Suggestions from Mt. Lebanon Public Library  ~  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
     www.mtlebanonlibrary.org
           
   Gifts - 2006

Book suggestions for

     Children in preschool - grade 2
     Beginning readers
     Children in grades 2 - 4
     Children in grades 5 - 8
     The entire family
     Holiday books
     &
     Music CDs, Recorded Books, DVDs

Picture books for children in preschool—grade 2

Selected Titles-

Little fur family

by Margaret Wise Brown, pictures by Garth Williams (HarperFestival)
The little fur child has an eventful day in the woods, and then goes home to his loving fur family.  This edition replicates the original fur cover. j Ew BROWN

Freight Train

by Donald Crews (Greenwillow)
The journey of a colorful train.  j Em CREWS

Below

by Nina Crews (Henry Holt)
A boy leads a triumphant rescue of his stranded action figure toy. j Ea CREWS

Click Clack, quackity-quack: an alphabetical adventure

by Doreen Cronin (Atheneum)
Farmyard animals embark on an alphabetical adventure. j Eac CRONIN

Animal Crackers: A delectable collection of pictures, poems, songs, and lullabies for the very young

by Jane Dyer (Little, Brown)
A beautifully illustrated collection. j Ea DYER

Leaf Man

by Lois Ehlert (Harcourt)
A leaf man travels on the wind and sees many things.  Illustrations consist of leafs and other natural objects. j Ea EHLERT 

Bark, George

by Jules Feiffer (HarperCollins)
George’s mother tries to teach her young dog to bark. j Ed FEIFFER

Corduroy

by Don Freeman (Viking)
A toy bear and a little girl find happiness together. j Ea FREEMAN

Kitten’s First Full Moon

by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow)
Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk. j Ed HENKES

Off to School, Baby Duck

by Amy Hest (Candlewick)
Grandpa helps Baby Duck get through her first day of school. One of a series.
j Eb HEST

A MONKEY AMONG US
by Dave Horowitz (HarperFestival)
Short  poems describe a mischievous monkey & his friends.  j Ew HOROWITZ

TIME TO SAY GOODNIGHT

by Sally Lloyd Jones
When it’s time for the animals to say goodnight, it’s time for a child to do the same.  j Ew JONES

How do I love you?

by Leslie Kimmelman (HarperCollins)
A little alligator learns  he is loved in ways from 1 to 20.  j Ea KIMMELMAN

I love you like Crazy Cakes

by Rose Lewis (Little, Brown)
Jane Dyer’s illustrations accompany this heartfelt story about a baby girl’s adoption from China.
j Ea LEWIS

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

by Bill Martin (Simon & Schuster)
Bright colors, rhythm and rhyme highlight this rollicking ABC book in which all the letters scramble to the top of a coconut tree. j Eac MARTIN

Guess How Much I Love You

by Sam McBratney (Candlewick)
Nutbrown Hare and his Dad share their  love. j Ew MCBRATNEY

Make Way for Ducklings

by Robert McCloskey (Viking)
A mallard family searches for a new home in Boston.  j Eb MCCLOSKEY

Art 

by Patrick McDonnell (Little, Brown)
A rhyming story in which art is created by Art. j Ea MCDONNELL 

I’M DIRTY

By Kate McMullan (HarperCollins)
A busy backhoe loader has fun getting dirty.  j Em MCMULLAN

Time to get up, time to go

by David Milgrim (Clarion)
A boy is busy from sunup to sundown. j Ea MILGRIM 

Here Comes Mother Goose

by Iona Opie (Candlewick)
Favorite Mother Goose rhymes accompanied by large, charming illustrations by Rosemary Wells.
j Ea OPIE 

THE LITTLE RED HEN

by Jerry Pinkney (Dial)
A newly illustrated version of the classic folk tale about a hard working hen. j Ea PINKNEY

Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young

by Jack Prelutsky (Knopf)
Short poems. j 808.81 Pre

The House That Jill Built

by Phyllis Root (Candlewick) 
Over 70 flaps and pop-ups are extra treats in this book about storybook characters that move into the house that Jill built.  j Ea ROOT

The great fuzz frenzy

by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel (Harcourt)
A lost tennis ball creates a sensation in a prairie dog village. j Ew STEVENS

Hillside Lullaby

by Hope Vestergaard (Dutton)
Animals on the hillside settle down for the night, even though a little girl is still awake.
j Ea VESTERGAARD

Overboard!

by Sarah Weeks (Harcourt)
A little bunny never tires of throwing things overboard. j T WEEKS

Max’s ABC

by Rosemary Wells (Viking)
Learn the alphabet with Ruby and Max. j Eac WELLS

I will hold you 'til you sleep

by Linda Zuckerman (Arthur A. Levine)
Expressions of a parent’s love for their child.  j Ea ZUCKERMAN 

           Recommended authors of picture books-

For beginning readers

Selected Titles-

Young Cam Jansen and the substitute mystery

by David A. Adler (Viking)
One of a series about a detective with a photographic memory.  j Er ADLER

Chameleon, chameleon

by Joy Cowley (Scholastic)
Simple text accompanies this stunning photo-essay about a panther chameleon in the tropical rain forests of Madagascar.  j 597.956 Cow  

Frog and Toad are friends

by Arnold Lobel (Harper)
Stories about the adventures of two friends. One of a series. j Er LOBEL 

Little Bear

by Else Holmelund Minarik (Harper)
Short easy-to-read stories about Little Bear and Mother Bear. Illustrated by Maurice Sendak.  One of a series. j Er MINARIK

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa

by Erica Silverman (Harcourt)
The adventures of Cowgirl Kate and her talking horse, Cocoa. First in the series. j Er SILVERMAN

I'm going to New York to visit the lions 

by Harriet Ziefert (Sterling)
Meet the lions who live at the New York Public Library. j Er ZIEFERT

        Recommended authors of books for beginning readers-

Nathaniel Benchley
Betsy Byars
P. D. Eastman
Arnold Lobel-  Frog & Toad stories
Syd Hoff
Leonard Kessler
Else Holmelund Minarik- Little Bear stories
Peggy Parish-  Amelia Bedelia  stories
Cynthia Rylant- Henry & Mudge stories
Mr. Putter & Tabby stories
High-rise private eyes stories
Dr. Seuss
Marjorie Weinman Sharmat—Nate the Great stories
Jane Yolen

For children in Grades 2- 4

Selected Titles-

Elephants can paint too!

by Katya Arnold (Atheneum)
A true story of how Katya Arnold teaches painting to kids in Brooklyn and Asian elephants in Thailand. j 599.67 Arn  (Grades 1—3)

Ivy & Bean

by Annie Barrows (Chronicle)
Two new neighbors, one who aspires to be a witch and one who is full of tricks, become best friends.  j BARROWS (Grades 1—3)

The Penderwicks : a summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy

by Jeanne Birdsall (Knopf)
Four loving sisters vacation with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, where they make new friends and have a memorable summer.
j BIRDSALL (Grades 3 and up)

Mercy Watson to the rescue

By Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick)
When a buttered-toast-loving pig snuggles in bed with his owners they all have a night to remember. j A  DICAMILLO

The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick)
"The story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread." 
j DICAMILLO (Grades 4 and up)

The year of the dog: a novel

by Grace Lin (Little, Brown)
A charming story in which a young Taiwanese American girl sets out to apply the lessons of the Chinese Year of the Dog, those of making best friends and finding oneself, to her own life.  j LIN (Grades 3-5) 

Ruby Lu, Brave and True

by Lenore Look (Atheneum)
"Almost-eight-year-old" Ruby Lu learns to drive and has adventures with both old and new friends. j LOOK

