Today, Cathy Mere is hosting the 4th Annual August Picture Book 10 for 10. Of course, who better to join the fun than the #nerdybookclub community? Several of us are blogging and sharing our list of favorite picture books that we can't live without in our classrooms and libraries. They will also be linked on Twitter at #pb10for10 . My must have books are:
1. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Long before saving the earth became a global concern, Dr.
Seuss, speaking through his character the Lorax, warned against mindless
progress and the danger it posed to the earth's natural beauty. -Amazon review
2. The Kissing Hand by Audrey
Penn
Chester Raccoon doesn't want to go to school--he wants to
stay home with his mother. She assures him that he'll love school--with its
promise of new friends, new toys, and new books. Even better, she has a special
secret that's been in the family for years--the Kissing Hand. This secret, she
tells him, will make school seem as cozy as home. She takes her son's hand,
spreads his tiny fingers into a fan and kisses his palm--smack dab in the
middle: "Chester felt his mother's kiss rush from his hand, up his arm,
and into his heart." Whenever he feels lonely at school, all he has to do
is press his hand to his cheek to feel the warmth of his mother's kiss. Chester
is so pleased with his Kissing Hand that he--in a genuinely touching
moment--gives his mom a Kissing Hand, too, to comfort her when he is
away.-Amazon review
3. Pete the Cat-I Love My
White Shoes by Eric Litwin
Pete the Cat goes walking down the street wearing his brand
new white shoes. Along the way, his shoes change from white to red to blue to
brown to WET as we steps in piles of strawberries, blueberries and other big
messes! But no matter what color his shoes are are, Pete keeps movin' and
groovin' and singing his song...because it's all good.-Amazon review
4. The Giving Tree by Shel
Silverstein
"Once there was a tree . . . and she loved a little
boy." So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written
and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein. Every day
the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or
slide down her trunk . . . and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he
began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave. This is a
tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein
has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting
interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's
capacity to love in return.
5. The Velveteen Rabbit by
Margery Williams
The Rabbit in the stocking isn't as expensive as the other
toys: he’s covered in velveteen. On Christmas Day, the Boy enjoys his new toy
but then quickly forgets and neglects him. Shunned and unsure, the Velveteen
Rabbit questions his worth. Should he even becalled a real toy? An answer comes
from his friend, the Skin Horse: "Real isn’t how you are made. . . .It's a
thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not
just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." The
Velveteen Rabbit's journey through love and loneliness to become who he was
really meant to be is a story that inspires us all on our own journey to Real.
The Velveteen Rabbit is a timeless tale of friendship, love, acceptance
and honesty. When the world seems uncertain, Margery Williams's classic story
reminds all of us what really matters.
6. Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
Baby bat Stellaluna's life is flitting along right on
schedule--until an owl attacks her mother one night, knocking the bewildered
batlet out of her mother's loving grasp. The tiny bat is lucky enough to land
in a nest of baby birds, but her whole world has just turned upside down.
Literally. Stellaluna's adoptive bird mom accepts her into her nest, but only
on the condition that Stellaluna will act like a bird, not a bat. Soon
Stellaluna has learned to behave like a good bird should--she quits hanging by
her feet and starts eating bugs. But when she finally has an opportunity to
show her bird siblings what life as a bat is like, all of them are confounded. "How
can we be so different and feel so much alike?" one asks. "And how
can we feel so different and be so much alike?" asks another. "I
agree," Stellaluna responds. "But we're friends. And that's a
fact." Anyone who has ever been asked to be someone they're not will
understand the conflicts--and possibilities--Stellaluna faces.
7. Lilly's Purple Plastic
Purse by Kevin Henkes
Lilly loves everything about school, especially her cool
teacher, Mr. Slinger. But when Lilly brings her purple plastic purse and its treasures
to school and can't wait until sharing time, Mr. Slinger confiscates her prized
possessions. Lilly's fury leads to revenge and then to remorse and she sets out
to make amends.
8. Swimmy by Leo Lionni
Deep in the sea there lives a happy school of little fish.
Their watery world is full of wonders, but there is also danger, and the little
fish are afraid to come out of hiding . . . until Swimmy comes along. Swimmy
shows his friends how—with ingenuity and team work—they can overcome any
danger. With its graceful text and stunning artwork, this Caldecott Honor Book
deserves a place on every child’s shelf.
9. Millions of Cats by Wanda
Gag
Once upon a time there was an old man and an old woman who
were very lonely. They decided to get a cat, but when the old man went out
searching, he found not one cat, but millions and billions and trillions of
cats! Unable to decide which one would be the best pet, he brought them all
home. How the old couple came to have just one cat to call their own is a classic
tale that has been loved for generations.
10. The Library by Sarah Stewart
Elizabeth Brown doesn’t like to play with dolls, and she
doesn’t like to skate. What she doeslike to do is read books. Lots
of them, all the time. Over the years, her collection has grown to such
enormous proportions that there’s not even room in Elizabeth’s house for
Elizabeth. The way she solves the problem will warm the hearts of book lovers,
young and old.
These are classics that every library should have.
They are definitely mine! What are yours? Share with us and
let us know which picture books you can't live without. Happy
Shopping and Reading!
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