Let’s begin with baseball books. My favorite kid’s sports author is John Feinstein.  John has written some of the best sports mysteries which includes the sports of the NFL, the U.S. Open and basketball. His newest book for kids is Change-Up:  Mystery at the World Series and it has, once again, surpassed my high expectations. Returning protagonists and teen reporters, Stevie and Susan Carol get yet another opportunity to cover a series of games, but this time it’s The World Series. They interview a new pitcher for the series and discover some unusual information about his background. They begin to do some investigative reporting on his background and the more they explore, the larger the mystery becomes. There is much to learn about this mystery as these two are about to discover. What I like best about Feinstein’s mysteries is the way he develops his characters; they come alive and you become part of the whole experience as you read through to the end. And you will want to read this to the very end!

Roy Morelli Steps Up to the Plate, by Thatcher Heldring, will grab you at the beginning and keep you reading until the end. Eighth grader Roy thinks of himself as an elite, cool baseball player who is about to play on the All-Star team. However, his parents have other ideas since he’s let his studies go and now he’s flunking history. So now there’s no All-Star team for the summer, just a tutor and the mediocre recreation league. But, he’s about to learn some very important life skills this summer that will shape his life!

Roberto & Me, by Dan Gutman, is another book in a series by another favorite kid’s author. Young Joe Stoshack goes back in time in an attempt to warn famous Roberto Clemente not to board the humanitarian plane that crashed and killed him back in 1972. Gutman is able to hold the reader with anticipation and excitement, as well as provide teachable moments about donating time and supplies to help the disadvantaged.

Free Baseball, by Sue Corbett, is a look inside the rise of baseball players through the ranks of minor-league baseball. But it’s more a story about a young Cuban boy who comes to America with his mother and hopes to find his major-league baseball father. The sacrifices for love of family come through very strongly. And the Spanish words that are woven nicely in the story can be found in the glossary in the back, along with various baseball terms.

Henry Aaron’s Dream, by Matt Tavares, is an incredible picture book highlighting the life of one of baseball’s best: Hank Aaron. Taveres begins the book with a picture of a chain-link fence and a sign that states “Whites Only”. And so begins the challenges of Aaron to succeed in spite of the bigotry in Alabama. The sepia tones of watercolor, and the wisp of words throughout, might make this book a Caldecott nominee.

After-School Sports Club:  Time for T-Ball, by Alyson Heller, and illustrated by Steve Bjorkman, is the perfect beginning reader on a subject of high interest.

Now for some football books, Wild Card, by Riki & Ronde Barber, along with Paul Mantell, is a story about overcoming difficult challenges (like balancing school work and athletics) and succeeding. These two well known NFL twins know how to write a story to keep ages 8 to 11 interested.

Eddie and the Jets, by John Attanas, is about 6th grader Eddie, and how he deals with his buddies on his football team, The Jets, and life in general. It’s about learning how to get along and the storyline is most interesting and enjoyable.

There are some thinnish poster-type magazine books published by Scholastic and backed by the NFL about the players.  All are quick yet informative reads: Super Bowl Super Teams, Super Bowl Fireworks, Perfect Passers, Rising Stars, 2010 Playmakers and Game Breakers.

For the basketball lovers, Long Shot, by Chris Paul, and illustrated by Frank Morrison, is one of those picture books that all ages can learn from and enjoy! The author is an NBA All-Star, but is  short for professional basketball. In fact, he was told that he was too short for high school ball. Here is a book that teaches persistence, goal-setting, not giving up and the importance of family.  I love it!

Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, by Lisa Yee, is a fiction book about a boy with big expectations on the basketball court. However, problems ensue with school and family that he finds resolution with humorous connotations.

And finally, here is a book for soccer lovers. Goal, by Min Javaherbin, and illustrated by A. G. Ford, takes place in a poor area of South Africa. The boys gathered to play this universal game of soccer play with excitement and joy until some unexpected bullies attempt to take over. This book begs for discussions on bullying, team-work and poverty. But it also opens the conversation of team sports and the joy of games. The oil paintings are magnificent and capture the essence of expression on each face portrayed.

Let’s begin with animals. Kingfisher Publishers have extraordinary photography and interesting ways to display and portray information that kids seem to just gravitate to and enjoy. If you’ve not purchased, or checked out any of their books, you’re in for a real treat. These types of books make perfect coffee table furniture. Kingfisher Knowledge:  Sharks, by Miranda Smith, is the newest edition to this outstanding series that features “Natural Disasters”, “Mummies” and “Dangerous Creatures”, to name just a few. The photos and illustrations found on every page will surely make all who open the book desire to learn more about these interesting fish. The Explorers Series has a new book, Oceans and Seas by Steven Savage, and brightly illustrated by Peter Bull, that is geared for a slightly younger reader (ages 4 to 8), however all ages would truly enjoy this book. The font is larger so there is less information on each page and the pictures are a nice blend of photos and drawings. Animals Around the World, by Deborah Chancellor, and cleverly illustrated by Anthony Lewis, is another book geared for ages 4 to 8. Both of these books make for a perfect introduction to non-fiction for younger readers. This book has interactive lift-the-flap pages as readers learn about animals in different habitats. Houghton Mifflin has a most interesting book about one of the most important animals on earth as far as our survival is concerned: The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe by Loree Griffin Burns, and with photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz. This incredibly well documented and researched book will likely spark some new scientists in your family as you read through to find out why honey bees began to die at huge rates back in 2006.

