Let's Read! Current Trends in Little Kid Books

Corduroy's friend Bearymore

Kids of all ages, one to ninety-two, enjoy exploring the children's section of the bookstore. Old friends and new friends await us. Recently, I was delighted to greet my old friend Corduroy in the bookstore, although his buddy Bearymore was absent. That troublemaker Curious George was there.You gotta look out for him. I was delayed in the Hundred Acre Wood for quite awhile with my friend of very little brain, Pooh. I like to visit him because, as you know, Christopher Robin left for school. I met with Laura, Ma and Pa, sisters and Jack, and Anne with an 'e' greeted me from the bigger kid section of the all hallowed 'chapter books.' The Pokey Lil Puppy and the Little Engine that Could are also looking for new little friends, even in 2012.

"Knuffle Bunny Too,' by Mo Willems

"Pat the bunny,' by Dorothy Kunhardt

"Owen and Mzee,"Isabela Hatkoff

"The Kissing Hand," by Audrey Penn

And new friends! I asked Brianna, the Barnes and Noble salesperson, what books had been most popular sellers for the previous holiday season, and there were several new to me. Little people love all genres of literature, they are not yet locked into non-fiction or fiction and enjoy poetry.

"Goodnight Moon," by Margaret Wise Brown

Little kids kind of live poetry; a world of anthropormorphism (objects and animals being like people), the musical sound of words and rhyme, and lovely, outrageous comparisons that are technically similes and metaphors. Bring on the poets all! Little listener will love them.

I always had that feeling about trees
"The Giving Tree," Shel Silverstein

"My Name Is Not Isabella,"Jennifer Fosberry
Several famous women that Isabella admires

These books are also thought provoking for the small listener: who am I and who will I be?

"My Name Is Not Alexander," by Jennifer Fosberry
Several famous men Alexander admires

I'm still inspired
"The Little Engine That Could,"by Watty Piper

Reader, "Here are my friends, let me introduce you."

Unconditional love
"The Runaway Bunny," by Margret Wise Brown

And favorites for the Reader, which are new to the Listener. The themes of literature resonate even in these simple stories, the characters develop and change, and the plots in the stories have rising action and come to a satisfying denouement (conclusion.). Little Kids can understand all this on their level. Seeds of literacy, planted and growing. We don't have to own all these books, libraries have most. But what fun to browse books, ideas, and motivate reading. Here's a link for free books
Other links for information:http://www.rif.org/;
http://www.dropoutprevention.org/home
http://www.barnesandnoble.com
http://www.ala.org