Big Red Riding Hood Written and Illustrated by Jodie Shepherd & Warner McGee

Shepherd, Jodie, and Warner McGee. Big Red Riding Hood. Stow, OH: Twin Sisters Productions, 2010. Print. 14 pages
Age Group:	2 to 4 years
Book Format:	Board Book with CD
Annotation:	Big Bird is Big Red Riding Hood. Follow his adventures to Granny’s house
Personal Reaction:	A Sesame Street Twist on the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood is always fun for children to read and listen to as well, because this book has a CD that accompanies the board book.  The CD has an introduction, Songs and Read Along versions with and with-out Page Turn Cues.  Big Bird is Big Red Riding Hood and Cookie Monster is a friendly version of the Bad Wolf.  Cookie Monster tries to get Big Red to hand over all the food in the basket he is taking to Granny’s house.  But Big Red does not give him all the food.  Cookie Gets into Granny’s bed and tries to fool Big Red but when it does not work, they all decide to go on a picnic together and share the food.  This tale encourages sharing with friends and to eat healthy food. The words to the story are sometimes portrayed by pictures of the object and a box to help the reader is on the last page.  This reviewer’s suggestion would to have this box on the first page inside the book to have the reader become familiar with the words/pictures prior to reading the book.  The book is marked with Ages 3+, however, this reviewer feels the it could be Ages 2+ as the picture words will help these readers to succeed.
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

Buenas Noches Luna / Goodnight Moon (Spanish Edition). Written and Illustrated by Margaret Wise Brown & Clement Hurd. Translated by Teresa Mlawer

Wise Brown, Margaret , Clement Hurd, and Teresa Mlawer. Buenas Noches Luna / Goodnight Moon (Spanish Edition). Logan, IA: Perfection Learning, 1995. Print. 24 pages
Age Group:	0 to 4 years
Book Format:	Board Book
Annotation:	A Spanish version of “Good Night, Moon”; with the same illustrations as the English version providing a wonderful bed time story to read with children 0 to 4 years of age.
Personal Reaction:	The entire theme is about little rabbit saying good night to all the objects in his room and outside the window.  The association to the items and the words for each helps the reader to increase his/her vocabulary. This is a wonderful version for Spanish speaking people which in this reviewer’s opinion could prove to be a better book if both languages were displayed on the pages; thus, exposing children and adults to both languages.
Keywords/Tags:	Bedtime, Spanish, Translation
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

Disney Tangled: I am Rapunzel Written & Illustrated by Disney Storybook Artists

Disney Storybook Artists Disney Tangled: I am Rapunzel. New York: Golden Books, 2011. Print. 5 pages
Age Group:	2 to 3 years
Book Format:	Board Book
Annotation:	A short 5 page retelling of the Disney movie.
Personal Reaction:	This version of the Fairy Tale Rapunzel is shortened to five sets of pages with a slight twist in the tale. Rapunzel is basically the same as the classic Rapunzel; however, her goal is to leave her tower home to see the floating lights. There is no mention of the witch who kept Rapunzel in the tower since birth which protects the young reader/listener from the harsh reality behind the original tale. As In the original tale a young man assists Rapunzel to escape the tower by using her long hair and takes her to see the floating lights. The illustrations are in true Disney style that follows the movie very true to form. This version is an extremely story that is easily understood by the two to three year old.
Keywords/Tags:	Fairy Tale, Rapunzel, Disney, Princess, Retelling
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 ~Repeating repetitious words

It's Check-Up Time, Elmo Written & Illustrated by Sarah Albee Tom Brannon, Elizabeth Clasing, and P. J. Shaw

Albee, Sarah, Tom Brannon, Elizabeth Clasing, and P. J. Shaw. It's Check-Up Time, Elmo. Franklin, Tenn.: Dalmatian Press. Print. 23 pages
Age Group:	1 to 4 years
Book Format:	Picture Book
Annotation:	Elmo has to go to the doctors
Personal Reaction:	"It's Check-up Time, Elmo!" is a great story to read with the young child to help relieve their fears. A page with parental tips follows the story. The details and pictures are true to life and Elmo is a believable character that children can relate with. This reviewer highly recommends this book as a must for every parent.
Keywords/Tags:	Sesame Street Characters, Elmo, Doctors, Check Up
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

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