Scholastic has a variety of outstanding non-fiction books about animals. Here are just a few: Planet Earth Up Close! focuses on 34 unusual animals and the font is larger, as well as the pictures of the animals take up the entire page. There’s an interesting “Did you know?” fact on the picture that will surely draw the reader into this entire book. There are two amazing books just out with a holograph cover featuring 3 different animals as you move the book. Fangs and Poison are both smallish sized books that feature some of the most poisonous and dangerous animals known to man. The font is large and each animal discussed is pictured with its photo on the opposite page. 3-D Thrillers! Sharks and the World’s Scariest Sea Monsters and 3-D Thrillers!  T. Rex and other Dangerous Dinosaurs, are both filled with amazing pictures that seem to jump out at you due to the 3-D glasses provided on the inside cover. “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” series has two new books: Creepy Stuff and World’s Weirdest Critters. Both of these books are perfect for the reluctant reader as the photos alone will draw them into a desire to read about these strange items. Each page is not packed with detailed information which, many times, turns readers off. There’s just enough information to describe the animal along with a multiple choice “Who Am I?” question which will surely draw the reader into reading both books.

Now for informational books about our world. Once again, Kingfisher Publishers have some of the best non-fiction books available. Planet Earth, by Dr. Mike Goldsmith, and illustrated by Nicki Palin, is a simple, yet instructional, look inside our earth. The book is constructed with questions on small flapped pages and answered by lifting each flap. Weather, also by Dr. Goldsmith, and illustrated by John Butler, is constructed in the same manner with flaps that you can turn to find the answers. Planet Earth:  What Planet Are You On?, created by Simon Basher, and written by Dan Gilpin, has to be one of the best non-fiction books on this subject. The information is simplified but not too much, the text is larger and each illustration describes the subject so kids can better understand the concept. This is a series of books by Basher on science matters and all are outstanding. The Kingfisher Atlas of World History: A Pictorial Guide to the World’s People and Events, 10,000 B.C – Present, by Simon Adams, covers the major achievements of human civilization over the ages and will surely have your youngsters appreciate that they live in present time. And in this same vein, Peter Kent’s City Across Time:  From the Stone Age to the Distant Future will take the reader through time with a full spread illustration of a village as time progresses to a big city. This book, portrayed in a picture-book fashion, is fascinating. Two books, The Book of Why, and The Book of How, both have 50 simple questions and easy to understand answers that many will find both fascinating and interesting. The complete layout of both books is definitely kid-friendly.

This last book is perhaps one of my all-time favorite non-fiction books about the sky at night. The Sky:  A New Way to See Them – Second Edition, by H. A. Rey, is magnificent in showcasing the constellations during different seasons of the year. This book was first published back in 1952 and continues to be one of the best, if not the best, guides to locating different star patterns.

Ubiquitous:  Celebrating Nature’s Survivors, by the Caldecott award duo, Joyce Sidman, and illustrated by Beckie Prange, is a poetic enlightenment on insects, animals, plants and even bacteria. Most often these brilliant poems, that reflect the lyrical core and score of these subjects, are on one side of the page with more information on the opposite page. The visual aspect is majestically drawn to bring all aspects of poem and fact together making this a tremendous feast for mind and eye. There’s even a chronological order to the placement of each survivor throughout the book. Some include beetles, geckos and dandelions. Don’t forget to check out the endpapers which brilliantly tie in the timelines of each species that are poetically and intellectually discussed. There’s also a glossary found at the back of the book. Everything about this book was edifying and stimulating, even the author and illustrator’s notes which are also found at the back.

A Cray Day at the Critter Cafe, by Barbara Odanaka, and brightly illustrated by Lee White, is a humorous take on some mischievous animals. When an animals’ bus breaks down in front of a restaurant, the variety of hooligans with unmannerly conduct come inside. But it goes from bad to worse when the waiter is bumped by a colliding cow and a rolling domino effect ensues. Cottage cheese falls on the chimpanzees and root beer floats plop on pigs and goats. As you can see, the tale is told in rhyme and fun and would be a terrific read-aloud.

The Ensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out!, by Troy Cummings, is truly a story of how poor little spider overcame her defeat while attempting to climb that famous water spout. She hid inside her garden tree when the news came out on the “Spider Insider” that she didn’t achieve her goal but her life is about to change with a little encouragement from her friend. This cute story, painted with a retro-graphic feel, demonstrates the importance of friends and taking tiny steps towards achieving a goal.