Gooney Bird and the room mother

by  Lois Lowry  (Houghton Mifflin)
Second-grader Gooney Bird Greene is in charge of her class’s pageant of the First Thanksgiving for which she has a special surprise. j LOWRY

Stink : the incredible shrinking kid

by  Megan McDonald (Candlewick)
Judy Moody’s younger brother Stink, the shortest kid in second grade, learns about the shortest president, all the while dealing with his bossy older sister.  j MCDONALD 

Roxie and the hooligans

by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Atheneum)
The entertaining story of how Roxie Warbler- by relying on the advice of her beloved explorer relative, Uncle Dangerfoot- outwits her arch enemies,  Helvetia's Hooligans,  when they unexpectedly become stranded on an island.  j NAYLOR 

Clementine

by Sara Pennypacker (Hyperion)
Funny scenes from the life of third-grader Clementine, who laments she has “had not so good of a week.” j PENNYPACKER 

The Boxcar Children

by Gertrude Chandler Warner (Albert Whitman)
The first in the classic series of children’s books in which four siblings share adventures and solve mysteries. j M WARNER

Charlotte’s Web

by E. B. White (HarperCollins)
The classic friendship of a pig and a spider. j WHITE

Little House in the Big Woods

by Laura Ingalls Wilder (Harper)
First in a series of 8 classic novels about a family’s life on the prairie.
j WILDER

         Recommended authors of books for 2nd - 4th graders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

For children in grades 5 - 8

Selected Titles-

The Book of Three

by Lloyd Alexander (Holt)
First in the award-winning Chronicles of Prydain fantasies, in which a pig-keeper sets out to save his country. j ALEXANDER

The clue of the linoleum lederhosen

by M.T. Anderson (Harcourt)
In this installment of M.T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales Series, Katie, Lily, and Jasper become embroiled in an unusual mystery at the Moose Tongue Lodge and Resort. j M ANDERSON

Crispin: The Cross of Lead

by Avi  (Hyperion)
In fourteenth century England, an orphaned boy accused of murder befriends a juggler with a dangerous secret. The 2003 Newbery Medal winner.  Sequel:
Crispin: At the Edge of the World  (Hyperion, 2006)   j AVI

The seven wonders of Sassafras Springs

by Betty G. Birney (Atheneum)
In the 1920s, a Missouri boy who longs to see the Seven Wonders of the World accepts a challenge from his father to find 7wonders in his hometown. j BIRNEY

Cornelia and the audacious escapades of the Somerset sisters

by Lesley M.M. Blume (Knopf)
A lonely 11 year old girl’s life is changed when her elderly neighbor shares stories about the fabulous adventures she and her sisters had while traveling around the world after World War II.   j BLUME

Code Talker : a novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two

by  Joseph Bruchac (Dial)
Sixteen-year-old Ned Begay enlists in the Marines during World War II where his native language is used by the military as a secret code.  j BRUCHAC

Artemis Fowl : the lost colony

by Eoin Colfer (Hyperion)
In the fifth book in this series, Artemis pairs up with Captain Holly Short to save Earth from a lost demon colony.  j COLFER

Victory

by Susan Cooper  (Margaret K. McElderry)
A homesick English girl living in present-day America and an eleven-year-old boy serving aboard the British naval ship H.M.S. Victory, commanded by Admiral Horatio Nelson in 1803, share an inexplicable bond.  j COOPER 

The road to Inconceivable

by J.M. DeMatteis (Hyperion)
When Kate discovers that her missing brother Matt is in Abadazad, the mystical land from a series of books that they both loved, she follows him there to rescue him.  The first in the Abadazad series and a graphic novel.

