Duck cannot find his new blue socks. So begins this journey in verse with Duck asking fox and oxand finally the peacocks if they by chance have seen his socks. A fun read-aloud and a good one for breaking the code for beginning readers. It’s a one-joke book that is pretty predictable, but probably satisfying enough to hear more than once.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A reissued treasure, this classic story retold and illustrated by one of the great picture book artists of the 20th century. Now in a new collection of Folk Tale Classics from Houghton Mifflin. Good fun to read aloud with all the rhyming names repeated again and again as Henny Penny and Cocky Locky and Ducky Lucky run off to spread the news that the sky is falling! Sounds a little like the news on TV, too. Spoiler Alert: In case you forgot—Foxy Loxy is the last of the cast. 4 & up.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2013.

A laugh-out-loud parody of a classic song. In an imagined conversation Yankee Doodle's Pony is trying to get him to go to town to buy a hat. But Crankee Doodle is not in the mood. A fun read-aloud or an even funnier shared read-aloud. Go on and ham it up! Of course, if they don't know the song, Yankee Doodle, the whole joke will be lost. 6 & up.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

An almost wordless book about a puppy who is looking for a playmate. None of the animals in the pasture want to play "Stick" until another puppy comes along and the others get the idea and make off with the stick. But, never mind, the two puppy dogs have something better--each other. A good choice for encouraging children to tell their own stories in their own words.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Piggie found a polka dotted ball, but then a BIG guy took it. Gerald does his best to get it back until he sees just how BIG the guy is. As always, Mo Willems manages to create a small drama that is told in few words for the beginning reader. This one really has a simple enough text for early readers to find their way through. It also says something worth saying about big guys not always being as powerful and happy as little guys think they are. 6-8

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Duck cannot find his new blue socks. So begins this journey in verse with Duck asking fox and ox and finally the peacocks if they, by chance, have seen his socks. This will be a fun read-aloud and a good one for breaking the code for beginning readers. It's a one-joke book that is pretty predictable, but probably satisfying enough to hear more than once. 4-7

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

What with all the bullying going on these days, here's a meaningful old story retold and illustrated by a master to share with a new generation. It all begins when elephant and hippo torment hare by calling him names. In the darkness of night, hare claims he can win a tug-of-war with each of the two big bullies. The rest is all good fun and speaks to the bigger idea of brains over brawn.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Monkey and Elephant are friends, but Monkey thinks Elephant is copying her and she doesn't like it. When Elephant comes down with a cold, Monkey takes good care of him and when he gets better--can you guess what will happen next? Nicely told and illustrated with lively art. Perfect for 2nd level beginning readers.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A light but meaningful book about a young hippo who is about to start school. Her best friend, Tiny, a mouse is very conservative and keeps telling plump Penelope that what she wants to wear, eat for lunch and carry for show and tell is all wrong. After hearing him out Pen turns out the next day in her original choices and discovers that being herself is the best thing she can be. On one level it's a terrific tale--on another, as a parent you may have some qualms about going along with some of the off the wall choices kids can and do make. 5 & up.

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2013.

Great literature it's not, but it is an entertaining book of one liners by a dad ( like mine) who always made corny jokes. For example, "Whenever I say, "I’m hungry," Dad says, "Hello, Hungry. Pleased to meet you."  As the young narrator tells us again and again...his dad thinks he's funny and in the end,we think kids will agree with that dad. Good for some silly giggling together. Some of the jokes will go over the heads of preschoolers. 5 & up

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2013.