Yucky Worms, by Vivian French, and wonderfully illustrated by Jessica Ahlberg, is an introspective look at the importance of worms as Grandma explains them to her young grandson while working in the garden. The story takes you through her garden along with pertinent information about how useful these earthworms are to plants and earth alike. The illustrations, done in pencil and gouache with lots of hues of brown, go perfectly with the text. You’ll find useful information at the back about how to become a Wormologist. Check out the endpapers too.

Big Rig Bugs, by Kurt Cyrus, is a simple yet powerful correlation between bugs and construction trucks. The bugs, moving the earth or litter, are in the foreground and the truck it imitates is far away in the background doing a similar job. The text is short, concise and in rhyme. Young and old will enjoy digging this one up.

My Garden, by Kevin Henkes, will surely bring a smile to your garden! Mr. Henkes works his usual magic by rendering his artistic ability in both picture and story.  A young girl, while helping in her mother’s garden, explores the possibilities of what she’d have in her own garden. And here the magic begins while her imagination is portrayed on paper. She would plant flowers that would keep blooming, never have weeds and include not just regular bunnies but perhaps, chocolate ones. The symbolism conveyed in both watercolor and text is rich and ends with the possibilities her garden holds!

Noah’s Garden:  When Someone You Love Is In the Hospital, by Ho Johnson, and beautifully illustrated in watercolor by Annabelle Josse, is a nice blend for youngsters who are dealing with family members being hospitalized. Noah dreams of a garden filled with the most imaginative items living and growing there. But, along side these dreams are parts of the hospital which correlates dreams, hopes and reality of a sick loved one. This could be a very helpful and therapeutic book for those in these circumstances.

Aunt Mary’s Rose, by Douglas Wood, and wonderfully illustrated in soft hues of watercolor by LeUyen Pham, is a unique technique of looking into the past and celebrating families. Aunt Mary imparts on her nephew the length of time her beautiful rose bush has been in the family. She tells him that it was growing even before she was born. As she relates experiences of life while taking care of her roses, the little boy begins to get an understanding of his genealogy. The sepia colors used to illustrate give the appearance of old photographs.

Farm, by Elisha Cooper, will take the reader through a year working on a farm. The text is not lengthy, making it a good read and developing a greater appreciation of what takes place on the farm. The watercolors used throughout are a nice blend making this a good read-aloud. There’s even a glossary found in the front to help navigate through farm equipment and its usage.

Our Farm:  By the Animals of Farm Sanctuary, by Maya Gottfried, and illustrated with a blend of watercolor and ink by Robert Rahway Zakanitch, is filled with poems about animals who have been rescued due to cruelty. However, the poems are filled with the beauty and life of each type of animal and gloriously portrayed in picture-form.

Waiting Out the Storm, by Joann Early Macken, and beautifully painted with acrylic by Susan Gaber, showcases the upcoming summer storm as birds and animals seek shelter. A mother and her daughter, while collecting flowers, see the signs of the changing weather and hurry home. This is a nice blend of nature and nurture as observers notice changes in the weather.

A Place Where Hurricanes Happen, by Renee Watson, and painted with watercolors by Shadra Strickland, conveys the difficulties and realities of hurricanes, especially in New Orleans where this story takes place. It’s told through the eyes of a child in poetic form and includes experiences of having to evacuate. The pictures portray the before and after scenes and the devastation that takes place. But it’s told with dignity and is not too harsh for younger children. This is, after all, the beginning of hurricane season.

Candlewick Press has a delightful series called “Brand New Readers” that are fun and funny. Three Little Bears Play All Day, by David Martin, and illustrated by Akemi Gutierrez is just one in the series. Zelda and Ivy:  Keeping Secrets by Laura McGee Kvasnosky is more difficult.

Simon & Schuster’s “Ready-to-Read” series has Trucks, by Stephen Krensky, and illustrated by Ivanke & Lola. It also has the popular Dora the Explorer collection, Let’s Read With Dora! Others include Adventure of Meno, by Tony & Angela Diterlizzi, as well as Kay Thompson’s Eloise Visits the Zoo, Natural Disasters:  Earthquake!, by Marion Dane Bauer, and illustrated by John Wallace, After-School Sports Club Soccer Day, by Alyson Heller, and illustrated by Steve Bjorkman and Annie and Snowball and the Magical House illustrated by Sucie Stevenson.

Hyperion has the popular Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems that kids love, with the newest book – Pigs Make Me Sneeze!, as well as Watch Me Throw the Ball! and Elephants Cannot Dance!

Houghton Mifflin’s newest book in the enjoyable series “Green Light Readers” is Beth’s Job, by Carole Roberts, and illustrated by Michael Garland as well as Rabbit and Turtle Go To School, by Lucy Floyd, and illustrated by Christoher Denise and Big Pig and Little Pig,  by David McPhail.  Others are Farmers Market by Carmen Parks, and illustrated by Edward Martinez, A Butterfly Grows by Stephen Swinburne, Curious George: Piñata Party by Marcie Goldberg Sacks, The Chick That Wouldn’t Hatch by Claire Daniel and Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Horse in the House by Erica Silverman, and illustrated by Betsy Lewin.

