DIY Story Time: The Letter "R"

Are you ready for "R" Week? Read a few rousing books as you learn about this letter!

Written by Carmen Agra Deedy

Illustrated by Pete Oswald

Scholastic Press, 2020. Picture Book.

In two little houses, on two little hills, lived two best friends...

So begins the story of Rita and Ralph. Every day they meet to play beneath the apple tree. It's always fun and games -- until one roundly rotten day when a new game means someone ends up crying. Who knew it could be so hard to say "I'm sorry"? Just when it seems nothing will ever be right again, a surprising thing happens. The old friends try something new, that isn't new at all. Something they've done a hundred times...

Carmen Agra Deedy's brilliant storytelling combined with Pete Oswald's spirited illustrations make for a comforting tale of healing and true friendship. --Publisher

Red Light, Green Lion

Written by Candace Ryan

Illustrated by Jennifer Yerkes

Kids Can Press, 2019. Picture Book.

Inspired by a favourite childhood game (Red Light, Green Light), Red Light, Green Lion is a sweet, sometimes silly, and philosophical picture book that encourages friendship, sharing and literacy. As a green lion stands at a street corner waiting for a green light, a surprising sequence of events takes place. Each page turn brings something new that begins with the letters "li." And while readers may guess, each time, that it will be the expected green light, it usually isn't. First there's the green lion, then a storm, which brings green li--ghtning and rain, a lilac bouquet, a life saver, livestock, library books and lima beans. Eventually after much action and many surprises, the water recedes, the traffic light turns green - green light, finally! --Publisher

Falling for Rapunzel

Written by Leah Wilcox

Illustrated by Lydia Monks

G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2003. Picture Book.

When the prince spies Rapunzel high in her tower, he's convinced she is the girl of his dreams. Of course he thinks he can save her the traditional way, but this is no traditional Rapunzel. She throws down everything but what the prince asks for--including a surprise that makes all his dreams come true.

A hilarious fractured fairy tale with clever page-turns and vibrant, eclectic art that is perfect for funny Valentine's Day story hours. --Publisher

Comments

Review: Fowl Play

Fowl Play By Kristin O'Donnell Tubb New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2024. Fiction 277 pages. Still reeling from her beloved uncle's death, Chloe Alvarez is comforted and confused when at his last will and testament reading, Uncle Will gifts her his African Grey parrot, Charlie. Charlie has a robust vocabulary and loves to make Alexa requests for her favorite songs, but when she starts saying things like, "homicide," and "cyanide," Chloe becomes convinced that Uncle Will may have met his demise by murder instead of a genetic disease, as was previously thought. Ultimately, bringing in her brother, Grammy, and Uncle Frank (and of course Charlie,) Chloe's ragtag and adoring family support her search for answers ---going on stakeouts, engaging in fast pursuits, and searching for clues. But as the suspects stack up and the mystery grows, Chole will learn that the process of death and grieving is complicated, and in the end her Uncle Will's words that, ...

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...

Review: Blood in the Water

Blood in the Water By Tiffany D. Jackson New York: Scholastic, 2025. Fiction. 255 pages. 12-year-old Kaylani McKinnon can't help but feel like a fish out of water. She's a Brooklyn girl spending her summer on Martha's Vineyard surrounded by wealthy family friends in their mansion. All she really wants is to stay home all summer where she her incarcerated father can easily reach her, and she can keep working to find ways to prove him innocent of fraud and embezzlement. Despite her protests, she finds herself on the island with the snooty granddaughters of her host. Soon after Kaylani's arrival, a popular teen boy is found murdered and she decides to conduct her own investigation. As she tries to discover what happened to Chadwick Cooper, Kaylani finds that not everything on Martha's Vineyard is as perfect as it appears. Thrillers for middle grade readers can be hard to find, but Tiffany D. Jackson succeeds in her first middle grade novel. A quick moving plot, tight d...

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