Dear Whiskers by Ann Whitehead Nagda

Dear Sameera,
I am a mouse.
I live in your desk.

When Jenny's fourth grade class is assigned to write letters to second graders, Jenny's a little excited about it.

But then she picks a funny name for her pen pal: Sameera. What kind of a name is Sameera? Jenny's best friend Richard had picked a boy named Eric. Smart, fussy Susan had a pen pal named Daniel. Really nice ordinary names.

Worse, the fourth graders are supposed to pretend to be mice writing the letters. What do mice write letters about? What do mice do? Jenny really hates this part of the project.

And, worst of all, Sameera never writes back! Doesn't she like Jenny's letters? Maybe she thinks "Whiskers" is a dumb name for a mouse. Or maybe she hates Jenny.

Jenny has two choices: try talking to her pen pal, or trade her in for a different second grader. But there's something Jenny doesn't know yet about Sameera...

Father and Son Read-Aloud Stories retold by Robert Gould

This collection of well-loved tales (Puss in Boots, The Lion and the Mouse, Jack and the Beanstalk, and more) are perfectly adapted for sharing between the men of the family. Though the core stories remain the same, certain details have been adjusted for the intended readers - for example, when a blonde-haired visitor breaks Baby Bear's chair, he can still look forward to an afternoon in the workshop with Papa Bear, making a new one.

Lara Gurin's artwork appears to be based on photographs, creating a combination of fantasy and reality that perfectly balances the stories they illustrate.

Otto Runs for President by Rosemary Wells

Barkadelphia School is holding its yearly election for school president, and Otto's class is really excited. All of Tiffany's friends are sure she'll win - she's pretty, smart, and popular. And Charles seems to be a definite contender - he's a star athlete and the captain of all the sports teams.

Otto, on the other hand, is just a really good listener. While Tiffany and Charles are putting up banners and bumper stickers, Otto asks the kindergarteners about blankets. In the middle of pep rallies and pancake breakfasts, Otto quietly passes out homemade cookies.

It looks like a real close race heading into election day - Otto and his best friend Melanie have their fingers and toes crossed. Who do you think will win?

---

Our book kit includes a CD with the story narrated by Diana Canova. She has a great range of voices, making each character stand out. And the pep band background music definitely completes the story! There's two versions on the CD - one with page turn signals and one without. Great for sharing as a family, or for a young reader to practice on his or her own!

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

This is one of my very favorite picture books - not only is it fun to read and share, it's also a delight to act out!

One day, a peddler who sells caps - gray caps and brown caps and blue caps and red caps - goes out into the country to take a nap. He sits down under a big tree, falls asleep, and when he wakes up - all of his caps have disappeared!

Who could have took them? And how will he get them back?

---

If you enjoy this story, you'll like the sequel: Circus Caps for Sale. It's an equally fun romp, though I much prefer the original!

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

Get ready to laugh out loud as 14 talented artists take on the age-old question: Why did the chicken cross the road? Warning: egg-cellent jokes abound!

Two page spreads illustrate each artist's answer to the old joke, each one different from the next. (I won't tell you those answers; it would ruin the surprise!)

Some best-known artists include Mo Willems (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus; Knuffle Bunny; the Elephant and Piggy books), Tedd Arnold (the Fly Guy! books), David Shannon (No, David!; How I Became a Pirate), Jerry Pinkney (The Little Red Hen; The Lion and the Mouse), Harry Bliss (Diary of a Spider; Diary of a Worm), Lynn Munsinger (What Mommies Do Best / What Daddies do Best), and Judy Schachner (Skippyjon Jones).

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen

Imagine if mice had their own civilization. Towns of mice living in the trunks of trees; guardian mice protecting travelers from such enemies as snakes, wolves, and weasels; blacksmith mice and weaver mice. What would it be like?

Imagine a world of swords and spears, honor and treachery, heroes and villains. Imagine four mouse guards - Lieam, Kenzie, Saxon, and Sadie - who each find pieces of the puzzle. A forbidden map, a shadowy meeting, a mouse who claims to be a hero of legend. A war coming, mouse against mouse rather than against their natural predators.

