News from the Curriculum Resource Center

Brett, Jan. The Three Snow Bears. New York:  Putnam & Sons, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-399-24792-7.

 What would three snow bears look like? Polar bears, of course. Jan Brett has created three lovable polar bears complete with their own Goldilocks, an adorable Inuit girl named Aloo-ki. A retelling of the classic tale, this story is set in the far north and features the familiar “someone has been eating from my bowl.” The detailed pictures, however, incorporate Inuit symbols and clothing and are cause to linger over each page. The array of arctic animals … Continue Reading

Rogers, Gregory.  Midsummer Knight. New Milford, Connecticut:  Roaring Brook Press, 2007.  ISBN:  978-1-56943-183-6. 

This tale of adventure for Bear continues where The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, and The Bard (2004) left off.   Bear is peacefully floating down the Thames when his hunger leads him to an enchanted land in need of a hero.  A wordless book, the colorful framed illustrations are visually exciting and the action is easy to follow.  Bear must foil a plot to overthrow the king and queen of the fairies if he is to make it home … Continue Reading

Schwartz, Amy.  Starring Miss Darlene.  New Milford, Connecticut:  Roaring Brook Press, 2007.  ISBN: 978-1-59643-230-7.

   Budding actress Darlene the hippo takes a theater class and despite a few hilarious mishaps manages to steal the show. Drama queen Darlene makes the most of each role she is offered: a flood, a professor, and Sleeping Beauty and unintentionally pleases the critic in the front row. Not just for theater buffs, Starring Miss Darlene reminds readers that mistakes can be celebrated and turned into successes. Find this story, written and illustrated by Amy Schwartz … Continue Reading

Hornsey, Chris.  Why Do I Have to Eat Off the Floor? Illustrated by Gwyn Perkins.  New York:  Walker & Company, 2007.  ISBN:  978-0-8027-9617-2.

Murphy is a fun-loving dog who has questions for his family.  These questions will be familiar to anyone who has a pet who considers himself a member of the family.  Why can’t I sleep in your bed?  Why can’t I drive the car?  Why can’t we play ALL the time?  Presented in soft pastel colors, this Australian book (notice the steering wheel on … Continue Reading

Donahue, Jill Lynn.  Being Brave.  Illustrated by Stacey Previn.  Minneapolis, MN:  Picture Window Books, 2008.  ISBN:  978-1-4048-3780-5.

While many children think of bravery as something heroic, this thoughtful book explains to children that they have many opportunities to face their fears and be brave.  Whether they are trying a new food, standing up to peer pressure, riding a roller coaster or visiting Gandpa in the hospital, everyday experiences sometimes require kids to be brave.  Being  Brave can be found with the new CSCL books in the hallway at JUV 179 D674b.

Bell-Rehwoldt, Sheri.  You Think It’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy?Illustrated by David Slonim.  San Francisco:  Chronicle Books, 2007.

The answer to the title of this book for children ages 3 to 6 is “No Way.”  But fortunately our tooth fairy is a spunky and determined little gal with cool gadgets like the Tooth-o-Finder and a jet powered boogie board.  Despite the hardships of avoiding dogs and sweaty clenched fists, she preservers and trades teeth for quarters in this colorful book. 

Latta, Sara L.  The Good, The Bad, The Slimy:  The Secret Life of Microbes.  Photographs by Dennis Kunkel, Ph.D. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 2006. Grades 5 and up.

Zoom into the microscopic world with this fascinating book by Sara Latta.  Combined with amazing photography by Dennis Kunkel, this book explores the world of microbes.  The  world of the small is magnified allowing the reader into a world too tiny for the naked eye.  The accompanying text describes both the good and horrible consequences of these miniature microorganisms, and includes chapter … Continue Reading