Suggestions from Mt. Lebanon Public Library  ~  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
     www.mtlebanonlibrary.org
           
   Gifts - 2007

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

Oh my baby, little one by Kathi Appelt (Harcourt)
A mother explains to her child all the ways her love remains even while she's away.
j Ea APPELT

Whose toes are those? by Jabari Asim (Little Brown)
Children explore their toes by playing "This Little Piggy." j T ASIM (toddler)

Wanda's roses by Pat Brisson (Boyds Mill)
Wanda’s optimism and enthusiasm help a community come together when she attempts to help a rose bush thrive in an abandoned lot. j Ea BRISSON

The Little House by Virginia Burton (Houghton Mifflin)
A country house is unhappy when the city grows up around her. j Ea BURTON

Mother Goose numbers on the loose by Leo and Diane Dillon (Harcourt)
An illustrated collection of 24 counting rhymes, from "Baa, baa black sheep" to "Wash the dishes, wipe the dishes."

Cowlick!  by Christin Ditchfield (Random House)
Finally, an explanation for bed-head: when you are sleeping, the cowlick cow comes along and plants a big sloppy kiss on your head. j Ea DITCHFIELD   

Snuggle Up, Sleepy Ones by Claire Freedman (Good Books)
As night falls in the jungle, animals settle down to sleep. j Ew FREEDMAN

Little Toot pictures and story by Hardie Gramatky (G.P. Putnam's Sons)
Little Toot the tugboat conquers his fear of rough seas when he single-handedly rescues an ocean liner during a storm. Anniversary Edition. (j Em GRAMATKY)

Orange pear apple bear by Emily Gravett (Simon & Schuster)
Explores concepts of color, shape, and food using only five simple words, as a bear juggles and plays. j Ea GRAVETT

Welcome, Precious by Nikki Grimes (Orchard Books)
Illustrations and text welcome a new baby to some of life's delights. j Ea GRIMES

Toot & Puddle : let it snow by Holly Hobbie (Little Brown)
Toot and Puddle celebrate Christmas and learn the best kind of present for the best kind of friend is one that shows just how much you care. The final book of the series.

Baby bear, baby bear, what do you see? by Bill Martin, Jr., pictures by Eric Carle (Holt)
Illustrations and rhyming text portray a young bear searching for its mother and meeting many North American animals along the way. j Ea MARTIN

Skunk's Spring Surprise  by Leslea Newman (Harcourt)
After waking from her winter nap, Skunk worries that her friends have forgotten her but it turns out they have planned a spring surprise. j Ea NEWMAN

Fancy Nancy and the posh puppy by Jane O'Connor (HarperCollins)
Nancy wants to adopt a special puppy so that she is no longer the only fancy member of her family, but after a day of puppysitting a papillon, she realizes that being fancy is not always the most important thing. j Ea O’Connor

Mother Goose's little treasures edited by Iona Opie, illustrated by Rosemary Wells (Candlewick)
A collection of nursery rhymes featuring such little-known characters as the wee melodie man and Handy Spandy, Mrs. Whirly and little bonny Button-cap. j Ea OPIE

Little Red Riding Hood written & illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (Little Brown)
A sweet little girl meets a hungry wolf in the forest while on her way to visit her grandmother. j Ea PINKNEY

Augustus and his smile by Catherine Rayner (Good Books)
After looking everywhere to find his smile, Augustus the tiger finds it when he looks in a puddle, and realizes that "happiness is everywhere around him." j Ea RAYNER

Cowboy & Octopus by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith (Viking)
Cowboy and Octopus maintain their friendship despite different opinions about things like beans and knock-knock jokes. j Ea SCIESZKA

Dog and Bear by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Roaring Brook Press)
Three stories reveal the close friendship between Dog and Bear. j Ea SEEGER

The busy little squirrel by Nancy Tafuri (Simon and Schuster)
Squirrel is too busy getting ready for winter to nibble a pumpkin with Mouse, run in the field with Dog, or otherwise play with any of the other animals. j Ea TAFURI

Whose Chick are You? by Nancy Tafuri (Greenwillow)
Goose, Duck, Hen, Bird and the little chick, itself, cannot tell to whom a new hatchling belongs, but its mother knows. j T TAFURI

The apple pie that papa baked by Lauren Thompson (Simon & Schuster)
When a doting father decides to make an apple pie for his beloved daughter, an enjoyable day is had by all, including the hungry farm animals who hover nearby in the hopes of getting a slice of the pie. j Ea THOMPSON

