More Children's Books

Authors of good children’s books are like celebrities to me. Anyone who shows that much respect for children by pouring their creativity and gifts into these mini masterpieces deserves whatever accolades I can dole out. Over the years I have collected autographed copies of several books by amazing author/illustrators whose unique visions highlight the richness of the genre. A listing of some of my favorites (autographed, of course) are below.

Faith Ringgold – Tar Beach

A ‘Tar Beach’ is the rooftop of Cassie Louise Lightfoot’s Harlem apartment building. She has a dream that she is free to fly wherever she wants and we join her on a journey.

This is a Caldecott Honor Book, Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, Winner of the Parents’ Choice Gold Award and a New York Times Best Illustrated Book.

Bryan Collier – Uptown

“A young boy provides a particularly inviting, personally guided tour of his uptown home, New York City’s Harlem…Looking from his window high above the sights and sound of the city, the young narrator concludes, ‘Uptown is Harlem…Uptown is home”.
-- School Library Journal

Nick Bruel – BOING and Bad Kitty



BOING is a near wordless picture book that details the struggles of a “very young kangaroo who is desperately trying to learn how to jump like her mama, but can’t quite make the leap”.

Bad Kitty is a very funny ABC book about a bad kitty who is not so bad after all.

"This hilarious picture book takes readers through the alphabet four times and will have kids begging for more!"

Nick Bruel has visited our school twice to do readings for the children. He is extremely entertaining and great fun to watch. This guy has a terrific sense of humor and seems to really know what kids find interesting.

Nina Crews – The Neighborhood Mother Goose

Ms. Crews (daughter of children's book author Donald Crews, winner of two Caldecott Honors) uses rich, lush photography to accompany the Mother Goose rhymes. My favorite is Humpty Dumpty.

If you get the opportunity stop by a library or book store and check them out.