friday's five

Ahhh. That sound is the collective sighs all around our nation this weekend as many of us sit back and relax during our days off from work and school. If you're at all like me and mine, days off equal more time for reading. The kids and I will be reading these fun five Cybils nominees this long weekend, because they're some fun ones, and because they need to go back to the library soon. (Man, I'm thankful for my interlibrary loan option, but they only let you have a few at a time, and when you're trying to get your hands on over 200 books at a time, you've got to have some fast turnover!)

1. Samantha on a Roll by Linda Ashman and illustrated by Christine Davenier -- Love the old-fashioned-feeling illustrations in this cute little book, for they bring to mind picture books of yesteryear with their soft colors and sketchy lines. The story made me laugh, and I anticipate the kids will giggle, too, especially considering the fact that they both tried some roller skates/roller blades this past spring and doubly declared them pretty difficult. The adventure Samantha goes on will surely bring smiles to their faces.

2. Subway Story by Julia Sarcone-Roach -- My kids have some experience with the Washington, DC, metro system, but even without that personal experience, I think this book will appeal to children for its heart and sweet anthropomorphized train car. I was surprised to see the note at the end detailing the story's basis in real life. And for kids who are used to subway rides as a regular part of their day, this story may bring them a new perspective on their travels.

3. The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont by Victoria Griffith and illustrated by Eva Montanari -- Who says picture books are only for the youngest of kids? I know I learned a whole lot from reading this, and I'm well past the target age! I love when authors dramatize a real life story for young readers, especially when it informs them of pieces of history that have been largely forgotten, such as the story of the first man to truly fly a self-propelled airplane.

4. Running with the Horses by Alison Lester -- Here's another example of a dramatized story of a real life event turned into an interesting, attractive and compelling picture book for young readers. During World War II, there was a rescue of stallions from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, and this lovely book brings this to life with the tale of a young girl and her father, and a horse that saves their lives just as they are trying to do the same for him. Again, this one skews above the preschool/kindergarten set that many picture books usually appeal to.

5. Aesop's Fables by Beverley Naidoo and Piet Grobler -- I'm somewhat ashamed to say that I'm not sure how familiar my kids are with the fables that have been attributed to a man called Aesop. I'm happily introducing them to many of them through this gorgeous book that makes the assertion that Aesop may very well have been African, rather than Greek like has been commonly believed. Either way, there's no denying the power in his stories, and these depictions bring his stories to life in Africa, with brightly colored illustrations that engage readers.

As always, all opinions expressed here are mine alone, and not representative of the other judges or the Cybils Awards. I hope you find some books here that will bring a smile to your kids' faces! I encourage you to check out all the other nominated titles over at the Cybils Awards, and I am having a ton of fun reading through all the books and sharing my opinions with you all!



Thankful for books each and every day,