The Daddy Mountain by Jules Fieffer

The Daddy Mountain, by Jules Fieffer, is a winner of the Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards.  It's also a favorite in our house.  I bought it many years ago when my second child was little.  She loved her daddy and the minute he stopped moving she'd be climing on him.  The character in this book also loves to climb up daddy, so the book was a perfect fit for my daughter.

Although it hadn't been read in a few years, it was still sitting on our bookshelf.  As my 3 year old was trying to climb up my husband yesterday I was reminded of this cute tale.  So, we pulled it out, and as I started to read it to my 3 year old, ALL my girls came over and listened.  Even at 9 and 8 my older ones weren't too old, especially because they could relate to it.  My one year old even came over and joined us . . . just because.  The child in the book (no gender specified) gets very excited about the trek up the daddy mountain, and it leaves your child wondering what will happen next.  This book is most suited for 2 - 5 year olds, but great for all ages up through elementary school.

My Fathers Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

"This is, without a question, the funniest book that we have seen for a month of Sundays.  It is also an exciting adventure story." - Saturday Review

Oh and it's a Newbery Honor and ALA Notable.

Pick one up or order here.

I found mine at our local thrift store and the cover illustration was enough for me to shove this 50 cent book into my shopping bag.

Now, let me share with you my experience.

I am definitely reading this book to my kids.

Mail deliveries in the jungle by animals...

A talking cat...

A character named "Elmer Elevator"...

Rescuing a dragon...

What's not to love.

Why was this never made into a movie?

I  just know this is a book that my little boys will say, "Read me more...read me more!"  So I'll keep reading and before very long, I will have read 5 or 6 chapters because it is a very easy book to read.  The chapters are short too.

Wow, I think I read the entire chapter book in less than an hour.  It was awesome.  It was very cute!

There is a trilogy to this book.  So I'm sure I'll have to dig around and find the others.

They are

My Father's Dragon

Elmer and the Dragon

The Dragons of Blueland

Published in 1948 and it's still a good one!

The Graveyard Book: 2009 Newbery Award Winner

I went to my local library today, I was 30 minutes early!  After I returned a huge pile of books that my oldest boy checked out (ALL Dr. Seuss).  I asked if they had a list of Newbery Award books anywhere...the answer was "No, we do not."  WHAT!  They don't how is this possible that a library does not have a list of award winning books available for parents or children.  It's so simple to print a few copies off and put them in an appropriate area for easy reference.  However, one of the nice ladies there went to her office and printed me a full list of Winners and Honors and the first on the list for the current year was this book.

This is the current Newbery Award winning book.  I checked it out.  I was early to pick my two young boys up from playschool so I went in and found a quite corner and started reading.  Before I knew it, it was time to check them out.  I couldn't believe how that book just sucked me right in.  I'm only partially in chapter 2 but I love it!  At first I thought...do I really want to read this?  It seemed too dark for me.  So far, it's not...who knew.

This is the first book of many that I'll be reading.  My goal is to do one Newbery book a week that I haven't already read (and maybe some I have).  What I'd like is for you to read them with me.  You're almost guaranteed to find the books at your local library.

Read them with me.  Come back to this post...there will be a link on the left that says "Book of the Week".  Come back and leave a comment.  Share with the world what you thought about it...this isn't Oprah's book club.  This is to help review books that are written for Children's Literature.  Help me make this little site a good place for others to use as a tool.

I'll share with you my Caldecott selections for the week next.

Oh and before I forget...go HERE!  It's the author, Neil Gaiman's website and you can download a desktop image for your computer...I did!  Read it to find out why it's an award winning book!

New book next Friday.

Award Winners: Newbery Award

Ah, the Newbery Award!  This is an honor indeed.  You are guaranteed a good read with any book that has received a Newbery Medal.  The purpose of the Newbery Medal was stated as follows: "To encourage original creative work in the field of books for children. To emphasize to the public that contributions to the literature for children deserve similar recognition to poetry, plays, or novels. To give those librarians, who make it their life work to serve children's reading interests, an opportunity to encourage good writing in this field."  The Newbery Award thus became the first children's book award in the world.

You can click this link to download a full list of award winners.

I have to admit, I haven't read nearly enough of these books...I should have already read them all but I also find myself reading some of the Newbery Honor books as well.  However here is a list of my favorites?

• Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
• Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
• Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
• Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski

 If you want to know more about the Newbery Award go to the ALA website.

Why do you want to read these books to your children or for yourself?  Because they are the best of the best!  You can't go wrong.  I recommend printing the list and heading over to your public library or local bookstore and start reading right of the list. 

Good Readers make Good Leaders!

I read that quote on a poster some time ago and have never forgot it...I'm thinking of tattooing it on my children's bedroom walls. I don't know who originally said this but I like it!  Someone please fill me in.

Award Winners: Caldecott Medal

Let's make this easy.  Print your list here.  Now take this to your local library or book store and find a few.  You'll soon discover why these books are winners.

What is the Caldecott Medal?  According to the ALA, each year the Newbery Medal is awarded by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children's books published the previous year. However, as many persons became concerned that the artists creating picture books for children were as deserving of honor and encouragement as were the authors of children's books, Frederic G. Melcher suggested in 1937 the establishment of a second annual medal. This medal is to be given to the artist who had created the most distinguished picture book of the year and named in honor of the nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph J. Caldecott.

If you have the desire to build a children's book library of your own, this is a good place to start.  You are getting the best of the best in children's literature with illustrations.   Here are my favorites!

• Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
• The Little House by Virgina Lee Burton
• Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper by Marcia Brown
• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
• Rapunzel by  Paul O. Zelinksky

Now, why do you suppose these are my favorites?  Hmm!
Because these are the ones I remember from my childhook, except for Rapunzel.  It's one of my new favorites.  Not only do I love these books that are winners but I love other books by these award winning illustrators.

Print off the list from the link I provided above, read it over and then tell me what your favorites are.  Are they from your childhood?  Newly discovered?  Are their many you have never read?  I have to mention that one of my favorite illustrators of all time was never a winner of any award but whose illustrations are enchanting...Gyo Fujikawa.  Who until recently, I thought was a man.  She is actually an American woman, whose parents were from Japan and was given a masculine name.  Interesting right?  This particular book is one that my mother read to me until the cover fell off.  Here are some sample illustrations I have found online to share with you.  Once I rediscovered this illustrator in college I started buying her books whenever possible.  So, my brother, my mom and myself all have a copy of this beloved book. 

Here are a few great website that showcase beautiful children's books (not all Caldecott).  Just look for them and be sure to make a list of your own and keep it handy.  Visit your local library and used bookstores for great choices in literature.

• Vintage Kids Books my Kids Love 
• Mommy's Favorite Children's Books 
• Too Cool Books
• Random House