Scholastic has many different types of beginning readers starting with the “Bob Books”. These books are packaged in sets of 10 small books with 2 new sets titled  Sight Words:  Kindergarten and Sight Words:  First Grade. There’s also the newest ”Noodles” books, I Love School!, by Hans Wilhelm, Please Write Back!, by Jennifer I. Morris, Buzz Said the Bee, by Wendy Cheyette Lewison, and illustrated by Hans Wilhelm, Silly Milly by Wendy Cheyette Lewison, and illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott, and Norman Bridwell’s Clifford’s Busy Week. Others include Ready for Kindergarten, Stinky Face? by Lisa McCourt, and illustrated by Cyd Moore, Animals Around the World and Farm Animals both by Wade Cooper, Astroblast! Code Blue by Bob Kolar, Fly Guy Meets Fly Girls by Tedd Arnold, Let’s Share, Grumpy Bunny! by Justine Korman Fontes, and illustrated by Lucinda McQueen, Ruby Bridges Goes to School:  My True Story by Ruby Brudges, The Rainbow Fairies by Daisy Meadows, and Deep Ocean Creatures by Lisa L. Ryan Herndon, which are all leveled higher.

HarperCollins has the “I Can Read!” series with many books about “Biscuit”, such as Biscuit Meets the Class Pet, by Alyss Satin Capucilli, and illustrated by Pat Schories, as well as What’s That, Mittens?, by Lola M. Schaefer, and illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung. Mo Willems has a new “Cat the Cat” series which includes Let’s Say Hi to Friends Who Fly!

Random House has the “Step into Reading” series with Corn APlenty, by Dana Meachen Rau, and illustrated by Melissa Iwai.  While Have You Seen My Dinosaur? by Jon Surgal, and illustrated by Joe Mathieu, There’s No Place Like Space! by Tish Rabe, and illustrated by Aristides Ruiz, Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman, and I Want to Be Somebody New! by Robert Lopshire are all leveled higher.

Lastly, Kane Miller has a new book, Froggy Green, by Anna Walker.

In the next three installments of my review, I’ll share my recommended reading lists of new publications geared for the newest readers in your family.  This week, I’ll share my knowledge on how to teach children to read.  Next week I’ll list new books for emergent and beginning readers.  The following week, I’ll review early and more advanced chapter books.

There are a few basic rules to follow in regard to this list to help your child learn and enjoy reading:

1.  Make sure your child knows the alphabet. (There are many great picture books that help teach the letters and you can find these books on my website.)

2.  When using emergent readers, look for books that repeat, possibly rhyme and with very few enlarged words in the text.

3.  Read through the book first pointing to each word as you read slowly and with expression.

4.  Read through again, only this time have your child attempt reading also using their finger to point to each word. (Many things are happening here such as the groupings of letters to make words and the direction of left to right.)

5.  When your young reader has difficulty, or stumbles on a word, ask them to sound out the word. If the word is wrong, have them re-read the sentence by putting their word in place of the correct word and ask if it makes sense. This process helps to build comprehension as well as phonics into their reading skills.

6.  After they read through the story ask questions regarding what they just read. (Some publishers place questions to ask at the back of the book.)

7.  Have your child re-read through the book several more times independently before beginning a new book.

8.  Lastly, don’t push too hard to advance the difficulty of a new book. Oftentimes, if the book is just too hard, frustration sets in and the joy leaks out.

Now some basic information about how to choose a leveled beginning book. Every publisher has a different set of standards behind their system. (For instance, Scholastic’s Level 1 has fewer words and is a little easer to read than Houghton Mifflin’s Level 1.) So here is my own assessment of what to look for in emergent readers:

Pre Level 1 – Few repeating and/or rhyming words

Level 1 – Simple sentences with simple stories and short words

Level 2 – Longer sentences, more complete stories and beginning easy paragraphs

Level 3 – New vocabulary words, more challenging stories and reading for information (This is a good level to introduce non-fiction)

Level 4 – Beginning to bridge to chapter books.

The Pirate Cruncher, by Jonny Duddle, is a story filled with pirates, adventure and of course treasure. This rhyming tale has colorful full page illustrations that are rendered in digital media. There is much humor found throughout and the dialogue is great fun and begs to be read aloud. The story builds to a dramatic conclusion which includes a fold-out page.

What Color is Caesar?, by Maxine Kumin, celebrates self identity and acceptance. Caesar, a Dalmatian, can’t figure out if he’s a black dog with white spots or a white dog with black spots. He sets out on a quest in search of this vital question. He comes upon similarly colored animals, such as a zebra and a cow, and asks them what their main color is. But their answers completely surprise him. The bovine answers that his color is the color of milk. The pony answers that he is the color of green as in the grass. The illustrations, by Alison Friend, are done in an array of colorful gauche. You’ll be surprised with what Caesar discovers about himself and a great life lesson.

Never Smile at a Monkey, by Steve Jenkins, will have you learning as you read through the different types of animals that could be very dangerous to people. For instance, “Never collect a cone shell.” If you pick one off the ocean floor, it will defend itself by launching poisonous barbs. As with Jenkins’ other award winning books, this is artistically illustrated with collages of cut and torn paper.

