Dear Readers: I hope that you have enjoyed the Children’s Literature Bookshelf during the past year. Buying books for your children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces is one of the most pleasant Christmas activities of the season.
Below is a list of books that have been reviewed in the last weeks of 2011 and through mid-December of 2012. I hope that this list will give you some ideas for books that might make nice Christmas presents.
It has been an honor to have written these book talks for the Southern Nebraska Register. Thanks for the book recommendations and encouragement you have given me. I hope that you and your families have a joyful Christmas.
DiCamillo, Kate. Illustrated by Ibatoulline, Bagram. Great Joy. Candlewick Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 32 pages, 2007, K-2.
Editorial and Art Staff of World Book. Christmas In The Holy Land. World Book, Inc., Chicago, 1987, 80 pages, Grades 4-6.
Wood, Douglas. Illustrated by Moser, Barry. Franklin and Winston: A Christmas That Changed the World. Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA 2011, 38 pages, Gr. 3-5.
Corporate Author. Williams, Garth, Illustrator. Baby Farm Animals. Classic Little Golden Book, Random House, New York, 1953, 24 pages, pre-school-Grade 1.
Stead, Philip C. Illustrated by Stead, Erin E. A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Roaring Book Press, New York, 2010, 32 pages, K-2.
Orwell, George. Animal Farm. Penguin Press, New York, 1946, reprint 2003, 97 pages, Grades 9 and higher.
Freedman, Russell. In Defense of Liberty: The Story of America’s Bill of Rights. Holiday House, New York, 2003, 196 pages, Grades 7-9.
Latham, Jean Lee. Illustrated by Cosgrave II, John O’Hara. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1955, 251 pages, Grades 6-8.
Kennedy, John. Profiles In Courage. Harper-Collins, New York, 1956, reprinted in 1983, 282 pages, Grades 10 and above.
Brown, Don. Dolley Madison Saves George Washington. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, 2007, 32 pages, Grades 2-3.
Borden, Louise. His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Boston, 2012, 135 pages, Grades 4-7.
Berenstain, Stanley and Janice. The Big Honey Hunt. Random House, New York, 1962, 64 pages, Preschool-2.
Burpo, Todd and Vincent, Lynn. Heaven is for Real. Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 2010, 162 pages, Grades 6-8.
Brett, Jan. The Easter Egg. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Young Readers Group. New York, 2009, 32 pages, K-2.
Lionni, Leo. Frederick. Pantheon, New York, 1967, 32 pages, K-2.
St. Matthew’s Passion Account Chapters 26-28. The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition. Oxford University Press, 2001, 1516 pages.
Stewart, Wayne. The History of the Kansas City Royals. Creative Education, Mankato, MN, 2002, 32 pages, Grades 2-4.
Lewis, C.S. The Screwtape Letters. 67 pages. Included in The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics. Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2002, 499 pages, Grade 10 and higher.
Van Allsburg, Chris. Two Bad Ants. Houghton Mifflin, New York, 1988, 32 pages, Grades 2-4.
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Painted by Bing, Christopher. The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. Handprint Books, Brooklyn, New York, 2001, 32 pages, Grades 4-6.
Lewis, C.S. Perelandra. Scribner Classics, 1944, reissued in 1996, 190 pages, Grades 10 and higher.
Burns, Loree Griffin. The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe. Houghton Mifflin Books, Boston, 2010, 66 pages, Grades 5-7.
Undset, Sigrid. Kristin Lavransdatter: 1 The Wreath. Penguin Classics, 1920, new translation, 1997, 304 pages, Grades 9-12.
Undset, Sigrid. Kristin Lavransdatter: 2 The Wife. Penguin Classics, 1920, new translation, 1997, 379 pages, Grades 9-12. Also available in E-book.
Grisham, John. Calico Joe. Doubleday, New York, 2012, 194 pages, Grades 9 and higher.
Brink, Carol Ryrie. Illustrated by Hyman, Trina Schart. Caddie Woodlawn. Macmillan Publishing, New York, originally published in 1935, republished in 1973, New York, 275 pages, Grades 4-6.
Piven, Hanoch. What Presidents Are Made Of. Atheneum Books For Young Readers, New York, 2004, 32 pages, Grades 2-4.
Meltzer, Milton. Willa Cather: A Biography. Lerner Publishing Company, Minneapolis, 2008, 159 pages, Grades 5-7.
Yolen, Jane. Illustrated by Small, David. Elsie’s Bird. Philomel Books, New York, 2010, 32 pages, K-3.
Cunxin, Li. Illustrated by Spudvilas, Anne. Dancing To Freedom: The True Story of Mao’s Last Dancer. Walker and Company, New York, 2007, 32 pages, Grades 1-3.
Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Illustrated by Christie, R. Gregory. Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, U.S. Marshall. Carolrhoda Books, Minneapolis, 2009, 32 pages, Grades 2-4.
Scholl, Inge. The White Rose: Munich 1942-1943. Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, Connecticut, 1983, 160 pages, Grades 9-12.
Sobol, Donald J. Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Slippery Salamander. Delacorte Press, New York, 1999, 87 pages, Grades 3-4.
St. George, Judith. Illustrated by Small, David. So You Want To Be President? Philomel Books, New York, 2000, 52 pages, Grades 1-3.
Stewart, Mark. The St. Louis Cardinals. Norwood House Press, Chicago, 2012, 48 pages, Grades 4-6.
Haffert, John. Meet The Witnesses Of The Miracle Of The Sun. The American Society For The Defense Of Tradition, Family And Property, Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, 1961, 120 pages, Grades 7-12.
McCrae, John. "In Flanders Fields." Widely published poem during World War I. Appeared in magazines and poetry anthologies. 1915, Grades 6 and higher.
Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. Illustrated by Azarian, Mary. Snowflake Bentley. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1998, 32 pages, Grades 2-4.
Polacco, Patricia. The Trees of the Dancing Goats. Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, New York, 1996, 32 pages, Grades 2-4.
Dalton, Pamela. The Story of Christmas. (From the King James Bible) Handprint Books, San Francisco, 2011, 32 pages, Reading Level: Grade 5 and higher, Interest Level: All ages.
Buck, Pearl S. Illustrated by Buehner, Mark. Christmas Day in the Morning. Harper Collins Press, New York, 2002, 32 pages, Grades 2-4.
