Scroll the page to browse this month's selection
of great children's books for readers of all ages!

Kevin Henkes's mousedom
grows again

Interview by Alice Cary

Let's look it up: Dic-tion-ar-y

What does the dictionary have to say about itself? We decided to check out a couple of new dictionaries for kids and see what definition they give.

For those just beginning to read,
a wide range of easy-to-read books await

Reviews by Alice Cary

Our local children's librarian says our library can't get enough books for beginning readers. Kids gobble them up. I've witnessed the phenomenon firsthand. During the first week of summer, I watched two of my young friendsÑseven-year-old Jeffrey and eight-year-old Katie -- nearly fill their summer reading charts. The library program was supposed to keep them busy for several months, not days.

I happen to have written a few books for beginning readers. In some instances, when the intended audience was true beginners, I was allowed to use only a handful of letters. My first step was to figure out which words could be made from these letters -- I felt like I was working on a puzzle, not writing a story.

Despite limitations on vocabulary and length imposed by the genre, plenty of exciting books are being published. They're often available as inexpensive paperbacks, a help to parents of speed demon readers. And don't overlook these stories as read-aloud choices for younger children, as I've discovered with my two-and-a-half-year-old. He's drawn in by their plots, plenty of pictures, and simple prose -- what more could young readers and listeners ask for?

Beginners

Fact-filled fun

Beginning chapter books

My Many Colored Days
By Dr. Seuss
Illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher
Alfred A. Knopf

The Ultimate On-Line Homework Helper
By Marian Salzman & Robert Pondiscio
Avon
Middle grade - Up

Let's Go to the Farm
Vermont Story Works Concepts Publishing

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