Grade: 2

Curious George and the man with the yellow hat visit the zoo. A hungry Curious George snatches a pail of bananas from the zoo keeper. Though he shouldn’t have taken the bananas, George soon changes the zookeeper’s shouts to praise with his clever, helpful ways.

“Toe bone connected to da foot bone . . .” Children have been singing this popular African-American spiritual for ages. As it bounces from page to page, Barner relates some amazing facts about the bones in the human body. For example, did you and your students know that the 22 bones in the foot can support the entire weight of your body? Your students will enjoy Barner’s colorful illustrations of skeletons as they dance through this anatomy book for youngsters.

Children will be cheered just contemplating the outrageous array of troubles they’re lucky they don’t have.

The world needs more quiet heroes! With whimsy and warmth, Bob Graham tells the lesser-known tale of a shy little soul who saves the day. What happened to Humpty Dumpty is the stuff of legend. But how many know of his brave little sister? While the Tumbling Dumpties, the family traveling circus troupe, is doing acts of spectacular daring, Dimity stays far from the spotlight, playing tunes on her tiny flute. But when Humpty falls off the wall where he’s writing graffiti, it’s Dimity who finds her voice and brings help that even the king’s soldiers can’t provide. With a wealth of humorous visual details - the egg-carton caravan drawn by a chicken, the bandaging of Humpty’s “leakage” after his fall - Bob Graham pays tribute to a famous nursery rhyme figure and brings smiles to his readers once again.

This series covers a range of nonfiction topics that interest younger and older students — from cats to comic book characters. Each book includes full-color photographs and illustrations, and appropriate text for one of four graduated reading levels. There are over 20 books in each level. Titles include:

Level 1 (Beginning to read) Rockets and Spaceships, A Day in the Life of a Dancer, Whatever the Weather

Level 2 (Beginning to read alone) Firefighter!, Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!, The Story of Pocahontas

Level 3 (Reading alone) Anne Frank, Extreme Sports, Shark Attack!

Level 4 (Proficient readers) Horses, Creating the X-Men, Volcanoes, NFL: Rumbling Running Backs

What do a frisky dachshund and a slightly timid stuffed bear have in common? They’re best friends. In these three sweet, funny, and meltingly tender stories, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, creator of such distinctive concept books as The Hidden Alphabet, Lemons are Not Red, Walter Was Worried, and Black? White! Red? Night!, proves she is as fine a writer as she is an artist and designer. In “Bear in the Chair” Bear wants to go outside and play with Dog, but can’t seem to get down from a very high chair. Dog uses his long slinky back to come to Bear’s aid, and everything turns out fine…well, almost. In “Play with Me, Play With Me” Dog wants attention, but Bear is engrossed in a book (about a dog and a bear, of course) and wants time to himself. Or so he thinks. And in “Dog Changes His Name” Bear helps Dog choose the perfect new name, with surprising results. In this first of several books about the exploits of two best friends, Laura Vaccaro Seeger has created characters who follow in the distinguished footsteps of Frog and Toad and Henry and Mudge.

Here’s the ultimate book on competition! Duck and Gander challenge one another to see who can freeze in place the longest. Nothing makes them move, not even Fox who stuffs them into a bag and takes them home for dinner.

Mr. Frimdimpny, an alligator, has made up some unusual rules. Rule #1, “Do Not Laugh!” is followed by Rule #2, “Do Not Even Smile.” If a reader breaks a rule, he or she must go back to the front of the book and begin reading again. Just try not to chuckle.