This vibrantly-colored comic book story tells a tale of bravery and sacrifice, friendship and suspicion. It's probably better for older readers because of the subject matter.

Bones and the Dinosaur Mystery by David A. Adler

Detective Jeffrey Bones is very good at solving mysteries. He has a detective's backpack full of useful things like walkie-talkies, notepads, and magnifying glasses. He always keeps it with him in case a mystery pops up.

Which is a good thing, because mysteries can appear in the strangest places - like in the museum Bones and Grandpa are visiting. Grandpa's friend Sally is with them, and Sally and Bones buy some neat dinosaur things at the gift shop. Bones really likes his blue plastic T-Rex.

But an hour later, after snacks and walking through the outer space exhibit, the T-Rex is gone! Detective Bones is on the case, and this time it's personal.

Mostly Monty by Johanna Hurwitz

Monty has asthma. That means that sometimes it's hard for him to breathe, especially if there is a lot of dust or if there is a dog or a cat in the room. It also means that he can't go camping, or join Little League, or run around as much as the other kids in his neighborhood.

But there are a lot of things Monty can do. He's a terrific reader - he's only in first grade, but his teacher says he reads as well as a fourth grader. He's also very observant; he finds a lot of lost things at school and makes sure that they get to the Lost and Found lady. Now, that doesn't mean that Monty doesn't make mistakes sometimes, but at least he always tries his best - and has fun along the way!

For young readers who are looking for something adventuresome and challenging to read, Monty is here to lend a hand!

Agent Boo by Alex de Campi and Edo Fuijkschot

Move over, Kim Possible! There's a new agent in town!

Fourth-grader Boo is more surprised than anyone when Agent's companion Pumpkin chooses her instead of any of the graduating seniors to replace a fallen Agent. Every kid in Space City has grown up on the stories of the Agents - how they built Space City, how they protect the Multiverse from the evils of Queen Misery, all of their heroes. The Agents are smart, strong, and brave - all the things Boo isn't!

But when one of Queen Misery's tricks leaves the Agents' Aerie empty, Boo has to figure out a way to save the day without help from anyone but herself!

This chapter book is chock-full of illustrations and comic-style pages which bring the story to full and exciting life!

Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California's Yosemite Valley by Robert San Souci

Once upon a time, before the world was what it is today, two bear cubs wandered away from Oo-hoo'-mah-tee, Mother Grizzly Bear, and fell asleep on a sun-warmed rock. They were so tired from playing and splashing in the river that they slept for many days and many nights, not realizing that the rock they were sleeping on was growing taller, and bigger, and taller...

When Mother Grizzly Bear goes in search of her two small cubs, it will take the effort of several of her friends - and one unusual hero - to get Older Brother and Little Brother back down on solid earth.

This origin tale of the El Capitan landmark in Yosemite Valley is full of beautiful paintings by Daniel San Souci and details of Miwok life from many years ago.

The Snake Scientist by Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop

In the Narcisse Snake Dens, 130 kilometers north of Winnipeg, Canada, approximately 60,000 garter snakes gather every year to sleep out the cold winter months.

And in spring, snake scientist Bob Mason and his team of scientists and volunteers gather to study these thousands of amazing and interesting creatures. They measure them, weigh them, check their temperature, and ask them to do experiments so that maybe, one fact at a time, we can learn the answers to questions like: How do snakes hibernate? How do snakes recognize each other? How do they travel from the dens to the marshes and back every year? Where do baby snakes spend the winters?

Nic Bishop's vibrant photographs bring you face-to-face and nose-to-tongue with these fascinating critters: snakes!

Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate Dicamillo

Mr. Watson is dreaming about driving a really fast car.

Mrs. Watson is dreaming about buttering toast, lots and lots of toast.

And Mercy Watson is dreaming about eating lots and lots of buttered toast.

Which means that when they wake up to a loud Boom! and a loud Crack! - none of them know what is going on.

Mr. Watson thinks they should call the fire department.

