St. Mary’s

Good Reading Guide,

Summer 2020 For Rising Preschool,

Prekindergarten and Kindergartners

Hi there! Welcome and thanks for reading! Ahead of us is a most unusual

summer, in large part because this is a time when everyone wonders what the future will

hold, not just children. In this tentative time, may I offer some stories? Children and adults

alike benefit from a routine that includes cozy time and children especially benefit from a

routine storytime with their grownups. Even in the most normal of times this is true, but

now it is even more so.

How do we make a success of storytime? Number one is to just do it. Number two

is to let children follow their curiosity. They are developing early literacy skills by being

read to and by watching you read, too. Allowing them some choice will only make them

that much more excited about reading together. Don’t be afraid to try a longer kid’s book

broken into several days’ worth of reading. Just make it a habit and years and years later,

you’ll know the difference you made. Kids who are read to regularly are statistically more

likely to enter top schools, earn higher salaries and be not just more intelligent generally

but more emotionally intelligent, too.

This is the time. Make this a reading summer however it works and I know you’ll

be glad you did! And now, enjoy the books!

Happiness and health to you,

- Jennifer England-Burnside, April, 2020

Read-Together Picture Books!

Dear Peter Rabbit by Alma Flor Ada

The first of a charming series involving correspondence between Peter and

other story characters like Goldilocks and the Three Pigs. An oldie but goodie.

How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander

I bet you have a favorite way to read a book…on a lap, or in a big comfy

chair? On a blanket in the shade of a tree? Enjoy this ode to reading!

Oh My Baby, Little One by Kathi Appelt

Mama bird soothes baby when he worries about being at school without her;

a sweet reassurance. Similar to Audrey Penn’s The Kissing Hand.

Wild About Us! by Karen Beaumont

In this companion to her earlier I Like Myself! readers bounce through rhymey

reassurances from animals that we are all different and that’s a good thing!

The Little Guys by Vera Brogsol

Little acorn-capped dudes live in the forest with other critters but don’t always

use their joint strength for good—at first. Good for cooperation & kindness.

This Book Just Ate My Dog! by Peter Byrne

What starts out as an ordinary walk turns into an eye-popping metaphysical

conundrum when Bella’s dog falls into the gutter of the book! Goofy and fun!

Bill and Pete by Tomie dePaola

In light of the passing of Mr. dePaola, we should remember the joyous results

of his literary and artistic talents. Bill and Pete is a great place to start!

The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry

The Fan Brothers provide amazing illustrations for this tale of a scarecrow

who focuses on his job, until the day a baby crow looks to him for help.

When’s My Birthday? by Julie Fogliano

A bouncy, clappy poem set in a picture book, be sure to read this with a smile

and quick cadence, which is very easy to do. Truly funny and delightful!

Field Trip to the Moon by John Hare

A wordless picture book—an out of the world one! It’s a field trip, except

one student gets distracted and is left behind…on the moon!

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

Grace is gifted with an extraordinary imagination! When the class play is being

cast, Grace knows she can do well as the lead, but can she convince the others?

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard

This year’s Caldecott Award winner is not to be missed. Soft and warm

illustrations tell of family stories, old and new. Includes a recipe!

Saturday by Oge Mora

Ava and her mommy have the most special Saturday all planned out, but bit

by bit, the plans fail. Ava and mommy “make lemonade” and it is just lovely.

Puppy Truck by Brian Pinkney

The latest from Pinkney the younger comes an adorable tale of a boy who

asks for a puppy, but gets a truck instead. Who says trucks can’t be puppies!?!

Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco

A classic from a favorite author—this is good for soothing anxiety and learning

to focus on the good, not the scary. Leave it to grandma to make it better!

Another by Christian Robinson

And another wordless picture book in which a girl and her cat explore

interdimensional time and space! A super-neat book—check it out!

Small in the City by Cynthia Smith

A big city covered in snow is no place to feel lost, alone, and vulnerable, but

with a bit of courage, patience, and grit, all are found and all is well!

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

Make sure you’re up on your fairy tales before starting as chicken decides it’s

up to her to change the outcomes she feels are too upsetting!

The Panda Problem by Deborah Underwood

Pandas go meta in this story that made this year’s PreK laugh their heads clean

off! And for good reason—it’s a story within a story with a plot problem!

The Three Robbers by Tomi Ungerer

Can zebras change their stripes? When faced with sound kid logic, 3 robbers

can! Good for thinking about helping others and making good choices.

The Storm Book by Charlotte Zolotow

Oklahomans know well the wind turning a hot summer day into something

uncertain. A Caldecott honor book in 1953, it’s still relevant and compelling.

…and last but not least, the one to remember for its great message:

Read to Your Bunny by Rosemary Wells

The creator of the favorite “Max & Ruby” books brings us this timeless

message in a sweet and loving way.

