What is the Internet?

From The Today Show in 1994, it seems like the Internet will never catch on!  I was a sophomore in college... I didn't use the Internet!  Now, I don't go 15 minutes without using it!

Student Book Talk: Stolen Children

The Upper Unit Students were given an assignment: Find a book in the Lemme Library that you love and give a book talk about it.  Make a video of this book talk that will have kids running to the shelf to check out your book!  I asked, and they delivered!  I will be posting their book talks over the next few weeks.  WAY TO GO guys!  I am very proud!  If you can't wait for me to post them all, check out my YouTube page!

Today, Haley book talks Stolen Children by Peg Kehret.

Penguins on Parade

To wrap up our study of penguins, Mrs. Hayes' class made a nonfiction book about penguins!  Each child had to list one fact that they have learned about penguins and make an illustration to go with that fact.  After they were done, I took a digital picture of their illustration and uploaded it to the siteKizoa.  I have never used this site before, and the jury is still out.  Not until I finished my entire slideshow did I learn that I can't download it. : (  Boo!  So, I have embedded it here for you to enjoy!

Here is the direct link: Kizoa Slideshow

Book Talk: Touch Blue

In Touch Blue, by Cynthia Lord (F LOR) Tess and her family live on Bethsaida, a small island off the coast of Maine.  So many families have moved off the island, that there aren't enough children to keep the island school open.  As a last resort, the islanders decide to bring foster kids to the island to live with families and attend the school.  We meet Tess and her little sister Libby as they are waiting for the ferry to arrive with her new foster brother.  Tess has high hopes that he will be everything she wanted in a big brother.  Libby hopes that he will like reading and playing Monopoly.  When the ferry docks, Tess has a bad feeling- it's bad luck to have a red-head on a boat, and here is her new red-headed brother, Aaron.  Aaron doesn't say much, he roles his eyes and he seems to turn his nose up at island life.  At that moment, Tess decides that she will make Aaron want to stay and be her brother and she she tries so hard to make things work.  She relies on her good luck charms and superstitions to get her through this rough patch- like her blue sea glass and lucky pennies from the year she was born.  Each chapter of the book begins with a superstition that gives Tess strength: "Touch blue and your dreams will come true" and "Never whistle on a boat".

Tess has been told to give Aaron space and time to adjust to his new life- and she does.  She shows great restraint in questioning and pushing Aaron.  She lets him come to her and never presses him about his life before he came to the island.  Her patience pays off as Aaron grows to trust Tess.  She learns that Aaron lived with his mom until he was 5, and then he moved in with his grandmother when his mom's drinking got out of control.  After his grandma died, he lived with 2 other families before coming to the island.  He gave up jazz band and everything he knew when he was deserted by his last family and sent to live on the island.

At one point, Aaron packs his bags and is ready to board the ferry for the mainland.  He wants to live with his own mother, even if it means he has to care for her.  Tess realizes that she has been so worried about losing her school and island that she hasn't thought about how Aaron might be feeling.  Tess comes up with a plan to get Aaron's mother to the island, thinking that if he would see her one time, he would know that he is better off on the island.  By the end of the book, Tess learns that sometimes, all the good luck charms and superstitions can't bring you luck- you have to make your own luck.  She also realizes that as long as you have people around you that care about you, you will always belong.

Touch Blue would be a great book for teaching setting.  Cynthia Lord does such a great job of describing the Northeast surrounding, that I almost smelled the sea air and heard the seagulls.  It would be a great read aloud with a class that is studying US Regions.  You could also use this book to teach character because Tess grows so much by the end of the book.  This isn't a weepy, cry your eyes out book, although when I read Aaron's back story, I was ready to get a box of Kleenex.  Instead of creating yet another story of a foster kid that is helpless and abandoned, Cynthia Lord turns the foster kid into a person of great character and strength.  Kids going through a similar situation will find great inspiration from this book.

(Kelly Butcher 2010)  My 100th post... wicked cool!

I Like Not Green Eggs and Ham

This is what you would get if Tom Angleberger and Dr. Seuss wrote a book together!  Can you guess why?

 

From the artist, Adam Watson's blog: This is a little project that, as is often the case, started off as a throwaway doodle. With a little encouragement from my friend Tom Dougherty,  I turned it into several drawings. What's fun is that the Star Wars universe really blends with the goofy, strangely-named world of Dr. Seuss pretty easily. I have a couple more of these up my sleeve which I hope I can get around to soon. Stay tuned, and enjoy!"