Mrs. Watson thinks it's an earthquake.

Mercy Watson thinks she should go check the kitchen for hot buttered toast. And if she can't find any there, maybe she'll go check with the Lincoln sisters next door...

In a series of silly coincidences, Mercy Watson, the darling of her parents' eye, rousts out the firemen, saves the day, and gets to eat a great deal of hot buttered toast. A fun set of simple stories for those just beginning to read chapter books.

Stinky and Successful: The Riot Brothers Never Stop by Mary Amato

Riot Brothers Rule #1 is: Make something exciting happen every day. That rule is #1 because it is the most important - and third-graders Wilbur and Orville Riot make sure never to break it.

They have a Secret Riot Brother Mission Book where they write down their daily missions (that’s rule #16: You have to write down your mission of the day, because of rule #5: You can’t change your mission in the middle of the day). From rescuing a damsel, to winning the yearly April Fool’s Day contest with their mom, to becoming mad scientists, the Riot Brothers never stop finding creative ways to add laughter and fun to the most ordinary situations.

Remember: The world would be a better place if all children had a roof over their head, food in their stomach, a smile in their heart, and a fake rat in their pocket. –Wilbur and Orville Riot

Zucchini Out West by Barbara Dana

Zucchini loves living with Billy.

Billy is a quiet, shy boy who loves animals. He has a list next to his bed of all of the endangered and threatened animal species in the world. He told Zucchini he wants to help shorten that list, to help save the lives of all of those animals, but he isn't sure yet how to do it.

Right now, Billy has two problems. One is his shyness. He never quite gets the courage to ask people questions, and sometimes he'll talk himself out of doing things because he thinks he'll be stupid.

The other problem is Zucchini. Now, Zucchini is Billy's best friend, but he's also a ferret. He's a small tan ferret with a cold nose, a black mask, and black feet, which is where the problem really starts. There are three different kinds of ferrets in the world, and one of them is endangered: the black-footed ferret. It's one of the rarest mammals in the world, and it's illegal to own one. So if Zucchini really is a black-footed ferret, he and Billy won't be able to stay together anymore.

The only way to know for certain is to ask one of the experts on ferrets. Billy has the chance, on a family vacation, to talk to the scientists who study ferrets and ask them questions about saving endangered animals, about ferrets, and about Zucchini in particular. If only he can pull his courage together...

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry

Have you ever wanted anything so badly that you knew your heart would break if you didn't have it?

That's the way Paul and Maureen feel about the Phantom, one of the wild ponies on Assateague Island. She's a beautiful copper and silver pony with a white map of the United States over her shoulders. Every year, the people of Chincoteague Island hold a Pony Penning Day, rounding up the wild ponies, but every year the Phantom has escaped the round up.

This year, though, it's going to be different. Paul's old enough to help with the round up, and he's determined to bring the Phantom in. And when he does, the brother and sister are going to buy the Phantom and give her a good home - her and her little silver-gold colt, Misty.

The siblings have hard work and a lot to learn along the way: they have to save up the Phantom's hundred-dollar price, deal with the highs and lows of the Pony Penning Day, and then, if they're very lucky, win the trust and cooperation of an independent, tough, thoroughly untamed pony.

Ellie McDoodle: New Kid in School by Ruth McNally Barshaw

This is the end. At least that's what Ellie thinks. Goodbye familiar house. Goodbye familiar school. Goodbye friends. Goodbye life. Ellie's family is moving for her dad's job, and even worse than being "the new kid" she now has to share a room with her sister Risa.

But then she finds the library, and woods to explore. School is still not so great. Teachers get her name wrong, and some of the students play "new kid bingo." How will Ellie make it change?

All fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid should definitely give Ellie McDoodle a try. Its illustrated journal format is fun to read. This book is the second in a series. See also Ellie McDoodle: Have Pen, Will Travel.

