Houston Family Book List - March 2010

Toddlers (Ages 1-3)

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

In this wordless retelling of an Aesop fable set in the African Serengeti, and adventuresome mouse proves that even small creatures are capable of great deeds when she rescues the King of the Jungle.

"I'm Not Cute!" by Jonathan Allen
When anyone tells Baby Owl he is adorable or small, he replies, "I'm not cute!"  However, when Mama agrees with him, Baby Owl starts to rethink his proclamation.

Beetle Bop by Denise Fleming
Illustrations and rhyming text reveal the great variety of beetles and their swirling, humming, crashing activities.

Picture Books (Pre K-K)

Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty
A young boy who spends most of his time alone in his bedroom makes new friends after the monster in his drawing becomes a monstrous nuisance.

Zero is the Leaves on a Tree by Betsy Franco

This picture book beautifully explores the important math concept zero in a way that will inspire children to find zero everywhere--from the branches of a tree by day to the vast, starry sky by night.

Can You Guess Where We're Going? by Elvira Woodruff
As his grandfather gives him hints about all the exciting things they will see, Jack tries to guess where they are going.

Early Readers (Grades 1-3)

Watch Me Throw the Ball! by Mo Willems
Gerald Elephant tries to tell Piggie that ball-throwing is serious business, but Piggie just wants to have fun.

Shampoodle by Joan Holub
Rhyming text describes a dog grooming establishment on picture day and the uproar some curious kittens cause when they try to explore.

Goose and Duck by Jean Craighead George
When Barney gets chicken pox, Grandpa tells him a funny story about saving Mrs. Piggerman’s life to keep his mind off his itching.

Children's Fiction (Grades 4-6)

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
After celebrating their first nine same-day birthdays together, Amanda and Leo, having fallen out on their tenth and not speaking to each other for the last year, prepare to celebrate their eleventh birthday separately but peculiar things begin to happen as the day of their birthday begins to repeat itself over and over again.

Enemy Spy by Wendelin Van Draanen
When Nolan witnesses a serious crime, he realizes he may not be able to hide behind his Shredderman identity this time.

The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes by Kelly Easton
Ten-year-old Libby Aimes escapes her prison-like home by using a strange concoction of her father's, then tries to make her way to the boarding school of her dreams, aided by various people and animals.

Teen Fiction (Ages 12 & Up)

White Out by Walter Sorrells
Sixteen-year-old Cass makes her way through a Minnesota blizzard, seeking not only the murderer of a beloved music teacher, but also something belonging to the killer who has been chasing her mother and herself around the country.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
As the tragedy of a missing girl unfolds in her small town, fifteen-year-old Samara, who feels emotionally abandoned by her parents, begins to question her faith.

The One by Ed Decter
Chloe Gamble knows three things:  she's better than the tiny Texas town she grew up in, there's just one person she can trust, and she want to be famous.