Though snow has already fallen across the country, now that the calendar page has turned to December, kids have winter on their minds―no matter where they live. The following selections chosen by the editors at Junior Library Guild are just the ticket for cold wintry days when young readers’ thoughts turn to frozen precipitation.
AGEE, Jon. Little Santa. Dial. 2013. ISBN 9780803739062. JLG Level: P+ : Primary (Grades K–1).
Not every family agrees on the best place to live. Santa’s family is no different. He loves the North Pole. He loves baking gingerbread cookies, sliding down chimneys, and the snow. His family wants to move to Florida―where there is no snow. When a blizzard traps the Clauses, Santa slips up the chimney to search for help. Finding a flying reindeer and resourceful elves saves the day and changes the course of history. A must-have!
BEAN, Jonathan. Big Snow. Farrar. 2013. ISBN 9780374306960. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK–K).
Waiting for snow could make for a very long day without David’s mom’s resourcefulness. And even then, his attention span doesn’t last very long. While making cookies, the flour makes David think of snow, so he runs outside to check the weather. Just a few soft flakes are starting to fall. Perhaps they could clean the bathroom? The soapy suds remind the excited youngster again. The flakes have begun to stick. Will the snow cover everything? David must wait to find out, and readers will want to know as well.
MCDONALD, Megan. Ant and Honey Bee: A Pair of Friends in Winter. illus. by G. Brian Karas. Candlewick. 2013. ISBN 9780763657123. JLG Level: E : Easy Reading (Grades 1–3).
Ant is having trouble being alone on the first day of winter. What he needs is one more day with his friend Honey Bee, but she just wants to be alone. Failing at a quiet game because of words just bursting to come out, Ant suggests they play Queen Bee. He can be the worker bee and make lunch, though it will be a first for him. “Don’t go in the pantry,” shouts Honey Bee. What’s in there one wonders? How can you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without any of the three ingredients? Can Ant take bring the sunshine into Honey Bee’s gloomy day? McDonald and Karas pair up for a delightful beginning chapter book perfect for any season of the year.
WRIGHT, Johanna. Bunnies On Ice. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. 2013. ISBN 9781596434042. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK–K).
Time passes slowly when a champion ice-skater waits for winter to arrive. With a Christmas Eve-like feeling, an excited bunny runs with skates-in-hand to wake her parents for the first big circle around the ice. With scores of fans watching, bunny practices figure eights, leaps in the air, and pirouettes. Wright uses simple sentences to slow the pace of a beautifully illustrated family story. A perfect combination of art, humor, warmth, and text create a Caldecott-worthy read aloud.
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Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.