Maya and the Town that Loved a Tree by Kiki and Kathryn Shaw

Maya and the Town that Loved a Tree By Kiki and Kathryn Shaw

today’s children storybook summary is

Maya and the Town that Loved a Tree

By Kiki and Kathryn Shaw

Illustrated by Kiki

 

Theme: Nature, Environment, Clean Air

Before everybody was speaking about climate change, this book was warning the young readers that we can impact our environment in such way that can destroy the beautiful things in the nature and change our lives for the worst. But we can always try to repair our mistakes, if is not too late. Continue reading Maya and the Town that Loved a Tree by Kiki and Kathryn Shaw

Yes I Can! A Girl and Her Wheelchair by Barrett, Toner and Freeland

Book cover
Yes I can, a girl and her wheelchair

today’s children storybook summary is

Yes, I Can! A Girl and Her Wheelchair

By Kendra J. Barrett, Jacqueline B. Toner, and Claire A.B. Freeland

Illustrated by Violet Lemay

Theme: Overcoming disability; school inclusion;

Plot: How a happy first grader, in a wheelchair, can make friends and enjoy her days at school and participate in ordinary school activities;

Moral: This story teaches us to have a positive attitude towards the people with special needs; instead of excluding them from daily activities, we should find activities suited for their condition; instead of turning a blind eye and pretending they aren’t there, we should see them for who they are and help them with their goals.

Continue reading Yes I Can! A Girl and Her Wheelchair by Barrett, Toner and Freeland

Who Wants To Be A Princess by Jesse Harwood

Who wants to be a princess by Jesse Harwood

today’s children storybook summary is

Who Wants To Be A Princess?

By Jesse Harwood

Illustrated by Tim Patton

Theme: Being judgmental, making assumptions.

Plot: Father tries to convince daughter that a princess is just an ordinary person with privileges and duties as well.

Moral: There is more to a story then just your perspective. Continue reading Who Wants To Be A Princess by Jesse Harwood

Pablo Finds a Treasure by Andree Poulin

Pablo Finds a Treasure by Andree Poulin and Isabelle Malenfant

today’s children storybook summary is

Pablo Finds a Treasure

By Andre Poulin

Illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant

The takeaway: All over the world there are children that work from an early age to support themselves and their families. Most of them work without pay, missing school, and living in poverty. The characters in this book are fictional but the situation is real. Continue reading Pablo Finds a Treasure by Andree Poulin

I am Peace by Susan Verde

 

I Am Peace by Susan Verde
I Am Peace by Susan Verde

today’s children storybook summary is

I Am Peace

By Susan Verde

Art by Peter H. Reynolds

The takeaway

Mindfulness exercises can help children manage their feeling, relax and get rid of anxiety. Continue reading I am Peace by Susan Verde

How To Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan

How To Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan
How To Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan

today’s children storybook summary is

How to Get Your Teacher Ready

By Jean Regan

Illustrated by Lee Wildish

The takeaway

Read this book to kindergarten kids or first and second grader to get them motivated to work with other towards a common goal, to teach them good behavior, and give them inspiration to be helpful in the classroom and listen to the teacher. Continue reading How To Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan

Umbrella by Taro Yashima

Umbrella by Taro Yashima
Umbrella by Taro Yashima

today’s children storybook summary is

Umbrella

By Taro Yashima

The Takeaway

Patience is the key word for this book. Children learn to hold on their impulses. They are taught that there is a right time for everything. Continue reading Umbrella by Taro Yashima

Flood by Alvaro F. Villa

Flood by Alvaro F. Villa
Flood by Alvaro F. Villa

today’s children storybook summary is

Flood

By Alvaro F. Villa

Storyline: It is a bright day. The sun is shining over the grassland and a bird is flying over the river. Two children are playing with their dog under an old but proud tree, not far from their white and blue house, with red and pink flower beds and a short white fence around. Continue reading Flood by Alvaro F. Villa

Congratulation, Miss Malarkey by Judy Finchler & Kevin O’Malley

Congratulation, Miss Malarkey by Judy Finchler and Kevin O'Malley
Congratulation, Miss Malarkey by Judy Finchler and Kevin O’Malley

today’s children storybook summary is

Congratulations, Miss Malarkey!

By Judy Finchler & Kevin O’Malley

Illustration by Kevin O’Malley

Storyline: The fifth-grade children from Miss Malarkey’s class are very worried that there’s something going on with their teacher. She seems easily distracted and often she giggles and sings to herself. She even made the school principal, Mr. Wiggins, laugh. Continue reading Congratulation, Miss Malarkey by Judy Finchler & Kevin O’Malley

Crow Call by Lois Lowry

Call Crow by Lois Lowry
Call Crow by Lois Lowry

today’s children storybook summary is

Crow Call

By Lois Lowry

Illustration Bagram Ibatoulline

Storyline: It is an early November morning and Liz and her dad have gone hunting. Liz is a little shy and doesn’t know her dad very well. Her father had just returned home after being out to war. Continue reading Crow Call by Lois Lowry

