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.

Tiptoe Joe has a surprise. With his happy smile, a charming love of a bear in red tie-up sneakers, shares his excitement as he invites all the animals of the forest to come see his secret! It's a short, sweet, and lively read-aloud with a repetitive refrain paired with the sounds animals make when they follow Joe. Suspense builds as the crowd grows and they reach Tiptoe's home where his wife holds their little secrets in her arms. 2 ½ & up.

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2013.

A young science book starring two puffins that get separated in a storm. A friendly whale tries to help Peter find Paul based on Peter’s short descriptions of his friend. When he says his friend is black and white the whale takes him to the penquins. When he says Paul is noisy he takes him to a flock of parrots. In searching for Paul we get to see a nice variety of birds until at last Paul and Peter have their happy reunion. A small story with lovely illustrations for young listeners. 3 & up.

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

Designed for early grades, this beautifully illustrated biography of Nelson Mandela touches on the major events in his life from being sent away from home at an early age to his election as President of South Africa. It is not so much a warm fuzzy storybook as an overview that will explain with beautiful art why he remains an historic iconic figure who will not soon be forgotten. They say 4-8. We think this is more like a book for 7 & up.

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

Hard to imagine how a garden slug would aspire to play baseball and, of course, to be a star slugger. Just the idea of all this is silly, but it holds together as an entertaining yarn that kids who aspire to play baseball will relate to. In this season of baseball books, here's one for the youngest player.  5 & up.

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

Although he is long gone, Babe Ruth's name lives on as a legend to all who know anything about baseball greats. Unlike so may baseball books that center on a singular event, in this child-sized biography the author manages to tell about Babe's early years when he got into so much trouble as a truant that his own father helped send him away to a reform school. Inside the walls of Saint Mary's George Ruth found a mentor and found himself. The story has a nice roundness as the Babe never forgets Brother Matthias, who teaches him the game and the school that nurtured him. As always, Matt Tavares' illustrations capture the time and place and even the Babe's memorable face. A keeper! 7 & up.

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

Somehow variations on the Three Little Pigs keep coming and in the hands of Mark Teague, both the telling and the showing make for a very merry romp. Here a somewhat bad wolf goes through his usual paces at the usual straw and stick places. But when he gets to the brick house you are in for a surprise. It should be no surprise that the smart pig with the bow on her head is the one who is clever enough to build her house of bricks. Like so many of her gender she is able to predict outcomes. But, here's the spoiler alert: There is no chimney scene and all's well that ends well. It's easy to imagine what fun it could be hamming it up (oops, couldn't resist) as you share this fractured tale. 4-7

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

The chase is on, Cowpoke Clyde has a dirty dawg who needs a bath. In this merry romp dawg keeps getting the best of Clyde and the other animals on the ranch. A fun yarn told in verse that makes for an amusing read-a-loud. 4-8

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

Too bad we missed this one before Valentine's Day. But, it is never the wrong time to say how much you love someone. Written in verse, this is a delightful collection of reasons for loving the ones you love. Read it to your child, your spouse, your parent, your best friend—whoever and whenever. It's funny, touching, and even thought provoking. All ages.

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

Oh, oh, there is a big green gator in this book that was not supposed to be in here! But don't be frightened. It is not really looking for you! In fact it is looking for the way out. Told in big bold strokes, Open Very Carefully provides a good opening for further adventures that kids may like to spin. They say 3-5, we'd say more like 5 & up.

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