Five Children's Book Suggestions From Port Jeff Library

Children's librarian Margaret Smith gave us five fall books she thinks your kids might like to read.

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka (JP RASCHKA)

This wordless book tells the story of Daisy, a small black and white terrier who is given a new red ball. The delight that she takes in her ball is evident in the fluid illustrations. Taking her new ball-friend to the park, Daisy introduces it to a dog-friend, who tragically pops it during some exuberant play. Daisy is devastated; the sadness which overtakes her is overwhelming. Thankfully, her next visit to the park holds a happy surprise for her. Raschka, a Caldecott-winning illustrator (The Hello, Goodbye Window), vividly portrays the emotion of this small dog so accurately that the reader is taken along on a lovely roller coaster ride of sentiment. Highly recommended.

Caveman: A B.C. Story by Janee Trasler (JP TRASLER)

There are countless alphabet books on the shelves, but this one earns a recommendation for its sheer cleverness. An entire Stone Age adventure is communicated using only one word per panel, in alphabetical order. Thus an Acorn, discovered by a squirrel, attracts a Bear, which necessitates a trip back to the Cave, but the path is blocked by a large, green Dinosaur. And so on and on. The animals and caveman are drawn in a simple cartoon style that adds to the whimsy. Who says that learning your letters can’t be fun?

Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, A Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss (JB EDMONDS)

Individual stories of courage during adversity are often lost to history.  Luckily, the story of Sarah Edmonds has not been similarly forgotten.  Running away from an arranged marriage in her native Canada, she crossed the border into the U.S., put on men’s clothing and became Frank Thompson. Three years later, when war broke out, she decided to repay her new country’s hospitality and joined the Union Army as a Michigan infantryman. Because of her heroism, she also served as a nurse, spy, postmaster and general’s orderly. This book tells her story through detailed illustrations reminiscent of the best of Illustrated Classics. A worthy addition to our growing Biography collection.

Waiting for the Magic by Patricia Mac Lachlan (J MACLACHLAN)

The day that William and Elinor’s Papa left the family “to do some writing”, their mother drove them to the animal shelter to pick out the dog he did not want. Instead of one family pet, they end up choosing four dogs and one cat to share their lives. The new additions bring many changes to this previously quiet household, both expected and unforeseen. This book is just lovely to share with anyone looking for a like magic in the world.

Bake Sale by Sara Varon (J GRAPHIC NOVEL VARON)

Cupcake runs a successful bakery with his best friend, Eggplant, but dreams of going abroad to meet his idol, Turkish Delight, who is the most famous pastry chef in the world. The unusual aspect about this graphic novel is that the author makes you forget that they are a cupcake and an eggplant as you get caught up in their poignant story of friendship and sacrifice. Truly a delight!