Have you tried the "Learn How To Speak Yoda" tool? 

Hi, My Name is Melville Dewey. How you doin'?

This should be me:

 Thank you to Meghan McCarthy for posting this for me to find!

My Homework

So, Sami comes to me this afternoon and hands me a list of questions that she needs me to find the answers to.  She is very serious about this, and will not stop until she has well thought out, serious answers.  I have my work cut out for me.

 

 Update:
I received these answers from a dedicated Hunger Games Fan on a Mockingjay Forum:
1. They don't really talk about it. But most likely ether one of the most recent victors do or one who is widely known and liked by the Capitol.
2. Well there really isn't a toliet in the middle of the arena so they kinda just have to go anywhere. Like when you go camping out in the woods. Exept people aren't trying to kill you.
3. No. In the third book I believe she says that without his body then he really isn't dead. So Katniss never finds out.
4. Well the district who would even have that problem would probably be district 12 but it never happened so I don't know. I think they probably would have just have found someone else to be in the QQ by a drawing or something. But that's just my opinion.
5. Again I don't really know. No one really does. It didn't happen. They might have had a drawing or maybe they would have had to both go in.

I hope this helped a little. I love the hunger games and I've read the series numerous times. Everyday on my facebook I put up a quote up. I'm do that until the movie comes out on March 23rd 2012 so yea. Tell Sami to keep on reading! Hope this helps! May the odds be ever in your favor.
Team Foxface!!!  

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!

Look what arrived on my desk this afternoon!  

Amelia's Fan Art Tribute (pardon the pun) to The Hunger Games

Make Yoda 3 Dimensional, I Must

How awesome is Mitchell?  He brought me this amazing 3-D Yoda today.  He said "I just saw it and I knew it had to be in 3-D".  

Wowza!

Friday Funny

So Many Books, So Little Time...

This is what my kitchen table looks like as I write this post.  Can I take a professional day to read these tomorrow? 

Public Apology

I would like to apologize to my friend and Lemme staff member, Mrs. Fischer, for checking this book out to her son:

It couldn't be helped... someone had to check it out, and I knew your family could handle the repercussions.  I hope this won't affect our friendship.

Check out this awesome very inappropriate website that accompanies this hilarious dangerous book.

Are You Thinking of a Purple Kangaroo!

Ummm.... why didn't Mr. Michael Ian Black notify me about this video?  I ran to Amazon.com as soon as I saw it!  "A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea" should be here Monday!
I love him!

 Thank you to Mr. Shu for alerting me!

Thursday Thirteen (13)...You Go, Girl!

So, last week I posted 13 Princess Fairy Tales.  Of course I love princesses, and I love fairy tales, but let's face it: most princess stories lack girl power.  Most princesses dream of a prince coming to rescue them, instead of rescuing themselves.  Most princesses are portrayed as helpless.  Most princesses are just plain wimpy.  So, this week, I give you 13 books that portray powerful, independent girls! 

1.  The Red Wolf by Margaret Shannon E SHA  Roselupin is a princess and her father is a very overprotective king.  He thinks the world is far too wild for his dainty daughter, so he keeps her locked in a tower.  On her birthday, she receives a box of yarn with the note "Knit what you want", and so she does.  Roselupin knits a red wolf suit and breaks free from her tower.  When she is finally locked back in the tower, she has a plan to knit a "mousey" little outfit for the king. (Kelly Butcher)

2.  The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch E MUN

Beautiful Princess Elizabeth is just about to marry Prince Ronald, when a dragon smashes through the castle and Prince-naps Ronald.  Princess Elizabeth sets out to rescue her Prince Charming.  She meets the dragon and makes him do a bunch of dragon tricks, which exhausts him, allowing Princess Elizabeth to sneak by and rescue Prince Ronald.  When Prince Ronald sees Elizabeth, he doesn't say "WOW!  Thanks for saving me!", instead, he says You smell like ashes, your hair is all tangled and you are wearing a dirty old paper bag. Come back when you are dressed like a real princess."  Oh no he didn't!  Princess Elizabeth leaves him wear he stands!  You go, girl! (Kelly Butcher)

