My Choice

Cannon, J (1997). Verdi. Orlando: Harcourt Inc.

           

            Verdi the python has just been released in the wild by his mother and told to hurry and grow big and green.  He is so excited as he admires his yellow spotted and stripped skin that can not understand the haste to grow big and green.  He heads off to find out from the older snakes what the hurry is and maybe he can get some of them to play with him while they answer his questions.  He is very disappointed to find that all the older snakes do is lay around and he decides that he never wants to grow big and green and lazy.

            The illustrations are so fabulous that look they could almost be photographs.  The pictures clearly show all of the adventures and dangerous stunts of Verdi on his journey to the truth that eventually everyone must grow up.  The story also shows that you can still have fun even when you grow old.

Genre:   Fiction

Format: Picture book

Suggested Age or Grade level (s):  Ages 5-8

Awards:    1999 Texas Bluebonnet Award

                 ABA's Pick of the Lists
                 ABC Children’s Booksellers’ Choice
                 Buckeye Children’s Book Award [Ohio]
                 Georgia Picture Storybook Award [Georgia]
                 IRA-CBC Children’s Choice
                 Louisiana Young Readers Choice Award [Louisiana]
                 Maryland Children's Book Award [Maryland]

                NCSS-CBC Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

                Show Me Readers Award [Missouri]
              

Kotzwinkle, W and Murray, G. (2001). Walter the farting dog. Illus. by Audrey Coleman.             California: Frog Ltd  

       Introducing Walter, a dog with an intestinal malfunction, who is adopted by Betty and Billy.  As the children’s mom catches a whiff of Walter she tells the children he must have a bath.  Unfortunately for Walter the bath does not help, in fact nothing helps Walter’s odor problem.  The smell causes problems in Betty and Billy’s home until one day Walter’s intestinal problem helps the family.

            This is a fun book to read and it helps children see the even some of your worse traits may one day save the day.  The pictures have beautifully textured look that illustrate the text well.  The cover gives a strong hint of what is contained between the pages. Children are always amused and fascinated by the sounds the body makes.

Genre:   Fiction

Format:   Picture book

Suggested Age or Grade level (s):  Ages 5-8

Awards:   None