2010 Teacher's Choices-Primary Readers (Grade K-2)

In a watery mirror
the rugged raccoon
admires his face
by the light of the moon:
the mysterious mask,
the whiskers beneath,
the sliver of cricket
still stuck in his teeth.

Take a lighthearted romp through four seasons in the forest with these whimsical poems. Marvel at the overachieving beaver, applaud the race-winning snail and its perfect trail of slime, or head off to be pampered at a squirrel spa.

Warning: Deborah Ruddell's quirky cast of animal characters and Joan Rankin's deliciously daffy pictures will cause giggles. The woods have never been so much fun!

Do you know the differences between a butterfly and a moth? One animal has furry feelers and a chubby body. The other has clubbed feelers and a thin body. Find out which animal is which.

Henrietta loves to read. When she clucks buk, buk, buk at the library, the librarian knows exactly what to recommend. Then Henrietta decides to write a book. With the help of her three aunties, she hatches a plot. But when Henrietta publishes her story, the critics say she's laid an egg! Is this the end of Henrietta's career as an author?

Miss Fox is tired of hearing her young students quarrel. So she announces Peace Week--no more squabbling for one whole week! The children chime in with their own rules: no fighting, don't say mean things, and help others.  Throughout the week each of the little animals gets a chance to practice this new behavior.  When Polecat teases Bunny for wearing a bright yellow sweater, instead of poking fun back at Polecat, Bunny admires his sweater. Soon, to their surprise, the animals are finding that it's easy to help others, take turns, and say nice things, even when someone is grumpy to them.  Wouldn't it be nice, Squirrel says, if every week could be Peace Week?

One World, One Day uses exquisite, moving photographs and Barbara Kerley's poetic text to convey a simple yet profound concept: we are one global family. This is a sophisticated concept book, presented as an elegant picture book with contributions from top international photographers.

This beautiful photo book follows the course of one day in our world. Sunrise to sunset is captured in the essential things we all do daily, wherever we live in the world, and in the different ways we do them. The first meal of the day will take on a whole new dimension for American kids as an American pancake breakfast is contrasted with porridge in North Korea and churros in Spain.

At the end, each image is reprinted as a thumbnail and accompanied by a detailed caption. Selected images feature photographers' notes that share the thoughts and methodology involved in the making of the picture and reveal fascinating behind-the-scenes information. The photographers reflect on how the pictures might resonate within the theme of the global family. Such reflections are rooted in the life experiences of these well-traveled professionals. Their global viewpoints, in tandem with Barbara Kerley's powerful message, set an ideal example for all future world citizens.

Greg Mortenson stumbled, lost and delirious, into a remote Himalayan village after a failed climb up K2. The villagers saved his life, and he vowed to return and build them a school. The remarkable story of his promise kept is now perfect for reading aloud. Told in the voice of Korphe's children, this story illuminates the humanity and culture of a relevant and distant part of the world in gorgeous collage, while sharing a riveting example of how one person can change thousands of lives.

Louis needs to write an essay for school about young Abraham Lincoln. But it's 1951 in Alabama, and African Americans cannot use the public library. Mama says one day soon they'll be able to check out books, but Louis isn't going to wait! When he makes a brave journey into the "whites-only" library, something surprising and wonderful happens - he meets a brave young librarian. Ann Malaspina's moving story and Colin Bootman's rich paintings evoke the troubles and triumphs of days not long past. Includes a note on the history of racial segregation in public libraries, a brief history of Abraham Lincoln's life, and an "If You Want to Read More" listing.

Change is all around us.

From the first buds of springtime to the first autumn frost, nature shows us that change is all around us and that the world has its own way of beginning anew.

Bird, Butterfly, and Eel spend their summers on the same coastal farm, but in the fall they go to very distant and different places. Their journeys to the far reaches of land and sea make them remarkable creatures. James Prosek uses their stories and his own sun-kissed paintings to introduce young readers to the basic elements of bird, fish, and insect migration.