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LITTLE GORILLA
Written by Ruth Lercher Bornstein
Everyone in the jungle loves little gorilla. But little gorilla begins to grow. And grow. And...will everyone still love him? A great, reassuring readaloud for kids (and parents, too).

 

 

BEAR SNORES ON
Written by Karma Wilson and Illustrated by Jane Chapman
Unbeknownst to a hibernating bear, he has a slew of visitors in his cave, having a party. And what happens when Bear wakes up? It's all good, as they say. Fun, sweet, and peppy, this is great for all ages.

 

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(4-8)

 

DUCK AND GOOSE
Written by Tad Hills
Young Duck and Goose find an "egg" and end up going from antagonists to friends as they discuss who gets to take care of it, raise it, and so on. Ahh, but the egg is actually a ball, and when Duck and Goose realize what they've really got...they do what friends do best. A sweet and goofy tribute to fowly friendship.

MY BUDDY SLUG
Written by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Alex is best friends with Slug. But what happens when your best friend starts getting on your nerves, simply because you never get time away from him/her? With bright, fun illustrations and spot on observations about friendship, Krosoczka (Punk Farm) creates two believable characters in Alex and Slug...even if one happens to be a bright orange, well, a bright orange slug!

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(6-9)

 

FOX AT SCHOOL
Written by Edward Marshall and Illustrated by James Marshall
The Fox books, and there are many, are all fun, funny, and great for beginners. In this volume, Fox loses a part in the school play, deals with a fire drill AND with responsibility...all in identifiable, if totally Fox-esque ways. Add in James Marshall's silly illustrations, and these are sure-fire hits.

 

MISS DAISY IS CRAZY
Written by Dan Gutman and Illustrated by Jim Paillot
This is the first book  in the My Weird School series, and other books are equally enjoyable. In this, A.J. (in second grade) tells the story in first-person, and it’s his distinct point of  view that makes this a lot of fun. While the school may seem “weird,” most kids who read this will fully relate and see their own school experiences reflected quite well.

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(9-12)

THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY
Written by Susan Patron and Illustrated by Matt Phelan
This year’s Newbery winner has gained notoriety because the word “scrotum” appears on page one (a scrotum belonging to a dog, by the way). But don’t let that distract you from a wonderful novel about Lucky, a young girl in a (very) small town who searches for her own “higher power” to help her get through rough times. Along with her knot-tying friend, Lincoln, Lucky makes fine company on a quirky, sweet trip.

RULES
Written by Cynthia Lord
Twelve year old Catherine makes up rules (to help her younger, autistic brother make sense of his world).  But ultimately, Catherine comes to realize that the rules aren’t as important as merely accepting people for who they are. Warm and loving while not stinting in depicting frustrations and tough issues, Rules is a tremendous read.