Sunday Love, by Alison Paul, is a wordless, comic book style story where each frame features Bruno the Burglar as he escapes from prison. The few words expressed are actually sound effects except for the shouts of “Halt! Halt!” from the police. The only colors used throughout, including the front and back covers, are white, black and red. These types of books force the reader to pay attention to the details which include the title of the book where there’s a double meaning involved.

All The World, by Liz Garton Scanlon, and illustrated by Marla Fazee, is a beautifully painted celebration of a sunny day in the life of a young family. As they go through their active day with the expression of a simple, yet meaningful, text. They begin their day by digging deep into the sandy beach. From there, they choose a tree to plant at the farmers’ market and climb a tree and enjoy a midday thunderstorm. The texture of watercolor and words blend to make the ambience of pleasure and “Hope and peace and love and trust in ‘All The World’”.

Stretch, by Doreen Cronin, and illustrated by Scott Menchin, is a “moveable” tale with a dog at the helm of an exercise class where they are about to stretch beyond believable lengths. The opening stretch shows the dog in front and paws, hooves and feet of different animals which will be shown later as they stretch and stretch. The text is simple enough with repeating words to make this an excellent beginning reader. But it’s the blend of both word and picture that will make the possibilities stretch!

Louise The Big Cheese and the La-Di-Da Shoes, by Elise Primavea, and illustrated by Diane Goode, is an innumerable tale of wishes and desires, and ultimately of what’s truly important. Louise is desiring a fancy pair of shoes as she is tired of her old brown and boring shoes. Her cute little sidekick, PeeWee, adds greatly to the story as her worthy pet pup and carries over Louise’s expression and attitude on every page. Louise becomes jealous of her best friend, Fern, when she ends up with the shoes Louise so desperately desired. But a lesson is about to be learned that what one greatly desires is not always the greatest thing to have. The watercolor and drawings throughout go hand-in-hand with the story making this a pleasure to read and a lesson to learn. And don’t forget to check out the inside covers both front and back.

Hip Hop Dog, by Chris Raschka, and illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky, is a story about a forlorn pup who no one seems to want. But it’s the way this story is told that makes this a terrific read-aloud, along with Radunsky’s wonderful broad brush strokes of genius. The rap-like poetry swirls along with the paint and by the end your foot will be tapping.

Herbert: The Tru Story of a Brave Sea Dog, by Robyn Belton, is an amazing story about a dog who went along with his owners on a small boat when a sudden storm caused him to be washed overboard. His young owner, Tim, along with the rest of his family, thought the dog drowned. But miraculously, he showed up the next day still swimming. The watercolor pictures make this an amazing adventure and the endpapers showing actual news clippings add to the miracle and celebration in New Zealand.

My Heart is Like a Zoo, by Michael Hall, is full of similes, metaphors and alliteration all woven in and around symbolic shapes of different colors and hues that create animals such as “silly as a seal” or “bothered as a bull”. The rhyming text and simple length of each line make this a perfect beginning reader.

Here Comes The Garbage Barge!, by Jonah Winter, is an amazing fictionalized account about a true event that happened back in 1987 with a garbage barge. Mr. Winter takes this event and combines some of the people involved in making the decision of taking garbage down the coast and dumping it somewhere else. These people become the main character, Gino Stroffolino, as they try to find a port to park. The amazing 3-D effect of the illustrations by Red Nos Studio makes this story enjoyable along with enlightening the reader about refuse.

Testing the Ice: A True Story about Jackie Robinson, by daughter Sharon Robinson, and beautifully painted by Kair Nelson, takes you through the story of how Jackie had the courage to overcome racism in baseball by becoming the first African American to play major league baseball. The author also shares her memory of winter in Connecticut and how her father would go out onto the ice to make sure it was thick enough for his children to skate. This is a wonderful story of overcoming great odds and of rising above to make a better life for all. This story is a home-run!

The Fathers are Coming Home, by Margaret Wise Brown, and illustrated with linocuts by Stephen Savage, is a story about different types of animals coming home to their families. It’s also a story about military deployments and fathers coming home from war.

Daddy is a Cozy Hug, by Rhonda Gowler Greene, and illustrated with watercolors and acrylics by Maggie Smith, is a celebration throughout the year with daddy. The rhyming text and colorful pictures make this a sweet story of love and a happy relationship with dad.

Daddy’s Little Scout, by Janet Bingham, and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw, is a sweet little tale about how little fox and his daddy are watching other animals prepare their homes in the spring weather. But little fox soon realizes that his best home is snug with daddy in their den.

Baby Blessings:  A Prayer for the Day You Are Born, by Deloris Jordan, and painted by James E. Ransome, showcases the parents’ great love and devotion to their new baby. I especially like the father that is shown on many of the pages and his active involvement in this new family.

I Love My Dad, by Anna Walker, is a simple story about what this youngster likes to do with his dad. But the best part is that he loves his dad. The watercolor zebras are perfect representing father and child.

