Elmo's Christmas Colors Written & Illustrated by Constance Allen and David Prebenna

Allen, Constance, and David Prebenna. Elmo's Christmas Colors. New York: Random House, 2000. Print. 16 pages
Age Group:	1 to 4 years
Book Format:	Picture Book
Annotation:	All colors that can be associated with Christmas are portrayed with Sesame Street characters. Such as red striped candy canes, gold bows, yellow skies and white snow will that children will remember by using association with familiar characters and items.
Personal Reaction:	The story is told in rhyme which is a fun way for children to increase vocabulary. This book may not be appropriate for families that do not celebrate Christmas.
Keywords/Tags:	Color, Christmas, Puppets, Stories in rhyme
Early Literacy Skills Enhancements:	Vocabulary Skills ~Promote literacy and the love of language ~Develop and increase emergent literacy skills and vocabulary Print Motivation ~Increase interest in and enjoyment of books Visual Literacy Skills ~Pictures have meanings ~Pictures and words are different Reading Readiness, which includes understanding that ~Pages turn from right to left ~Books have a front, back and right side up ~Stories have structure and development of a sense of story Print Awareness ~Provide a language enrichment environment ~Show the importance of and provide an opportunity for young readers to listen, observe, imitate, and practice language while interacting with books. Narrative Skills ~Young readers will be able to re-tell a story based on the illustrations in Picture Books Phonological Awareness ~Enhanced by guessing rhymes ~Repeating repetitious words

Rosita And The Beanstalk. Written & Illustrated by Constance Allen and David Prebenna

Shepherd, Jodie, and Warner McGee. Rosita And The Beanstalk. [Board book ed. Stow, OH: Twin Sisters, 2010. Print. 16 pages
Age Group:	3 to 5 years
Book Format:	Board Book with CD
Annotation:	A retelling of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ starring Rosita and Cookie Monster
Personal Reaction:	A nice board book that shows the importance of having friends different than yourself and to not steal from others. Sesame Street characters comprise of the characters in the age old story “Jack and the Beanstalk”. Rosita is the character of “Jack” who eventually makes friends with the “Giant” Cookie. Rosita learns that stealing from others makes you feel bad. She was lucky to realize that the Giant is a forgiving person. These lessons are good for all children to learn in this fun way with characters they all recognize. While the story is different from the classic it lends itself to become a new classic for children of today. Another Sesame Street book that is labeled for ages 3+, but this reviewer can foresee slightly younger children benefiting as the book contains a CD with read a long features to assist the reading to increase their vocabulary.
Keywords/Tags:	Fairy Tale, Sesame Street, CD, Retellings, Friendship
Early Literacy Skills Enhancements:	Vocabulary Skills ~Promote literacy and the love of language ~Develop and increase emergent literacy skills and vocabulary Print Motivation ~Increase interest in and enjoyment of books Visual Literacy Skills ~Pictures have meanings ~Pictures and words are different Reading Readiness, which includes understanding that ~Pages turn from right to left ~Books have a front, back and right side up ~Stories have structure and development of a sense of story Print Awareness ~Provide a language enrichment environment ~Show the importance of and provide an opportunity for young readers to listen, observe, imitate, and practice language while interacting with books. Narrative Skills ~Young readers will be able to re-tell a story based on the illustrations in Picture Books Phonological Awareness ~Enhanced by guessing rhymes ~Repeating repetitious words

Pierre: A Cautionary Tale In Five Chapters And A Prologue. Written & Illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Sendak, Maurice. Pierre: A Cautionary Tale In Five Chapters And A Prologue. New York: Harper Trophy, 1991 1962. Print.
Age Group:	2-4
Book Format:	Chapter Book
Annotation:	A chapter book for the advanced young reader, with short chapters and coordinating illustrations. Pierre a young man has an “I don’t car attitude”. His journey takes him to meet a lion, and in the end Pierre learns to care.
Personal Reaction:	Nice introduction to chapter books for the advanced young reader.
Keywords/Tags:	Fiction, Family, Attitudes, Lion, Morals
Early Literacy Skills Enhancements:	Vocabulary Skills ~Promote literacy and the love of language ~Develop and increase emergent literacy skills and vocabulary Print Motivation ~Increase interest in and enjoyment of books Visual Literacy Skills by observing the illustrations. ~Pictures have meanings ~Pictures and words are different Reading Readiness, which includes understanding that ~Pages turn from right to left ~Books have a front, back and right side up ~Stories have structure and development of a sense of story Print Awareness ~Provide a language enrichment environment ~Show the importance of and provide an opportunity for young readers to listen, observe, imitate, and practice language while interacting with books. Narrative Skills ~Young readers will be able to re-tell a story based on the illustrations in Picture Books Phonological Awareness ~Enhanced by guessing rhymes ~Repeating repetitious words

