charlie & mouse

We’re elated to add this new early reader to our collection.  Laurel Snyder and Emily Hughes bring us a collection of four short stories celebrating relationships, siblings and the ordinary, funny and sweet moments that make up our lives as families.

With short sentences and a good amount of repetition, Charlie and Mouse provides ample opportunities for young readers to practice the word patterns and endings they’re learning in school.  The readability is late first/early second grade with a lexile of 230L.

Charlie & Mouse was written by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Emily Hughes and published by Chronicle Books.

beverly cleary turns 101

“She was not a slowpoke grownup. She was a girl who could not wait. Life was so interesting she had to find out what happened next.” — Beverly Cleary, Ramona the Pest

“I had a very wise mother. She always kept books that were my grade level in our house.”  “One rainy Sunday when I was in the third grade, I picked up a book to look at the pictures and discovered that even though I did not want to, I was reading. I have been a reader ever since.” — Beverly Cleary on reading and her childhood.

Happy birthday to one of our absolute favorite authors!  She's 101 today!  What is everyone’s favorite book by Beverly Cleary?  Our goal is to read them all.

town is by the sea

Quietly beautiful, stunning, poignant, all of the above.  Town Is by the Sea is a book of contrasts, of light, dark, above, beneath, land and sea.  It is so many things.  Its visual and written narrative are incredibly thoughtful and Sydney Smith portrays the changing light throughout the day authentically and eloquently.  And if you look at his seascapes long enough, you’ll hear the ocean, quiet but vast.  Far and away one of the best picture books we’ve read this year.

Town Is by the Sea was written by Joanne Schwartz, illustrated by Sydney Smith and published by Groundwood Books.

play? + giveaway

A perfect book for toddlers as they begin to communicate, negotiate, navigate the world of play and experience its ups and downs.  Linda Olafsdottir effectively pairs the sparest of text with sweet illustrations to portray the essence of the relationship between Phil, Frida and their stuffed playmates in all its newness and unfettered joy.  PLAY? was written and illustrated by Linda Ólafsdóttir and published by Cameron + Company.

Cameron + Company is giving away two copies of PLAY?  This giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only and ends on Wednesday, April 12, at 11:59 PST.  Head over to this Instagram post to enter.

little lit book series: sports edition

"Aren't we lucky?" Garland asked.  "Just traveling souls, making traditions and cheeseburgers.  "Lucky," I said right back.  I didn't really know if I believed that part, but I sure could believe in the summer's traditions.

With spring in full swing and more time spent in the glorious outdoors, we thought it would be the perfect month for books about sports for #littlelitbookseries.  I’m especially excited to share A RAMBLER STEALS HOME.  Darby Christmas Clark's life is full of family, baseball and rambling on the road and we consider *ourselves* lucky to be reading Carter Higgins' debut middle grade novel brimming with heart, nostalgia and rich storytelling.

Be sure to check in at littlelitbookseries.com to see what other titles we're reading throughout the month.  And search the hashtag #littlelitbookseries on Instagram to see what everyone is sharing today.