Flotsam by David Wiesner (Clarion)
The surprising story of what happens when a camera becomes a piece of flotsam. j Ea WIESNER

Beginning Readers

Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold (Scholastic)
When Buzz captures a fly to enter in The Amazing Pet Show, people tell him that a fly cannot be a pet, but Fly Guy proves them wrong. j Er ARNOLD

Move over, Rover by Karen Beaumont (Harcourt)
When a storm comes, Rover expects to have his doghouse all to himself but finds that various other animals, including a skunk, come to join him. j Ea BEAUMONT

You read to me, I'll read to you : very short scary tales to read together
by Mary Ann Hoberman (Little Brown)
Using rhyme, rhythm and repetition, the scary text invites young children to read along with an adult. The latest in the “You read to me” series. j Er HOBERMAN

Zelda and Ivy, the runaways by Laura McGee Kvasnosky
In three short stories, two fox sisters run away from home, bury a time capsule, and take advantage of some creative juice. j Ea KVASNOSKY 

Not a box by Antoinette Portis (HarperCollins)
To an imaginative bunny, a box is not always just a box. j Ea PORTIS

Henry and Mudge and the great grandpas
by Cynthia Rylant (Simon & Schuster)
When Henry and his dog Mudge go to visit Great-Grandpa Bill in the home with lots of other grandpas, they lead them all on a wonderful adventure. j Er RYLANT

I am invited to a party! by Mo Willems (Hyperion)
Funny stories about two best friends, an optimistic pig and a pessimistic elephant. Other titles include There is a Bird on Your Head! and Today I Will Fly! j Er WILLEMS

Grades 2 – 4

Ivy + Bean break the fossil record by Annie Barrows (Chronicle)
Everyone in second grade seems set on breaking a world record and friends Ivy and Bean are no exception, deciding to become the youngest people ever to discover a dinosaur skeleton.
j BARROWS

No Talking by Andrew Clements
The noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest. j CLEMENTS

Tutankhamen's tomb by Jen Green (Barron's Educational Series)
“Uncover the secrets and treasures on Ancient Egypt.” With pop-ups, wheels, pull-tabs, and flaps. j 932.014 Gre 

Babymouse : queen of the world! by Jennifer L. Holm (Random House)
An imaginative mouse dreams of being queen of the world, but will settle for an invitation to the most popular girl's slumber party. One of a series of graphic novels about this intrepid mouse. GRAPHIC j BABYMOUSE 

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell (Holt)
When Emmy discovers that she and her formerly loving parents are being drugged by their evil nanny with rodent potions that can change people in frightening ways, she and some friends must try everything possible to return things to normal. j JONELL

The mutiny on the Bounty by Patrick O'Brien (Walker & Co)
An account of the tragic voyage of the British ship to the island of Tahiti. j 910.453 Obr 

The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker (Hyperion)
Eight-year-old Clementine, convinced that she has no talents, tries to find a way to avoid participating in the class talent show. j PENNYPACKER

Make your mark, Franklin Roosevelt by Judith St. George ( Philomel )
A biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt, from his early childhood to becoming our President.
j 92R ROOSEVELT Stg 

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon (First Second)
The enduring friendship between a dog and a robot is portrayed in this wordless graphic novel. GRAPHIC j VARON

Grades 5 – 8

The journey that saved Curious George : the true wartime escape of Margret and H.A. Rey by Louise Borden (Houghton Mifflin)
The story of Margret & H. A. Rey, authors of the children’s classic Curious George, and their daring escape from Nazi France during World War II. j 92R REY Bor

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis (Scholastic)
In 1859, 11-year-old Elijah Freeman, the first free-born child in Buxton, Canada, which is a haven for slaves fleeing the American south, uses his wits to try to bring to justice the lying preacher who has stolen money that was to be used to buy a family's freedom. j CURTIS

Schooled by Gordon Korman (Hyperion)
Homeschooled by his hippie grandmother, Cap Anderson has never watched television, tasted a pizza, or even heard of a wedgie. But when he is forced to attend the local middle school, no education could prepare him for the politics of public school. j KORMAN

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy (HarperCollins)
When twelve-year-old Stephanie inherits her weird uncle's estate, she must join forces with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton mage, to save the world from the Faceless Ones. j LANDY