The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness by Colin Thompson

the big little book of happy sadness by colin thompson
The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness by Colin Thompson

today’s children storybook summary is

The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness

By Colin Thompson

Storyline: There’s not much happening in George’s life. His days are the same: school and back home, at his grandmother’s, a sad place and an empty one for the boy. We don’t know what happened to his parents but they are absent from his life hence the emptiness he feels. His grandma is a kind lady but they are not too close and George feels they are on different planets. Continue reading The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness by Colin Thompson

The Birthday Party by Ronald and Juanita Destra

The Birthday Party by Ronald and Juanita Destra
The Birthday Party by Ronald and Juanita Destra

today’s children storybook summary is

The Birthday Party

By Ronald & Juanita Destra

Storyline: Children love birthday parties. There’s balloons, presents, cake, and all their friends together. And they are promised few hours, the least, of full of fun. All day long they are waiting for the party, building up excitement and anticipation.   Continue reading The Birthday Party by Ronald and Juanita Destra

Journey by Aaron Becker

Journey by Aaron Becker
Journey by Aaron Becker

today’s children storybook summary is

Journey

By Aaron Becker

Storyline: The heroin of this book, a girl about seven years old, lives in a big city. There, people are very busy and everything is monochromatic, shades of brown perhaps (or rather gray which, as right now, I find it highly inappropriate to speak of, thanks to that writer, you know who). The only bright spots are her toys, a scooter, a kite, a pencil, all red. Continue reading Journey by Aaron Becker

What to Do When You Are Sent to Your Room by Ann Stott

what to do when you are sent to your room by ann stott
what to do when you are sent to your room by ann stott

today’s children storybook summary is

What to Do When You Are Sent to Your Room

By Ann Stott

Illustration by Stephen Gilpin

Storyline: Ben has enough experience to write a self-help book about what to do when you are sent to your room. He has it mastered, a sign that he has done it a lot. He says that he gets sent to his room for feeding the dog his dinner but, from what we read, we pick at other reasons as well. Continue reading What to Do When You Are Sent to Your Room by Ann Stott

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Not Good, Very Bad Day By Judith Viorst
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Not Good, Very Bad Day
By Judith Viorst

today’s children storybook summary is

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Not Good, Very Bad Day

By Judith Viorst

Illustration by Ray Cruz

Storyline: Alexander is having a very bad day. In fact, it is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, as he says. It starts early in the morning when he noticed gum in his hair because he had gone to sleep with gum in his mouse (a very bad idea, I should say). Continue reading Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Goin’ Someplace Special by Patricia C. McKissack

Goin' Someplace Special by Patricia McKissack and Jerry Pinkney
Goin’ Someplace Special by Patricia McKissack and Jerry Pinkney

today’s children storybook summary is

Goin’ Someplace Special

By Patricia C. McKissack

Illustration by Jerry Pinkney

Storyline: Mama Frances is in the kitchen, preparing vegetables for cooking when ‘Tricia Ann asks her if she can go Someplace Special all by herself. She’s all dressed up in a nice blue dress with a yellow ribbon, a hat, and a hand purse. ‘Tricia Ann is about 12 years old but as her grandmother, Mama Frances, says, “goin’ off alone is a mighty big step”. Continue reading Goin’ Someplace Special by Patricia C. McKissack

Bun Bun Button by Patricia Polacco

Bun Bun Button by Patricia Polacco
Bun Bun Button by Patricia Polacco

today’s children storybook summary is

Bun Bun Button

By Patricia Polacco

Storyline: Darlings are the blessed kind. According to Grandma Darling, the Old Blue Chair that sat in the living room was a love soaker (we, on more everyday language, would call it a love chair): everybody that sat in it was touched by love and luck. And, as we can see from the first page of the book, there sat cats, dogs, Grandma Darling herself and her granddaughter, Paige Elizabeth Darling, who was visiting from time to time after school. Continue reading Bun Bun Button by Patricia Polacco

Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell

Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell
Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell

today’s children storybook summary is

Welcome to Kindergarten

By Ann Rockwell

Storyline: A little boy named Tim receives an invitation to meet his kindergartner teacher on Thursday at 3 o’clock, at the school on Sunrise Street.  As he explores the building and meets new friends, he shares his experiences with the reader. Continue reading Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell

Sector 7 by David Wiesner

Sector 7 by David Wiesner

today’s children storybook summary is

Sector 7

By David Wiesner

Storyline: The kids are out on a school trip. Today, they are going to the Observatory on the Empire State building. The place is huge; from the ground you cannot see its end. The kids climb the stairs all the way up and the building is so tall that its tower is surrounded by clouds. Up at the top visibility is very low. It looks like the for is dense. As you go further, Continue reading Sector 7 by David Wiesner

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña

The Last Stop on Market Street By Matt de la Peña
The Last Stop on Market Street By Matt de la Peña

today’s children storybook summary is

The Last Stop on Market Street

By Matt de la Peña

Illustration by Christian Robinson

Storyline: This is a book about a journey through a diverse and sophisticated city and the way to see it and understand it.

