You Can Be My Friend by Lauren Child

I do not particularly like nor dislike You Can Be My Friend by Lauren Child. I think this book fails to make the point that it is trying to make, which I believe is that you can not always do what you want, sometimes in a friendship you have to compromise. I do not think this was captured as well as it could have been, because Morten, one of the friends, does not even say one word to Lola, the other friend, until she does something he thinks is funny half way through the book. For the first half of the book Lola seemed like she was trying everything and Morten just did not care. If I were to improve this story, I would have Morten choose some activities that Lola turned down and I would have Lola choose some activities that Morten turned down and I would have them decide what activities they would like to do together. As it is, Morten seems to be the one who is not compromising and making the friendship difficult.

Arthur and the Popularity Test by Marc Brown

Arthur and the Popularity Test is a children's chapter book that teaches some really important lessons. I think that the obvious thing that it teaches is that being yourself is the most important thing. People like you for you, so when you change it is noticeable and concerning. I think another, less obvious, lesson is that you can not always trust what you read or hear. One of the many unique characteristics of children is that they are very trustworthy, and typically believe everything, which is why it is so important for them to learn that sometimes information is not based on facts. These lessons are not easily taught, but I think this book does such a good job of it because it includes many different characters that children can relate to, such as: the smart one, the one that is good at everything, etc... Children are growing and developing their identities everyday, which is why I think this would be a great book for every child to read.

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

The Cat in the Hat is a wonderful book that takes the reader on a a crazy adventure. The Cat in the Hat is always up to something mischievous, causing the fish much anxiety. I have always loved this book and have found it so fun to listen to and read. At the same time, it is very nerve racking to think about the mother walking in on this crazy spectacle. Although the rhyming is a bit of a tongue twister, especially for younger children,this is a book that can be enjoyed by all ages.

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child

It seems every parent struggles with trying to get their child to eat their vegetables, but Lauren Child has found the cure with I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato. This clever book takes the common names of food and turns them into creative, delicious sounding alternatives. Charlie, the older brother in the story, really comes across as a typical, witty older brother, always trying to trick and, at the same time, do what's best for their younger sister. This relatable, silly story is all to true, and leaves me hungry for cloud fluff and moonsquirters every time.

Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

Sharing is a very difficult, but important concept for children to grasp at a young age, that is why I believe Rainbow fish is such a great book. This book combines a great story line with beautiful illustrations, so it is not surprising that it has been so well received. The colors and the shiny scales really help to bring this story to life, as I am sure many children would even say that they want one of those special scales for themselves. Another reason this story is so great is becuase it allows the reader to grapple with the idea of giving away something important to them, and whether or not they would choose their friends over the item. I believe that in the end children clearly get the message that it is better for all of the fish to have one and each other, rather than one fish having all and no friends.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

I think that Chrysanthemum has the ability to make school easier on children with unique names. There are a lot of unique, crazy names that parents come up with for their children, and this book is perfect for showing them that different is beautiful. Chrysanthemum is on a love/ hate roller coaster with her name that left me feeling very sympathetic for her. She loves her name until she starts school, where she is teased for it. At home her parents are always reassuring her that her name is as perfect as she is. The teasing continues until a popular teacher sticks up for her and admits that her name is really long like Chrysanthemum and she even wants to name her child that. This revelation brings the story to a relieving climax, knowing that Chrysanthemum will feel more welcome and less of an outcast in school.