New Books (to me) I've Used In Read Alouds

What Are You So Grumpy About? by Tom Lichtenheld, Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator) is a new favorite I've used as a read aloud this past week on school visits.

This is what the editors have to say: Turn that frown upside down with this sidesplitting take on grumpiness. In energizing illustrations bursting with silly expressions and playful lines, each hilarious page asks young, grumpy readers what might have caused their sour pusses. "Did your brother/sister touch you?" shows an "enlarged view to show full grossness" of germs, cooties, and general icky stuff leaping from your sibling's finger onto your body. "Did your gravy touch your peas?" has horrified vegetables being flooded by oozing gravy ("gravy + peas = poison"). But whether it's somebody leaving "the toilet seat up and you didn't notice" (resulting in a kid falling in) or Dad taking "you to the most boring museum in the universe," of course the absolute worst thing is when somebody makes "you laugh when you were trying to be grumpy...and you forgot what you were grumpy about." Whatever the cause of any child's grouchy demeanor, Lichtenheld will surely plant a smile on their face! The author's hilarious and wise questions will keep crabby kids nodding in understanding, while his eye-popping illustrations are sure to have them scanning the pages and giggling out loud. With this grump antidote in hand, kids' bad moods definitely won't get the best of them.

Diary of a Spider, by Doreen Cronin, Harry Bliss (Illustrator).

This is what the publisher has to say: This is the diary ... of a spider. But don't be worried -- he's more scared of you and your gigantic shoe! Actually, he's a lot like you. He goes to gym class and has Grandparents Day at school. But he also spins sticky webs, scales walls, and takes wind-catching lessons. Lucky for him, his best friend is a fly!

Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss, the team behind the #1 best-selling Diary Of A Worm, spin a hilarious tale about the upside-down web world of an eight-legged charmer and his unlikely friend, Fly.