Red Sings from Treetops by Joyce Sidman 🟊🟊🟊🟊

All the colors take on a different role as the author moves through the seasons. In spring “Yellow shouts with light!”, in summer it “smells like butter”, in fall “it grows wheels”, and in winter it has “gone home”. The poetry is easy to read but my granddaughter’s eyes started to glaze over with all the abstract narrative. The illustrations are what kept her sitting long enough to finish the book.

Published In: 2009
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Age Level: 2-6 years
AR Level: 3.2
Pages: 32
Stars: 4
Awards: 2010 Caldecott Medal

The Stray Dog by Marc Simont 🟊🟊🟊🟊

A family from the city has a picnic out in the country. While eating their lunch a “scruffy little dog” interrupts their picnic. The children spend the day playing with the dog. When it’s time to leave the kids want to take the dog home but Mom and Dad say no. The family spends all week thinking about the dog and by the time it’s the weekend they decide to go back and bring him home. Will they be able to find him before the dog catcher? The story is sweet and simple and animal lovers will appreciate the compassion given to the stray dog. My granddaughters were ok with the book but did not ask for it again. So, it gets only a 4-star rating from this family.


Published In: 2001
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.
Age Level: 4-8 years
AR Level: 1.7
Pages: 30
Stars: 4
Awards: 2002 Caldecott Honor

The Noisy Paint Box by Barb Rosenstock 🟊🟊🟊🟊

“The Noisy Paint Box” is the story of Vasya Kandinsky, one of the first painters of abstract art. Vasya was a very “proper Russian boy” but when his aunt gave him a paint box a whole new world opened up to him. When he painted, he heard noises, then the more he painted it turned into an orchestra. As an adult Vasya tried to conform to Russian society and he becomes a lawyer, but one night he goes to the opera, and again sees the music as art. Not able to stop himself from doing the one thing he truly loved, he quits his job and moves to Munich to paint. Buy this book for the artist in your family. They will appreciate Vasya’s nonconformist approach to art.

Published In: 2014
Publisher: Knopf
Age Level: 4-8 years
AR Level: 4.4
Pages: 36
Stars: 4
Awards: 2015 Caldecott Honor

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

A beautiful picture book about a boy and his grandfather. The grandson describes the life of his grandfather by both words and by the shapes of topiary trees illustrated in the book. The grandfather was a horticulturist, and his memories are told through his garden. My granddaughter was OK with the book but did not ask for it again. I liked it more than she did, so it got a five-star rating from me and a four from her.

Published In: 2011
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Age Level: 3-7 years
AR Level: 2.5
Pages: 36
Stars: 5
Awards: 2012 Caldecott Honor

First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

A wonderful baby book that explores what comes first and then second in the life cycle of animals, plants and art. It has cute die-cuts that add depth to the simple words of the story. The book would be a great present for newborns and their parents.

Published In: 2007
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Age Level: 1-3 years
AR Level: N/A
Pages: 32
Stars: 5
Awards: 2008 Caldecott Honor

The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

A mother tells her son he has powerful magic living inside him and to understand this magic he must go on a quest to learn the truth about dragons. The first part of the quest is to find out what his European grandmother knows about dragons and the second part from his Asian grandmother. Each grandmother has their own version of what is true about dragons. Can they both be right? I love the way the two cultures are put on display by having to answer the same question, each having different answers. A great book for the biracial child, the child that loves dragons or for those that like a good story. Get this book for your home library.

Published In: 2023
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Age Level: 3-6 years
AR Level: 4.7
Pages: 40
Stars: 5
Awards: 2024 Caldecott Honor

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

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

Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Hare needs to feed his very hungry family, but he has lost all his money and land. In desperation he and his wife form a plan to trick the lazy Bear that lives down the street. They want to use the land in front of Bear’s house to plant crops. Hare tells Bear he will plant and harvest the crops, and Hare will keep the bottom half and Bear can have the top half. When Hare’s family digs up the carrots, radishes, and beets, the family keeps the good parts grown on the bottom and Bear is left with the greens on top. The innovative Hare family does this again and again to Bear before he says no more. Bear then grows his own crops but not before Hare has been able to sell the surplus crops and buy land for his own family to harvest. Add this clever book to your home library, it will be asked for over and over.

