3rd Grade (Age 8)

Don’t be fooled by the title of this seriocomic ode to success; it’s not ‘Climb Every Mountain,’ kid version. All journeys face perils, whether from indecision, from loneliness, or worst of all, from too much waiting. Seuss’ familiar pajama-clad hero is up to the challenge, and his odyssey is captured vividly in busy two-page spreads evoking both the good times (grinning purple elephants, floating golden castles) and the bad (deep blue wells of confusion). Seuss’ message is simple but never sappy: life may be a ‘Great Balancing Act,’ but through it all ‘There’s fun to be done.’

Readers will laugh out loud as a pesky fly annoys family members, contaminates food, and is altogether a bother around the house. “He ate on the crust of the Apple pie. He bothered the Baby and made her cry. Shoo fly! Shoo fly! Shooo.” Aylesworth’s catchy, rhythmic refrain encourages kids to chant along, and Gammell’s wacky pictures with rainbow-colored splatters will keep their eyes dancing.

Pay attention to Olivia. This is her debut, and I’m certain she will be in our lives for years to come. Falconer has created a treasure: spare text; black, white, and red drawings; and spunky Olivia, a theatrical pig with a clear sense of herself!

In return for a good deed, young Rani asks the greedy raja for just one grain of rice — doubled every day for 30 days. In a month she collects more than one billion grains of rice, enough to save the starving people of her village and to teach the raja a thing or two about wisdom . . . and math!

Tooth school is in session and 32 raucous students — including eight incisors, four canines, eight premolars, and twelve molars — get lessons on preventing tooth decay from Dr. Flossman. Your students will love the book’s wacky illustrations (wisdom teeth sport glasses, a vampire wears braces) and hilarious puns (”Buses . . . might be a little late because of some bridgework being done”). And they will also learn how to properly take care of their teeth.

A secret prophecy shapes the lives of Firestar’s grandchildren, but only one of the three knows about it. Jaypaw is captivated by the power it promises, and he believes the key to that power may lie buried in the distant past — with the ancient cats who once walked these woods and now prowl through his dreams. His search for answers leads him toward the mountains — the home of the Tribe of Rushing Water. Lionpaw and Hollypaw feel drawn to the mountains too, for different reasons. But the mountains hide secrets as well as answers, and if the three …

Extraordinary art and short, poetic phrases in this picture book for older readers show how a young soldier feels as he waits for battle in a forest in Vietnam. Readers’ hearts will beat quickly as the soldier anticipates an encounter with the enemy. Is the enemy the old man? the young woman? the farmer? the crying baby? When he is finally face-to-face with the enemy, they stare at each other in surprise and fright. Grifalconi’s collages enhance this poignant story that readers will find hard to forget.

Patsy Pig has guaranteed the principal that she can teach Ms. Klingensmith’s first-grade class how not to be rude in time for Parents Open House. But after a couple of days of effort, Patsy throws up her arms. What she fears will be a disaster, however, ends up being a big success. The night of Open House, Miss Klingensmith’s students turn into angels with model manners. Although this is a book about manners, it isn’t your usual “please” and “thank you” version. Patsy teaches the students about meeting and greeting guests, introducing themselves and others, serving refreshments, and making conversation. …