Disney has signed an exclusive deal with the legendary Stan Lee of comic book fame.  He is the creator of Spiderman, the Hulk and the X-Men.  The agreement allows for production of all kinds of entertainment, so hopefully we will see great things come out of this. 

Water Boy by David McPhail.

A boy is told by his teacher that he is mostly water, and the story begins.  At first he worries that if he is scratched water will pour out of him or that he will turn to ice in the winter, but soon he finds himself drawn to water.  His grandmother makes him a sweater of ocean blue and he wears it every day.  But then strange watery things start to happen and he finds a power that he would never have imagined he had.

McPhail has the ability to create amazing stories that envelop a reader, leading them further and further along a fantastic path.  I believe his realistic art style adds to the sense of a fantasy that is real.  The softness of the illustrations and their rather old-fashioned feel create a sense of home and warmth on each page, even when waves are singing and raindrops are balanced on tips of fingers. 

This is a great first taste of reality-based fantasy, allowing children to see fantasy as not just books with monsters, dragons and wizards.  Instead it is a book about how the tangible can become strange and different through a single child.  And what power that is to give our children. 

Share this during units on weather or liquids/solids.  It is a great addition to rainy day story times as well.  Recommended for Kindergarteners and first graders on moist and misty days or the driest of summer weather.

Dragon Dancing by Carole Lexa Schaefer, illustrated by Pierr Morgan.

This toddler-friendly picture book combines multiculturalism, creativity and pure imagination.  It is Mei Lin’s birthday.  Her teacher reads a book about dragons, and the children create a Birthday Dragon from paper, string, feathers and tape.  As they dance around the room, the dragon in their imaginations forms around them, becoming more and more life-like.  Until the teacher calls them back, and they get birthday dragon treats to eat.

The book is filled with great sound words like whish-whoosh and great action words like creep-crouching.  The illustrations are bright, engaging and filled with movement.  If you work with a group of busy toddlers, this book will lend itself to allowing them to move with the words.  What is creep-crouching?  What does swirl-whirling look like?  And what sounds can they make to match the sounds in the book?  Sounds like good fun to me!  And what a treat that it also teaches about imagination, sharing and creativity.

This is one list that I love to see each year.  VOYA offers a list of its Perfect Tens, books that scored top marks for both quality and popularity.  I have only read two of them!  How can this be?  Ah well, more to add to my never-ending list of books that must be read.

Here’s the list:

Defining Dulcie by Paul Acampora.

Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.

The Notebook Girls: four friends, one diary, real life by Julia Baskin.

My Lost and Found Life by Melodie Bowsher.

The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen.

What Happened to Cass McBride? by Gail Giles (Hurrah!  Yes, a perfect ten of a book!)

Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan.

The Flip: turn your world around by Jared Rosen and David H. Rippe.

They Teach That in College!?: a resource guide to more than 75 interesting college majors and programs.

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin.  (One of my favorites of 2006!)

Oh Yippee! (said with great sarcasm) The publisher of “Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under My Bed,” Eric Jackson has a second children’s book that follows the same conservative theme.  The new book is called, “The Sky’s Not Falling! Why It’s OK to Chill About Global Warming.” 

He has cute titles, but I’m not sure he has anything else going for him.  That said, this liberal librarian is probably not his target audience.  I can think of many homeschooling conservatives who would love a book debunking global warming.