Published In: 1995
Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
Age Level: 4-7 years
AR Level: 3.2
Pages:32
Stars: 5
Awards:1996 Caldecott Honor

Fun Activity: Plant a small or big vegetable garden with your child.

Zin! Zin! Zin a Violin by Lloyd Moss 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

One by one the musical instruments are introduced and given the spotlight in the delightful counting book about music. It starts with the “mournful moan” of the trombone and ends with the “angel’s wings” of a harp to form a “Chamber Group of Ten”. The book is written in verse which gives it a flowing musical vibe. The book is an intro to musical instruments for young readers. If your child shows an interest in music this is the book for them.

Published In: 1995
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Age Level: 2-4 years
AR Level: 3.3
Pages: 27
Stars:5
Awards: 1996 Caldecott Honor

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey 🟌🟌🟌🟌🟌

Picking blueberries is hard work and Little Sal would much rather be eating berries than picking them. At Blueberry Hill Little Sal and her mother are picking berries to be canned for winter. Eventually she becomes tired and sits down in a clump of berries to rest and of course eats more berries. Meanwhile on the other side of the mountain Little Bear and his mother were getting ready for winter by eating lots of berries to prepare for their long winter nap. Little Bear and Little Sal lose track of their mothers and both venture from their resting place to find them. In their attempt they pair up with the wrong mothers. Oh No!

“Blueberries for Sal” is a timeless story. It was one of my favorites as a child and my 5-year-old granddaughter enjoyed the book. Even though it was published 75 years ago both the illustrations and text are relevant for today’s preschoolers. The story has suspense without being scary. I think every child at one time, or another comes behind a person at the grocery/mall thinking it was their mother only to find out its somebody else. A must for every home library.

Fun Activity: If possible, go berry picking and then make something with them; pie, muffins or jam.

Published In: 1948
Publisher: The Viking Press
Age Level: 2-5 years
AR Level: 4.1
Pages: 64
Stars: 5
Awards: 1949 Caldecott Honor

 

One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

“One Cool Friend” is one cool book. The very proper and polite Elliot takes a trip to the aquarium with his father. His father settles on a bench to read his newspaper, and Elliot is left on his own. He skips the saltwater tank, the jellies display, and the hands-on tide pool. He heads straight to the penguins. Elliot knows he has a lot in common with the penguins and one of them would be a perfect pet. So, he puts a penguin in his backpack to take home. How will his father react once he finds out about Elliot’s new pet?


Published In: 2012
Publisher: Dial/Penguin
Age Level: 5-8 years
AR Level: 3.1
Pages:32
Stars:5
Awards: 2013 Caldecott Honor

Hot Dog by Doug Salati 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

It’s summertime in the city and one dog has had enough of the heat, noise and crowds. The hot dog lies down in the middle of the street and refuses to move one more step. The dog’s owner has an idea, she picks up her pet and calls for a taxi. The two of them take off for an adventure at the beach. This is just the trip to revitalize both dog and owner. When they make it back to the city, they are ready to face the stress of city life. The book has more illustrations than words which make it a great discussion book. My 4-year-old granddaughter enjoyed talking about all the beautiful pictures and narrating her own side story.

Published In: 2022
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Age Level: 2-6 years
AR Level: N/A
Pages: 40
Stars:5
Awards: 2023 Caldecott Honor

Stone Soup by Marcia Brown 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

“Stone Soup” is a children’s classic tale that has been retold by many authors. This version was written in 1947. Some of the older Caldecott books do not age very well, but this one does stand up to the test of time. Three soldiers are on their way home after fighting in the wars. They are very hungry when they come to a village. They ask the villagers for some food and a place to sleep. After the villagers say no to their request they have an idea, let’s make stone soup. Can stone soup turn in to a feast? This vintage book is a must for the home library.

