MONSTERS BEWARE!

Winifred isn’t afraid of the monsters in her room but she wants them gone because they’re keeping her awake at night. She makes different attempts to get rid of them but none of them seem to work. She even reads a book about it but that doesn’t seem to do the trick, either. Sleepless nights affect her daily routine since she is tired all the time. Will poor Winifred finally find a solution to her monster problem and eventually get some rest?

Monster Trouble! by Lane Fredrickson and illustrations by Michael Robertson is a cute story about a girl trying to find different solutions for a problem. The rhyming text and colorful, bold illustrations make this a great read-aloud. This book is a good read for toddlers to first graders

TIME TO SLEEP!

After spending the day at the beach, Pete and his friends don’t want the fun to end so they decide to have a sleepover at Pete’s house. After all the fun and games, Pete decides to go to sleep but his friends want to make noise and stay awake instead. How will Pete get some ZZZs?

Pete the Cat and the Bedtime Blues by Kimberly and James Dean, is one of those stories that readers will love to read over and over again. Similar to other “Pete the Cat” titles, this book has a lot of repetition, and is a great interactive read-aloud for storytime. This book is a good read for toddlers to first grade.  

RESTLESS

With the evening moon above, all the characters in the house are restless. No one can seem to fall asleep until one special creature sings a calming song that helps them all settle to sleep. This is the sequel to the classic, "The Napping House" where everyone is sleepy. 

The Full Moon at the Napping House by Audrey Wood and illustrations by Don Wood is another fun cumulative bedtime story that children will enjoy. This book is a good read for toddlers to first grade.  

PLEASE HELP!

Duncan enjoyed coloring and owned many different crayons. One day, he received a stack of postcards from different crayons he had misplaced in various locations, both near and far. The crayons were ready to come home. Each postcard tells the humorous tale of a specific color crayon.

The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt with illustration by Oliver Jeffers does a wonderful job in keeping readers entertained until the very last page. This story makes a great read-aloud for preschool children and older. Children will enjoy listening to the colorful tales of Duncan’s crayons and it might make them think twice about caring for their own crayons.  Recommended for children K-2^nd grade.

CINDERELLA'S NOT SO MEAN STEPSISTER

The popular fairytale, Cinderella, is retold with a fun twist. In this version, Cinderella has three stepsisters. The two are as mean and cruel as the original version but one stepsister, Gertie, is very kind, sweet, and helpful with the house chores. Ironically in this adaptation, Cinderella is lazy and not very nice.

When Gertie is invited to the Ball, her mother does not let her go because she is an embarrassment to the family. She does not live up to their family reputation of being mean and evil. Throughout her training, Gertie meets different fairytale characters and has trouble being mean. What is Gertie to do? She really wants to go to the Ball but doesn’t want to be mean like the rest of her family. Will the Fairy Godmother come to her rescue? Will Cinderella go to the Ball? Will Prince Charming finally find his princess?

Cinderella’s Stepsister and the Big Bad Wolf by Lorraine Carey, illustrated by Migy Blanco, is a great read-aloud. With references to other fairytales, the twist in this adaptation can be amusing to readers, especially if they are familiar with the other stories. Great read for grades K-2^nd. 

COUNTING NUMBERS AND SHAPES

The story of the Three Little Pigs has been retold many times. In this particular version, not only does the author retell the story with a different sense of humor, but she also brings in other well-recognized fairytale characters to help the pigs build their homes. This adaptation also incorporates numbers and geometric shapes into the classic tale.

The Three Little Pigs Count to 100 by Grace Maccarone with illustrations by Pistacchio makes a great read-aloud. The vibrant illustrations and humorous storytelling make this a fun read for all, especially if you are teaching children basic numbers and shapes. Great read for grades K-2^nd.

WHO'S HUNGRY? I AM!

This is a wonderful interactive story about different animals and the food they eat. This book allows children to learn about a variety of animals and their favorite food in a fun, interactive way by turning the half-fold pages and feeding the animals on each page.

Who’s Hungry? by Dean Hacohen and illustrations by Sherry Scharschmidt, makes a great storytime book. The colorful illustrations introduce children to the topic of healthy eating habits. This is the same duo who brought us the popular title, Tuck Me In!  

This is a great book for toddler – preschoolers.