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

Clementine is having a not-so-good week. She tries to help her best friend and ends up making a big mess - okay, make that two big messes. She keeps getting sent to the principal's office for things that really were great ideas, even if they didn't work quite right. And to top it all off, she just knows that her parents are planning to get rid of her and just keep Spinach (Also known as Radish, Pea Pod, Zucchini - Well, if Clementine is named for a fruit, shouldn't her brother be named for a vegetable? It's only fair!) because he's the "easy one."

Clementine knows she really is the "hard one." Her room is never clean, her best friend is mad at her, and she talks too much and too fast and too loud. In fact, Clementine's not sure that even winning the Great Pigeon War is going to save her from being sent away. To top it all off, her parents have been having some really mysterious conversations lately...

A warm, funny story in the tradition of Amber Brown and Junie B. Jones.

The Secret of the Attic by Sheri Cooper Sinykin

Blue-eyed Alison is the ultimate tomboy, who loves sports and playing outside. Red-haired Megan is a reader and a writer, imitating her journalist father. Keisha is African-American and loves to sing and play with animals, while dark-haired Heather is an artist who just moved into town a few months ago.

What do these four different girls have in common? Well, besides their fast friendship, they all have a secret: a magic attic that transports them to different times, places, and adventures!

The girls' plans to go sledding on Christmas Eve are interrupted when they meet Allison's next-door neighbor. Ms. Goodwin has long silver hair and eyes as blue as the heart of a flame, and always wears colorful clothing. When the girls return a golden key to her, she invites them in to explore the attic the key belongs to - just for a few minutes before they go sledding.

But the discovery of a trunk full of beautiful dresses leads the girls into a very different sort of adventure - when they look into the mirror they find themselves in a very different house, in the middle of nowhere. Why do the newspapers have headlines about President Roosevelt? How does a stranger know their names? And who is the young girl who seems so upset about her Christmas party?

Join Alison, Heather, Keisha, and Megan in this first book of the Magic Attic Club series!

Stuart Little by E. B. White

Imagine, if you will, that you have been born to a perfectly normal family in New York, complete with a father, mother, and much bigger brother. He's much bigger, you see, because you are only about two inches tall - two inches and a quarter, at full growth. And, for some reason, you look a bit like a mouse.

What would your life be like? Would you have to climb a ladder to get to the bathroom sink, and turn it on with a hammer? Would you get into competitions with the family cat? Would you pay your bus fare in tin-foil nickels so you could go sailing on the model boats on the pond in Central Park? Maybe you'd make friends with a small beautiful bird who comes to visit, and worry about her if she disappeared one day. Perhaps you might take a journey by miniature motorcar, or discuss the Chairperson of the World with school children.

Whatever you might do, it would probably be more difficult and a great deal more exciting than doing the same thing at human size. Don't you think?

Clemency Pogue: Fairy Killer by JT Petty

Do you believe in fairies? And if you don't, would you ever say so out loud?

I hope you wouldn't, because you see, it isn't just Peter Pan who knows the power of belief over fairies: as Clemency Pogue discovers, indiscriminate use of those five small words - Eh? Which ones? Oh, I don't believe in - hey wait a minute! I am not going to say it! You can't make me say it. Why, saying that one little phrase could kill some poor unsuspecting fairy somewhere in Russia or Egypt or just down the street!

Not that this isn't sometimes a good thing: Clemency stumbled upon the power in the phrase as she was saving her life from the Fairy of Frequent and Painful Pointless Antagonism. But what about the Tooth Fairy? Or the Fairy of Noninvasive Surgery? Or, for love's sake, the Fairy of Love and Tenderness? Where would the world be without the fairy of Love and Tenderness? We would all be writing horridly rubbishy poetry and never actually speaking with anyone!

So what, if you have just randomly killed seven fairies, some good and some bad, do you do? Well, if you're Clemency Pogue, you set out with the help of a rather rude and crude (but rhyming!) hobgoblin to set things right. Which could mean learning the personal name (not just the job description!) of every single fairy you killed that you didn't mean to kill, or it could just mean saying "I do believe in fairies, I do!" and taking your chances. But that Fairy of Frequent and Painful Pointless Antagonism is pretty stubborn - and pretty nasty. I don't know if I myself would want to take my chances with her...