3.  Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O'Malley E OMA 

This is one of my all time favorite books to read aloud to kids!  The book starts out with a boy and a girl telling us that they have to work together to tell a fairy tale.  They aren't excited about working together, and it shows!  The girls starts the story about a Princess named Buttercup who has 8 pretty ponies.  A giant Ogre steals the ponies one by one, until there is only 1 pony left.  Whatever will she do??  That's when the boy breaks in, sick of all the princess and pony nonsense.  He adds a twist to the story- the king hires this cool motorcycle dude to go and slay the Ogre and rescue the ponies, in  exchange for gold.  He rides up on his motorcycle and announces that he is going to save the princess- this is where the girl interrupts again.  The girl lets the boy know that girls don't need boys to save them, thank you very much, and that the princess can save herself.  So, in the end, the Cool Motorcycle Dude and The Princess work together to slay the Ogre and rescue the ponies!(Kelly Butcher)

4.  Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell E LOV  

Molly Lou Melon may be the smallest girl you've ever met, she may have buck teeth and the voice of a bull frog being squeezed by a boa constrictor, but the girl has confidence!  Her grandma has taught her to believe in herself, and that is just what she has to do when she moves away from her friends to a new town, and a new bully, Ronald Durkin.  Ronald goes out of his way to pick on Molly and embarrass her, but Molly continues to believe in herself and Ronald ends up looking foolish.  Molly is an unlikely heroine that lets all girls know that they can do anything and be anything... even if they are tiny! (Kelly Butcher)

Drawing Molly Lou Melon from David Catrow on Vimeo.

5.  Girls  A to Z by Eve Bunting E BUN

This is a very politically correct alphabet book that features 26 little girls and the careers they would like to have when they grow up.  Some rhyming ABC books end up forced, but Eve Bunting does a great job: "Dana is a dentist,/Eve's an engineer,/Fiona puts out fires,/Gwen's a gondolier".  There are some very unique job opportunities out there, and it is nice to be reminded of them once in a while! (Kelly Butcher)

6.  Princess Hyacinth (The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated) by Florence Patty Heide E HEI Princess Hyacinth is not your average princess- she floats.  Her parents, the King and Queen, do everything they can to keep her "grounded".  They cover her crown with heavy jewels, they strap her to chairs with seat belts.  Hyacinth dreams of running and swimming and being free to float.  While she is kept in the palace, she watches the other children play and run and laugh- longing to join them.  One day, she is out of the castle and sees a man holding balloons and decides that this is her chance to fly free.  She takes off her heavy crown and clothes, grabs the balloons and floats into the air.  Her parents panic, because they can't reel her in.  A little boy catches her with his kite and brings her home safely.  From that moment on, Hyacinth flies free everyday and the little boy brings her home safely.  I know that the kids don't get the subliminal message that this book gives- and may be I am reading to much in to it!  This Princess will not be held down or kept from doing what she wants with her life!  (Kelly Butcher)

7.  Don't Kiss the Frog: Princess Stories With Attitude compiled by Fiona Waters E WAT
These slightly sassy stories feature troubled princesses, unusual kingdoms, and magical circumstances. Depicting the woeful lives of six fair royal ladies, each selection leads to the princess's happy ending, albeit through a unique series of events. Selections star Princess Grace, whose clumsiness causes her to lose her clothes, Princess Jane, who trades high royalty for her family's minivan, and Princess Rose, who searches for her own Prince Charming with a little help from a want ad. These quirky, independent heroines battle dragons and endure odds to conventional conclusions, and children familiar with classic fairy tales will enjoy revisiting characters such as the Frog Prince, Sleeping Beauty, and the Three Bears. (From School Library Journal) 

8.  Princess Bess Gets Dressed by Margery Cuyler E CUY 
While most young girls dream of dressing up in all the opulent finery of a princess, little Bess knows all too well that scads of bows, ruffles, buttons, and lace can become a bit tiresome. From dining with the king and queen to ballet and art lessons to hobnobbing with nobility, the ginger-haired princess spends her overscheduled days changing from one fancy frock to the next as she attends to an endless parade of royal duties. Cuyler’s buoyant rhyming text relates the busy day’s activities and contains lots of fun, fashiony detail. Maione’s charming, candy-colored ink-and-watercolor illustrations depict Bess’ ornate ensembles and the lavish palace surroundings, and the antics of the princess’ canine companion add an additional level of gentle humor to the whimsical scenes. At day’s end, Bess retires to her bedroom, where she can finally change into the clothes she secretly loves best—plain, white underwear.  (From Booklist)

