TextProject: Freddy's Favorites

It goes without saying that books mean a lot to me. I am drawn to good books like a bee to a rose. At the moment my addiction to books is fueled by an outstanding local bookstore (Bookshop Santa Cruz). The manager at the children’s section (Gá Lombard) is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about children’s literature. I am often enthralled with the books she recommends. I’ve decided to share some of my favorites each month. Each month, I’ll select a book for each of these levels:

K-2 grade
3-6 grade
7-12 grade
English Language Learners

Check back every month and see the new selections!

Freddy’s Favorites go great with the QuickReads® program. Visit TextProject’s QuickReads site to learn more.

June 2008

Summer Fun

Summer has always been about trying new things for me. Here are a few books about getting out there and trying something new.

Folding for Fun: Origami for ages 4 and up

Written by Didier Boursin
Asian Kites: Asian Arts and Crafts for Creative Kids

Written by Wayne Hosking

May 2008

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Legend of the Chinese Dragon

Written by Maria Sellier
Illustrated by Catherine Louis
Calligraphy and chop marks by Wang Fei
Translated by Sibylle Kazeroid
Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog

Written by Pamela S. Turner
Illustrated by Yan Nascimbene
The Year of the Dog

Written & Illustrated by Grace Lin
The White Elephant

Written by Sid Fleischman
Illustrated by Robert McGuire
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story

Written by Paula Yoo
Illustrations by Dom Lee

April 2008

Poetry

Pio Peep!: Rimas Tradicionales en Espanol with CD

Selected by Alma Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy
English Adaptations by Alice Schertle
Illustrated by Viví Escrivá
Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs

Written by Alan Katz
Illustrated by David Catrow
Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry

Written by Joyce Sidman
Illustrated by Michelle Berg

March 2008

Admirable Women

Family Pictures Cuadros De Familia

Written and Illustrated by Carmen Lomas Garza
Four Pictures By Emily Carr

Written and Illustrated by Nicolas Debon
Lucy Maud Montgomery, A Writer’s Life

Written by Elizabeth MacLeod
Restless Spirit: The Life and Work of Dorothea Lange

Written by Elizabeth Partridge

February 2008

U.S. Presidents

A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhull

Written by Katerine Krull
Illustrated by Jane Dyer
George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the War

Written by Thomas B. Allen
Featuring Illustrations by Cheryl Harness
The Remarkable Rough-Riding Life of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Empire America

Written and Illustrated by Cheryl Harness

January 2008

Coretta Scott King Award Winners

Oh, Brother!

Written by Nikki Grimes
Illustrated by Mike Berry
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Written by Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Elijah, of Buxton

Written by Christopher Paul Curtis
Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue

Written by Julius Lester

December 2007

Holiday Spirit

All You Need for a Snowman

Written by Alice Schertle
Illustrated by Barbara Lavallee
Merry Navidad! Christmas Carols in Spanish and English

Compiled by Alam Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy
English Versions by Rosalma Zubizarreta
Illustrated by Viví Escrivá
It’s a Miracle! A Hanukkah Storybook

Written by Stephanie Spinner
Illustrated by Jill McElmurry
Elijah’s Angel: a story for Chanukah and Christmas

Written by Michael J. Rosen
Illustrated by Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson
The Dark is Rising

Written by Susan Cooper

August 2007

Back To School

Frindle

Written by Andrew Clements
Illustrated by Brian Selznick
The New Girl… and Me

Written by Jacqui Robbins
Illustrated by Matt Phelan
The Most Beautiful Place in the World

Written by Ann Cameron
Illustrated by Thomas B. Allen