Books for children
Childhood is a time of exploration and discovery and growing independence. Today’s books feature children exploring their world – a young girl who enjoys a wide variety of activities, despite her physical challenges; a young boy who shares his experiences in Australia with his classmates back home; and a girl who, for the first time she can remember, decides not to do something her two best friends doing. All books reviewed in this column are donated to local libraries and are available throughout the region through inter-library loan and the Access Pennsylvania program. Susan Laughs
By Jeanne Willis
Illustrated by Tony Ross
Henry Holt
$15.00
Ages: 3-6, grades P-1
Susan laughs, sings, flies and swings. She dances with her grandfather and swims with her parents. She is shy, angry, scared and proud. In short, Susan is and does everything most children do, even though Susan is in a wheel chair.
This is a great way to introduce children to some of the differences they will find as they meet more children when they enter school, and it lets them know that no matter what, kids are still kids and physical challenges don’t have to be handicaps. The artwork shows Susan’s exuberance for life. Her smile is contagious.
Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo
By Allison Lester
Houghton Mifflin Co.
$15.00
Ages: 4-7, grades P-2
Ernie’s family is moving to the Australian outback for a year, and he decides to share his experiences with the students in his home school. He writes about life in the outback during each of the six seasons, from monsoon, harvest, cool weather, early dry season, hot dry season and the pre-monsoon season. Each season brings a new round of activities and new experiences for Ernie. The story is bases upon the author’s visit to Arnhem Land in 1996 and 1997.
Winnie Dances on Her Own
By Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Illustrated by Alissa Imre Geis
Houghton Mifflin Co.
$15.00
Ages: 7-9, grades 2-4
Winnie, Vanessa and Zoe have been friends since they were five years old and always do everything together. They even dress alike every day, and they are together every afternoon after school. When the third grade students are offered ballet classes, Vanessa and Zoe sign up and assume Winnie will sign up too, even though Winnie doesn’t want to dance. For the first time in their relationship, the girls find themselves at odds. Can their friendship survive Winnie asserting her independence? This is an excellent early chapter book.