9.  Princesses Are Not Quitters by Kate Lum  E LUM

Bored with their lives of pampered luxury, Princesses Allie, Mellie, and Libby enviously watch three servant girls "Out in the fresh air, doing interesting things" and decide to swap jobs for a day. The young royals eagerly run off to work in high-heeled shoes and towering bouffant hairdos, but after polishing the windows, scrubbing the fountains, and washing the dogs, they begin to realize just how hard they must toil. Their afternoon and evening chores seem even more daunting, from making butter to shearing sheep, but they persevere. The next morning, although exhausted, the formerly spoiled young ladies take pride in their accomplishments: "Say! I think- I made this bread!" With newfound empathy for others, they proclaim new rules: "WORK no more than you can do" and "SPEND an hour every day just SITTING in the gardens." (From School Library Journal)
  

10.  Olivia by Ian Falconer E FAL

Olivia is a plucky piglet with the energy of a whole barnyard. She never does anything is a small way, whether it's building a sandcastle, singing from her 40 Very Loud Songs book, redecorating the living room walls or trying on all her clothes when it's time to get dressed. She wears her mother out --- but her mother still loves her all the same. You don't want to miss meeting this memorable new character.(From Kidsread.com)

11.  Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton  E BUR 
This old-fashioned tale about one little snowplow's determination in the face of a small-town blizzard has all the charm and moral grit of The Little Engine That Could. Katy, a red crawler tractor, "could do a lot of things," Burton explains early on. In the summer she is a bulldozer, helping to build and repair roads in the city of Geoppolis. In the winter, she turns into a snowplow, waiting and waiting for her chance to be useful. Most of the winters, though, the snowfalls are mild and the town doesn't need Katy. But when the big one finally hits, the town is buried in page after page of powder. The power lines are down. The doctor can't get his patient to the hospital. The fire department can't reach a burning house! "Everyone and everything was stopped but... KATY!" Suddenly, the entire community is dependent on one little snowplow. Children love witnessing Katy's shining moment of glory and will inevitably admire her "chug, chug, chug" endurance. (From Amazon.com)

12.  The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke E FUN  
King Wilfred's three sons learn to become big, bad knights the way any boisterous boys would: "They learned riding and jousting, fighting with swords...They learned how to stride proudly and how to shout very loudly." At her father's urging, young Princess Violetta tries to keep up with the same lessons, "even though she was so small she could hardly lift a sword at all!" Despite her brothers' teasing and laughing, Violetta continues to practice--even secretly at night. Soon enough, Violetta becomes "so nimble and quick" that when practicing with her brothers, "their spears and swords just hit the empty air." But then King Wilfred does the unthinkable: For his Violetta's sixteenth birthday, he plans a jousting tournament designed to bring "the bravest knights in the land flocking to the castle" to win…her hand in marriage! Violetta is outraged: "You want me to marry some dimwit in a tin suit?" Fortunately, of course, the princess finds a way to come to her own rescue. (From Amazon.com) 

13.  Shelia Ray The Brave by Kevin Henkes E HEN

Fearless mouse Sheila Rae is not afraid of anything, and she flaunts her confidence by confronting real and imagined terrors daily (her imagined ones are particularly creative and funny). Finally Sheila Rae decides on a new challenge: she will go home from school a new way. When she gets hopelessly lost, her courage falters, but scaredy-cat little sister Louise has been surreptitiously following Sheila Rae, and proves her own bravery by leading her sister safely home. Louise mimics her sister's undaunted style all the way home, thus providing a strong language pattern for new readers. Librarians can share this one with small groups or recommend it for patrons without fear, for children will love it. (From School Library Journal)

March 23, 2012

What are you doing on March 23, 2012?  Well, I am going to The Hunger Games movie!  True!  Lionsgate just released the date today!  now, I just have to wait for the cast... 

Oh. My. Goodness!

If Justin Bieber Tweeted about my daughter, she would know how cool it is that Tim Angleberger (AKA the author of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda) Tweeted about ME!

Dun-dun-dun, dun dun dun, dun dun dunnnnnn.... Or Darth Paper Strikes Back!

Who is the star of the next Origami Yoda Book?????