The Sea of Trolls

by Nancy Farmer (Atheneum)
Jack, a young Saxon apprentice Bard, must undertake a dangerous quest across the Sea of Trolls in order to save his little sister.  j FARMER

The Ranger’s Apprentice series

by John Flanagan (Philomel)
In  The Ruins of Gorlan and The Burning Bridge,  two fifteen year old friends take separate paths on Choosing Day when one enters Battleschool and one is chosen to be a Ranger but are reunited when they join forces to fight the evil Morgarath.  High adventures in a medieval fantasy world will entice lovers of Tolkien-like worlds.  j FLANAGAN

Escape! : the story of the great Houdini

by Sid Fleischman (Greenwillow)
An engaging biography of the great magician.  j 92H HOUDINI Fle

Our ELEANOR: a scrapbook look at Eleanor Roosevelt's remarkable life

by Candace Fleming (Atheneum)
The legendary life of Eleanor Roosevelt is visited in a format similar to a photo album with anecdotes and photographs. j 92R ROOSEVELT Fle 

Dragon rider

By  Cornelia Funke (Scholastic)
A dragon, a brownie, and a boy embark on a quest to find the legendary valley known as the Rim of Heaven while being pursued by ancient enemies. j FUNKE

Penny from heaven

by Jennifer L. Holm (Random House)
In the 1950s, a 12 year old girl gets to know her deceased father’s boisterous Italian-American family. j HOLM

ONWARD: a photobiography of African-American polar explorer Matthew Henson   

by Dolores Johnson (National Geographic)
The extraordinary travels of the son of a sharecropper, who reached the North Pole in 1909 as an integral part of Robert Peary’s team.   j 92H HENSON Joh   

The Pinhoe egg

by Diana Wynne Jones (Greenwillow)
A fun fantasy about a witch who is discovering her powers. j JONES

Five pages a DAY: a writer's journey

by Peg Kehret (Albert Whitman)
A children’s author reflects on the importance of writing in a  life that included a childhood bout with polio.  j 92K KEHRET Keh

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

by E. L. Konigsburg (Atheneum)
Two siblings run away to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
j KONIGSBURG (Also other titles by this author.)

Marooned: the strange but true adventures of Alexander Selkirk, the real Robinson Crusoe

by Robert Kraske (Clarion)
Recounts the true adventures of a sailor marooned for five years on a Pacific island in 1704.  j 92S SELKIRK Kra 

A friend called Anne : one girl's story of war, peace, and a unique friendship with Anne Frank

by  Jacqueline van Maarsen ; retold for children by Carol Ann Lee(Viking)
The author, Anne Frank’s best school friend in Amsterdam before the Franks went into hiding during World War II, tells readers not only about Anne Frank and her family but also about her own life in Holland during the German occupation.   j 940.5318 Lee 

FAIREST

By Gail Carson Levine (HarperCollins)
In this version of Snow White, a plain girl with a beautiful voice discovers the real value of outer and inner beauty, with the help of a magic mirror, a tribe of gnomes, an evil queen, and a handsome prince. j LEVIN 

Good Night, Mr. Tom

by Michelle Magorian (Harper & Row)
The touching World War II story of William Beech, a London evacuee, and Mr. Tom, the man he goes to live with and who ultimately changes  his life.  j MAGORIAN

Shackleton's stowaway

by Victoria McKernan (Knopf)
A fictionalized account of a stowaway on Shackleton’s ill-fated  expedition to the Antarctic and their two year trek home.  j MCKERNAN

How I found the STRONG: a Civil War story

by Margaret McMullan (Houghton Mifflin)
With the help of the family slave, a boy grows up after his father and brother go off to fight in the Civil War.  j MCMULLAN

The Snow Spider

By Jenny Nimmo (Orchard)
In this suspenseful fantasy, when a boy discovers he has magical powers on his tenth birthday he decides to use them to get his missing sister Bethan back.  j NIMMO

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

by Robert O’Brien (Simon & Schuster)
Mrs. Frisby seeks help for her sick son from the super-intelligent rats that have escaped from the National Institute of Mental Health. j O’BRIEN

The legend of Bass Reeves: being the true and fictional account of the most valiant marshal in the West

by Gary Paulsen (Wendy Lamb Books)
An engrossing tale of the old west about a lawman who was born a slave, became a successful rancher, then later in his long life went on to play an integral role in taming the rough-hewn Oklahoma Territory.  j PAULSEN

