Kindergarten was a huge learning year for Fleet and we anticipate first grade to be another big year! Before our boy starts the next grade, here is number six in the Fleet Book Stack series I started way back in 2020.
This time I wrote about his favorite books and favorite book series:
Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems
Fleet has always loved the Elephant and Piggie books but this one became a new favorite because it introduces a new friend – a snake! Since Fleet has been catching snakes all spring and summer, it makes sense that he enjoys this short, silly story with a big, important message about always finding a way to include friends.
How To Be A Rockstar | Lisa Tolin (author) | Daniel Duncan (illustrator)
There is no question that Tolin and Duncan are music fans as the narrative centers on a young girl who quickly learns that it is a long way to the top if you want to rock. Her “backup singer” little brother throws tantrums, her parents who don’t want to buy loud instruments, and she has to find creative ways to get her music out to “the public” aka her mom and dad’s friends who come over for a backyard BBQ. What makes this book fun is that it’s told from a kid’s perspective but in a grown up way – from the vintage posters to the depictions of punk, metal, pop, and heavy-punk-metal-pop, Tolin and Duncan know what it takes to successfully take your show on the road.
If I Built A House by Chris Van Dusen
I bought this book for Fleet because he loves to design and build (maybe he’ll be an architect when he gets older?) and this story goes way beyond the average house. Jack dreams of building a room made of trampolines, a room filled with sea creatures, a contraption that will cook and then clean the kitchen for you, a plexiglass playroom that detaches, and more. Additionally, both of the inside book covers feature impressive kid versions of architectural drawings that always inspire conversation because they are imaginative, creative, and fun!
How To Catch A Star by Oliver Jeffers
Everyone likes stars – they light up the sky, sometimes they shoot across it, and sometimes you get a gold one when you’ve done something extraordinary. Either way, stars possess an undeniable positive quality so it makes sense that the little boy in this sweet story wants to catch one. Jeffers, who is both the author and illustrator, comes up with a variety of ways the boy tries to make that happen and the ending always makes Fleet smile.
The Collectors by Alice Feagan
Written and illustrated by Eagle County local Alice Feagan, this book started a big trend for our family a few years ago because it inspired Fleet to create a collection of his own which now includes a wide array of fossils, feathers, rocks, bones, teeth, and more. By using cut-paper collage art to accompany the story of Rosie and Winslow’s quest to find the perfect addition to their collection, the author thoughtfully pieces together encounters with many exciting parts of nature. Feagan’s North Carolina childhood and Colorado adulthood clearly inform the narrative as the girls are smart, adventurous, and brave.
Wild About Books | Judy Sierra (author) | Marc Brown (illustrator)
A librarian named Molly McGrew starts a library at a zoo that is comprised of a wide array of books enjoyed by all kinds of creatures. Wild tells the tale of how the animals, who are hesitant at first, quickly come around to the idea of reading and end up spending all of their time captivated by books. I’m still not sure how to pronounce “gnu,” but I appreciate that “llamas read dramas while eating their llunches!” It’s also fun seeing how animals big and small become readers who are so enthralled with their new activity that they don’t notice the humans who visit them at the zoo.
Series:
Who Would Win? | Jerry Pallotta (author) | Rob Bolster (illustrator)
Although the names of these collections sound like cheesy WWF matches – “Extreme Animal Rumble,” “Ultimate Showdown,” and “Fiercest Feuds” – they are actually educational books that provide extensive facts about the featured animals followed by scenarios that explain why certain species win over others. Lions, sharks, alligators, ants, bears, whales – you name it – battle it out in this series of books that is both informative and exciting.
The Berenstain Bears: Five “Away We Go” Adventures! | Mike Berenstain (Author + Illustrator) | Jan Berenstain (Author)
While the “Gone Fishin’” chapter is Fleet’s favorite (he learned to cast two different types of spin rods and catch fish on his own in the last few weeks with Wookie), all five adventures are fun. In this series, the family of bears rides a train, goes on a class trip, spends a day at the aquarium, and even travel around the world in some kind of time machine. I remember reading these books as a kid and clearly they are classics for a reason.
Backpack Explorer | Editors of Storey Publishing (Author)
These nonfiction books are my favorite because each one focuses on specific aspects of nature while seamlessly including activities that don’t require much more than nature. Our first was On The Nature Trail and now our collection includes Bug Hunt, Discovering Plants and Flowers, Spotting Snakes and Frogs, and Rock Hunt, among others. The illustrations and photos are used in a way that is appealing to both kids and adults and the format allows the material to be informative without losing anyone’s attention. Additionally, each book contains stickers, places for the kiddos to draw what they see, and – Fleet’s favorite – a mini magnifying glass!
Leave a Reply