Darth Paper

From Tom's Blog: "Finally, I can reveal the secret! Darth Vader is the Star Wars star of the sequel to The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, which will be called…Darth Paper Strikes Back! Darth Vader was the strong favorite in the Origami Who poll, beating Han & Chewie, Admiral Ackbar and a Clone Trooper by thousands of votes! So I’m very happy to say that the majority was right this time and Darth will be coming to McQuarrie Middle School along with Dwight, Tommy, Kellen, Sara, Rhondella and just about everybody else from the first book including Origami Yoda.

Want to guess who brings him to school? Dwight? No way! Tommy? Nope. Harvey? No comment!

The book comes out next FALL. In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy Horton Halfpott (Spring 2011) and, of course, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda"

Tom is also running a contest!  I will blog more about that later...  I can't wait to tell the kids!!  Oh, and did I mention that Tom "Twittered" about my Bizzaro Newbery Award?!?!?  Wowza!

Top Ten for Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Since I have started my blog, I have discovered so many great librarian/book-lover blogs.  These blogs make me think, inspire me and motivate me.  Today, I share my 10 most visited blogs.  Enjoy! (And thank you!)

Welcome to My Tweendom is written by Stacy Dillon who is a school librarian.  She blogs reviews for young adult and children's books.   Her "On The Clipboard" posts are a great look in to what kids are really checking out and I like to see how my kids compare to hers.

Curious George's Notes from the Hut: I love local, independent bookstores (ie, Prairie Lights) and that is what Curious George is.  Located on Harvard Square across from Harvard Yard, this blog offers up great reviews and news from the world of children's literature.  

The Coralville Central Library is written by a local Iowa City teacher-librarian, who also happens to work in my school district!  Devin and I started exploring the world of librarian-blogging at the same time.  I check her blog weekly to see what she is up to across town.  We both agree that writing a blog is theraputic- and it is as much for our students and parents as it is for us. Devin also maintains a wonderful site for the Iowa Children's Choice Award nominees, where people can read about the books and then write about their reactions to the book.  This is something that I hope Devin will do next year- as I value it greatly!

The Jacket Knack:  This blog explores the world of cover art in children's and young adult books.  I too, judge books by their covers and encourage children to do the same.

Madigan Reads:  Madigan McGillicuddy is a  blogging librarian who posts reviews of books for kids of all ages from birth through teenage years.  I like the voice in her reviews and the books she shares are relevant to what I am currently doing with my kids. 

Miss Yingling Reads: Miss Yinling posts reviews for middle school age students, "especially boys", fiction and YA fiction.  I love her "Not what I wanted Wednesday" posts, where she discusses her disappointment in certain titles she has received.  Her posts have allowed me to be a little more critical in my reviews and to post a review even if it isn't all positive.  There are books for all readers and readers for all books, and just because I don't like a certain book, doesn't mean that someone else won't. 

Tales From an Open Book

This is the blog from The Carelton Place Public Library in Ontario, Canada.  The website describes them as a small library, but man, their blog packs a big punch!  I have discovered many new links by visiting their blog.

100 Scope Notes

Written by librarian, Travis Jonker, this blog hits the spot!  He offers up book reviews, great links and wonderful author videos.  His sense of humor is right in line with mine- he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously, and I appreciate that!

Green Bean Tween Queen

Sarah is a tween-teen librarian and posts great reviews of books that will appeal to my older students.

Kidsmomo

In their own words: "Here’s something else we both love: children’s books. And we want to share our favorites with you. But not because reading is good for you, as surely your teacher has told you. No offense to your teacher, but a good book goes way beyond that; it consumes and entertains you in a way that nothing else can — not even Joe Jonas performing “Single Ladies” in a leotard (although we must admit, that comes a close second)."

And, here is a video of Joe in the leotard:

Kindergarten Art: Penguins in the Library

It is cold enough in the library for penguins to live here, so naturally, we are studying The Antarctic!  Did you know that most kindergarten students thought that penguins and polar bears live TOGETHER?  Nope!  Penguins live in the southern hemisphere of the world, while polar bears live up north!  

Today, we read The Emperor Lays an Egg (598.47 GUI)  by Brenda Z. Guiberson  and learned that penguins may be the hardest working parents in the world!  Did you know that a father penguin will stand still for 21 days straight to conserve energy and that he goes about 120 days without eating while he takes care of the chick?  The mom penguin travels over 90 miles to get food for her baby!  Wow!  Ask your kindergarten student what THEY learned about penguins today!  

After our story, we made torn paper penguins.  

