A Grumpy Book

GRUMPY CAT: A GRUMPY BOOK. Chronicle Books, 2013.

Who has not loved the various photos of Grumpy Cat roaming the Internet? This book displays cat in all his grumpy best. There are tips for forming the perfect grumpy frown, mazes that are meant to keep pesky dogs from food, and even a Grumpy Cat shopping list. This book is perfect for reluctant readers as well as for fans of the Grumpy Cat.

Poetic views

GOD GOT A DOG by Cynthia Rylant with illustrations by Marla Frazee. Beach Lane, 2013.

I read the poems in this collection when they originally were in GOD WENT TO BEAUTY SCHOOL. I loved the poems that showed the human side of God enormously. Here, with Marla Frazee's illustrations that range in mood and tone, the poems are reborn. God cooks spaghetti for herself; he gets the chance for a one-up at a doctor's visit. The language is ordinary on the surface, but the poems are profound when considered carefully. Brilliant.

Happy Holidays

Celebrate Christmas with some old favorites (Olivia) and some new characters (Fuddles).

By the Sea

OCTOPUS ALONE by Divya Srinivasan. Viking, 2013.

Octopus hides so that he is not bothered by the sea horses. Thankfully, he can blend in with his surroundings or squirt black ink to escape. At the end of the day, though, he decides he enjoys the merriment of the sea horses and returns home.

A SINGLE PEARL by Donna Jo Napoli with illustrations by Jim LaMarche. Disney Hyperion, 2013.

A tiny grain of sand is confused when it is sucked into an oyster. Slowly, the grain is coated with layer after layer. One day, a diver pries the pearl from its shell making it feel vulnerable. But when the pearl is given to a young girl, the pearl feels her warmth and love and knows it is, at last, home.

easy reading

THE VELVETEEB RABBIT CHRISTMAS by Maria Barbo with illustrations by Michael Hague. Square Fish, 2013.

Level 1 of the My Readers imprint offers simple stories for emergent readers. Here the Velveteen Rabbit prepares to celebrate Christmas with his owner.

MUMMY MYSTERIES: TALES FROM NORTH AMERICA by Brenda Guiberson. Square Fish, 2013.

This nonfiction book describes how the discovery of mummies had led to other discoveries about man and how he lived. Simple and direct nonfiction can lead students to other books about this topic.

Various and Sundry

THE BLUE BOOK OF FAIRY TALES illustrated by Gordon Laite. Golden Books, 2013.

Originally published in 1987, this book features three familiar tales: Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast, and Toads and Diamonds.

WHERE IS CATKIN? by Janet Lord with illustrations by Julie Paschkis. Peachtree, 2013.

Originally published in 2010, this is the story of Catkin who seeks out animals he cannot see but only hear.

LEO GEO AND THE COSMIC CRISIS/MATT DATA AND THE COSMIC CRISIS by Jon Chad. Roaring Brook, 2013.

When last we saw Leo Geo, he was working in his lab. As the story opens, he gets word that a comet is on its way to the space station where his brother, Matt Data, is working. At the space station, Matt Data learns that Leo's computer will turn on him while he is in space. This remarkable book can be read from front to middle and then flipped to read the story from the other perspective.

Spike!

SPIKE, UGLIEST DOG IN THE UNIVERSE by Debra Frasier. Beach Lane, 2013.

Poor Spike, his owner entered him in an ugly dog contest, and Spike won! Now he is a laughingstock. To make matters worse, his owner abandons Spike. Forlorn, Spike wanders to a neighbor to see if he can find a new home and the love he needs. Collages built from a wide array of fabrics add texture to the illustrations. A lovely surprise at the end will enchant readers.