The Teacher’s Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts

by Richard Peck (Dial)
In rural Indiana in 1904, 15-year-old Russell's dreams of quitting school end when his older sister begins teaching at his one-room schoolhouse after mean old Myrt Arbuckle "hauls off and dies."  j PECK

Becoming Naomi Leon
by Pam Munoz Ryan (Scholastic)
Naomi and her disabled brother escape to Mexico with their Grandmother hoping to find their father so they can avoid living with their unkind, alcoholic  mother.  j RYAN

Holes

by Louis Sachar (Farrar, Straus, & Giroux)
Stanley Yelnats finds his first real friend, and the solution to a family mystery, at a correctional camp in the Texas desert.  The 1998 Newbery Medal winner.  j SACHAR -Sequel: Small Steps, (Delacorte, 2006)

Magyk

by Angie Sage (Katherine Tegen Books)
Book One of the Septimus Heap series in which a foundling girl with a noble heritage is raised by the wizarding  Heap family, whose seventh son, Septimus, is presumed dead– but is he? j SAGE

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

by Gary Schmidt (Clarion)
In this moving story, Turner Buckminster moves with his minister father to Maine where he befriends a Black girl from a community his new town wants to develop into a tourist spot. 
j SCHMIDT

TRANSFORMED: how everyday things are made

by Bill Slavin (Kids Can Press)
Have fun discovering how things we use everyday are made. j 670 Sla

The case of the missing marquess: an Enola Holmes mystery

by Nancy Springer (Philomel Books)
The younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes travels to London to investigate the disappearance of her mother.  j M SPRINGER

Bella at midnight

by Diane Stanley (HarperCollins)
A version of the Cinderella story, told by multiple characters as a tale of intrigue set during the Middle Ages, with a helping of magic, romance and suspense. j STANLEY

Treasure Island

by Robert Louis Stevenson (Scribner)
The famous adventures of Long John Silver and young Jim Hawkins.
Illustrated by N. C. Wyeth.   j STEVENSON

Flipped

by Wendelin Van Draanen (Knopf)
In alternating chapters, two teenagers describe their changing feelings towards each other.
j VAN DRAANEN

Each Little Bird That Sings

By Deborah Wiles (Harcourt)
Comfort Snowberger, surrounded by death and a loving family in her father’s funeral home, finds her acceptance of death challenged one spring by  the loss of several close loved ones.  j WILES

Recommended authors of books for 5th -  8th graders:

 

 

 

 

 

For the Entire Family

Selected Titles-

A is for ASTRONAUT: exploring space from A to Z

Chronicle Books
Learn about space with vintage illustrations, contemporary photos, and simple text. 
j 523.1 Tod 

The American Story: 100 true tales from American history  

by Jennifer Armstrong (Knopf)
One hundred brief stories from our history, arranged in order by year from 1565 to 2000.
j 973 Arm

Poetry by heart: A child’s book of poems to remember

compiled by Liz Attenborough (Scholastic)
Poems to learn by heart. j 808.81 Att (all ages) 

Crochet : fantastic jewelry, hats, purses, pillows & more

by Jane Davis (Lark Books)
A new skill for everyone to learn.  
Also: Kids crochet by Kelli Ronci (STC Craft)  j 746.42 (all ages)

Prehistoric actual size

by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin)
Actual sized illustrations of things that once roamed the earth. j Ew JENKINS

The Mowgli stories,  from Rudyard Kipling's The jungle book

by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Nicola Bayley (Candlewick)
Threes stories about Mowgli, the boy who was raised in the jungle. (all ages)

Kids Knitting

by Melanie Falick (Artisan)
A wonderful introduction to knitting with step-by-step instructions for 12 easy projects.
(ages 10+)  j 746.432 Fal

You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together

by Mary Ann Hoberman (Little, Brown)
A collection of humorous two-page stories designed to be read by adults and children together.  j Er HOBERMAN (all ages)

Exploratopia

by Pat Murphy and the staff of the Exploratorium (Little, Brown)
Over 400 kid-friendly explorations and experiments.  