Check out some of these adorable little birds!  The template for the penguin came from Kaboose

Book Talk: Grounded

Daralynn Oakland went fishing at Doc's Lake without asking permission, so she got grounded.  Being grounded is what saved her life.  She was suppose to be in the airplane with her dad, little sister Lilac Rose and brother Wayne that day- the day the plane crashed.  In the book Grounded by Kate Klise, we follow Daralynn during the year after the funeral.  Daralynn watches her mother turn into an angry, bitter woman and she watches her Mamaw turn into a confused old lady who plays with the 237 dolls Daralyn got from people that attended the funeral.  She watches her Aunt Josie fall in love and have her heart broken and she watches her Uncle deal with life after returning from The Vietnam War.  We watch Daralynn deal with the horrible grief of losing so many people she loved.  Her mother won't talk about her brother, sister and father, and Daralynn is afraid she will forget them. Daralynn starts writing letters to her father in a journal she got from her teacher.  The journal lets her talk to her dad in a way she can't talk to her mother.  The journal is also a place where Daralynn records everything she learns as she investigates a stranger who comes to town and turns everyone's life upside down.  This book ends with a twist, and for me, it ends in tears.  This is a beautiful book that explores how 1 young girl deals with grief, and learns how death affects those left behind.  We see Daralynn change over the year that follows the death of her family, and would be a great novel to use when teaching character to older students.  The book takes place during the mid 1970's, but is timeless.  The cover art is stunning, and the title takes on several meanings as your progress through the book. 

(This book reminds me of The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, and adult novel that I enjoyed very much.)

Book Talk: Shark Vs Train

I can never judge a book by the review or by how many stars it gets... I judge a book by the reaction I get when I read it to a class of kids!  Today I read Shark Vs Train by Chris Barton (E BAR), and judging by the reaction I got, this book is a winner!  In this book a shark and a train do battle.  Mano y mano- who would win?  A shark or a train?  Ahhh... not so fast!  It depends where the battle happens.  Sure, under the sea, the shark would reign supreme, but on the tracks, the train comes out on top.  Obvious.  Now, what if they battle by roasting marshmallows? (No brainer- train all the way!  Have you ever tried to roast marshmallows in the ocean?)  What if they battle on the high dive?  (Shark, of course!)  There are, however, battles that end in a draw: nobody wins at a video game showdown, because you can't play video games without thumbs! (If you've read this book, you know that the shark and train are really toys, and the battles are playing out in the minds of 2 young boys).

This is a very clever book that really begs for audience participation.  My only problem is that the kids in the back row don't get to enjoy the small details.  This book would be better with a large group if I would have used the ELMO projector and put it on the big screen.  This is a great book for teaching setting with kids, and it would spark some great story starters during writer's workshop. Visit Mr. Barton's site for downloads to go along with the book here and vote for who YOU think would win in a true battle of Shark vs Train here!  (I voted for Shark!)

Thursday Thirteen (13)

Disney has announced that they are done making princess movies. They have decided that the musical, fairy tale has run its course, and they say "They may come back later because someone has a fresh take on it … but we don't have any other musicals or fairy tales lined up."  Boo!  My daughters have loved the princess movies and own every possible princess item that money can buy- books, movies, clothes, coloring books, blankets...  So today, I give you the 13 princess books that were turned into movies by Disney.  If you are a fan of these movies, be sure to read the books! 

Snow White, Nancy Ekholm Burkert, 1987.  

398.2GRI

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?" repeatedly asks the Queen, Snow White's stepmother. She always gets the answer she wants, until Snow White turns seven, and the mirror must truthfully answer, "Snow White." At the news, the Queen turns yellow and green with envy and commands the huntsman to kill Snow White and bring her "lung and liver as a token." Thus begins another enchanting fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm! -Amazon

Cinderella illustrated by Barbara McClintock, 2005.  

398.2 MCC

Here's a gentle version of Perrault's classic tale: no stepsister cuts off her toes to fit a shoe and everyone is forgiven at the end. McClintock places her sweet Cinderella in the Paris of Louis XIV, with period fashion and interior and architectural detail from Versailles and the Paris Opera. Pen, india ink, and watercolor make for delightful dancing lines and exquisite color: Cinderella's first ball gown is a profusion of roses under a plum overskirt, and her hair is decorated with a huge rose trellis. The stepsisters, one fat and one thin (both mean), and the prince, a graceful boy in a powdered wig, make a pleasing supporting cast. Cinderella's little gray cat appears on almost every page. -Booklist 

Beauty and the Beast illustrated by Mercer Mayer, 1978.  

