Book Bag Catch-Up: July 21

I had started a weekly Book Bag post this summer to review all the kid lit the Kiddos and I are reading, but alas, things have fallen a bit by the wayside! We haven't participated in the What My Children Are Reading meme over at The Well-Read Child for a couple weeks, so hopefully we'll be back on track for this week.

In order to catch-up, more of less, today I'd like to briefly share the books we've been reading that make our Top 5 Picks of the month (so far.) Each of our #1 Picks are pictured...

Bug's (age 3.5) Top 5:

• All in a Day by Cynthia Rylant -- fantastic artwork for another great Cynthia Rylant title
  
• The Gardener by Sarah Stewart & David Small -- loved this story told via the letters of a garden-loving girl who brings beauty to her uncle's big-city bakery during the Depression
  
• A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker -- this has to be one of the best read-alouds ever!
  
• Little Oink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace -- makes a perfect trilogy with Little Pea and Little Hoot
  
• My Truck is Stuck by Kevin Lewis -- fun repetition makes this a good read-aloud

Mugger's (age 6) Top 5:

• Henry and Mudge and the Wild Wind by Cynthia Rylant -- this was one of his favorites-- he's loved every Henry and Mudge book he's read, all great easy readers.
  
• Fred and Ted Go Camping by Peter Eastman -- by the son of P.D. Eastman, a book full of opposites and a fun read before our own camping trip.
  
• Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty Bard MacDonald -- we listened to this one on CD, just like all the other Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books. The end was sappy for me, but for the most part, it stayed true to the original Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle stories.
  
• Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle -- another offering from the team that brought you Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, this time with endangered animals instead of animals in every color.
  
• Backyards for Kids by Sunset Books -- ok, so this isn't a kids' book, but he loved poring over the pages while dreaming about the possibilities for our yard!

My Top 5:

• Knight's Castle by Edward Eager -- this was my second Edward Eager title as I thought his books were to be read chronologically-- oh, how I wish Laurel Snyder had left her comment on this post before I started. Still a fun fantasy read and I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Incidentally, Laurel Snyder is the author of my next pick, which was actually my favorite of the month...
  
• Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains, or, The Search for a Suitable Princess by Laurel Snyder -- loved this one! Lucy the milkmaid has spent her days at play with her best friend Prince Wynston, but when his father decides he needs to begin his pursuit of a suitable queen, Lucy (not eligible by law) feels put-out and sets off in search of her mother who's only ever been described as "gone." The runaway theme may seem crazy to adult readers, but it will make perfect sense to anyone who remembers the angst of those middle grade years. Snyder also has a great blog here and her post "The Very Worst Books for Kids" has to be mentioned.
  
• The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson. -- I don't read a lot of teen science fiction, but this one came highly recommended on one of the many kid lit blogs I read. Set in the not-so-distant future where all sorts of bioengineering is possible and raises all sorts of ethical questions boiling down to "What exactly does it mean to be human?"
  
• Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl -- this one was from my own collection, the one I had to re-read after this post. You would never think a book about peasant-poaching would make a Top 5, but it is by the beloved Roald Dahl, so that's probably all the explanation required.
  
• Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland. -- this is my one pick that's not a kids' book as it's our book club's selection this month. This has probably been my favorite selection of 2009. Vreeland tells several short stories, all centered around a fictional painting by Vermeer, tracing the ownership of the painting in reverse chronological order from present day back to Vermeer's family in the 1600s. This book speaks so well to the place of art in our lives as the subject of the painting provides very different insights for the various owners.

Well, so much for "briefly" sharing. What can I say? I like books! I'll try not to let it go so long next time...