ZEN SHORTS

by Jon J. Muth (Scholastic)
Three siblings befriend a panda named Stillwater who tells them thoughtful stories which encourage them to think about themselves and the world in new ways. (kindergarten - adult)
j Ea MUTH

THE FAIRY TALES

by Jan Pienkowski (Viking)
Four classic fairy tales translated by David Walser and accompanied with lavishly detailed illustrations by Jan Pienkowski.

Behold the bold umbrellaphant: and other poems 

by Jack Prelutsky (Greenwillow)
Animals and everyday objects combine in these humorous poems from a favorite author. 
j 811 Pre

Crafts for all Seasons

by Kathy Ross (Milbrook)
Easy to make crafts for all seasons.  (preschool– grade 3) j 745.5 Ros

Mommy?

art by Maurice Sendak; scenario by Arthur Yorinks; paper engineering by Matthew Reinart
( Scholastic)
Lift the flaps and help a  boy finds his mommy in a house where monsters live. 

John, Paul, George & Ben

by Lane Smith (Hyperion)
A humorous look at our country's founding fathers.  j Ea Smith 

Pirateology

by Dugald A. Steer (Candlewick)
An interactive  book that professes to be the journal of Captain William Lubber, an early-eighteenth-century pirate hunter, and that is filled with text, maps, and illustrations depicting the lore of pirate ships, weapons, dress, customs, codes, and routes.  Other titles in this series include Dragonology and Wizardology.  j 910.45 Ste   

Holiday Books

Selected Titles-

I have a little dreidel 

by Maxie Baum (Scholastic)
A newly illustrated version of the classic Hanukkah song.  j Ea BAUM 

Christmas in the Barn

by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Diane Goode (HarperCollins)
The story of a child who is born in a barn among the animals accompanied by illustrations of a barn and people of a present-day farm.  j Ea BROWN XMAS 

The Little Fir Tree

by Margaret Wise Brown, pictures by Jim Lamarche (HarperCollins)
A little fir tree is transformed by the love of a family on Christmas.  j Ea BROWN XMAS (preschool)

Melrose and CROC: a Christmas to remember

by Emma Chichester Clark (Walker & Co)
At Christmas, a lonely crocodile and a dog become friends.  j Ea CHICHESTER CLARK    

The first day of winter

by Denise Fleming (Holt)
During the first snowy days of winter, a snowman comes to life with the different gifts he receives every day. Set to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” j Ea FLEMING

The Story of Holly and Ivy

by Rumer Godden (Viking)
A doll named Holly helps a little girl named Ivy fulfill her Christmas wish.  Illustrated by Barbara Cooney.  (grades 3—5) j GODDEN XMAS

Winter lights : a season in poems and quilts

by Anna Grossnickle Hines (Greenwillow)
Poems that celebrate winter and winter holidays, are illustrated by quilts sewn by the author.  (all ages) j 811 Hin XMAS

Hanukkah at Valley Forge

by Stephen Krensky (Dutton)
In this story based on fact, a Jewish soldier tells General George Washington the story of the Hanukkah miracle.  Picture Book.   (ages 4—8)  j Ea KRENSKY

Little One, We Knew You'd Come

by Sally Lloyd-Jones (Little, Brown)
A nativity story that celebrates the birth of children everywhere. Picture book. 

Father and Son: A Nativity Story

by Geraldine McCaughrean (Hyperion)
A Christmas story in which Joseph ponders how he can best offer his new son a helping hand.  Picture book.

The Night Before Christmas

By Clement Clarke  Moore (Marshall Cavendish)
The classic with new illustrations by Gennady Spirin.  Also a new version of this familiar tale with illustrations by Will Moses (Philomel).

