Monday, May 12, 2014

My Top 108 Children's Books



Like most teachers I love everything about children's books. I love to use voices when I read.  I am very animated when I read to the children.  I stop and explain vocabulary or ask questions about the story or characters. I love to include the children in our story time (Owl Babies, Go, Dog. Go! and That's Good. That's Bad are just a few examples of books that I use where the children can be involved in the story).

Children's Book Week is May 12th-May 18th.  My two all time favorite children's books are Where the Wild Things Are and The Very Hungry Caterpillar but there are also so many other books I love.  I tried to keep the list to one hundred but was unable to remove any of my choices so here are my top 108 favorite children's books (sorry in most cases I did not include authors).



  1. Fall-Halloween-Thanksgiving   Barn Dance      
  2. Rattlebone Rock
  3. Halloweiner
  4. Big Pumpkin
  5. Go Away Big Green Monster
  6. The Monster at the End of this Book
  7. Inside a House That is Haunted
  8. The Vanishing Pumpkin
  9. A Turkey for Thanksgiving
  10. Winter & Christmas   The Night Before Christmas illustrated by Jan Brett         
  11.  The Night Before Christmas illustrated by Tomie de Paola
  12.  The Night Before Christmas illustrated by Marry Englebriet
  13. The Snowy Day
  14. The Mitten retold  by Jan Brett
  15. The Wild Christmas Reindeer
  16.  The Jacket I Wear in the Snow
  17. Snowmen at Night
  18. The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza
  19. The 12 days of Christmas-a pop up book Robert Sabuda
  20. Santa Calls by  William Joyce (I really love the ending of this story)
  21. Polar Express
  22. Santa’s Twin by Dean Koontz  (It's Dean Koontz.  It's illustrated but not for little ones.)
  23. Thomas’ Snowsuit                              
  24. Classics & Everything Else I Love   Goggles         
  25. The Snowy Day
  26. Whistle for Willie
  27. Frederick
  28. Have You Seen My Ducklings
  29. Ping
  30. Blueberries for Sal
  31. Make Way for Ducklings
  32. The Carrot Seed
  33. Strega Nona
  34. Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato
  35. Clever Tom and the Leprechaun
  36. Bedtime for Frances
  37. The Story of Ferdinand
  38. Go Dog.  Go!
  39. Green Eggs and Ham
  40. The Cat in the Hat
  41. Inch by Inch
  42. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
  43. Polar Bear, Polar Bear What do you Hear?
  44. Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See?
  45. The Grouch Ladybug
  46. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  47. It Looked like Spilt Milk
  48. Harry the Dirty Dog
  49. Tiki Tiki Tembo
  50. Miss Nelson is Missing
  51. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
  52. Pete the Cat  I Love my White Shoes
  53. Never Tease a Weasel
  54. Going on a Bear Hunt   illustrated by Eve Bunting (an MCP favorite!)
  55. Where the Wild Things Are
  56. The Giving Tree
  57. A House is a House
  58. Jamberry
  59. That’s Good That’s Bad
  60. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
  61. Madeline
  62. Don’t Let Pigeon Drive the Bus
  63. m & m Counting Book
  64. No, David!
  65. Pigsty  by  M. Teague
  66. Ten Apples Up on Top
  67. A Busy Year by Leo Lionni
  68. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
  69. Jimmy’s Boa and the Big Splash Birthday Bash (There are several stories about Jimmy's boa but this is my favorite.)
  70. Prehistoric Pinkerton (Likewise with Pinkerton, many books but love this one.)
  71. Going on a Whale Watch  photography by Bruce McMillan
  72. Bugs  by Nancy WinslowParker and Joan R. Wright
  73. Gone Wild Endangered Animal Alphabet
  74. Alphabet City
  75. Over in the Ocean in a Coral Reef
  76.  Berlioz the Bear
  77.  Where’s Waldo
  78. I SPY  photographs by Walter Wick   ( the original big hardback books)
  79. If the Dinosaurs Came Back
  80. Dinosaurs by Gail Gibbons
  81. No Jumping on the Bed (I  prefer the old school illustrations vs. the updated version)
  82. Wordless Books   Noah's Ark illustrated by Peter Spier
  83. Rain  illustrated by Peter Spier 
  84. The Snowman  illustrated by Raymond Briggs
  85. Good Dog, Carl  illustrated by Alexandra Day
  86. Family   Come Over to My House
  87. Stellaluna                 
  88. Owl Babies
  89. Froggy Gets Dressed (Like most series, the first story is the best)
  90. 5 People in My Family Sesame Street
  91. Seven Silly Eaters (I love Mrs. Peters)
  92. Guess How Much I Love You
  93. Mama, Do You Love Me?
  94. The Relatives Came
  95.  I Love You Forever
  96. The Kissing Hand
  97. Is Your Mama a Llama
  98. A Chair for My Mother
  99. Are You My Mother?
  100. Five Minutes Peace  (This is the first of several stories about Mrs. Large and her family. I love Mrs. Large.) 
  101. Fairy Tales and Fractured Fairy Tales   Piggie Pie!
  102. No Moon, No Milk!
  103. 3 Little Wolves and The Big Bad Pig
  104. Mary Had a Little Lamb   photographs by Bruce McMillan
  105. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs
  106. The Frog Prince, Continued
  107. The Gingerbread Girl
  108. The Gingerbread Cowboy

