Hibernation Station
By Michelle Meadows
(Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers 2010)
Reading time: 2 minutes, plus author’s note with interesting information on hibernation habits and habitats
Ages: l and up

A clever concept to engage the entire toddler crowd. The youngest children will enjoy the rhyme and rhythm, while the older ones will love hearing this unique train tale of all the different animals bedding down for the winter. 

Lively Elizabeth
By Mara Bergman
(Albert Whitman and Company 2010)
Reading time: 3 minutes
Ages: 1 and up

A happy ending to a crish-crash razzamadash in which the consequences of pushing are exaggerated to make a clear-point in a fun-filled way. If read with great drama, kids of all ages will hover around to hear the lesson they already know.

Thank you For Me!
By Marion Dane Bauer
(Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers 2010)
Reading time: 3 minutes
Ages: 1 and up

As baby narrates giving thanks for various aspects of his being, one hears Bauer speaking from the heart of an adoring grandmother. Parents and grandparents consumed with love for the new baby will repeatedly read it aloud to their little ones.

Seven Hungry Babies
By Candace Fleming
(Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers 2010)
Reading time: 4 minutes
Ages: 1 and up

Children will find reassurance hearing how each chick is lovingly cared for by their busy mother. Other busy mothers will read it aloud knowingly and thank Fleming for the punch line every time.

The Fathers Are Coming Home
By Margaret Wise Brown
(Margaret K. McElderry Books 2010)
Reading time: 2 minutes
Ages: 1 and up

This beautiful rendition of father’s time of day circa 1930s and ‘40s begs to be read quietly and expectantly. Here Margaret Wise Brown’s forte, capturing and transmitting mood down through the ages, rivals her classic Good Night Moon.

The Wild, Wild Inside: A View From Mommy’s Tummy!
By Kate Feiffer
(A Paula Wiseman Book 2010)
Reading time: 5 minutes
Ages: 2 and up

Kate Feiffer gives us the lowdown on what it’s like where we have all been but – once out – nobody discusses. From in utero, the fetus tells us what it really feels like to be awaiting the family.  Best if read absolutely matter-of –factly while letting little listeners – especially those expecting a new sibling – do the asking.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears
By Emma Chichester Clark
(Candlewick Press 2010)
Reading time: 6 minutes
Ages: 2 and up

Get with Clark’s irreverent portrayal of a modern day Goldilocks with some hoot and holler. The little snooper arrives unannounced and appropriates some Bear family possessions. The bears make themselves known; Goldilocks flees in terror while Mama Bear, who has seen it all before, has the last laugh.

The Easter Egg
By Jan Brett
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons 2010)
Reading time: 5 minutes
Ages: 2 and up

A lovely meaningful story to match Brett’s glorious illustrations makes this book a great year ‘round readaloud as well as the perfect family Easter gift.  To be read with both empathy and joy for Hoppi, the bunny, whose courageous, caring nature exceeds his creative talents. A great springboard for family or school discussion of which matters more in life.

When I Wore My Sailor Suit
By Uri Shulevitz
(Farrar Strauss and Giroux 2010)
Reading time: 6 minutes
Ages: 3 and up

The author portrays each character so clearly that it’s a true treat for the readalouder.  Everyone’s dialogue can be read exactly as Shulevitz depicts it: the young boy with wonder and determination; the adults as kindly, supportive and helpful. This book sets a standard from which every children’s author could learn.

Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution
By Pat Miller
(Albert Whitman 2010)
Reading time: 6 minutes
Ages: 3 and up

One of the last independent publishers, Albert Whitman and Company retains its decades-long high standards.  To be published by them a picture book must thoroughly engage the child and be highly thought provoking.  Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution, a terrific all seasons readaloud, is no exception. The motivating message of helping others is embedded in the exciting story and makes for lively family and school discussion.

First Rain
By Charlotte Herman
(Albert Whitman 2010)
Reading time: 8 minutes, including author’s note
Ages: 3 and up

An intergenerational story of separation in which a young girl leaves America with her parents to immigrate to Israel while her beloved grandmother stays behind. This adventurous tale for little listeners is a poignant one for the grandparent readalouder whose mandate is to try to read it sans tears.

Lawn to Lawn
By Dan Yaccarino
Alfred A. Knopf (2010)
Reading time: 5 minutes
Ages: 3 and up

A highly original, thoroughly delightful tale of lawn ornaments forgotten by Pearl and her family in a hasty move. The readalouder will enjoy maintaining a sense of excitement as the ornaments overcome obstacle after obstacle on their journey to find their mistress and new home.

BiblioBurro: A True Story From Colombia
By Jeannette Winter
(Beach Lane Books 2010)
Reading time: 6 minutes
Ages: 4 and up

An inspirational readaloud based on the true story of Luiz Sorino of a tiny  Colombian village whose first bookmobile was two burros.  With tremendous determination he grew his operation and showed the world how one person can make a difference in the life of many children, one book at a time. 

