2000 Summer Picture Books

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Nancy's picks for the best picture books of Summer 2000 and ideas for using them in the classroom. Compiled by Nancy Polette © 2000.
Last updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2002
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger.  North-South Books, 2000 Gr 3-6
A large-sized beautifully illustrated edition of this classic tale. Alice's fantastic adventures and the characters she meets along the way will delight children of today just as they did when the book was first published in 1865.

Daly, Jude. Fair, Brown and Trembling. An Irish Cinderella Story. Farrar, 2000. Gr 2-5
This Cinderella is helped by an old henwife and rides to church on a silk-white mare. An interesting variant to add to the Cinderella collection.

Dunrea, Oliver. Bear Noel. Farrar, 2000 Gr K-3
As Christmas approaches, the animals of the North Woods tremble with excitement. ear Noel is coming. With rhythmic repetitive language the animals welcome him. An excellent read-aloud.

Faulkner, Matt. Black Belt. Knopf, 2000 Gr 2-4
Bushi is picked on by a tough kid at school. Running form his tormentor, she dashes in the door of a karate school where he picks up and tries on a black belt. Magically the boy goes back in time where he learns my lessons, meets a dangerous bandit and the wise Master of a long ago karate school. This adventure tale will appeal to those enrolled in karate schools as well as those who are not.

Gorbachev, Valeri. Peter's Picture. North-South Books, 2000 Gr K-2
Peter is proud of the picture he painted at school. It is his best ever. He proudly carries it home, showing it to everyone he meets along the way. He receives many suggestions of what to do with it (smell it, give it to the bees, put it in a vase, water it) but his parents know exactly what to do with it as Peter finds out.

Freymann, Saxton and Elffers, Joost. One Lonely Sea Horse. Scholastic, 2000 Gr PreK-l
A counting book using vegetables to create sea creatures. All the vegetables are
identified on the end pages.

Johnson, D. B. Henry Hikes to Fitchberg Houghton Mifflin, 2000. Gr 2-6
Henry Thoreau and his friend agree to meet Fitchhberg which is 30 miles away but each takes a very different approach to the journey. Henry walks while Henry's friend does a variety of job to earn money for a train ticket. Brainstorm the sights Henry might see on his 30 mile walk. How much will Henry's friend earn for each of these jobs? 1. Filling a woodbox. 2. Sweeping a post office. 3. Painting a fence. 4.. Moving bookcases. 5. Pulling weeds in a garden. 6. Carrying water to cows. 7. Cleaning out a chicken house. 8. Carrying flower from the mill to the baker. What do you think the train ticket will cost? All this happened 150 years ago.

Kasza, Keiko. Dorothy and Mikey. Putnam, 2000 Gr PreK-2
Dorothy and Mikey are two lovable hippos who are always challenging each other. Who can jump the highest, run the fastest or write a better poem? Find out what happens when good friends compete.

Ketteman, Helen. Armadillo Tattletale. Illustrated. by Keith Graves. Scholastic, 2000. Gr K-3
What would be the disadvantages of having very long ears? When armadillo overhears others talking he carries tales but doesn't always get them right. When alligator comments that toads skin is looking much better, armadillo tells toad the alligator said toad's skin was "plug ugly." Play the telephone game giving ideas on how to stop a tattletale. Did the ideas change from the first to the last person?

Marijanovic, Stanislav. A Manuel of Monsters. Mondo Pub. 1999 Gr 4-6
Who are Achoo and Teevee, Ohno an Chatterbug? House Monsters! Are these monsters in your home? Are you one of their victims Here is a clever book that will help you find out.
Minor, Wendell. Pumpkin Heads. Blue Sky Press, 2000. K-4
The artist presents a delightful range of glowing pumpkins. Each can be used as the basis for a story, Choose one of the pictures and use it to create a story using this pattern. Use also, Dr. Pompo's Nose by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers. Scholastic, 2000

Prokofiev, Serges. Peter and the Wolf Illustrated by Julia Oukova. North-South Books, 2000 Gr 1-4
This beautiful picture book introduces children to the classic symphonic tale of a hungry wolf, an ill-fated duck, a fearless bird and brave Peter who saves his friends from the wolf's jaws.

Sierra, Judy. The Beautiful Butterfly. Illustrated by Victoria Chess. Clarion Books, 2000
A retelling of a classic Spanish folktale with a happier ending than the original. Children can compare with other versions such as "Ratoncita Perez."

Stojic, Manya. Rain. Crown Publishers, 2000 Gr Pre-K-2
A perfect pattern book that tells of the coming of the rain on a parched African savanna. Porcupine smells rain in he air. Zebras see lightning. The baboons hear thunder, the rhino feels the first drops and the lion tastes the cool water .

Van Laan, Nancy. A Tree for Me. Illustrated by Sheila White Samton. Knopf, 2000 Pre K-2
Big one? Small one? Skinny one? Tall one? Which tree will be the perfect one for a small child to climb? This book is filled with animals to count, sounds to imitate and patterns to repeat.

Walsh, Melanie. Do Donkeys Dance? Houghton Mifflin, 2000 Pre K-2
Do pigs buzz around flowers? No, bees buzz around flowers. A simple question and answer book about how animals move. Use as a writing pattern for beginning writers.

Watts, Bernadette. The Lion and the Mouse, An Aesop Fable. North-South Books, 2000 Gr K-3
A reckless mouse awakens a sleeping lion but promises to help the lion in the future. Here is a tale that proves that a little mouse can be strong and a lion can be helpless. Very appealing illustrations.

Wattenberg, Jane. Benny Penny. Scholastic, 2000. Gr K-3

Flock along as Henny Penny and her feathered friends flap around the world passing many famous  landmarks including the pyramids and the Taj Mahal until they finally meet up with Foxy Loxy. A fresh retelling of the classic tale.

Yolen, Jane and Mark Teague. How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? Blue Sky Press, 2000 Gr K-2
Here is a playful peek into the homes of dinosaur children and their parents at bedtime. Dinosaurs are identified on the end pages.