Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

It’s bedtime and all the sheep are ready for sleep, but Russell can’t get tired. He tries all kinds of tricks to help him, maybe it needs to be darker, or is it too hot, or does he need a different sleeping place. None of these gimmicks help him find sleep. He attempts one more trick, will counting sheep help? This is a great bedtime book for children who have trouble falling asleep. A book to have on hand when sleep is elusive for you toddler.

Published In: 2005
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.
Age Level: 2-6 years
AR Level: 1.9
Pages: 32
Stars: 5
Series: 3 Books

A Good Night Walk by Elisha Cooper 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

The reader takes a walk before bed with a child and parent through the neighborhood. They pass the neighbor who is gardening, the squirrels in the trees, the birds in the air and much more. The illustrations are charming and the words soothing. The book is perfect to settle down with when it’s bedtime. A great book to end the day.

Published In: 2005
Publisher: Orchard Books
Age Level: 3-5 years
AR Level: 2.3
Pages: 36
Stars: 5

The Wheel On The School by Meindert DeJong 🟊🟊🟊

I tried so hard to read all of this children’s classic but after 100 pages I was done with it. Six schoolchildren are on a quest to bring back storks to their small Dutch fishing village. They are looking for a wagon wheel which supposedly is where storks like to build their nests. The story moves very slowly, and it was not that interesting. Maybe in 1955 it appealed to elementary school students, but it will not engage today’s children.


Published In: 1954
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.
Age Level: 8-12 years
AR Level: 4.7
Pages: 298
Stars: 3
Awards: 1955 Newbery Medal

Journey by Aaron Becker 🟊🟊🟊🟊

A young girl cannot find anybody to play with her. Her friends are off doing other things, and her family is too busy. So, with a red maker in hand, she draws a red door, and that door leads to another world. She sets off on a boat to a castle, then rides a red balloon and is captured by a evil emperor. When she loses her red maker how will she ever get back home? The book is wordless so be prepared to use your imagination when “reading” this book with your child. What the book lacks in words is does make up in the stunning illustrations.

Published In: 2013
Publisher: Candlewick
Age Level: 3-6 years
AR Level: N/A
Pages: 40
Stars: 4
Series: 3 Books
Awards: 2014 Caldecott Honor

Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary 🟊🟊🟊🟊

Beverly Cleary’s series of books about Ramon are classics. In this book she is in second grade, and she has two big worries. They both concern her father. First, her father has been laid off from this job and her mother must go back to work full-time. Not only is the money tight but the family routine has been disrupted. Second, Ramona’s sister had told her their father’s smoking will cause him to die. Ramona and her sister embark on a campaign to get their father to quit smoking.

In today’s world not many American families have a parent that smokes. So, I found this part of the book irrelevant. On the other hand, many families can relate to a parent losing their job. Ramona antics bring laughter to the story and overall, it is an enjoyable read, even thou if feels a bit dated. I would get this one from the library.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 1975	Profanity: No
Publisher: Fitzgerald Books	Violence: No
Age Level: 8-12 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 5.2	Mature Themes: Unemployment
Pages: 165 Series: 8 Books
Stars: 4 Awards: 1978 Newbery Honor

 

Snow by Uri Shulevitz 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Love the illustrations, love the book. One boy and his dog really want it to snow. As they look out the window, they see a snowflake. They run outside and go all around town telling the people on the streets that it will snow but the towns people tell him it will melt. The boy is right and by the end of the book the whole town is white. This book was at my granddaughter’s reading level, so she read the book to me. We had fun with the pictures, and she was so proud to be able to read it by herself. A great first reader that is actually a good book.

Published In: 1998
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux
Age Level: 2-7 years
AR Level: 1.6
Pages: 28
Stars: 5
Awards: 1999 Caldecott Honor

Jake the Fake Keeps it Real by Craig Robinson and Adam Mansbach 🟊🟊🟊🟊

Jake will attend a new school starting in 6th grade, the Music and Art Academy. This is the same school that Jake’s very talented and gifted sister goes to. Jake is not sure how he managed to get into the school but now that he is there can he convince his teachers that he is talented and gifted like his siter? Jake attempts several projects to find his true talent with no results. Finally on the night of the big talent show Jake finds his true calling. The book is funny and middle school boys will enjoy Jake’s antics. The book is not a classic but great for reluctant readers.

 

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2017	Profanity: No
Publisher: Crown Books	Violence: No
Age Level: 8-12 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 5.4	Mature Themes: No
Pages: 135
Stars: 4 Series: 3 Books