Librarian on the Roof:  A True Story
By M.G. King
(Albert Whitman and Company 2010)
Reading time: 10 minutes
Ages: 4 and up

An exciting, fun-filled story of Texas librarian RoseAleta Laurell, who camped out for a week on the 50 foot high roof of her town library in cold, stormy weather to get people to help fund a children’s section. In the process of staging this media event which drew attention to the plight of libraries nationwide, she raised double the money for which she hoped.

April and Esme: Tooth Fairies
By Bob Graham
(Candlewick Press 2010)
Reading time: 7 minutes
Ages: 4 and up

A pair of very modern cell-phone-carrying fairy sisters show their parents they are old enough to join the family tooth-for-coin trade.  The girls can be read with great enthusiasm, every mother will read the mother’s part with her own interpretation.

POP!  The invention of Bubble Gum
By Meghan McCarthy
(A Paula Wiseman Book: Simon and Schuster 2010)
Reading time: 6 minutes plus extensive endnotes
Ages: 4 and up

A delightful true tale of the attempts of one methodical accountant, who worked in a large gum and candy factory, to invent a new kind of gum.  His success brought fun to kids of all ages, as this book will to its listeners from 4 to 104.

Mary’s Penny
By Tanya Landman
(Candlewick Press 2010)
Reading time: 8 minutes
Ages: 4 and up

A newly recast retelling of an old tale wherein the daughter’s brains supersede her brothers’ brawn in her father’s decision of who shall inherit the family farm. To be read with a combination of compassion for the brothers and delight for their sister.

Slowpoke
By Emily Smith Pearce
(Boyds Mills Press 2010)
Reading time: 8 minutes
Ages: 4 and up

In this delightful treat filled with much truth and humorous exaggeration, the youngest member of the household teaches the others how to relax and smell the roses, though it comes with difficulty to them all. To be read slowly with tongue firmly in cheek. An excellent vehicle for family discussion wherein each member will no doubt recognize self and others.

An Egret’s Day
Poems by Jane Yolen
(Wordsong /Boyd’s Mill Press 2010)
Reading time: under 2 minutes per section
Ages: 4 and up

In this stunning tribute to the beautiful egret, each of Yolen’s fourteen brief "chapters" provides a fact about the graceful bird, then a poem relating to it. A lovely showcase for both the gifts of the bird and the poet/author whose range seemingly expands with each new book. 

Christian, the Hugging Lion
By Justin Richardson
(Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers 2010)
Reading time: 7 minutes
Ages: 4 and up

A charming true story of two men who went to THE London department store and came home with a lion cub who lived in their apartment, slept in their beds, played inside and out with them, and grew bigger every day.  When they decided he deserved to be free, they took him to Africa where he – a descendant of generations of zoo lions – was taught to live in the wild. The following year the men returned to the wild to visit their beloved pet who remembered them immediately and spent the night camping out with them.

Fly Free!
By Roseanne Thong
(Boyd’s Mill Press 2010)
Reading time: 7 minutes
Ages: 4 and up

A beautifully crafted celebration of a wheel of kindness that goes around and comes around. (Here set in Vietnam and called karma, but present in the hearts and deeds of humans throughout history.) To be read with a combination of exuberance and quietude.

The Night Fairy
By Laura Amy Schlitz
(Candlewick Press 2010)
Reading time: 90 minutes/10 chapters
Ages: 4 and up

Bound for the classics shelf, The Night Fairy is a wonderfully compelling tale of a narcissistic young fairy who becomes a genuinely caring soul. With injured wings she adjusts to safer life as a day fairy, and develops many relationships including the most unlikely of all: a selfish squirrel named Skuggles.

Lucky Beans
By Becky Birtha
(Albert Whitman 2010)
Reading time: 12 minutes including endnote
Ages: 5 and up

Wonderful family story of ingenuity, motivation, equality and love. Besides all that, it provides a great math lesson.  Lends itself to fast-paced readalouding, which helps build excitement.

A Wizard From The Start: The Incredible Boyhood
And Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison                                            
By Don Brown
(Houghton Mifflin Books for Children 2010)
Reading Time: 9 minutes, plus author’s note
Ages: 5 and up

This short bio is filled with interesting quotes, facts and insights, including young Tom’s mother removing him from school soon after he began because a teacher called him "addled." Homeschooled by his mother, Edison credits her with teaching him to "read good books quickly and correctly." The rest is history.

The Daring Miss Quimby
By Suzanne George Whitaker
(Holiday House 2009/10)
Reading time: 9 minutes plus timeline and author’s note
Ages: 5 and up

A fascinating story of the first US woman to earn a pilot’s license.   Thoroughly modern in the early 1900s, a sophisticated writer and in love with speed, Quimby quickly graduated from driving a roadster to piloting a plane. She flew faster and faster, setting records, and became the first woman to fly across the English Channel.  Like many pilots of her day she survived only a couple of years of flying before crashing to her death. Good for discussion of the potential cost of following one’s dreams.  Would you have made her choices given the known risks?