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt (Clarion)
In 1967 on Wednesday afternoons when all his classmates go to either Catechism or Hebrew school, 7th-grader Holling stays in Mrs. Baker's class where they read the plays of Shakespeare and he learns about literature and life. j SCHMIDT

The invention of Hugo Cabret : a novel in words and pictures
by Brian Selznick (Scholastic)
When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized. j SELZNICK

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (Random House)
In this story about the perils of popularity and the courage of nonconformity an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever. j SPINELLI

The mysterious Benedict Society by Trent Lee Stewart (Little Brown)
After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. j STEWART

Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis (Dial)
A quirky & logical 7th-grade girl discovers some interesting results when she gets involved in the everyday problems of her peers. j TARSHIS

Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor (G. P. Putnam's Sons)
Magpie Windwitch, faerie, devil hunter, and granddaughter of the West Wind, must defeat an ancient evil creature, the Blackbringer, who has escaped from his bottle and threatens to unmake all of creation. j TAYLOR

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban (Harcourt)
Ten-year-old Zoe Elias longs to play the piano but must resign herself to learning the organ, and finds that her musicianship has a positive impact on her workaholic mother, her jittery father, and her school social life. j URBAN

Way Down Deep by Ruth White (Farrar, Straus Giroux)
In the West Virginia town of Way Down Deep in the 1950s, a foundling called Ruby June discovers the truth about her mysterious past. j WHITE

The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles (Harcourt)
The death of a mysterious man and an anniversary pageant jeopardizes the annual July 4th baseball game in a small Mississippi town. j WILES

Candyfloss by Jacqueline Wilson (Roaring Brook)
When her mother plans to move to Australia with her new husband and baby, Floss must decide whether her loyalties lie with her mother or her father, while at the same time, her best friend begins to make fun of her and reject her. j WILSON

Leepike Ridge by N. D. Wilson (Random House)
While his mother continues to search for him, 11-year-old Tom, presumed dead after drifting down a river, finds himself trapped in a series of underground caves with another survivor and a dog, and pursued by murderous treasure-hunters. j WILSON

Family

Go! by Samone Bos, Phil Hunt, Andrea Mills (Dorling Kindersley)
Go on an amazing trip into the world of transportation. Stunning photography and illustrations, foldouts, and fascinating facts explore different modes of travel in these three areas: Water, Land, and Air. j 629.04 Bos   

Let It Shine: Three Favorite Spirituals by Ashley Bryan (S & S/Atheneum)
Bryan's vibrant illustrations interpret 3 beloved songs: "This Little Light of Mine," "Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In," and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands."   j Ea BRYAN 

Steven Caney's ultimate building book by Steven Caney (Running)
Details the ins and outs of construction in all its forms. Includes building projects with easy-to-follow instructions for creating models and toys.  j 624 Can 

Hey batta batta swing! : the wild old days of baseball
by Sally Cook & James Charlton (McElderry)
The history of baseball related through fun cartoon illustrations, facts, figures & anecdotes, and the insider slang of the game. j 796.357 Coo   

Freedom walkers : the story of the Montgomery bus boycott
by Russell Freedman (Holiday House)
Covers the events surrounding and including the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the end of segregation on buses.  j 973.921 Fre 

An inconvenient truth : the crisis of global warming by Al Gore (Viking)
An inconvenient truth explains what global warming is, what causes it, and explains how to take action to stop this crisis. j 363.7387 Gor    

Owen & Mzee : the language of friendship told  by Isabella Hatkoff (Scholastic)
Continues the story of the unusual friendship between Owen, a young orphaned hippo, and Mzee, a 130-year old Aldabra tortoise. j 599.635 Hat 

Living color written and illustrated by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin)
Jenkins's cut-paper collage illustrations highlight this array of vividly colored animals. Information about each animal is included as well as how the colors help the animal stay alive. Colorful natural history for everyone.
 
