Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?
By Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
Henry Holt and Company
$16.95, ages 3 and up
Calling all fans of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?! The latest addition to the wonderful “Bear” series by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle should grace every child’s bookshelf. While similar in style to the previous titles, this newest focuses on conservation of North American wildlife. It is a wonderful celebration of the parent-child bond throughout nature.
Brewster the Rooster
By Devin Scillian
Sleeping Bear Press
$16.95, ages 4-8
If you’ve ever heard a rooster’s cock-a-doodle-doo, you know how loud the noise can be! When poor Brewster the rooster continuously crows day and night, his loving farm family tries to determine exactly what is causing him such distress. After much discussion and plenty of observation (with their ears covered, of course), young Julie figures out the problem – Brewster needs glasses! This book is full of witty turns of phrase and is perfect for little ones who may need their own first pair of glasses.
Edwardo: The Horriblest Boy in the Whole Wide World
By John Burningham
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
$16.99, ages 4-8
Poor Edwardo. All his life, he has been considered one of the messiest, dirtiest, naughtiest, noisiest little boys by the adults in his life. After being labeled for so long, Edwardo decides to live up to the many titles he’s earned along the way and become the horriblest boy in the whole wide world. But with a little positive reinforcement of the smallest shows of good behavior, Edwardo pretty soon becomes the nicest boy in the whole wide world. Naughty and nice girls and boys will enjoy this delightful tale.
Alfie’s Bark MitzvahBy Shari Cohen
Music by Cantor Marcelo
Gindlin
Little Five Star; Har/Com edition
$18, ages 9_-12
Alfie’s family is gathering to celebrate his, ahem, bark mitzvah, the Jewish rite of passage (for young beagles, like Alfie, at least). Minnesota native Shari Cohen tells the gentle, joyous story of Alfie’s big day in rolling rhyme that even prereaders will enjoy hearing aloud. The original music that accompanies the book reinforces its messages of family and tradition.
Runner
By Robert Newton
Knopf Delacorte Dell
$15.99, ages 10 and up
Middle- and high-schoolers looking for good summer reads will enjoy this captivating look at Australia’s history during the early part of the 20th century. Following the adventures of a young boy who runs errands for a notorious mob boss, Runner is filled with suspense, intrigue, and plenty of history to keep young readers turning the pages.