Some Favorite Authors, Old & New

Jon Agee Eric Hill Peter Reynolds

Mac Barnett Trina Schart Hyman Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Judi & Ron Barrett Molly Idle Cynthia Rylant

Jan Brett Jory John Dan Santat

Margaret Wise Brown Ezra Jack Keats Tammi Sauer

Marcia Brown Steven Kellogg Jon Scieszka

Peter Brown Leo Lionni Rob Scotton

Eric Carle Arnold Lobel Bob Shea

Doreen Cronin James Marshall Janet Stevens

Hannah Harrison Robert McCloskey Jan Thomas

Kevin Henkes Todd Parr Vera Williams

Ryan Higgins Jerry Pinkney David Wiesner

Must-Read Concept Books!

What is a “Concept Book”? It’s a book that helps with teaching a specific

idea, like colors, shapes, letters, numbers, etc. Here are some tried and true

good “concept” authors and some great books, old and new!

FAVORITE CONCEPT BOOK AUTHORS

Alan Baker Tana Hoban Richard Scarry

Byron Barton Pat or Hazel Hutchins Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Sandra Boynton Marthe Jocelyn Dr. Seuss

Donald Crews Ann Jonas Ellen Stoll Walsh

Lois Ehlert Bill Martin Harriet Ziefert

Smart George by Jules Feiffer

In this long awaited follow up to Bark, George, George is back & busy learning

his numbers! Comes out in June, so read Bark, George 1st and then find this!

Red House Tree House Little Bitty Brown Mouse by Jane Godwin

An adorable book covering color in basic charming rhymes said by a mouse!

Roar Like a Dandelion! by Ruth Krauss

Enjoy this never before published book from the beloved author of The

Carrot Seed and others. Great for inviting activity and exploring the alphabet!

The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC’s (The Hard Way)

by Patrick McDonnell

An “abecedary”—where each letter is introduced as part of telling the story!

The “Crayola World of Color” series by Mari C. Schuh

Yep, these books are just as beautifully vibrant as you’d imagine!

“The Nutshell Library” by Maurice Sendak

A favorite series from a favorite author to practice your letters, numbers,

months and more! Find the musical “Really Rosie” featuring Carole King!

Folk and Fairy Tales!

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema

A cumulative “pourquoi” tale which not only answers “why?” but shows

how one little event can cause a huge chain reaction.

The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Anderson

A classic from the Danish master of fables and folktales. Try the edition

illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton!

The Little Red Hen retold by Byron Barton

Barton’s colorful palette makes this classic tale great for the younger set.

Lion and Mouse by Jairo Buitrago

Based on the 2,000+ year old tale from Aesop, this modern retelling imagines

a deeper, more complex friendship while telling the same moral tale.

Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose Favorites by Tomie dePaola

There are also many excellent collections of Mother Goose rhymes out there,

but check out dePaola’s lovely illustrated version.

Two of Everything retold by Lily Toy Hang

A delightful retelling of a couple who discovers a magic pot that doubles

everything that’s put in it! Yes, it leads to trouble—how can they fix it?

Anansi and the Talking Melon retold by Eric Kimmel

That old trickster Anansi is up to mischief again! This time, he’s stuck inside a

melon, so decides to have fun with the local animals while he’s there.

Cinderella retold and illustrated by Ruth Sanderson

And yes, a princess story to please. Sanderson’s illustrations are exquisitely

lush and colorful. Also look for K.Y. Craft’s version!

Nifty True Books and

Fun Poetry!

Magnets Push, Magnets Pull by David Adler

Fiction author Adler has recently put out a neat series on science basics.

Titanosaur: Discovering the World’s Largest Dinosaur

by Dr. Jose Luis Carballido and Dr. Jose Pol

Learn all about the Titanosaur, the largest animal ever to have walked Earth!

The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-to Poems

selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illus. by Richard Jones

Learn a few very practical things (pancakes, anyone?) & silly things from some

of the best poets. I’d like to meet a hedgehog, and I better be prepared, right?

Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O’Neil

This classic book of poems, each inspired by a color. The 1990 edition has

illustrations different from the 1961 original, but both are lovely.

Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portis

A beautiful book on the water cycle for budding scientists, or anyone who

likes turning on the faucet or a good jump in a rain puddle!

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood by Fred Rogers

Just the perfect collection of poetry, which is just as thoughtful and moving

as you would expect it to be. For fans of Mr. Rogers and newbies, alike.

A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel

Author Wenzel does it again with a tale of a simple stone and all the creatures

that use it for something throughout the day.

A Ray of Light by Walter Wick

In a long overdue follow-up to A Drop of Water, Wick (who also did the “I

Spy” series) takes readers through a long and lovely lesson on light!