Looking for Book Lists/Recs

[anomaly13]

We have a small collections of books for our kids, ages 4, 2, and 12 weeks. Whenever we go to the library I feel overwhelmed, the kids are all over the place and I am flipping through books as fast as I can to find a few that work for us. I prefer to read the kids educational books over silly stories but will read those too just fewer.

Anyway looking for a website or blog with books recs. or lists for kids books to help guide me at the library so I can spend more time reading with the kiddos and less time searching out books. Suggestions?

[Keeta]

Our library website had a ton of book recs for kids - I know you probably don't live here, but you can check out the recs and then see if your own library carries them.

Children's Book Recommendations at Seattle Public Library

[Traci mom23boys]

You might try putting holds on books,then go to the library knowing you have a big stack to read or check out when the kids get restless.

www.chinaberry.com is a great resource for finding wonderful books, you will probably want to buy some favorites from them too.

Here is a link to Caldecott winners going back to the 30s.
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/al...ecottmedal.cfm

My boys loved fairy tales and nursery rhymes at that age. It is fun to read different collections.

Here are some of our favorites from that age:

The Alfie stories (there are a whole bunch) by Shirley Hughes

Good Night Gorilla

Jamberry

Brown Bear, Brown Bear

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry & The Big Hungry Bear

Time For Bed by Mem Fox

Gobble, Growl & Grunt

Each Peach, Pear, Plum

Anything by Cynthia Rylant, for that age Thimbleberry Stories is great.

Happy Reading
~traci

[robin3]

Jim Trelease's "Read Aloud Handbook" is a great resource for read a loud for all ages. I think he has a website, too.

[homefrontgirl]

Originally Posted by robin3

Jim Trelease's "Read Aloud Handbook" is a great resource for read a loud for all ages. I think he has a website, too.

Great suggestion. He does have a website.

Here's a great blog with reviews and suggestions: Jen's Book Page.

[namama]

Brambly Hedge!!

Great Stories --some are out of print, try your library!

We loved Tomie DePaola (Strega Nona and Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, etc), he has SO many books and I never seemed to get tired of reading them (OVER AND OVER!)

I've been following this blog --I like much of what she has to say: http://www.twentybyjenny.com/ here is her list for 4-7 (click here)

[hildare]

You got some great suggestions!
some things i look at from time to time are
kidsreads.com
I think someone mentioned the lists at the Seattle library
i heart the SFPL.
Likewise the NYPL has some good ones.

and.. a list of lists..

There is also a database that your library may provide access to.. it's called NoveList K-8. This is an excellent place to look for lists and book reviews, but it's not (as far as I know) accessible for free- your library likely subscribes or can give you information on how to access. You might want to google it to see if you can look at some of it, though. It's worth tracking down.

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by anomaly13

I prefer to read the kids educational books over silly stories but will read those too just fewer.

Before I make some suggestions, can you expand a little on how you define "educational" and what you consider "silly"?

At your dc's ages (4 and 2 y.o. and 12 weeks), learning to love reading, word play and clever and beautiful illustration art is ALL "educational". A lot of that will be generated from "silly stories" - Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, Winnie the Pooh, Lewis Carroll....the list is endless.

If you want books with virtuous, moral-of-the-story type of subtext, then there's a huge, never-ending supply in children's lit. They tend to be award-winners, so look for lists from libraries and teaching associations.

If you want a list of great non-fiction for teaching purposes, then I'd refer you to different sources.

BTW, the children's librarian is a great resource too.

[kangamitroo]

a list of multicultural award winners