The Bagel Who Wanted Everything is a picture book by Alan Silberberg. The story follows a plain bagel, who frankly wants to be everything but plain. Plain bagel wishes for a change, seeking advice from his family members, who encourage him to be happy as the bagel he is. He decides to take action, trying out various toppings - clouds, seaweed, and even flowers! When his friends see his new look, they can’t help but laugh, giving Plain bagel second thoughts. Maybe being plain was okay, after all…until something unexpected happens, leaving all of the bagels in awe.
Who Colored the Leaves by Robert D. Dean features a short story, rather, a tale within a story. When grandpa tries to get his granddaughters to sleep, they plead for just one more story. He abides, but not until he dreams up the tallest most splendiferous tale. Grandpa conjures up his own idea of why the leaves change color each fall. The Mighty Wind bargains with the trees in the forest to change their leaves into beautiful colors, in exchange for a beautiful show of flying leaves for the children to enjoy. When Grandpa finishes telling the story, the girls are seemingly satisfied.
Dynamic Duos: Word Fun Riddles and Crisscross Puzzles by Helene Hovanec is an interactive workbook that includes two types of puzzle games. Instructions for each of the two games is provided preceding the first puzzle and answers are presented at the back of the book. The first 25 puzzles are Word Fun Riddles. For this activity, you must compare the word in the left column with the word in the right, identifying which “extra” letter is in one of the words. The extra letter gets written in the blank.
K. Frances Carson’s Sir DoGoody Button and Fleabins the Great… Troublemaker is a collection of short stories recounting the adventures of Sir DoGoody, the Button’s family dog, and his partner in crime, Fleabins, the flea. Each day when Sir DoGoody retreats to his doghouse in the backyard, he pays a visit to Fleabins. Together, they explore many amazing rooms in the doghouse—the spy room, the pool room, and even the amusement park room.
Olivia’s First Christmas is a personalized story about a family eager to celebrate their baby’s first Christmas season. The proud mom and dad share Olivia’s first experiences, including photos with Santa, Christmas caroling, and decorating the tree.
The Happiest Cat in the World is a simple picture book with an important message. Throughout the book, the cat shares its ideas of freedom, including finding its own food, making shelter, and having kittens. The cat leads a supposed happy life, repeating “whenever I want, as much as I want”, with no fear of these freedoms being taken away. When paired with the author’s explanation of the book, the reader will learn that these ideas of freedom are only dreams, rather than reality.