Chicken Soup With Rice: A Book Of Months. Written & Illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Sendak, Maurice. Chicken Soup With Rice: A Book Of Months. New York: HarperCollins, 1990. Print.
Age Group:	1-4 years
Book Format:	Picture Book
Annotation:	A picture book with rhythmic poems about the months of the year. Basic pen and ink illustrations accompany each poem.  Each month has a theme relating to each a situation that may occur during that time and incorporating Chicken Soup.
Personal Reaction:	A Unique way of learning about the months of the year.
Keywords/Tags:	Months of the Year, Fiction, Rhyming Words, Repeating words
Early Literacy Skills Enhancements:	Vocabulary Skills ~Promote literacy and the love of language ~Develop and increase emergent literacy skills and vocabulary Print Motivation ~Increase interest in and enjoyment of books Visual Literacy Skills by observing the illustrations. ~Pictures have meanings ~Pictures and words are different Reading Readiness, which includes understanding that ~Pages turn from right to left ~Books have a front, back and right side up ~Stories have structure and development of a sense of story Print Awareness ~Provide a language enrichment environment ~Show the importance of and provide an opportunity for young readers to listen, observe, imitate, and practice language while interacting with books. Narrative Skills ~Young readers will be able to re-tell a story based on the illustrations in Picture Books Phonological Awareness ~Enhanced by guessing rhymes ~Repeating repetitious words

Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover. Written & Illustrated by Cece Bell

Bell, Cece. Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick, 2012. Print. 50 pages
Age Group:	2-4 years
Book Format:	Picture Book
Annotation:	A beginning reader Chapter Book with simple wording and short chapters.  Illustrations that go with the pages are fun and recognizable.  Rabbit and his friend Robot are having a sleepover, Rabbit has made all the plans for the evening; however, things don’t go as planned.
Personal Reaction:	Great story that shows even the best plans can go wrong, however, in the end things will work out.  Good way to introduce advanced young readers to chapter books.
Keywords/Tags:	Fiction, Rabbit, Robot, Sleep Over, Plans
Early Literacy Skills Enhancements:	Vocabulary Skills ~Promote literacy and the love of language ~Develop and increase emergent literacy skills and vocabulary Print Motivation ~Increase interest in and enjoyment of books Visual Literacy Skills by observing the illustrations. ~Pictures have meanings and help tell the story Reading Readiness, which includes understanding that ~Pages turn from right to left ~Books have a front, back and right side up ~Stories have structure and development of a sense of story Print Awareness ~Provide a language enrichment environment ~Show the importance of and provide an opportunity for young readers to listen, observe, imitate, and practice language while interacting with books.

Where The Wild Things Are. Written & Illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Sendak, Maurice. Where The Wild Things Are. 25th Anniversary ed. New York: HarperCollins, 1988. Print. 37 pages
Age Group:	0-4 years
Book Format:	Picture Book
Annotation:	A classic picture book with minimal words and wonderful illustrations. Max a mischief maker prepares for bed and his room turns into a forest.  His travels through his imaginary world lead him on grand adventures.
Personal Reaction:	A wonderfully creative book that can allow the young reader to retell the story in many ways.
Keywords/Tags:	Fiction, Imagination, Wild things, Adventures, Sailing
Early Literacy Skills Enhancements:	Vocabulary Skills ~Develop and increase emergent literacy skills and vocabulary Print Motivation ~Increase interest in and enjoyment of books Visual Literacy Skills by observing the illustrations. ~Pictures have meanings and can tell a story ~Pictures and words are different Reading Readiness, which includes understanding that ~Pages turn from right to left ~Books have a front, back and right side up ~Stories have structure and development of a sense of story Print Awareness ~Provide a language enrichment environment ~Show the importance of and provide an opportunity for young readers to listen, observe, imitate, and practice language while interacting with books. Narrative Skills ~Young readers will be able to re-tell a story based on the illustrations in Picture Books

Secret Seahorse. Written & Illustrated by Stella Blackstone and Clare Beaton

Blackstone, Stella, and Clare Beaton. Secret Seahorse. Cambridge, Mass.: Barefoot Books, 2004. Print. 20 pages
Age Group:	0-4 years
Book Format:	Board Book
Annotation:	Caves, underwater creatures, and coral are all introduced by a seahorse in this sturdy board book.  The sea horse travels through the wonderfully illustrated pages with recognizable vocabulary to spark the young reader’s love of literacy.
Personal Reaction:	I love the home made style illustrations that have a somewhat realistic view.
Keywords/Tags:	Coral Reefs and Islands, Coral reef animals, marine animals, seahorses, fiction, stories in rhyme
Early Literacy Skills Enhancements:	Vocabulary Skills ~Promote literacy and the love of language ~Develop and increase emergent literacy skills and vocabulary Print Motivation ~Increase interest in and enjoyment of books Visual Literacy Skills by observing the illustrations. ~Pictures have meanings ~Pictures and words are different Reading Readiness, which includes understanding that ~Pages turn from right to left ~Books have a front, back and right side up ~Stories have structure and development of a sense of story Print Awareness ~Provide a language enrichment environment ~Show the importance of and provide an opportunity for young readers to listen, observe, imitate, and practice language while interacting with books. Narrative Skills ~Young readers will be able to re-tell a story based on the illustrations in Picture Books Phonological Awareness ~Enhanced by guessing rhymes ~Repeating repetitious words