David Roberts

Although he loves stories, Aaron has trouble reading but has been an artist his whole life. With the help of Miss Greer, his astute 2nd grade teacher, Aaron’s gifts are realized and he gets help with reading. The rhyming text and illustrations call to mind the creators’ other collaborations and are equally captivating.

Ada Twist constantly asks questions: what, why, where? Her parents tire of it until they realize that Ada Twist is really a budding scientist! Told in rollicking rhyme and playful, style-conscious illustrations, this engaging tale is satisfying as well as inspiring.

If you don’t blink, you don’t have to turn the page; you therefore don’t have to go to bed. Each time a blink occurs, however, the closer the end gets in this humorous, participatory book with a big-eyed owl as a guide (who, by the way, is asleep by book’s end).

Madame Chapeau makes the perfect hat for each of her customers but she herself remains quite lonely. That is, until a young girl makes the ideal chapeau for Madame Chapeau. Illustrations are fun and worth looking at again and again as they are an homage to haute couture. 

Can Iggy Peck use his architectural prowess to help Ada Twist’s Aunt Bernice from losing the house she inherited? Iggy, Ada, and the other Questioneers come together to solve the mystery of the missing antiques and acquire a bit of history along the way in this latest story in the Questioneers series.

Iggy Peck loves to build anything using almost any material.  His teacher, however, disagrees about architecture. Iggy rises to the challenge and changes her mind in this rhyming, thoroughly satisfying tale of an aspiring (and inspired) young architect. 

It takes a good teacher to really see an insecure child. Ms. Kern sees Lila Greer so well that Lila grows into the amazing teacher of kids like Rosie Revere, Ada Twist, and Sophia Valdez. Like other books in the series, is fun to read aloud and is illustrated in Roberts’ characteristically detailed (and fashion-conscious) style.

Young Rosie wants nothing more than to invent, to be an engineer. Her confidence is shaken until her great-aunt Rosie (strongly echoing Rosie the Riveter of WWII fame) helps restore it. Told in rhyme with verve and humorous illustrations, this story is sure to inspire and engage.