The Trees of the Dancing Goats

by Patricia Polacco (Simon & Schuster)
In the midst of their Hanukkah celebration, a Jewish family makes a Christmas special for their ill  neighbors. j Ea POLACCO XMAS (all ages)

Big fun Christmas crafts and activities: over 200 quick & easy activities for holiday fun!

by Judy Press (Williamson)
Christmas fun for everyone!  j 745.59412 Pre XMAS 

Merry Un-Christmas

by Mike Reiss (HarperCollins)
In Christmas City, Texmas, where it's Christmas 364 days a year, children look forward to Un-Christmas, when they have to go to school and don’t have to open presents. j Ea REISS

Children of Christmas

by Cynthia Rylant (Orchard)
Seasonal stories by an award-winning author.(elementary & older)
j RYLANT XMAS

The wee Christmas cabin of Carn-na-ween

by  Ruth Sawyer (Candlewick)
In Ireland, the wee people grant an old woman a special wish on Christmas Eve. (all ages)

A Child’s Christmas in Wales

by Dylan Thomas (Holiday)
The classic story of a Christmas day in a small Welsh town.  Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman.   j THOMAS XMAS (elementary & older)

Father Fox’s Christmas Rhymes

by Clyde Watson (Farrar Straus Giroux)
A new collection of simple poems from Father Fox, with illustrations by the author’s sister Wendy Watson. (all ages) j 811 Wat XMAS

The Polar Express

by Chris Van Allsburg (Houghton Mifflin)
A little boy discovers that only those who truly believe hear the real music of Christmas.  
j Ef VAN ALLSBURG (all ages)

Music CDs, Recorded Books, DVDs

     Music CDs  - Selected Titles-

Baby Loves Jazz: Go Baby Go

Verve, 2006
Classic children’s songs set to a jazzy beat and performed by some popular jazz masters.  Groove to Old MacDonald as a bandleader, cool cats.

Beethoven's wig 3: many more sing along symphonies

Rounder, 2006
Introduce children to the classics with these silly rhymes set to serious melodies.  Orchestral versions of the classic tunes are also included.  The third in this series.

Bottle of Sunshine by Milkshake

Milkshake Music, 2004
Beautiful harmonies enrich this second production from this folk/rock duo.

Celtic dreams: lullabies from Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Isle of Man & Brittany

Ellipsis Arts, 2003
Soothing vocals and instrumentals from the British Isles.

Eat every bean and pea on your plate by Daddy A Go Go

Boyd's Tone Records, 2006
Fun children’s songs from a mix of genres by performer John Boydston.

Every day is a birthday  by Brady Rymer

Bumblin' Bee Records, 2006
Rock guitar highlights these songs for kids of all ages. j CD Music RYMER    

Family Dance by Dan Zanes and friends

Festival Five Records, 2001
A variety of traditional and original songs, performed by a mix of instruments and singers that will entertain the entire family.  Other CDs by Dan Zanes are also available.

For the Kids

Nettwork Records, 2002
An all star cast records old favorites and original compositions including “La La La La Lemon” by the  Barenaked Ladies and “The Rainbow Connection”  performed by Sarah McLachlan. 
Also For the Kids Too.

Goodnight Guitar by Ray Penney

Homesong Media, 1996
Peaceful classics from guitarist Ray Penney. 

Jazz for kids: sing, clap, wiggle, and shake

Verve, 2004
Selections from the jazz masters are gathered together for young children.

Meltdown! By Justin Roberts

Carpet Square, 2006
Fun pop music for parents and kids.

My Best Day by Trout Fishing in America

Trout Records, 2006
More snappy and sophisticated songs from guitarist Ezra Idlet and bassist Keith Grimwood .

NEW ORLEANS CHRISTMAS

Putumayo, 2006
New Orleans’ musicians give a Louisiana twist to classic Christmas tunes. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity

NEW ORLEANS PLAYGROUND

Putumayo, 2006
A collection of world-renowned performers present classic songs from New Orleans.  A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Louisiana Children's Museum.