Dad and Pop:  an Ode to Fathers & Stepfathers, by Kelly Bennett, and painted by Paul Meisel, is a sweet book about the differences between a young girl’s father and her stepfather. Her comparisons are interesting and unique, but they also bring out the most important fact on how they are similar: they both love her.

Daddy Calls Me Doodlebug, by J. D. Lester, and illustrated by Hiroe Nakata, is an adorable small board book with alliteration found throughout the simple text. You’ll find yourself tapping your foot right along with the text. And the watercolors are as cute as a bug.

My Daddy and Me, by Amy E. Sklansky, and painted by Ard Hoyt, celebrates in both picture and text all of the many active and thoughtful times spent with dad. It showcases the wonderful moments that bond dad with child.

The Dads’ Book for the Dad Who’s Best at Everything, by Michael Heatley, is a smallish size book full of ideas, activities and advice from how to tend, how to camp, and even how to build a kite. There’s even humorous jokes and life lessons about fatherhood.  The Grandpas’ Book for the Grandpa Who’s Best at Everything, by John Gribble, has a similar layout with activities and ideas of what grandpa can do with his grandchildren.

Fish, by Gregory Mone, is a swash-buckling adventure about twelve-year-old Fish, who ends up on a pirate ship. (He’s named Fish because he swims with incredible skill.)  One of the shipmates stole a valuable purse he was conveying for his uncle and Fish chases him onto the ship. The ship sets sail and Fish now finds himself at sea and working on this ship. He also discovers that this purse holds the key to finding hidden treasure. Complications arise when the crew attempts to mutiny and Fish saves the day with courage and wit by supporting the captain, and he does this without lifting a weapon or hurting anyone. He also saves lives at sea. Then they go about to discover that treasure. This page-turner might keep you and your family up late reading!

News for Dogs, by Lois Duncan, has two siblings, Bruce and Andi, who are starting a newspaper for dogs and Andi loves writing poems and recipes for dogs.  A mystery evolves when pets begin disappearing and Bruce and Andi have to figure out who is dog napping these dogs. The story celebrates good wholesome reading that showcases responsibility and family.

The 13th Reality:  The Hunt for Dark Infinity, by James Dashner, is a well written adventure that takes Tick and his friends into another reality. This is the second installment of “The 13th Reality” but the first book isn’t a necessity to be instantly drawn into the complex mystery as the protagonist attempts to save all from near disaster.  Every calamity they face will be as exciting as if the reader is involved as well!  Also, this edition has recently been published in paperback and the third installment has just been published.

The Cardturner, by Louis Sachar (who also wrote the bestseller “Holes”), might end up being one of my top favorites of this year.  Seventeen-year-old Alton has just been requested by his mom to become a cardturner for his blind Uncle Lester when his uncle plays bridge. This might sound like a boring subject to write a book about but this author has an uncanny talent to spin the most incredible tales, and make the reader become completely mesmerized.  Alton goes into this “job” with great reluctance as he knows nothing about the game and believes his summer is now going to be a disaster. But there are some amazing cards waiting to be dealt concerning Alton’s life and the book will most likely not be put down until the very end!

Any Which Wall, by Laurel Snyder, and pencil etchings sprinkled throughout by Leuyen Pham, is a wonderfully told story about magic and imagination. When 4 friends come upon a most unusual wall right in the middle of a cornfield, they don’t know what to think. But they soon discover that this wall is a wishing wall that will grant wishes to take any who find it to magical places and different periods of time. It doesn’t take long for each child to learn much from these wishes and grow up a little as well. This is a delightful and fun read for a hot summer afternoon!

The Dead in Indian Creek, by Mary Downing Hahn, is one of those great mysteries that readers will not want to stop reading until it’s solved. Matt and his buddy, Parker, just discovered a body in Indian Creek. Now they wonder if the new boyfriend of Parker’s mom has something to do with it. What they soon discover will have you reading clear to the end to figure out “who done it”.

Northward to the Moon, by Polly Horvath, will take you on a trip across your memories where you’ll see landscapes of hills and valleys full of trees and reflections and moonlight on darkened water. Thirteen-year-old Jane is on a road trip with her family because her step dad has lost his job in Canada. As they travel great distances to see a dying friend they learn much about each other – and life. This is a beautifully written story that celebrates strong relationships.

The Wish Stealers, by Tracy Trivas, has 6th grader Griffin unknowingly accepting 11 shiny pennies and finding that she now has a terrible curse bestowed upon her. These pennies were actually stolen from a fountain long ago and now all of her own good wishes don’t happen, just evil ones. But she ultimately overcomes all by reversing this curse and triumphantly overcoming the evil brought on by the curse.

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, is also going to be right up on the top of my favorite books for the year.  This story reminds me of the “Country Mouse and the City Mouse” where each goes to the other’s home and finds it so different from its own. Ivy June is from a poor community in the Appalachian Mountains and Catherine lives in a rich area of town. Both girls are involved in a school exchange program where each will spend two weeks living at the other’s home. There is so much hope and faith to gleam from in this book that it may just make you cry!

