn’t always happy. Sometimes she gets upset when her parents say no to her. As Peyton gets angry, she experiences intense emotions, which begin to fill her body. These elicit various reactions,...

Ever had a bad hair day? Have you ever taken the extra time to put your hair up and make it look nice, only for it to end up looking messy and even silly by the time you get back home? That’s exactly how the...

In This Book is Mine! by Ron Keres, readers meet Finn the Frog, who is excited about a visit from his little sister, Fifi. He’s used to having his own space and routines, but now he faces the lively interruptions that only a loud, exuberant...

Hildie and the Beastie by Donna L. Martin is a children’s story about a princess who throws temper tantrums; her “Beastie.” As the story goes, “Hildie was a nice little princess…. Except when she was not.” Whenever she’s asked to clean her room or eat...

The Dragon Who Couldn’t Breathe Fire by Sayuri Perera follows Puff, a gentle blue dragon who lives in a sunny village. His best friend is a boy named Toby. While other dragons breathe flames, Puff can only make a frosty mist, and the village children...

Shelby and the Back-to-School Blues by Marty Kay Jones (Book 3 of The Old Quarry Lake Farms Tales) follows Shelby Simone. She’s learning to juggle school, friendships, and horses in the small town of Old Quarry Lake. Shelby writes a diary entry about how she...

Poppy’s Sweet Sibling Story by Madelyn Simon takes readers to the Mungo Bungo Jungle. Poppy sings on a vine while her friend Sloppy Blue Foot sings out loud and dances. Meanwhile, his sister, Suzie Blue Foot, watches in silence, convinced she could never match him....

The Ladybird Who Changed Her Spots by Ian Humpheryes takes place in a busy garden full of all kinds of bugs. A wise old owl is perched on the fence, worried about the bugs and hoping they will not attract the attention of the hungry...