Quiet time by Raffi

Rounder Records, 2006
Quiet songs from a favorite children’s performer.

Rock your socks OFF by Charity Kahn

JAM, 2006
Musical fun from Charity and the Jam Band.  j CD Music CHARITY   

Songs from the neighborhood: the music of Mister Rogers

Nostalgia Ventures, 2005
Popular performers sing songs from Mister Rogers Neighborhood.

Songs from the Street: 35 years of music

Legacy/Sony Wonder, 2003
Popular performers join the Muppets in singing these favorites from Sesame Street.

Swing around the world

Putumayo World Music, 2005
Tap your toes to swing music from around the world.  One of many Putumayo World Music productions for children.

Welcome To Ralph's WORLD by Ralph’s World

Disney, 2006
Sixteen of Ralph Covert’s greatest hits are included in this new CD/DVD combination which also includes six music videos featuring his fun, silly, sing-along, dance-along songs.  Also other CDs by this popular children’s musician.

You Are My Little Bird by Elizabeth Mitchell

Smithsonian Folkways, 2006
Cherished American and world folk songs from a noted singer and her small family.

     Recorded Books - Selected Titles- 

Behind the curtain by Peter Abrahams

Recorded Books, 2006
In the second Echo Falls mystery, an eighth grade Sherlock Holmes fan is kidnapped while investigating mysterious events in her town.  Narrated by Colleen Delaney.  (Grades 5+) 
j CD ABRAHAMS

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

Listening Library, 2006
The classic story of the boy who never wanted to grow up. Narrated by Jim Dale. (All ages)

Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Macmillan Audio Books, 2006
A 9 year old boy and his small Welsh town find their lives changed by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Italian Renaissance when classic paintings from the National Gallery in London travel through their town. This hilarious audiobook is narrated by Jason Hughes.
(Grades 4  to adult)

Henry and the paper route by Beverly Cleary

Harper Children's Audio, 2006
Another funny classic from Beverly Cleary about Henry and his pesky friend, Ramona.  Narrated by Neil Patrick Harris. (Ages 6 and up)

The misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis

Listening Library, 2006
Two sisters change from orphans to outlaws after they escape from their selfish guardians and embark on rollicking western adventures. Narrated by Lee Adams. (Grades 4 to adult)

Heat by Mike Lupica

Listening Library, 2006
A 13 year-old Cuban American ace pitcher longs to play in the Little League World Series, but his life is complicated by an older brother, social services, and a new girl. (Grades 5+)  Narrated by Paolo Andino.

Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean

Simon & Schuster Audio, 2006
The authorized sequel to the classic Peter Pan, in which we learn more about Neverland, the Lost Boys, Captain Hook, and, of course, Peter Pan.  Narrated by Tim Curry. (Grades 4 to adult)

     DVDs - Selected Titles-

Dan Zanes & Friends - All Around the Kitchen! Crazy Videos & Concert Songs!
Festival Five Rec, 2005
Musical selections performed live in concert at New York’s Knitting Factory by a favorite children’s performer.

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel... and 3 More Stories about Trucks

New Video Group, Scholastic Video Collection, 2006
For the truck lover in the family: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel,  I Stink,  Trashy Town, Dot the Fire Dog and The Remarkable Riderless Runaway Tricycle

We are . . . The Laurie Berkner Band

Razor and Tie, 2006
Children’s music videos from “musicians who create and perform whimsical, catchy children's songs in a folksy rock style (Amazon).”

The Wind in the Willows: The Feature films collection

A&E Home Video, 2006
The beloved animal friends from Kenneth Grahame’s classic stories are featured in two films featuring the award-winning animation of Cosgrove Hall.

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Look for these and other great books in
The Children's Library
Mt. Lebanon Public Library
16 Castle Shannon Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15228
412/531-1913      `12.06
www.mtlebanonlibrary.org