Sunday, May 11, 2014

The ABC's of Motherhood






Thursday, May 8, 2014

Congrats!

Congratulations to the class of  2014!  
You rock!

Monday, May 5, 2014

A Grateful Teacher

Thanks for saving...paper towel & toilet paper tubes, 1/2 gallon milk jugs,  grocery bags, cereal, breakfast & pizza boxes, small jars, milk caps, CD's, plastic tubs and plastic lids.

Thanks for donating...scrapbook paper, pony beads, plastic lacing cord, yarn, ribbon, crayons, poster board, labels, stickers, styrofoam peanuts, pasta, prizes for our treasure chest, silk flowers, paper towels, school supplies, snacks & juice/milk, large rolls & pieces of papers, office paper, clip boards, playing cards, greeting cards & envelopes and maps & atlases.

Thanks for reading and supporting our school blog.   Thanks for sending us postcards from around the world. Thanks for following us on Facebook and Pinterest.  Thanks for donating pajamas to our Pajama Party Project and attending our Pajama Party.

They say, "It takes a village..."  so thanks for helping ours.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Thank you x Infinity = 1 Grateful Teacher

There are people who faithfully save paper towel & toilet paper rolls, cereal boxes, milk caps and pizza boxes just because you've said you need them for "a project" and these same people never laugh at you or ask you why.

There are people who get cardboard sculptures who actually put them on display for everyone to see.

There are people who tally up candle sales, contact local businesses for sponsorships and research fundraising ideas to raise money to keep their school moving toward a bright future.

There are people who take time off work to come to school to see children sing or maybe not sing at a school program.

There are people who deposit tuition, balance the books, help with registration, write checks, place posts on Facebook, pin things to Pinterest, keep the website and blog up to date, coordinate family fun nights and so much more.

There are people called parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family that allow MCP to be the best.  Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you...

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Musical Theater Summer Camp

 

 Musical Theater Summer Camp

Register NOW for "Frozen In Summer"

Who: Upcoming Kindergarten-Third Graders, Boys & Girls
What: Musical Theater Summer Camp based on the Disney Movie: Frozen
When: Thursday, July 17-Saturday, July 19 from 9:00-12:00 pm.
Showcase on Saturday, July 19th at 11:00 am
Where: Metamora Christian Union Church, 925 W. Walnut Street, Metamora
Why: To provide young children the opportunity to experience the fine arts through singing, dancing, and acting. Let’s spread the Frozen Fever!
Cost: $35, includes T-shirt (“family fan” t-shirts also available for $10 with registration) Must register by June 20 to guarantee your T-shirt.
Camp Host:
Chicago Opera Playhouse, Founder and General Director, Linden Christ and Choreographer Instructor, Devery McCoy
Sign Up: Please complete and return the Registration Form with your payment. Hurry: Only the first 100 applicants will be accepted.
Questions? Feel free to email Linden Christ.  

Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Bike Safety Month

May is National Bike Month and National Bike Safety Month.  Your child can learn the rules of the road at the Peoria Park District Safety Town