New Books for a New Year

When the new books arrive, they go fast at our library. One day, I happened to be there right after the new books were set out. Oh, what fun! I easily found half a dozen interesting books to bring home. {Honestly, I started off with more, but decided wiping out the entire section of new books was not a good example to my children as I try to teach them to share.}

The half dozen new library books we brought home:

Jack and the Baked Beanstalk, by Colin Stimpson - In this contemporary twist of a fun fairy tale, Jack and his mom live and work in a busy city at a cafe. The city builds a super highway right over the cafe. This, of course, decreases business as the cars now just zoom by the cafe and never stop. Jack is sent out for coffee beans with the family's last coins. He comes home with a can of magic baked beans. His mom is distraught. The can is tossed and the story unfolds in a twisted series of events similar enough to the original story to be familiar, but with unique complexities and outcomes that make the story fresh for all.

I picked up The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Visual Companion, by Jude Fisher strictly because I knew our two older children would enjoy seeing the characters before they went to the movie. It is truly a visual companion with amazing photographs and descriptions of the characters. Both children lingered over the book for many hours in anticipation of the movie. Of course, I must add, both made a point to show me "Dori" which I commented was better than the forgetful blue fish of several years ago.

With a title like The Story of Silk: From Worm Spit to Woven Scarves, readers know what they are getting long before they crack open this book by Richard Sobol. It really is a perfect description of this nonfiction description of silk from Thailand. The book details the entire process with captivating words and pictures. Even if your children aren't interested in silk, they will find this book fascinating. {Or, at least mine did.}

Another nonfiction book we brought home was Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington, by Jabari Asim. This picture book biography is a fabulous introduction to the life of Booker T. Washington. We are recently studied through this time period in history, and the book is a great complement to our history readings.

Combining poetry and photographs, National Geographic's Book of Animal Poetry is a gem. The poems are divided into categories like big ones, little ones, strange ones, and quiet ones. My youngest and I devoured the book one afternoon. Though we didn't read all the poems (there are 200!) we read quite a bit and looked at all the amazing photographs.

Finally, on a more whimsical note, the book The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, by William Joyce was quite the find. After one reading, children will be convinced books really can take you anywhere.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Want to receive updates via a feed or email? Subscribe here.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------