CJ and his grandma, here called Nana, have a Sunday routine: they go to the church first, then they take the bus along the Market Street. Continue reading Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña

Blackout by John Rocco

Blackout by John Rocco
Blackout by John Rocco

today’s children storybook summary is

Blackout

By John Rocco

Storyline: It was a normal evening in a normal loud and busy city. Inside their apartments, people were doing their normal things. Our story’s family was no different. Dad was cooking dinner, mom was working on a computer, an older girl was talking on her phone while a younger one was unsuccessfully trying to get someone’s attention. And as they were going about this mundane businesses, suddenly the lights went out. Continue reading Blackout by John Rocco

Flotsam by David Wiesner

Flotsam by David Wiesnertoday’s children storybook summary is

Flotsam

By David Wiesner

Storyline: There are no words to describe what is all about but as we open the book we see a blue watching an enormous bug. As we turn the page, everything becomes clear: a boy on the beach inspecting an insect through his magnifying glass. Continue reading Flotsam by David Wiesner

Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness

Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness
Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness

today’s children storybook summary is

Sam, Bangs & Moonshine

By Evaline Ness

Storyline: Samantha is a little girl living with his father, a fisherman, on an island, near a large harbor. For most of the time Samantha, or Sam, is home alone; father gone to sea and mother passed away. Sam would pass the time sitting on the rug outside the house with her friend, Bangs, a black tomcat. All good so far if not for the fact that Sam had a very active imagination and she would tell things that were “moonshine” as her father told her one day. Continue reading Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness

How to Read a Story by Kate Messner

How to Read a Book by Kate Messnertodays’ children storybook summary is

How to Read a Story

By Kate Messner

Illustration by Mark Siegel

Storyline: This books Follows a boy and his pal as they read a children storybook. But wait, there is more to reading a story then just opening the first page and let your imagination take hold of the words on the paper…As a matter of fact, there is an instruction book for children, a do-it-yourself book, a self-help guide in ten steps. Continue reading How to Read a Story by Kate Messner

The Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

todays’ children storybook summary is

Owl moon
By Jane Yolen
Illustration by John Schoenherr

Storyline: One late night a girl and her father go owling. It is winter and the snow is covering the ground and the girl is all bundled up. They walked through the still forest without a word because, said Pa, when you go owing you don’t need words, just hope. They stroll through the dark woods, cold air creeping up the little girls back. But she says nothing because when you go owling you have to be brave. Continue reading The Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee

the Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee
The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee

today’s children storybook summary is

The Farmer and the Clown

By Marla Frazee

Storyline: It was a hot summer day and the farmer was out, working on his land. He was an tall, old farmer, black boots, pants with suspenders, a large brim black hat and a long white beard. On the horizon, the circus train was just happening to pass by when something fell out. Continue reading The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee

The Village of Round and Square Houses by Ann Grifalconi

The Village of Round and Square Houses by Ann Grifalconi
The Village of Round and Square Houses by Ann Grifalconi

today’s storybook summary is

The Village of Round and Square Houses

by Ann Grifalconi

Storyline: This story comes from the village of Tos in Cameroon and it is narrated by a girl that left the place when she was almost a grown up. The village has, indeed, two kind of houses: square houses for men and round houses for women, and the girl tells us why. Continue reading The Village of Round and Square Houses by Ann Grifalconi

How Martha Saved Her Parents from Green Beans by David LaRochelle

How Martha Saved Her Parents from Green Beans
How Martha Saved Her Parents from Green Beans by David LaRochelle

today’s children storybook summary is

How Martha Saved Her Parents from Green Beans

by David LaRochelle

Illustration by Mark Fearing

Storyline: Tuesdays, Martha’s family used to have  green beans for dinner. Martha, a girl about 5 years or older, didn’t like green beans and never ate them in spite the fact of being left alone at the table. She did not believe that green beans are good for you, as her mother said, or that they make you strong, as her father put it. Continue reading How Martha Saved Her Parents from Green Beans by David LaRochelle

Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten by Trisha Speed Shaskan

Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten by Trisha Speed Shaskan
Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten by Trisha Speed Shaskan

today’s storybook summary is

Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten

by Trisha Speed Shaskan

Illustration by Gerald Guerlais

Storyline: This is the classic plot of the old Red Riding Hood story but narrated by the wolf itself. We get to see the world through this bad wolf’s eyes. From the beginning he has an excuse for his actions: he is hungry. Continue reading Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten by Trisha Speed Shaskan

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

A Bad_Case_of_Stripes by David Shannon
A Bad Case of Stripe by David Shannon book cover

today’s storybook summary is

A Bad Case of Stripes

by David Shannon

Storyline: Camilla Cream is a school age girl that loves lima beans and wants to please everybody. But she cannot admit to other kids that she likes the beans because nobody like them and she is afraid they might laugh at her. Also she cannot decide what to wear to school because she cannot find an outfit that may please everybody. Continue reading A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon