The Five Best Children's Books of 2008

The girls and I head to the library at least once a week, if not more. It's not unusual for my library bag to have at least ten or more children's books in it. Some of them are for preschool specifically, but more often than not they're in there just because I like reading children's books! ;) I make a point of seeking out the Newberry and Caldcott Medal winners every year, because most of the time they are gems waiting to be discovered.


1. The Penderwicks and The Penderwicks on Gardam Street





Let me tell you how much love I have for these books: You know how you get those "Desert Island" questions?? I would take these books to the desert island with me- that's how much I love this series. And yes, strictly speaking, this isn't just one book. But I read them both this year (the first book came out in 2005, and the second one was released this past May), and the author plans on releasing a total of five Penderwick books.

The four Penderwick sisters live with their widowed (widowered??) father and their dog, Hound. The first books take place over three weeks at Arundell, a summer cottage the family has rented. The second book takes place back at their home, over the course of a year. The books have a timeless feeling, even though they take place in the modern day. The four sisters all have very distinct personalities, and you can't help but wish you knew them in real life.

I read both of the books aloud to the girls, and we all cried when they were over. I don't know of a better recommendation than that.

2. Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children About Their Art



I'm of the belief that every children's book doesn't need illustrations, but if it's going to have them, they better be DARN GOOD illustrations. This book is just what it says; 23 major illustrators talking to children about their art. They talk about their lives and their influences, and each illustrators included sketches and drawings from their "early" days. I was amazed to see how many of them didn;t have any formal training- just a burning desire to make beautiful artwork.

3. Scaredy Squirrel



I discovered this book when I was volunterring at the Book Fair at the girls' school. I laughed so hard that I almost fell out of my chair. Scaredy Squirrel tells us his story as a cautionary tale (he NEVER leaves his tree because he might encounter tarantulas, martians, germs or killer bees, and he ALWAYS has his First-Aid kit with him) but it's full of sly, subversive, tongue-in-cheek references that make it a delight for adults to read too.

4. King George: What Was His Problem?: Everything Your Textbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution



Hands down, this is the best -and funniest!- book about the American Revolution I have ever read. It's aimed at kids, but it never talks down to them. You would be hard pressed to find an adult who doesn't learn something from this book. The writing is simple, clear and concise.

The author is a text book writer who got tired of having to leave all the funny and really interesting historical bits out of the text books, so he decided to write a book with all those bits left in!

I love the way this book is organized- key players and events are highlighted systematically (That sounds very dry, but trust me, it's not). There are quotes galore, from people you've definitely heard of, to people you never knew existed. He even has a section called "What ever happened to...?" at the end. And like any good text book writer, the source notes go on for pages.

5. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon



This is book which reads like a documentary. That sounds terribly dry, but it's not. This books *excellent*. I love reading about this history of the space program, and this is a wonderful look at what went in to making the Apollo 11 Moon landing possible AND successful. The pictures are amazing, and there are interviews with people involved in every facet of the space progrma. From the astronauts themselves down to the people who decided what the austronauts would eat, everything you could possibly want to know it covered. And if the author *did* miss something, there is a huge reference section listing other books you could read.


Honorable Mention

Rapunzel's Revenge



This is a fresh take on the story of Rapunzel- from a wild west point of view. The author's made a bold choice to go with a graphic novel format, which will appeal to boys who might otherwise shy away from the traditional "girl" story.