Chasing Orion, by Kathryn Lasky, is another book to top my list. (Actually, all of these books are great which makes selecting the top ones really hard!)  Eleven-year-old Georgie has been told she can’t go anywhere where there are lots of people, including the swimming pool, for fear of catching the ever growing epidemic of polio. Her teenage neighbor, Phyllis, lies dormant in an iron lung and Georgie struggles with her difficulty. The year is 1952 and the serious questions raised, as well as the beautifully written story full of allegories and symbolism, make this a wonderful book!

Matisse on the Loose, by Georgia Bragg, is a funny story about eleven-year-old Matisse who tells the story from his vantage point. His mother is in charge of security for a local art museum. There is to be a painting exhibit of the famous Henri Matisse. It all turns into quite a fiasco when young Matisse trades the real painting for his own copy. What happens, and who is caught red-handed, will make you laugh out loud. Don’t forget to check out the author’s note found at the back with interesting background information about this great artist.

Born to Fly, by Michael Ferrari, is an exciting historical fiction based in World War II when eleven-year-old Birdie lives in a small Rhode Island town. She feels destined to fly a plane as she watches her father work on planes as a mechanic. Then, she sees an enemy submarine in the bay but no one will believe her. But she is about to become part of a mystery when she attempts to take a picture of it. There is much to learn about this period of time, but more interesting are the events that surround Birdie as she is about to save many lives due to her passion for flying.

The Fast and the Furriest, by Andy Behrens, is a humorous book about a boy, Kevin, who seems to disappoint his retired pro football dad because he doesn’t appear to have any athletic ability. But his life and his goals are about to change when he notices his beagle becoming mesmerized with a dog competition on TV. So Kevin enters him in a dog training class, competes and takes first place and is now heading for a national competition. What happens along the way is funny and how it ends up will surprise you.

The Giant-Slayer, by Iain Lawrence, demonstrates the power of a story. The year is 1955 and 11-year-old Valentine lives with her widowed father, who is a fundraiser for polio prevention. When her best friend gets polio, she visits him along with others in the children’s ward at the hospital. She begins to spin a tale of great proportions about a giant who is taking over the area and a boy who was born to conquer him. This magical story grows, and the author weaves a story where the young patients contribute to the story which shows so well how a story can be built upon. There is also much to learn about polio throughout the story and in the back in the author’s notes.

Regarding the Bees, by Kate Klise, and illustrated by M. Sarah Klise, is a fun and creative story with a format of different correspondences of letters, faxes, notes and more. The students in a middle school find that they have two dilemmas: the state spelling bee and they must pass the Basic Education Evaluation Test. These, as well as smaller, obstacles (which many are humorous) are accompanied by the perfect illustrations by sister Sarah, which make this a fun read for summer.

A Million Shades of Gray, by Cynthia Kadohata, is a historical fiction about a young Vietnamese boy in the midst of the Vietnam War. He wants to train elephants in his small village when he grows up but now finds himself in the throws of a government upheaval. He needs to desperately escape and take his elephants with him. The difficulties and challenges he faces are eye-openers and help readers appreciate our country’s many freedoms.

The Game of Sunken Places, by M. T. Anderson, is a complex story about two boys who discover a game (which is the title of the book) in a relative’s mansion. They soon discover that while playing this game they become part of the game which is loaded with many kinds of mysteries and tribulations which they must solve. This book is filled with excitement and suspense.

The Underneath, by Kathi Appelt, is a story of devotion, love, kindness and friendship. But it’s also a story of abuse and hate as an old hound is chained up underneath a porch by his mean owner. He becomes friends with a mother cat who gives birth to 2 kittens in the underneath. The tale that takes place between these small critters and the act of redemption of all involved make for an inviting story. But it’s the author’s beautiful way she spins this tale with her alliterations and descriptions that made this a Newbery Honor book. Wonderful pencil etchings, by David Small, are sprinkled throughout and are a perfect addition to the text.

The Genie Scheme, by Kimberly K. Jones, is a delightful, though predictable, story about 12-year-old Janna who desires to have lots of clothes and accessories like the girl across the street. But it’s through her random act of kindness that she meets a genie who is prepared to give her anything she wants. It’s what she does with these wishes, and how her desires change, that make this an enjoyable read.

The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes, by Kelly Easton, and illustrated by Greg Swearingen, is about 10-year-old Liberty who has been held captive her whole life to be a servant to her parents. She can’t ever go out of the house. But one day she discovers books under the floorboards and her world is changed for the better. It becomes even brighter when she sneaks into the basement to discover that her father has been doing experiments on animals and they talk. But it’s when she drinks a magical potion that her life really changes.

Raiders’ Ransom, by Emily Diamand, is full of adventure, intrigue and twists along the way. The story takes place in the future, but reads like it’s happening today. Thirteen-year-old Lilly finds that the Prime Minister’s young daughter, Lexy, has been kidnapped. So she sails off with a jewel to bargain with the kidnappers. When she meets a Raider, she finds that he can help her get Lexy back. But they are just about to come into a life threatening situation. This page-turner will definitely keep you going to the end.

