Topical Teaching

List courtesy of The Huffington Post:

• Up & Down by Britta Teckentrup
  
  Sometimes the simplest books are the best, and this story about two penguins trying to reach each other across a great divide is lovely. The youngest readers will love learning about directions as they lift flaps that take the penguins inside and outside of dark tunnels, in front of dolphins and behind sharks, and up and down icebergs until they’re together at last.

• Before After by Anne-Margot Ramstein & Matthias Arégui
  
  An enormous book of paired illustrations each showing a different before and after will keep your children entertained for hours. The absence of text allows them to tell their own stories, and you may be surprised with what they come up with.

• Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
  
  Poor Red. It says red on his label, so he must be red. Except Red isn’t. He’s blue. Everyone tries to help him be a better red, until one day he makes a new friend who likes him just the way he is. Funny and clever, with a wonderful message about embracing who we are, Red is a great addition to anyone’s holiday list.

• Kid Sheriff And The Terrible Toads by Bob Shea, Illustrated by Lane Smith
  
  There is only one thing that can save Drywater Gulch from the outlaws: 7-year old Sheriff Ryan, paleontologist and lawman extraordinaire. He may ride a tortoise, but he’s quick on the draw when it comes to capturing criminals.

• Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton
  
  In another boldly illustrated book, Chris Haughton introduces us to four bumbling friends with a plan to capture a beautiful bird. After a night of disasters, you’d think they’d learn their lesson, and they do. Until they see a squirrel.

• I Wanna Go Home by Karen Kaufman Orloff, Illustrated by David Catrow
  
  Not everyone likes to go stay with their grandparents when their parents fly off to Bora Bora. I’ve never been to Bora Bora, but I hear it’s lovely and definitely better than playing bridge for a week at Happy Hills Retirement Community. That’s what young Alex thinks, until he discovers that grandparents can be surprisingly cool, like when they let you use their bingo winnings to buy ice cream — or fingerpaint the kitchen. Sometimes, the best trips are those you dread most.

• My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.) by Peter Brown
  
  When Bobby gets to school on his first day, he discovers that his teacher is a monster — green skin and all. Ms. Kirby is mean and loud and never lets the class have any fun. When Bobby meets her in the park one day, he’s sure things will go terribly wrong. Until something unexpected changes his mind. (Originally featured in “26 Entertaining And Educational Books For Back-To-School Season”)

• Bedtime Math 2: This Time It’s Personal by Laura Overdeck
  
  Anyone else have mathphobia? Anyone else worried your kids will be math-illiterate because of it? Laura Overdeck is here to save us. With stories and colorful pictures and a variety of word problems for kids young and old, Bedtime Math 2 (like the original Bedtime Math) makes math an engaging and challenging part of our nightly routine. Everyone will enjoy this “fun excuse to stay up late.” (Originally featured in “20 Terrific Books To Read With Your Kids This Spring”)

• Animalium, Curated by Katie Scott and Jenny Broom
  
  This book is an extraordinary collection of information about the vast variety of Earth’s animals, from the smallest insect to the largest whale. It’s a portable museum, open anytime you want to visit. The book is glorious — full of oversized drawings reminiscent of old-fashioned botany or Audubon prints you can only find in rare book shops. The pages are luxurious — weighty in your hands and demanding long hours of uninterrupted attention. You’ll be enchanted, and so will your kids. (Originally featured in “26 Entertaining And Educational Books For Back-To-School Season”)

• Aviary Wonders Inc. Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual by Kate Samworth
  
  With the rate of deforestation and habitat destruction, it probably isn’t long before many of the gorgeous birds we know and love go the way of the Dodo or the Roc. But never fear, Aviary Wonders Inc.’s Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual is here to help! Design your own birds (mix ‘n’ match wings, bodies, beaks and tails), and Aviary Wonders will provide you with parts, assembly instructions and troubleshooting should your new bird fail to perform as expected. Pointed, wry, and completely original, Kate Samworth’s debut picture book is as disturbing as it is memorable. (Originally featured in “20 Terrific Books To Read With Your Kids This Spring”)

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