Did you know that today is my favorite children’s author Beverly Cleary’s 100th birthday? Famous and beloved for her Beezus and Ramona (and Henry Huggins and Ribsy) books, Cleary wrote about real kids and their everyday lives and struggles with a comic touch. Never preachy, always lively and engaging, she wanted to write about ordinary […]
Continue readingCategory Archives: Kids
Author Spotlight: Emma Virján
Author Spotlight: Emma Virján Emma Virján is a wonderful author who writes wonderful books and has a wonderful personality to match (not to mention a wonderfully red, big wig). Around the middle of March, 2016 she took some time to talk to me about her character named Pig as well as herself. Here’s what I […]
Continue readingLearn from Elephant and Piggie
Grown ups are always wondering what the moral of the story is. I didn’t even know what “moral of the story” meant until I asked a librarian the other day. It means the lesson that you learn from a story. Since I love Mo Willems’ Elephant & Piggie books, I thought I would share with you some […]
Continue readingBanned Books Week Review of And Tango Makes Three
Based on a true story, And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, with illustrations by Henry Cole, is a heartwarming children’s book about companionship and family. Two penguins, Roy and Silo, in New York City’s Central Park Zoo, meet and become a family of two. They see the other penguin couples laying eggs […]
Continue readingPicture book of the week: Last Stop on Market Street
This week’s picture book is by celebrated author Matt de la Peña, who has written numerous young adult and some children’s titles. Last summer, Mesa County Libraries welcomed de la Peña to our Central location, where he gave a great teen writing workshop and presentation. While he is best known for longer books aimed at a somewhat older […]
Continue readingPicture book of the week: Drum Dream Girl
On an island of music, the Drum Dream Girl imagines playing the drums – but she is told over and over again that only boys can play. Drum Dream Girl hears the rhythm wherever she goes and taps along, until finally her music is heard in public and celebrated by all. Margarita Engle’s Drum Dream Girl […]
Continue readingPicture book of the week: Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great
A goat with good dance moves and decent enough marshmallow square-making-abilities is filled with envy when Unicorn enters the scene. What’s so great about making rainbow cupcakes, turning things into gold, and flying? Bob Shea’s Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great tells the tale of a jealous goat who learns that he has some pretty impressive traits […]
Continue readingPicture book of the week: My Cousin Momo
Momo is a flying squirrel, and his cousins are excited for him to come visit. But when Momo comes into town, his cousins soon realize he isn’t quite what they were expecting. Momo is shy, he dresses differently, and his idea of pretending to be a superhero is wearing a giant muffin costume! Momo’s cousins are frustrated […]
Continue readingPicture book of the week: The New Small Person
Elmore Green is a happy only child – he enjoys lining his things up and not having them moved, watching whatever he wants on television, and eating orange jelly beans. One day, however, a new small person arrives on the scene, and everything changes. Elmore doesn’t like sharing attention or play things with the new […]
Continue readingPicture book of the week: A Good Home for Max
In a small shop, a mouse named Tabi spends each night straightening up and taking care of his little store filled with candy and stuffed animals who are waiting for new homes. When Tabi notices that his animal friend, Max, is still in the store night after night, he helps his pal put his best paw […]
Continue reading