The tale of Despereaux : being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Timothy Ering (the 2004 Newberry Medal winner)

The unfortunate and traumatic birth of a mousekin in the royal palace portends an unexpected intertwining of rodent adventure and princess rescue. Against the odds of evil mice, betraying kin and a soupless kingdom, Despereaux, the lover of light and music, finds his courage. The tale ends well with the evil forces either disappearing or being reformed, the hapless provided for, and the hero and heroine living "happily ever after," after their own style.

DiCamillo's attention to detail makes this a fun story to read: items such as Despereaux's education and his trials within his family, the friendly "thread master" who encourages him, and the harrowing tale of his courageous descent into the dungeons all work together to provide a tale of adventure.

As a children' librarian I appreciated many aspects of DiCamillo's creation, but especially I liked the well-crafted but transparent vocabulary lessons that heightened the dramatic presence of the story yet assisted developing readers to acquire meaning and nuance. A good read and one that older elementary and younger middle-school readers will enjoy and long remember.

Key words: princess, empathy, perfidy, courage

The hello, goodbye window by Norton Juster, illustrations by Chris Raschka (the 2006 Caldecott Medal Winner)

Seen through the eyes of a beloved grandchild, the kitchen window in Nanna and Poppy's home provides a portal to life, love and happiness. The child describes how the window lets her see in to love and out to life, and in the process she shares happy times and routines that she counts on in her grandparents' home.

Juster's story accompanied by Raschka's impressionistic illustrations makes a vivid tale for the senses as we see the color, hear the laughter and feel the love within the home. Life is good, and we are there sharing it all.

Not a quiet picture book, the color and emotions within the words seem to make this a book better suited for middle-elementary children who can empathize with the emotions of the child. Indeed as an adult and a grandparent I connect with this book in unspoken ways. Tale and picture: an award-winning combination!

key words: family, laughter, relationships, grandparents

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Miri's humble life and her loyal love for her family and home strike a sharp contrast to the the possibility of being the land's reigning Princess! The opportunity held out to her and the other village teenage girls: to study, learn and train to be princess material. Who will be chosen as the Prince's bride?

Hale has fashioned an honest and meaningful tale of Miri and her friends as they confront the choices before them and learn to shape their lives on the consequences of those choices. Real decisions lead to real growth, and the reader is drawn through those moments, fully in sympathy with Miri, her challenges and triumphs, to come out on the other end of the tale with a realistic and heart-warming resolution.

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I can envision best my readers in the 4th and 5th grades enjoying this book most and finding it to be an involving and rewarding read.

Key words: princess, telepathy, friendship, learning to read

The toughest cowboy, or, how the Wild West was tamed, by John Frank and illustrated by Zachary Pullen

The toughest, roughest, stinkiest men in the west are hilariously domesticated when an unexpected addition to their group, a miniature poodle, comes to live with them. Despite their initial hard hearts, Foofy begins to work her magic with her surprising skill at ... well, that would be telling too much.

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The illustrations play a major role in this book chosen for the 2006-2007 Texas Bluebonnet reading list. The pictures show the rough and tough cowboy characters up close and picking-nose personal. The plot is made rich by Frank's descriptions and word-plays. The ending is particularly entertaining by the juxtaposition of Pullen's final picture and Frank's final line of the story creating a belly-laugh ending.

I have enjoyed sharing this book with 2nd to 4th graders who are able to listen and understand the wordplays that make the book such a rich reading experience.

Key words: cowboys, Wild West, life on the range

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

George, a young pup is encouraged by his mom to speak, and she tells him "Bark, George." But in a series of worrisome responses, George proceeds to respond with all kinds of animal sounds other than that of a dog. "Meow," "Quack," "Oink," and more cause George's mom to carry him to the veterinarian who discovers the unexpected but quixotic cause of the problem. The unexpected turns in the plot will make reading aloud a great laugh for all involved.

The color-and-line drawings of the illustrations add as much to the story as does the text. The mother's growing concern seen through her expressions and the body language of both the mother and the vet will provide great humor for the child examining the illustrations.

I look forward to sharing this picture book with my pre-kindergarten and early-years children who will appreciate the incongruence between expected language and inappropriate responses.

Key words: language, animal sounds, veterianarian, mother-child relationships