Reading Lists: Not Just for Children Anymore! 2002

2002 Not Just for Children Anymore! Categories

Introduction  
Art & Architecture
Biographies & History
Christmas
Comics & Movies
Fairy Tales, Folktales, & Legend
Fantasy
Novels
Picture Books
Poetry & Praise
Science & Nature
Specials Occasions & Gifts
Classics & Perennial Favorites
hat For the Fun of It
Selection Panel Notes
Main Page

For the Fun of It

AND THE DISH RAN AWAY WITH THE SPOON by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel, illustrated by Janet Stevens. 2001. 56 pp. 0-15-202298-8 (Harcourt Children's Books) $17.00. For the fractured fairy-tale fans. Join this age-old rhyme's characters as they go on a hilarious romp looking for their missing friends.

BALONEY (HENRY P.) by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith. 2001. 32 pp. 0-670-89248-3 (Viking Children's Books) $15.99. For the Stinky Cheeseman fans, this hilarious duo has teamed up again to tell us about an alien schoolkid and his fantastic excuses for being late to school again.

CLICK, CLACK, MOO: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 2000. 32 pp. 0-689-83213-3 (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) $15.00. Guaranteed to make you laugh out loud, this silly story about cows who find a typewriter and use it in labor negotiations with Farmer Brown is a terrific companion read to Animal Farm.

FIRST BOOK OF SUSHI by Amy Wilson Sanger. 2001. 20 pp. 1-58246-050-7 (Tricycle Press) $6.95. This little board book is terrific for toddlers who drink miso from their sippy cups-and also a great gift for their grown-ups who love sushi.

HOW ARE YOU PEELING? Foods with Moods written and illustrated by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers. 1999. 48 pp. 0-439-10431-9 (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Press) $15.95. This extraordinary picture book features lively food sculptures that are the epitome of human emotions, from pensive peppers to grimacing grapefruits.

I WILL NEVER NOT EVER EAT A TOMATO written and illustrated by Lauren Child. 2000. 32 pp. 0-7636-1188-3 (Candlewick Press) $15.99. For all those fussy adult eaters out there. Lola refuses to eat her veggies until her brother convinces her that carrots are really orange twiglets from Jupiter and mashed potatoes are actually Mount Fuji cloud fluff!

JASPER THE TERROR written and illustrated by John A. Rowe. 2001. 36 pp. 0-7358-1476-7 (North-South Books) $15.95. This is a hilarious tale of a kind, sweet dragon who is banished to the fearsome forest as he keeps sneezing and setting fire to everything. A perfect gift for an allergy-suffering friend!

MILO'S HAT TRICK written and illustrated by Jon Agee. 2001. 32 pp. 0-7868-0902-7 (Michael di Capua Books/Hyperion Books for Children) $15.95. Milo is a terrible magician-until he accidentally catches a bear instead of a rabbit for his act. Agee's masterfully understated approach to both the story and the art makes this silly story surprisingly sophisticated.

OLIVIA written and illustrated by Ian Falconer. 2000. 40 pp. 0-689-82953-1 (Anne Schwartz Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers) $16.00. Olivia is a most precocious pig. She loves opera and abstract art and she never gets tired. You might not want to babysit her, but you'll love to read her book and laugh out loud at Ian Falconer's stylish illustrations.

OLIVIA SAVES THE CIRCUS written and illustrated by Ian Falconer. 2001. 32 pp. 0-689-82954-X (Anne Schwartz Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers) $16.00. Olivia is back in a sequel that is every bit as good as her debut. This time she's telling her class about a family trip to the circus where, sadly, all the performers were sick. Luckily, Olivia knew how to do everything and saved the day.

THE WEB FILES by Margie Palatini, illustrated by Richard Egielski. 2001. 32 pp. 0-7868-0419-X (Hyperion Books for Children) $15.99. Ducktective Web and his partner quack the case of the pilfered peck of perfect purple almost-pickled peppers. Anyone old enough to remember the original Dragnet series will love this silly spoof. "Just the facts, ma'am. Just the facts." This one has to be read aloud to be appreciated.

WHAT IS MR. WINKLE? written and illustrated with color photographs by Lara Jo Regan. 2001. 40 pp. 0-375-81554-6 (Random House Children's Books/Random House Young Readers Group) $14.95. Somehow the photographer manages to follow in the footsteps of both the weird William Wegman and the super-sweet Anne Geddes. Whether you think her kitschy photos of Mr. Winkle are the height of camp or too cute for words, you're bound to laugh out loud at them.