Peasant Pig and the Terrible Dragon

Author and Illustrator: Richard Scarry

For Ages: 5 and above

No. of Pages: 46

Publisher: Sterling Publishing, New York

Year: 1980

It’s a holiday in Busylande, and everyone is celebrating including Peasant Pig and Lowly Worm until a huge dragon appears.

This captivating tale of a simple peasant pig set in an enchanting land (of pigs) makes for delightful reading with detailed illustrations that keep  little ones engaged for long after the reading is done.

A couple of twists in the tale serve to engage older children too.

Yes, there's an interesting jester but you’ll have to find out more about him!  

Excerpt

In the forest, poor Princess Lily was now a prisoner. The dragon had tied her up and put her to work making grape juice.

The Royal Guards could not help Princess Lily.

But help was on its way! The king’s knights rode out of the castle, crossed the drawbridge over the moat, and galloped into the forest.

But the terrible dragon leaped up!

PC Polly - Little Workmates

Author: Mandy Ross

Illustrator: Emma Dodd

Year: 2001

Publisher: Ladybird Books, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages:  24

ISBN: 978 0 72142 168 7

The Little Workmates Series is a delightfully creative way to introduce children to the various people engaged in different professions and how they impact our lives. 

It is Story Town Show day and PC Polly has a busy day ahead of her. She has two cases to solve – a missing dog and a lost package of sausages.

She finds Barker, the dog who, in turn, sniffs his way to the misplaced sausages and is rewarded for her efforts with prize-winning sausages for her tea.

Other books in the Little Workmates Series:

•  Builder Bill      
• Doctor Daisy
• Farmer Fred
• Fireman Fergus
• Footballer Fabio
• Hairdresser Hannah
• Nurse Nancy
• Postman Pete  
• Queen Clara
• Teacher Tina
• Truckdriver Tom
• Vet Vicky

       

Excerpt

Sniff … sniff…sniff… went Barker, his nose to the ground.

“He must be following a trail!” puffed PC Polly, grabbing Barker’s lead.

Sniff … sniff…sniff… went Barker, through the town square and into the park.

“Barker! STOP! Gasped PC Polly, running along behind. 

Cow’s ding dong bell

Author: Jillian Harker

Illustrator: Simon Abbott

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Bright Sparks, UK

Year: 2002

Something is not right at Goosefeather farm. All the animals are cross or grumpy except Cow. She’s walking around with a big grin as she enjoys the sound of the bell around her neck.

That is, until she realizes that the other animals on the farm don’t quite enjoy the sound of the bell. She’s forced to sleep out in her field when she realizes that the barn her friends are in is on fire. She shakes her bell aloud and wakes the farmer and his wife who put the fire out.

The friends now celebrate Cow and her bell.

There's a message there for all of us. :-)

This friendly book, with its large print and bright, happy illustrations, belongs in your library if you have little ones.

The Goosefeather Farm series is a colorful and cheery means to introduce children to diversity and to help them appreciate the unique differences that make each of us special.  

Excerpt

Hen came rushing across the yard.

“I've really had enough of this!” she clucked. “I can’t hear myself think. Cow! Come here!”

Cow turned around.

“Is there a problem?” she asked.

Other Goosefeather Farm titles are

• Duck's scoopy doopy beak
• Frog's flicky licky tongue
• Pig's curly wurly tail

Big Hug: The Jungle House

Author: John Grace

Illustrator: Stuart Trotter

Publisher: Ladybird Books, UK

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 26

ISBN: 978 0 72141 433 8

Big Hug is a gentle blue bear who lives on Coconut Island.

Max the Cat and Billy the Rabbit set up a jungle house which is occupied by a mean-tempered elephant. They enlist the help of many friends to get the elephant to leave the house but the angry giant is in no mood to listen. Until Big Hug gets help from a little friend. :-)

The Big Hug series from Ladybird Books is ideal for pre-readers and beginner readers. What makes the text stand-out is the presence of repetitive phrasing and the use of several easy words to encourage children to read.

Excerpt

Max and Billy went to see the tiger.

He was very brave.

They told him about the elephant with big ears.

Tiger went to the jungle house. “Roarr-r!” went the tiger. 

