Michael Emberley

From first cry to first meal all the way to the first birthday, there are many firsts when a baby is born. Share the fun in the brief, rhyming text and illustrations depicting diverse, slightly frumpy and totally real families.

When Chicken Little is bonked on the head by an acorn, the not-too-bright bird assumes that the sky is falling and so begins his journey. Along the way, he is joined by other equally clueless birds all of which are nearly eaten by a wily fox. Bold, colorful, abstract illustrations augment the humor in this simple retelling.

As he gets ready for bed, a cat can’t find his book anywhere! While young readers will see that the book is in plain sight, they’ll delight in what the cat imagines might have happened to it. Told with few words and lively illustrations, this is sure to delight.

Miss Brooks, the librarian at the narrator’s school, brings books alive by dressing up for reading circle. But the narrator still doesn’t find books intriguing like Miss Brooks — that is until she finds one filled with all of the gross things she enjoys; she’s discovered Shrek! Cartoon-like illustrations present the eccentric but lovable characters in this playful tale.

Humorous illustration and color-coded, rhyming text present retellings of familiar fables that include the morals (though with a light touch). Newly independent readers will have fun reading the short, snappy text with a second reader as they enjoy the cheery visuals.

Take-offs of Mother Goose rhymes are the subject in this third read aloud/read together book. Color-coded text indicates when each of two readers should read alone or together. Comic cartoon-like illustrations romp across and through each double page poetic tale.

Rhyming tales written for two voices makes an ideal — and humorous — introduction to readers’ theater. Well known fairy tales have been adapted, reorganized and reinvigorated with lively language and sprightly illustrations, worthy of many dramatizations.