SM Library: What Children Should Read Next?

CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Our grab-and-go bags have proven so popular that we will continue this service until we reopen to the public. All you need to do is send us an email with the age and gender of your children (babies through rising fifth-graders), your name, and your library card number; we will pick out some books that we hope you will enjoy. Then we'll notify you when they're ready to pick up. You may also request specific books from our catalog.

Below are brief reviews of some of our newer books that you may want to try.

Picture Books:

• Preaching to the Chickens by Jabari Asim tells the story of the early years of a young man who grew up to be the late Civil Rights leader, Georgia congressman John Lewis. Raised on a farm in Alabama, Lewis tended a flock of chickens and preached to them, imitating the sermons he heard each Sunday and hoping someday to inspire others with his own words. E. B. Lewis’ lovely watercolors illustrate this joyful text. (ages 5-8)
• In Big Papa and the Time Machine by Daniel Bernstrom, a boy who fears his first day in school goes on a trip in his grandfather’s time machine and learns what it means to be brave. (age 4-8)
• Bunnies on the Bus by Philip Ardagh is a fun read-aloud adventure about the mayhem caused by some lively bunnies. (ages 3-7)
• Catch That Chicken by Nigerian writer Atinuke tells the story of Lami, the best chicken catcher in her village where the contributions of everyone matter. (ages 2-5)
• Madame Badobedah by Sophie Dahl introduces readers to Mabel, whose parents run the Mermaid Hotel where the Madame comes to stay. The young girl and the old woman meet and eventually a bond develops between them and sparks some remarkably interesting—if imaginary—adventures. (ages 5-8)
• Choo-Choo School by Amy Krouse Rosenthal stars seven train cars as they experience their first day of school and learn that working hard, playing fair, and being kind are all the rules they will need. (ages 3-7)
• Noodle Bear by Mark Gravas is about friendship and stars a bear who loves noodles. When he wakes from hibernation and can find no noodles, he sets off to seek his fortune (and some noodles) but learns that sharing the thing you love with the friends you care about is the more important than all the noodles in the world. (ages 3-7)
• The Pirates Are Coming by John Condon takes “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” to extremes. Tom gets so excited about his job as lookout that he imagines danger when it’s not there. But when it is … (ages 3-7)
• Soaked by Abi Cushman is another book starring a bear, this time a grumpy one who hates the idea of getting wet in a rainstorm. When his friends all have fun in the shower, bear at first thinks they are nuts, but eventually learns that he can have a good time in any type of weather. (ages 3-7)

Children's Activity:

• Author Grace Lin has written lots of children’s books for a variety of ages. We have six here at the Library that you may check out and three more coming soon. You can also enjoy Lin on her YouTube channel where she reads from her books and also gives some art lessons.
  
  

Juvenile Fiction:

• Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants by Andrea Beaty is a spin-off of the picture books starring Rosie Revere, Ada Twist, and Iggy Peck. In this volume Scientist Ada seeks to discover how far a balloon can float. (ages 6-9)
• Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters by Andrea Beaty is another new chapter book starring Rosie’s friends Ada and Iggy. Rosie learns about the power of teamwork in this STEM-based series. (ages 6-9)
  
  

Juvenile Nonfiction:

• It’s a Numbers Game: The Math Behind the Perfect Bounce Pass, the Buzzer-Beating Bank Shot, and So Much More by James Buckley will treat kids to lots of fun-to-learn facts about basketball while imparting some math knowledge at the same time. (ages 8-12)
• The Lost Book Of Adventure: From the Notebooks of the Unknown Adventurer by Teddy Keen purports to be the journal found by the author on a trip to the Amazon. In it are details of extraordinary explorations along with advice on such outdoor activities as how to build a treehouse and what to do when encountering a poisonous snake. (ages 9-12