Other books in the Big Hug series include

• A Busy Day
• A Quiet Walk
• Hide and Seek Counting 
• Rainbow Colours

Arthur’s Lost Puppy

Author: Marc Brown

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 24

Publisher: Random House, New York

Year: 2000

ISBN: 978-0-67988-466-8

This delightful book not only features the colorful world of Arthur as seen on television but is complimented with fun stickers of key words like balloons and clowns that children can use to stick wherever the respective word appears.

Arthur and D.W. take Baby Kate to the street fair where she has lots of fun until she starts crying. Arthur is left clueless but little Pal knows and finds a way to get what she wants – a balloon!

This book belongs to the Random House Step into Reading 3 series, an initiative to encourage reading among children using creative tools.

Excerpt

The balloons rose higher and higher.

Over the roofs, over the trees, up, up, up they went.

And so did Pal!

“Look!” someone shouted.

“A flying puppy!”

Election Day (Robin Hill School) – Ready-to-Read: Level 1

Author: Margaret McNamara

Illustrator: Mike Gordon

Year: 2004

Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks, NY

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 0 68986 425 6

Website: Ready to Read

Mrs. Connor’s class has a new student, Becky. It’s also Election Day for the class president and after lunch the children give speeches. Nick promises a candy machine, Emma vouches for no home work and Nia vows that summer vacation will be six months long. The children cheer with loud Hoorays!

Mrs. Connor looks at Becky. It’s her first day at school but she knows she’ll make a good class president.

This is an encouraging book for little ones from the Ready-to-Read series featuring easy words and phrases to motivate new readers.

Excerpt

Becky took a deep breath. She got up from her chair.

“I cannot promise candy machines, or less homework, or more vacation,” she said.

“I can only promise to do my best.” Becky sat down. 

Old MacDonald had a Tractor

Author: Nicola Baxter

Illustrator: Caroline Davis

For Ages: 5 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Bright Sparks, UK

Year: 2000

ISBN: 978-1-84250-0840-2

Now, here’s Old MacDonald’s farm complete with dogs, ducks, hens, cats and all. Except the stories are all new.

The author has woven stories around the very familiar Old MacDonald with a wry sense of humor.

This book features three stories:

1. Tractor Trouble: It’s just another happy day at the farm except the tractor refuses to start. Old MacDonald decides to investigate and is in for a warm, snuggly surprise.
2. So many colours: Old MacDonald decides to embark on a long overdue paint job. However, a series of accidents with Jenny the hen and Annabel the cow result in a far better job than he had originally planned.
3. Good Teamwork: It’s been raining for days and days and Old MacDonald’s tractor gets stuck in mud. He enlists the help of every animal on the farm starting with the horses, then the cows, the sheep, the dogs and cats until the addition of an unlikely member, helps roll the tractor out of the mud.

Also don’t miss the famed Old MacDonald song with a verse on the tractor:

With a brum, brum here 

And a brum, brum there.

:-)

Excerpt

What a pity that Annabel the cow chose just that moment to come racing over to see what was happening, She did see Old MacDonald – but she didn’t see the pot of paint. 

Clang! It went flying up into the air. 

Clunk! It landed all over Percy the pig’s head. 

Peter’s Good Idea

Author: Enid Blyton

Year: 2000 (this edition)

Publisher: Grandreams Ltd., London

Age: 5 and above

No. of Pages: 22

ISBN: 978 1 85830 524 1

This classic gem from Enid Blyton, is a story of four town children, Peter, Jane, Tom and Bessie who are at a farm.

While looking to do something useful, they find baskets of apples in the apple-shed with many of them going bad. While the others want to sneak away a few apples to eat, Peter is firmly against it. 

Instead, he has a good idea that he pitches to the grateful Farmer who, in turn, generously rewards Peter and his friends for choosing to be honest.

Excerpt

“Good boy!” said the farmer, “But, my lad, you must have a little reward for your good idea! You and your friends can help yourselves to a couple of apples each, every day. There are enough apples there to feed an army, if they are well sorted out into good and bad – so you help yourselves, and choose the juiciest you can find! Children that are honest and can be trusted deserve to have a reward!”