Ask Dr. K. Fisher about dinosaurs by Claire Llewellyn (Kingfisher)
In this fun book, dinosaurs write to Dr. K. Fisher about their concerns (such as toothaches, unsightly lumps, and being overweight). Dr. K. Fisher's wise and witty replies include lots of prehistoric facts for his dinosaur readers and for us. j 567.9 Lle 

Why war is never a good idea by Alice Walker (HarperCollinsPublishers)
Simple, rhythmic text explores the wanton destructiveness of War, which has grown old but not wise, as it demolishes nice people and beautiful things with no consideration for the consequences. j Ea WALKER

Animal poems by Valerie Worth ; pictures by Steve Jenkins (Farrar Straus Giroux)
Worth’s poems illuminate the uniqueness of each animal in elegant free verse, and are accompanied by Jenkin’s cut-paper illustrations which help bring every animal vividly to life.
j 811 Wor 

Here's a little poem : a very first book of poetry
collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters (Candlewick)
A collection of poems for children with the various themes of self, family, going outside, and when it is time for bed. j 811.08 Yol

Holiday Books

Great joy by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick)
Frances cannot stop thinking about an organ grinder and his monkey performing near her apartment at Christmastime and she wishes she could do something to help.
Preschool – Grade 2

Olivia helps with Christmas by Ian Falconer (Atheneum)
As she impatiently waits for Santa's arrival, Olivia the pig tries to help with family preparations on the day before Christmas. j Ea FALCONER (Preschool – grade 2)

Letter on the wind : a Chanukah tale by Sarah Marwil Lamstein
(Boyds Mills Press)
When there is no oil for Chanukah, Hayim sends the Almighty a letter, asking for help.

Big fun Christmas crafts and activities : over 200 quick & easy activities for holiday fun! by Judy Press (Williamson)
Holiday crafts for the family. j 745.59412 Pre XMAS

Merry Christmas, Cheeps! by Julie Stiegemeyer ; illustrated by Carol Baicker-McKee (Bloomsbury)
A family of chicks celebrates the joys of the Christmas season. Simple text is accompanied by adorable 3-D collage art by our favorite local illustrator. j T STIEGEMEYER   (Toddler)

Music CDs, Recorded Books, DVDs

Blue Moo: 17 Jukebox Hits From Way Back Never
Sandra Boynton and Michael Ford (Workman Publishing Company)
Join Beach Boy Brian as well as Neil Sedaka, B.B. King, Davy Jones, and more singing the fun words and music of Boynton & Ford. The accompanying book is filled with jukebox fun from the 50s and 60s. Book & Music CD

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, read by Jeff Woodman
(Scholastic Audiobooks)
An orphan, a Paris train station, a clock, and a mysterious toyseller come together in this fast-paced novel with a movie-making mystery at its core. Grades 4+ / Audiobook

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel, read by David Kelly and the Full Cast Family (Full Cast Audio)
Matt Cruse loves beings a cabin boy on the Aurora, a luxury airship that sails hundreds of feet above the ocean. Then he meets a dying balloonist who speaks of beautiful creatures drifting through the skies who are very real and mysterious. Grades 5+ / Audiobook

The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles, read by Kate Jackson
(Random House/Listening Library)
A July 4th pageant, an annual baseball game, the death of a mysterious man, an 80 year old baseball player, and a dog named Eudora Welty combine to make an unforgettable summer and book. Grades 4+ / Audiobook

My best day by Trout Fishing In America (Trout Records)
Fun songs including Alien in my nose, My Hair had a Party Last Night, and Beans and weenies.  
j CD Music TROUT  / Music CD

Baby Loves Jazz: Go Baby Go! by The Baby Loves Jazz Band (Verve)
Spicy fun for everyone in these traditional children’s songs performed to a jazz beat. Music CD

Asian dreamland (Putumayo Kids)
"Tranquil lullabies and soothing songs" j CD Music PUTUMAYO   / Music CD

Putumayo Kids presents animal playground (Putumayo Kids)
Songs about animals from around the world sung in English and other languages.
j CD Music PUTUMAYO    / Music CD

Hunk-ta-bunk-ta twinkle. Volume two by Katherine Dines
Songs for which to base musical activites with babies and toddlers including Five Little Monkeys. j CD Music DINES / Music CD

Open wide: tooth school inside and Four More Fantastic Children’s Stories
(Scholastic Video)
Learn about dental care in a classroom in which teeth are the students, The title story is based on the book by Laurie Keller. Also includes "How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?"; "Doctor De Soto"; "Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge"; and bonus story "Joey Runs Away". DVD

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling, read by Jim Dale
(Random House/Listening Library)
The boy wizard plays hooky from school and battles the bad guys in this final installment of the now-classic fantasy. Audiobook

Some annotations provided by the Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data.

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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     12.07
www.mtlebanonlibrary.org