The Gardener

by Sarah Stewart
pictures by David Small

****

A very cute story told through the letters of little Lydia Grace Finch. She moves to the city to live with her straight-faced uncle, and help in his bakery. While living there she secretly creates a roof-top garden for him in hopes that it will get him to finally smile. This book won a Caldecott Honor in 1998.

Grasshopper on the Road

by Arnold Lobel

****

This book can be enjoyed on so many different levels. From my three-year-old thumbing through the pages to admire the funny pictures, to my five-year-old sounding out the words on her own, to my own appreciation for Lobel's witty humor and contemplative themes (it's much deeper than you would think an "I Can Read" book would be!) Grasshopper's journey down the road seems to be a metaphor for life, and all the bugs he runs into represent the day to day things that distract us from what's really important (from the narrow-minded beetles who can't accept any view besides their own, to the fireflies who zoom around so quickly that they don't even notice the flowers and leaves.) Anyway, more simply put it is very fun read for kids and adults!

Amelia Bedelia

by Peggy Parish
pictures by Fritz Siebel

****

This story is about an absent minded, yet lovable house maid with a name as silly as she is! She takes her new employers' directions way too literally resulting in things like dressing a raw chicken carcass in trousers with suspenders (her instructions were to "dress the chicken.") Great humor for both kids and adults (although I did have to explain to my kids why some things were funny....they were with Amelia on a few of the things; dress a chicken?!)