Let me know your favorite and least favorite Obama books.  Comment here!

Jonah Winter got into writting books for children through his mother, award winning illustrator and author, Jeanette Winter. He's done some fabulous collaborations with her but has also written some fine books on his own. 

I first became aware of him as an author with the book The 39 apartments of Ludwig van Beethoven.  This is wonderfully funny (mostly) true tribute to Beethoven. I read it to a first grade class and they thought it was hilarious! and we have the added bonus of a (sort-of) biography that introduces kids to a world past.

Jonah Winter's two new books are also outstanding.  The Fabulous Feud of Gilbert and Sullivan presents a snapshot into the famous light opera creators.  The illustrations are delightful. The story, just a snapshot into the friendship between the two, is something kids will relate to.  Factual stories prove more interesting than fiction. 

On a more serious note, Peaceful Heroes is a tribute to 14 people who risked their lives to help others and make the world a better place.  These range from people you're heard of (Jesus of Nazareth, and Martin Luther King Jr) and some that you may not have (Paul Rusesabagina and Marla Ruzucka).  It's remarkably well written, in language kids will understand without being watered down or over dramatized.

The Longest Night by Marion Dane Bauer and illustrated by Ted Lewin exactly fits my mood today.  With sunrise today at 7:18AM and sunset at 4:30PM, I'm feeling the short days and long nights. 

This book has the look and feel of a long northwest night.  Each of the animals, in turn, tries to bring back the sun. But only when the chickadee sings her little song, does the sun return. 

Pair this one with Raven a Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest by Gerald McDemott. 

The book takes three minutes to read, and here is the story: a tree gives everything to a boy that she loves; her apples, her branches, even her trunk. It makes her happy each time she's able to give something more to the boy, though each time he leaves her without a thank you. In the end after the tree is cut down the boy sits on her stump to rest, and the tree is happy.

Reading this book was always unsettling, even when I was a child. It could be a warning about the environment, but I find it interesting to think about its views on human relationships. Wouldn't the boy be better served with some solid advice rather than her branches and trunk? Can you really be happy giving everything to someone who will take everything you have?

I don't want to be too cynical. Most parents give more to their children than they receive, and most are happy in the giving. Is this a story about parenthood? Or more generally is there something transcendent about giving with a full heart, so that it doesn't matter who receives the gift or what they do with it? Maybe. But there's something awfully sad about that tree, cut to a stump, with the boy on top.

Pat Mora is the author of many beautiful bilingual books. This book is all about foods that are native to the Americas including: chile, corn, peanut, potato and pumpkin. Each food is presented with a haiku-style poem along with a side bar of information about the food. The colorful illustrations by Rafael Lopez are really a treat.

This is a Readers to Eaters pick!

Readers to Eaters is a nonprofit who's mission it is to promote food literacy from the ground up. They use books and a strong connection to the publishing world to promote knowing about food and where it comes from. They are currently working with schools and libraries to promote good eating and good reading.

is a celebration of of a day spend outside at the playground. 

You can just feel a crisp fall day, the metal of the swing, the thrill of the slide and the spin of the merry-go-round.  Jennifer Merz's paper cut illustrations are fun, colorful and full of expression. 

Pair this with Emily Gravett's Monkey and Me for the perfect preschool jaunt.

A curious collection of cats by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Michael Wertz is a book of delightfully colorful concrete poetry. Concrete poetry, just in case you don't know, is poetry that is a particular shape.  The words are actually shaped on the page to help create the poem.

This author/ illustrator team has a way of making funny, fun poetry that is visually active.  Any cat lover will just love this book!

Besty Franco has written lots of great books for kids. This appears to be her first collaboration with Michael Wertz. I hope they do another one about dogs.  

This new book will wow you with the beautiful photographs and unique presentation. 

Seasons: Changes in the natural world is published by Play Bac, a French Publishing house that has started to bring it's magic to the U.S.  This concept book for preschoolers offers a delightful mix of colorful pictures, child-friendly captions, and segments for adult read-aloud. Kids will poor over this book again and again. 

With a focus on the natural world, science and photography, you may like some of these other Play Bac offerings.

Cythnia Rylant has written ober 60 books for young people of all ages.  She won the Newbery Award for Missing May.  She also wrote one of my all time favorite books: God Went to Beauty School. 

This is only Nikki McClure's second children's books, but I've been a fan of her art for years (I have prints of her work all over my house).  Nikki is a self-taught artist who uses a single sheet of paper and an exacto knife to create her art. 

You'll just love this new collaboration.  The message is touching and the pictures are warm and comforting.