Grade: 1

This book is packed with information about how common household items really work, but its real treasure is the imaginative explanations that the children in the story concoct before being told the truth.

Valentine’s Day in Mrs. Madoff’s class means making special valentines to send to Michiko in Japan. As the kids decorate their unique cards with glitter glue, stickers, and candy hearts, they remember all their favorite moments with Michiko and what makes each of their friendships with her so special. With more than 200 valentines readers can find, this fifth Mrs. Madoff book is full of ideas for valentines that children can make themselves.

“Is someone teasing you? If so, then in Spanish they are ‘pulling your hair,’ and in English they are ‘pulling your leg.’” Use these 12 Spanish and English idioms to compare figures of speech.

This is another story of perseverance. Virgie begs to go to school with her older brothers. But it’s a seven-mile walk, and her siblings stay over at school all week, only coming home for the weekends. Virgie’s parents don’t think a young girl should make such a long trip and be away from home for so long. But Virgie remains determined and ends up getting the education she craves. Inspired by the stories of her grandfather’s family, Howard captures a girl’s passion to learn in the post-Civil War South.

Whatley’s pigs build their houses out of straw, sticks, and bricks. So far, readers are led to expect a familiar story. But when the first little pig finishes building his house, he hears a splash followed by a mysterious voice saying, “Oops! I spilled my juice.” Now the pig’s new straw house is soggy and sticky and soon collapses. The book’s illustrator is messing up the story! Then the clumsy illustrator runs out of red paint. The three pale pigs undergo all kinds of color changes until they can’t take it anymore — and demand to get out of the story!

Parents will love revisiting a fond part of their childhoods when they share these classicDick and Jane readers with their children. With charmingly innocent exploits and simple, repetitive declarations, these beloved characters helped entire generations work, play, look, see—and learn! And now they’re available for a whole new generation to enjoy.

Zeesie sees a mitzvah (a good deed) on Delancey Street when her neighborhood holds a “package party” to auction their finest homemade Jewish dishes — kugel, tsimmes, and others. The money they raise brings Jewish emigrants to America. But when Zeesie peeks into a special “money room” she discovers that it isn’t filled with piles of money and treasures. People go in this room to leave spare shekels if they have them and take a bit of money when they need it. This book (which includes a Yiddish glossary) teaches kids that people can have a good time while doing good things.

POOKIE’S UPSET AND POOKIE’S MOM cannot figure out why. And Pookie isn’t helping, either. This familiar scenario is told with Sandra Boynton’s signature humor, in both story and art. Caregivers and young children will laugh their way out of their sorrow as Mom and Pookie work things out. Never fear, a happy ending is on the way! Perfect for toddlers having a meltdown, or anyone in a plain old bad mood, this book will come to the rescue for kids and adults for years to come.