The Yggyssey: How Iggy Wondered What Happened to All the Ghosts, Found Where They Went and Went There, by Daniel Pinkwater, is a very long title but it does sum up the story quite well. Yggyssey, or better known as Iggy, can see and talk to ghosts. But quite suddenly the Hollywood ghosts from the 1950’s have vanished. This enjoyable mystery is written by one of my favorite kid’s authors.

Kenny & the Dragon, by Tony DiTerlizzi, reflects the classic story “St. George and the Dragon” as Kenny befriends a gentle dragon whom the villagers are frightened of. This is an excellent story that teaches the value of judgment and friendship. The pencil etchings sprinkled throughout, as well as the shorter story, make this a perfect read for ages seven and up.

Fu Finds the Way, by John Rocco, is a picture book rich in color, detail and storyline. Fu sets out to talk to the Master when he offends the Chinese warrior Chang. Fu is young and nervous about the duel Chang desires so he hopes to learn how to defend himself. But what he ends up learning are three lifelong characteristics that will help him be successful and happy in life.

31 Ways to Change the World, by We are What We Do, is a creative handbook with suggestions made by kids, and for kids, to inspire them to get going on doing something good for their community. The suggestions range from the simple idea of going outside and playing (with a double-page photo of a grassy field) to standing up for something. The imagery and layout is unique and very kid-friendly, inviting all to look to explore the 31 possibilities and then add your own. And who knows just what you might end up changing?

Oh The Places You’ll Go, by Dr. Seuss, assures the graduate that “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” And with that introduction comes the familiar Seuss style of fun and funny rhymes with a theme that you are about to set off on your own. This newest edition is labeled “Party Edition” with a foiled book cover as well as hardback. There’s also a new pop-up edition with the same title as well as a “Happy Graduation Gift Set” that includes a graduation journal, diploma and stickers. There’s even something for toddlers: “Oh, Baby! Oh Baby!” This book is based on the Dr. Seuss tale with the same artwork, but inside there’s many interactive pages youngsters will enjoy such as texture and pull tabs.

Books to Grow by Treasury, by Jamie Lee Curtis, and illustrated by Laura Cornell, is from one of the most gifted “star” authors. I often shy away from books by actors because they get a boost of publicity just from their name alone. However, there are a handful of authors in this category that rightly deserve all the publicity they receive. Ms. Curtis is spot-on with her stories about self-esteem, making good choices, and growing up and each of these four wonderful stories reflect these themes. The brilliant and brightly painted pictures are a perfect collaboration with each story as they reflect the joy of childhood.  What a great gift for any or all children or families about to set out in a lifetime pursuit to the themes portrayed in this thick picture book. There’s even a CD included with Ms. Curtis reading each story, as well as 4 songs found in the book.

It’s All Too Much, So Get It Together:  Less Junk, Clearer Mind, Better Life, by Peter Walsh, is a handy handbook I need to give to one of my own kids! The author is a clutter expert and puts the law down simply and in a quick to read manner so that there’s no clutter in his direct points to help. He shows how to get your space and life de-cluttered in four easy steps. He shows how to apply these skills so that they become a lifelong process that will become habit forming. I’m ready to sign up. Just from the ideas I’ve received, I’m ready to apply the lessons!

My Kindergarten, by Rosemary Wells, has recently come out in a paperback version and is the perfect synopsis of what to expect throughout a year. Emily, an adorable bunny, is about to start her new year in kindergarten. This month-by-month outline gives a child an idea of weather, letters, time and much more, including helping out others in the community. This brightly illustrated book will surely give a child an idea of what to expect in their near future, making this an excellent choice for young children.

A Really Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson, has nearly all of its information in this 176 page informative book accurate except for the typical theory of how life began on this earth. But aside from that glitch, the book is full of interesting facts that kids will really enjoy and that will thrust them deeper into desiring more information. Some of these topics include astronomy, paleontology and geology. The illustrations are definitely kid-friendly, which will pull them into reading many interesting subjects and possibly spark a future occupation.

The American Heritage Children’s Science Dictionary, published by Houghton Mifflin, goes hand in hand with the previous book as kids who are interested in the sciences will likely pour over this dictionary. The terms are often illustrated with colorful pictures, graphs and charts which will likely inspire kids ages 9 through adult into contemplating a livelihood.

The last group of books are geared for young girls as they are about to become teenagers. Marlene Wallach, who is the founder of Wilhelninea Kids and teens modeling agency, has four new  spiral bound self-help books to help girls become all that they can be and in a more self-confident and happy way. My Self: A Guide to Me addresses confidence, attitude and caring for yourself. My Life: A Guide to Health & Fitness discusses the importance of fitness, food and sleep. My Beauty: A Guide to Looking & Feeling Great includes hair and makeup, skin care and the rest of you. And My Look: A Guide to Fashion & Style points out how to dress the best for you and feel great.