Published In: 1947
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publisher
Age Level: 3 -8 years
AR Level: 3.3
Pages: 46
Stars:5
Awards: 1948 Caldecott Honor

Alphabatics by Suse MacDonald 🟌🟌🟌🟌🟌

I have read a lot of Alphabet books and this one is my favorite. I love the way the letters become part of what they represent. Such as the letter C for clown turning into the clown’s smile. The colors are great, and the pages have just enough activity without becoming cluttered to keep the reader turning the pages. This is a wonderful book for the toddler who is learning the alphabet.

Fun Activity: Shape letters using pipe cleaners

Published In: 1986
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Age Level: 3-6 years
AR Level: N/A
Pages: 64
Stars: 5

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein - 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

It’s bedtime and Papa Chicken is trying to tell a bedtime story to Little Chicken. Each time Papa starts a tale she cuts the story short to save the characters from danger. Papa runs out of stories, so he asks Little Chicken to tell him one. Who will fall asleep first? Even though the book does not teach a lesson about interrupting the book is fun and silly. Toddlers will want to read it again and again.


Published In: 2010
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Age Level: 3-6 years
AR Level: 2.2
Pages:40
Stars: 5
Series: 3 Books
Awards: 2011 Caldecott Honor

A Child's Good Night Book by Margaret Wise Brown 🟌🟌🟌🟌

“A Child’s Good Night Book” is a calming and soothing story about all the animals in the world going to sleep at night. Its text is repetitive which makes it a favorite with children under 4 years. The illustrations were creepy to me. I know the animals were suppose to be sleeping but they looked almost dead. I would borrow this one from the library before buying.

Fun Activity: Name an animal and have your child tell you where they think they sleep at night.

Published In: 1943
Publisher: William R. Scott
Age Level: 0-4 years
AR Level: N/N
Pages: 32
Stars: 4
Award: 1944 Caldecott Honor

A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart by Zetta Elliott 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Many strong feelings are presented in this book. As a young boy copes with a shooting in his neighborhood he deals with sorrow, fear, and anger. At the same time, he has other emotions joy, pride, and peace. The story is told in the form of a poem, and the illustrations are expressive and powerful. The Black Live Matters movement is displayed prominently throughout the book. The audience for this picture book is the elementary school student, I would not recommend it for preschoolers.

Published In: 202
Publisher: Farrar, Staus and Grioux
Age Level: 6-10 years
AR Level: N/A
Pages: 32
Stars: 5
Awards: 2021 Caldecott Honor

Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

The very elegant Flamingo is teaching Flora some graceful dance moves. Flora is dressed in her swimsuit, bathing cap and flippers, she imitates all the poses that the Flamingo shows her. My 4-year-old granddaughter loved this wordless book and tried all the dance moves that the two friends performed. The interactive flaps add a nice touch, and the book is a great addition to any library.

Published In: 2013
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Age Level: 2-6 years
AR Level: N/A
Pages: 44
Stars: 5
Awards: 2014 Caldecott Honor

Fun Activity: Have your child try to imitate all the moves Flora and the Flamingo make in the book.

Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Jasper the rabbit loves carrots, and he eats them all the time. He gets his carrots from Crakenhopper Field, where the carrots get upset with him for eating all their friends. So, the carrots come up with a plan, they follow Jasper, everywhere, walking home after his big game, in his bathroom and in the shed. This creeps Jasper out, until finally he comes up with a solution, or is it?

I read this book to my 2 granddaughters ages 4 and 7. I thought the book was engaging and full of suspense, but they were creeped out by the creepy carrots. This is one of those books you should read first before buying, it may not be for all children.

Published In: 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Age Level: 4-8 years
AR Level: 2.3
Pages: 36
Stars: 5
Awards: 2013 Caldecott Honor