Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

This was a pleasant surprise. Greg Heffley is a boy who just started middle school and is writing this journal about his everyday life. Entertaining cartoons accompany each entry. My 10 year old was so into these books, that when the third one in the series came out, he read it in one day! I eventually read it also and found I was chuckling to myself in certain parts. And now I know what the "cheese touch" is (which apparently I still have because I negelcted to pass it to someone else!)

AR level 5.2

pts 3.0

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

AR level 5.2

pts 3.0

Diary of a Wimpy Kid:The Last Straw

AR level 5.4

pts 3.0

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective

Written by Donald J. Sobol. Leroy Brown is so smart, everyone calls him "Encylclopedia Brown." He decides to open his own detective agency. The book contains 10 different cases that he solves. The end of the book tells the solution to each case.

I enjoyed these as a kid, and now they're great for my kids!

AR level 4.1

pts 1.0

The Doll People by Ann M. Martin and Laura Goodwin

The Doll family has been passed down for generations through the Palmer family from mother to daughter. They are very careful to make sure the people they live with do not know they are alive. Young Anabelle Doll finds her Auntie Sarah's journal and tries to solve the mystery of her disappearance that occured 45 years ago. She gets help from her friend Tiffany Funcraft. The Funcrafts are a new family of dolls who aren't quite as traditional and rule abiding as the Doll family.

My eight year old daughter loves this one! I believe there is a sequel, "Runaway Dolls."

AR level 4.0

pts 5.0

I Just Forgot by Mercer Mayer

These "Little Critters" books are cute and funny. In this one he just can't remember to do his chores. He says things like "I remembered to put my dishes in the sink, but I forgot to put the milk away... I took a bath and I remembered to wash behind my ears. I didn't use soap but I didn't forget to, I just don't like soap." He has a little spider friend that is somewhere in each illustration, which was another bonus for my kids- trying to find him.

AR level 2.0

pts 0.5

Blackboard Bear

This is a cute one of a younger boy who wants to play with the big kids but is always getting left out. Then he creates Blackboard Bear and everyone wants to be his friend now. Luckily, Black board Bear is loyal and is not fooled by them.

Hush Little Baby by Sylvia Long

A must for your baby. Mommy's not promising to buy mocking birds and diamond rings. Instead, she'll show you a humming bird and the evening sky. She'll read you stories and get you a warm blanket when it's cold. Very sweet.

Everyone Poops

I swear by this book in aiding potty training. It's very funny and explains to your child that everyone poops because everyone eats. Most people can get through teaching their child to pee in the toilet. The problem I had with my three oldest were that they were afraid to poop in the toilet. They'd often hide behind the curtain or somewhere in the house and did their business in their diaper- until I used this book. I would say, "An elephant has a BIG poop, a mouse has a tiny poop, and YOU have a big kid poop- in the potty..." They even like to read it after the potty training phase because there is a picture of poop on every page!

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Excellent illustrations in this one. Max was acting like a wild thing, so his mother sends him off to bed with no supper. His room magically takes him to Where the Wild Things Are for a great adventure.

AR level 3.4

pts 0.5

Dr. Seuss

There are so many to choose from, but some are better than others. I feel like some just rhyme for the sake of rhyming but overall aren't as entertaining.
My favorite is The Sneetches. In this story the Sneetches who have stars on their bellies are not very nice to the ones with no stars. They are never invited to beach parties and hot dog roasts. Clever Sylvester McMonkey McBean sees a great business opportunity in offering those poor, left out Sneetches a walk through his machine that will put stars on THEIR bellies.
AR level 3.4
pts 0.5

Cat in the Hat is probably the most well known of all of his books. Two siblings are home while mom runs errands. It's a rainy day and they're bored, until the Cat in the Hat visits!

AR level 3.0

pts 0.5

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is probably a close second to the Cat in the Hat's popularity. The Grinch can't stand all those Whos in Whoville and overwhelming Christmas spirit. But this year he has a plan to put an end to it all.

AR level 3.0

pts 0.5

Worth mentioning are There's a Wocket in my Pocket and The First of Octember. I thought they were cuter than some of the other more generic Dr. Seuss books. In There's a Wocket in My Pocket, a boy finds lots of strange little creatures that live all over his house.

Do any of your kids ask for toys, video games, and treats on a regular basis? We'll now you can tell them that everything will be theirs on the First of Octember!

AR level 2.1

pts 0.5

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

This is a series of picture boooks by Laura Numeroff starting with If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Giving him a cookie will prompt him to ask for a glass of milk, then he'll need to look in the mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache... Each page is a new consequence for giving him the cookie. These books are great fun, we have many of the series.
AR 2.7
pts 0.5
If You Give a Moose a Muffin
AR 2.1
pts 0.5
If You Give a Pig a Party
AR 2.2
pts o.5
If Take a Mouse to the Movies (Christmas Story)
AR 2.1
pts 0.5
If You Take a Mouse to School
AR 2.4
pts 0.5

Bunnicula by James Howe

There's something strange about the family's new pet buuny. His markings make him look as though he's wearing a cape, and all the vegetables in the house are turning up white, as if all the juice has been drained from them. The family dog Harold, and cat Chester must discover the bunny's secret.
Cute story, short and easy. There is a series and a spin off series (It Came From Beneath the Bed). The cover has changed, my picture is our old copy from a library sale.
AR gade level 2.6
points 0.5

The Secret of the Indian by Lynn Reid Banks

This is the sequel to the Indian in the Cupboard (see previous post). Omri and his friend, Patrick, learn more about the magic that transformed their plastic toy Indian and cowboy into real people. The process can be reversed, and the magic key can lead them back to the time periods of cowboys and Indians, where they can witness history being made. But it's not all just fun and games!
I enjoyed the first one more, but this is still worth reading.
Ages 7-10years
AR level 5.2
pts 5.0

The Mouse and the Motorcycle and Runaway Ralph

These are 2 in a set of 3 by Beverly Cleary (author of the Ramona series). Ralph is a mouse whose family lives in an old hotel. He usually likes when children stay in the hotel room where his family lives inside the wall, because they drop cookie crumbs an bits of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. A new boy, Keith, arrives with something even better- toy cars and a motorcycle that are just the right size for Ralph.
AR level 5.1
pts 3.0
In Runaway Ralph, Ralph is getting a little tired of life in the hotel, especially when his mother forces him to give rides to annoying little siblings and cousins on his cherished motorcycle. He dreams of an independent life outside the hotel, only to learn things may not turn out as he hoped.
AR level 5.3
pts 4.0
All the kids enjoyed these. We just rented the third- Ralph S. Mouse from the library yesterday. These are listed as 5th grade level, but I think 8 or older can read them alone. For reading aloud, 5 or 6 years old and up will enjoy- they are easy to understand, but much longer than a picture book, which most kindergarteners are in to. Depends on your child's attention span.