Paul O Zelinsky

In his letters to his favorite author, ten-year-old Leigh reveals his problems in coping with his parents' divorce, being the new boy in school, and generally finding his own place in the world.

4) Strider

Author

Cleary, Beverly

Formats

Description

In a series of diary entries, Leigh tells how he comes to terms with his parents' divorce, acquires joint custody of an abandoned dog, and joins the track team at school.

5) Hansel and Gretel

Author

Lesser, Rika

Appears on list

Wintertime Candyland

Description

A poor woodcutter's children, lost in the forest, come upon a house made of bread, cakes, and candy, occupied by a wicked witch who likes to have children for dinner.

6) All-of-a-kind family Hanukkah

Author

Formats

Book, eBook, Kindle

Description

In 1912 New York, Gertie feels left out while Mama and her four older sisters cook Hanukkah dinner, but Papa comes home and asks her help with an important task.

7) Rumpelstiltskin

Author

Zelinsky, Paul O

Description

Book, CD audio book, eAudiobook

A strange little man helps the miller's daughter spin straw into gold for the king on the condition that she will give him her first-born child.

8) Swamp Angel

Author

Isaacs, Anne

Formats

Description

Along with other amazing feats, Angelica Longrider, also known as Swamp Angel, wrestles a huge bear, known as Thundering Tarnation, to save the winter supplies of the settlers in Tennessee.

9) Toys go out: being the adventures of a knowledgeable Stingray, a toughy little Buffalo, and someone called Plastic

Author

Fun Family Read-Alouds for Preschool and Older

Appears on list

Description

Six stories relate the adventures of three best friends, Lumphy, a stuffed buffalo, Sting Ray, a stuffed stingray, and Plastic, a toy who happens to be in the midst of an identity crisis.

10) Z is for Moose

Author

Bingham, Kelly L

Appears on list

ABCs and 123s

Description

Moose, terribly eager to play his part in the alphabet book his friend Zebra is putting together, then awfully disappointed when his letter passes, behaves rather badly until Zebra finds a spot for him.

11) Five children and it

Author

Nesbit, E

Formats

Description

When four brothers and sisters discover a Psammead, or sand-fairy, in the gravel pit near the country house where they are staying, they have no way of knowing all the adventures its wish-granting will bring them.

12) Earwig and the witch

Author

Jones, Diana Wynne

Formats

Description

Although an orphan, Earwig has always enjoyed living at St. Morwald's, where she manages to make everyone do her bidding, but when she is taken in by a foster parents who are actually a witch and a demon, she has a hard time trying to turn the situation to her advantage.

13) Red and green and blue and white

Author

Wind, Lee

Formats

Book, eAudiobook

Description

On Isaac's street most of the houses are decorated in red and green for Christmas including his friend, Teresa's, while Isaac's house is blue and white for Hanukkah; then someone smashes Isaac's window in the night, and Teresa comes up with a way to show support her friend--and gets the whole community to rally around their Jewish family.

14) Return of the thief

Author

Turner, Megan Whalen

Formats

Description

"Neither accepted nor beloved, Eugenides is the uneasy linchpin of a truce on the Lesser Peninsula, where he has risen to be high king of Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis. As the treacherous Baron Erondites schemes anew and a prophecy appears to foretell the death of the king, the ruthless Mede empire prepares to strike"--Provided by publisher.

15) Toys meet snow: being the wintertime adventures of a curious stuffed buffalo, a sensitive plush stingray, and a book-loving rubber ball

Author

Description

Ages 0 - 3: Shapes Around Us
Concepts

While Little Girl is away on winter vacation, her toys, Lumphy, StingRay, and Plastic, decide to go outside and learn more about snow.

16) Circle, square, Moose

Author

Bingham, Kelly L

Appears on these lists

Description

When Zebra and his enthusiastic friend Moose are asked to exit a book about shapes, Moose has other plans.

17) The Shivers in the fridge

Author

Manushkin, Fran

Description

One-by-one, the members of the Shivers family disappear from the inside of their chilly refrigerator home.

18) Toy dance party: being the further adventures of a bossyboots Stingray, a courageous Buffalo, and a hopeful round someone called Plastic

Author

Description

Six stories relate further adventures of three best friends, who happen to be toys, as they encounter a fearsome (possible) shark, enjoy a dance party, and deal with rejection by The Girl, who is growing up.

19) Toys come home: being the early experiences of an intelligent stingray, a brave buffalo, and a brand-new someone called Plastic

Author

Description

When a little girl gets a plush stingray for her birthday, it makes friends with some of her other toys as they all try to navigate in the world of real people.

20) Awful Ogre's awful day: poems

Author

Prelutsky, Jack

Description