The 12 Days of Bookish: It's All Elementary

Keeping kids reading through their elementary school years can be challenging, but finding the book that turns students into lifelong readers is rewarding for everyone involved. Skill levels in the elementary school age range vary widely, but the books we've selected for these readers have age-appropriate subject matter and lots of fun for kids.

From left to right, top to bottom...
1. The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt and Jennifer Bricking // The outside world threatens a peaceful swamp and its animal scouts must fight for their survival.
2. Star Wars: Jedi Academy by Jeffrey Brown // From the author who brought us Vader and Son and Vader's Little Princess, a fun imagining of what the Star Wars crew would've been like in middle school.
3. Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo and K.G. Campbell // Fun graphic novel styling tells the story of a squirrel, a girl, and unexpected superherodom.
4. Bink and Gollie: Best Friends Forever by Kate DiCamillo, Allison McGhee and Tony Fucile // An adorable best friend duo that march to the beat of their own drum.
5. Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman and Skottie Young // This book is making lists all around the world, no joke. Reminds us of Roald Dahl's stories in the best way imaginable.
6. A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff // A National Book Award nominee that immerses readers in a lovely magical world with plenty of mystery.
7. The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes // A laugh-so-hard-you'll-snort kind of story boys and girls alike will love.
8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney // Of course this is on the list. An easy choice for all boys.
9. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O'Hara // Satisfies kids' hunger for entry into the rising "zombie" fiction genre with plenty of giggles, so it's not really scary.
10. Stallion by Starlight by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal Murdocca // Number 49 in the amazing, neverending Magic Tree House series. You'd think kids would want to read them in order, but many don't mind skipping around.
11. "When Did You See Her Last?" by Lemony Snicket // The 2nd in Snicket's newest series, it's characterized by clever kids and incompetent and/or evil adults. Smart and funny.
12. A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems // Elephant and Piggie fans will not be disappointed with this newest adventure between the pachyderm and porcine pals.

The 12 Days of Bookish: "Again! Again!" Preschoolers

For many children, "preschool" is the perfect age range for beginning to read those longer picture books that adults love and children finally have the patience to enjoy. It's also the height of "Again! Again!!" those eager requests to hear the same story over and over and over... and over. Parents and caregivers might find themselves thinking "I like The Hungry Caterpillar too, but enough is enough!" For these young kids, repetition is an important part of learning.

These 2013 titles will be welcome additions to a preschooler's book collection. Who knows? One of them may just become an instant favorite, cheered on by calls of "Again! Again!!"

From left to right, top to bottom...
1. Crankenstein by Samantha Berger and Dan Santat // On par with the classic Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
2. Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown // A story about being yourself while still respecting others.
3. Train by Elisha Cooper // In a year of tons of train books, this one stands out. Beautiful illustrations with lots of detail.
4. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers // Funny and endearing, this cute book shares the gripes of all the crayons, who have frankly had enough.
5. Mitchell Goes Bowling by Hallie Durand and Tony Fucile // A high-energy story for kids who like to go, go, go!
6. How to Train a Train by Jason Carter Eaton and John Rocco // Kids will relish the idea of owning a pet train.
7. If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano and Erin C. Stead // Whimsical illsutrations and a funny story all lead to delight when little readers spot the whale before the narrator does.
8. Moo! by David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka // A cow in a car. What could go wrong?
9. Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea // Super hilarious, it's a sincere story about getting to know someone before you judging them.
10. That is NOT a Good Idea! by Mo Willems // The much-awarded author and illustrator proves again that he is the master of children's books.
11. What Does the Fox Say? by Ylvis // This is admittedly a novelty choice, but it's a strange fact that all kids love the ridiculous song upon which this picture book is based.
12. Dot. by Randi Zuckerberg // An adorable book for tech-savvy kids and their parents who worry about too much screen time.

The 12 Days of Bookish: Those Teeny Tiny Tots

Balking at buying a book for a baby? Don't! Research shows that reading aloud to babies early and often plays a critical role in their success with language and reading, both skills that are necessary to support lifelong learning. Instilling a love of books early on is of utmost importance—it's why we offer weekly storytimes for everyone from birth to 6 years old. You might be surprised how soon babies can hold a book and flip through its pages!

Here are some of our favorite 2013 board books for babies and toddlers. Their durable design will let them be enjoyed again and again for years to come.

From left to right, top to bottom...
1. Moby-Dick by Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver // These BabyLit Primers are always adorable. This one condenses another classic masterpiece into a fun ocean lesson for little ones.
2. My Blankie by Alice Beauvisage // For toddlers who love their blankie, a sweet story that shows the power of imagination.
3. The Noisy Book by Soledad Bravi // Loads of pages and colorful illustrations, plus lots of sounds to imitate = baby gold.
4. Alphablock by Christopher Franceschelli // Peek-through pages give beginning-letter clues, perfect for learning letter recognition.
5. Diggers Go by Steve Light // For tiny tots fascinated with big trucks, an excellent book with plenty of motion.
6. Faces for Baby by Yana Peel // An introduction to modern art for babies. Beautiful and appealing.
7. Tails Chasing Tails by Matthew Porter // An adorable guessing game by a hip indie artist.
8. You Are My Baby: Safari by Lorena Siminovich // Matching + animals = learning in the cutest way possible.
9. Sophie's Busy Day by Dawn Sirrett // Perennial baby shower favorite Sophie la Girafe gets her own touch-and-feel book.
10. Peek-a-boo Who? by Simms Taback // Classic children's book creator.Peek-a-boo flaps. Colorful illustrations. We couldn't ask for more!
11. I Am Blop! by Hervé Tullet // Quirky kidlit favorite Tullet comes out with another fun, imaginative book about the latent possibilities of the simplest shape.
12. Emma by Jack and Holman Wang // One of the newest in the Cozy Classics line, a sweet simplification of the classic Austen tale told by felted figurines.

#ThankTheBook: The Books That Made Us Readers

We're pretty active on Twitter over here at MCL and this week, we've been excitedly watching Penguin Publishing's Thanksgiving/reading-appreciation contest, #ThankTheBook. It's so inspiring to see the worldwide community of readers share their love of literature by showing gratitude to the book that got them hooked. Can you remember which book made you fall in love with reading? Speak up--we want to know! Better yet, if the author is alive and active on Twitter, find them and share your enthusiasm. Authors are always grateful to hear how their stories have shaped the lives of their readers and many authors are happy to respond with a quick retweet or reply.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, a few MCL staff members have shared their beloved books, the ones that turned them into lifelong readers.

Jane D., Youth Services Librarian:
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater.
The Faraway Lurs by Harry Behn. (Available exclusively through Interlibrary Loan)
Abby B., Reference Librarian:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi.
Ann C., Circulation Supervisor:
The entire Trixie Belden series by Julie Campbell.
Chris S., Adult Services Librarian:
The Wrong Stuff by Bill "Spaceman" Lee.
On the Road by Jack Kerouac.
Ann L., Director:
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.