Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman

Which came first, this egg-cellently silly story or its hilarious chicken illustrations? As calamity after calamity besets Farmer Greenstalk and his family, the chickens flock together to provide sidesplitting solutions. After a week of non-stop feather-ruffling activity, the hens settle in their coop for a well-earned day off; luckily for the hapless Greenstalks, they are not the only helpful critters on the farm. The simple story line, organized by the days of the week, and the refrain, "Chickens to the rescue!" make this a great read-aloud read-along for pre-K through first grade.

Welcome to the Bed and Biscuit

Grandpa Bender is a veterinarian who runs the Bed and Biscuit, a boardinghouse for various types of animals. Helping him run the business are former borders, rescued animals that Grandpa adopted as part of his family: Gabby, a Vietnamese mynah bird who has been with Grandpa for 10 years and sometimes answers the phone when Grandpa is busy; Ernest the pig, who has his own shower and a wonderful brain that can help him find things when no one else can; and Milly, a cuddly, red-gold cat that Grandpa wears like a scarf. In this often humorous tale they coexist happily until Grandpa brings home a mysterious guest, with whom he starts to spend all of his time. Who is this guest that fits in a breadbox? Will life with Grandpa ever be the same again? Recommended for grades 2-3.

The Runaway Dinner by Allan Ahlberg

All of Banjo Cannon's dinner runs away, not just the sausage named Melvin. There are the carrots named Caroline, Clara, Camilla and Christabel, and the peas, called Peter, Percival and Paul--but don't ask about the terrible fate that awaits some of them in the park. Although Saskia, the plate, finds she rather likes being used as a frisbee, there are casualties. Banjo and his parents race along in eventful pursuit of food, cutlery and dining room furniture, and the hilarious story and illustrations keep pace. Runaway Dinner is a cleverly-written picture book that manages to sound and feel like an improvised story. It is also a fantastically successful read-aloud for students from kindergarten through third grade.

Oink by Margie Palatini

Oink by Margie Palatin; illustrated by Henry Cole; Simon and Schuster
Thomas and Joseph are sloppy, lazy, dirty, and Happy pigs, but duck, hen and rabbit complain that the pigs are disgraceful, untidy, and lazy. Hen suggested they paint, but hen did most of the work. Rabbit wanted them to improve their diet, harvest and eat fresh vegetables, but rabbit had to do all the work. Duck told them they needed to dig a hole for a pond to bath in, but duck did most of the digging. The hens, rabbit, and duck worked all day, they were exhausted from the hard work, proud of their accomplishments, then realized the pigs were not so dumb after all! The watercolor, ink and pencil illustrations add to the humor of this book.

Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything

In this sequel to Ruby Lu, Brave and True, feisty, Asian-American Ruby Lu jumps from one hilarious episode to another with her cousin, Flying Duck who has just emigrated from China to live with her. Children will relate to her thoughts and feelings about notes (to parents) pinned to her shirt; and her absolutely hilarious reaction to the Basic Lifesaving video she manages to check out from the library (because her dad doesn’t check her selections like her mom does).

Included at the end is, “Ruby’s Amazing Glossary and Guide to Important Words.” Another fun feature is the flip book of Chinese (?) sign language on the bottom of each page.

Interest level: Grades 1-3

Lucy Rose: Busy Like You Can't Believe, by Katy Kelly

Illus. by Adam Rex.

Entering fourth grade, an irrepressible Lucy Rose chronicles her experiences eavesdropping, trying out for Annie in the school play, relationships with friends, the not so friendly Ashley, grandparents, and divorced parents. The telling is practically breathless, funny, and true. Her collection of new words and palindromes gives readers access to a sophisticated vocabulary within the comfort of a series character and style.

Grades 3-5

Eats, Shoots and Leaves: Why Commas Really do Make a Difference by Lynn Truss

Here's a fun children's version of the adult best seller! This one is considerably pared down to include just the need for correct commas. After offering a little story to explain the title, several humorous examples of misplaced commas are offered on double page spreads. Both pages list an identically worded sentence, only the comma location is changed.
ie: Eat here, and get gas. vs. Eat here and get gas.
Sorry - I had to go there!

Its a little uneven but certainly a strong example of some of the writing conventions we try so hard to hammer home.

Fun to pair with Punctuation Takes a Vacation by Pulver.

Solomon and the Ant, retold by Sheldon Oberman

Here are forty-three clever, witty, and illustrative stories sure to delight students of all ages. This collection is a goldmine for storytellers. Oberman has gathered stories from many Jewish traditions - trickster tales, riddles, King Solomon, and the prophet Elijah. Each is short and told so clearly that the jewel at the heart of the story shines through every time. It is recommended for grades 5 and up....but many of the stories have delighted younger audiences at my school. The seven page introduction was a little long. Surely the material before and after each story would have sufficed. A simple "Sheldon Oberman did not live to actually hold this book in his hands; nevertheless, he held the stories in his heart" would have been more in keeping with the spirit of these fabulous folktales.

Grades 5 - 8