Cloud Tea Monkeys
By Mal Peet
(Candlewick 2010)
Reading time: 21 minutes
Ages: 5 and up

A lovely, unusual part mythic, part factual piece of fiction.  Complete with child laborer, sick mother, cruel overseer, heroic saviors, and a happily-ever-after ending, it should be read aloud and discussed in classrooms, libraries and families.  Older children will love it as a readalone as well.

Paris in the Spring with Picasso
By Joan Yolleck
Random House Children’s Books (2009)
Reading time: 12 minutes
Ages: 5 and up

What a terrific companion to the excellent Jonah Winters’ Gertrude is Gertrude is Gertrude, which stars Gertrude Stein and features Pablo Picasso.  In this book Picasso stars while Stein and her famed salons are featured.  This book provides a great introduction to Paris, to modern art, and to some of the leading artistic and literary lights of a beloved bygone era.

Child of the Civil Rights Movement
By Paula Young Shelton
Schwartz and Wade (2010)
Reading time: 8 minutes
Ages: 5 and up

A beautifully written recollection from the daughter of Civil Rights Movement leader Andrew Young.  In the voice of her younger self the author tells what it was like to become part of an extended "family" of other committed families, including the Kings, as they fought for the freedom of their people. There are many children’s books on the Civil Rights Movement but this is definitely one of the very best since it’s written by an "insider" and captures the emotions of the children who were there.

Muktar and the Camels
By Janet Graber
(Henry Holt and Company 2009)
Reading time: 6 minutes, with author's note
Ages: 5 and older

Muktar, a Somalian orphan, knows all about camels, and misses those he used to tend with his father. When a caravan with an injured camel passes through his village, Muktar saves the camel. In doing so, he frees himself from life in the orphanage to follow the nomadic life he prefers. An excellent vehicle for school or library discussion of the power of learning something very well, and having it with you forever.

In the Belly of an Ox
By Rebecca Bond
(Houghton Mifflin Books for Children 2009)
Reading Time: 12 minutes
Ages: 5 and up

A beautiful historical account of Richard and Cherry Kearton's brotherly love, and their adventures as they pursued and then photographed their love of nature. A great opportunity for home and classroom discussion of the evolving art of bird photography and the unorthodox methods and adventures of the brothers who started it all.

Neo Leo: the Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci
By Gene Barretta
(Henry Holt and Company 2009)
Reading time: 8 minutes
Ages: 5 and older

A terrific vehicle for classroom discussion of invention, technology, art, and the origins of ideas. Barretta's presentation is excellent as he juxtaposes text and drawings of inventions from the 1700s and into modern times with those originals done by da Vinci over 500 years ago. A book to be read, re-read and kept so that, as they become older, children can read and refer to it themselves.

The beautifully written prose poem recounts in splendid detail the launch, interim days and landing of the first men on the moon.The text and extensive author's note document an unparalleled historical moment which raises many scientific, metaphysical, social and political issues: Why was getting a man on the moon so important to the US? When did the scientific planning for this Apollo flight first begin? Why did these men take the risk? Would you like to go to the moon -- why or why not?

An excellent depiction of a privileged, talented woman whose lifelong pursuits were to improve circumstances of those less fortunate; and to write her poetry. Her most famous poem is the New Colossus, which appears on the Statue of Liberty.

Lilly and the Pirates
By Phyllis Root
(Boyd’s Mill Press 2010)
Reading time: 1 ½ hours (for 28 short chapters)
Ages: 6 and up

Already beloved for her empowerment of young women, fantastical tales and a wacky sense of humor, with Lilly Phyllis Root has created the tallest tall tale of them all. Whether read as a coming-of-age novel – with 8 being the new 18 – or a satire on the coming-of-age novel, it’s a delightful family readaloud. Its many short chapters makes it an ideal bedtime adventure story.

No Easy Way: The Story of Ted Williams and the last .400 Season
By Fred Bowen.
(Dutton Children’s Books 2010)
Reading time: 8 minutes
Ages: 6 and older

This tribute to Ted Williams, whose .400 batting average set in 1941 has yet to be topped, can be read aloud with the exuberance and excitement of an announcer giving a play-by-play report. Williams insisted on playing a final double-header game rather than let his .3995 average be rounded up, as was custom.  By playing, he risked not winning the title of the only batter in American history to reach the .400 goal. Listeners should be encouraged to discuss the question: What would you have done?  Rounded up and gotten the title for sure, or chanced playing and losing it?

January’s Sparrow
By Patricia Polacco
(Philomel Books 2010)
Reading time: 45 minutes
Ages: 7 and up

An engrossing, tough story to listen to; a tougher story to have lived through as did the family about whom it’s written.  A tremendous amount of slave, Civil War and Underground Railroad history is woven in so that if a child were exposed to only one book on the subject of slavery, this book – coupled with a well-handled discussion – is something he or she would never forget.  It is written largely in dialect in the voice of a young girl and can be read with appropriate accents as well.  A basis for a whole range of discussions on Civil War history: before, during and after.