398.2 MAY.

Generations of children have been fascinated by the story of the girl named Beauty, who grows to love a fearsome beast by learning to see and cherish his kindness, generosity, and intelligence. In this acclaimed, best-selling version of the classic tale, first published in 1978, Marianna Mayer's evocative imagery and Mercer Mayer's exquisite paintings transport readers into a world of pure magic and mystery. -Amazon

Rapunzel by illustrated by Paul Zelinsky, 1997.  

E ZEL

In older versions of the classic tale Rapunzel, it always seemed improbable that a grown man could scale a tower using only his beloved's hair. Not so in Paul O. Zelinsky's Caldecott Medal-winning version of Rapunzel. Here, Rapunzel's reddish-blonde mane is thick with waves and braids, and cascades like a waterfall down the walls of her isolation tower. In Zelinsky's able hands it's easy to believe that a prince would harbor no hesitations about scrambling up our fair heroine's hair. -Amazon

Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox, 2003.  
E WIL
This book cracks my stuff up!  SOOO funny!  Rapunzel is up in her tower with her maid- and she is having a very bad hair day... so bad, that she is crying and sighing.  The prince rides by and assumes that Rapunzel needs to be rescued.  He calls up to her, but she can't hear him.  Every time he asks her to throw down her hair, she throws down the wrong thing- like underwear, socks, pancake batter and a sow!  She eventually gets it right, though!  This is a great read aloud and will bring the house down!

Sleeping Beauty illustrated by Kinuko Y Craft, 2002. 

398.2 CRA

Sleeping Beauty's enchanted slumber has captivated readers' hearts for centuries. Now brought luminously to life by K. Y. Craft's lavish paintings, this new edition of a timeless favorite is sure to enchant readers both young and old. Fairy tale lovers have been eagerly awaiting Craft's next magical romance since the release of her Cinderella. With illustrations inspired by the magnificent style of Baroque painters, the sumptuous color and exquisite detail of this breathtaking interpretation make it a dream come true. -Amazon

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp illustrated by Errol Le Cain, 1981.  

398.2 LAN
We are very lucky to have this book in our library since it is out of print!
In this version of this old folk tale from the 1001 Nights, the story remains as usual, no surprises there, but the illustrations are beautiful and romantic.  

Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior by Robert San Souci, 1998.

398.2 SAN

I know that Mulan is not a princess, but Disney keeps throwing her in with the princesses!  She is a girl from a working class family who doesn't even marry a prince... and she is the only Disney "princess" that shouts out GIRL POWER!  This retelling of the well-known Chinese legend is an inspiring tale about a hero who is courageous, selfless, and, above all, extremely wise.

The Frog Prince, Retold by Kathy-Jo Wargin, 2007.
398.2 WAR

"Princess, dear princess please open the door, for you made a promise you must not ignore!" After retrieving a ball from a well for the princess, the frog calls out to her, for she has ignored the promise she made to him. He persistently, much to the distain of the princess, persuades her to allow him to eat from her plate, enter her room and sleep in her bed. At each poetic request from the frog, the princess becomes increasingly uncomfortable, but her father, the king, admonishes her and orders her to keep her promise to the frog that befriended her. Finally, in desperation, the princess flings the old water-splasher angrily against the wall. In true keeping with fairytales, the spell cast upon him by a wicked witch is broken, and the frog is transformed into a handsome prince. -Foreward Magazine

The Frog Prince Continues by Jon Scieszka, 1991.
E SCI
So you think that the Princess kisses the frog and they both liver happily ever after?  They are not happy.  In fact, they're downright miserable. He misses the pond; she's tired of him sticking out his tongue and hopping on the furniture. In desperation, the bug-eyed hero decides to find a witch who can turn him back into the happy frog he once was. Successfully surviving encounters with several sinister but dimwitted witches from other tales, he finally meets Cinderella's Fairy Godmother who tries to help, but the transformation is definitely NOT what he had in mind. As the clock strikes midnight, he returns to human form and hurries home to his beloved Princess where the tale ends unexpectedly, but indeed happily.
-School Library Journal

The Frog Princess by E.D Baker, 2002.
F BAK
After reluctantly kissing a frog, an awkward, fourteen-year-old princess suddenly finds herself a frog, too, and sets off with the prince to seek the means--and the self-confidence--to become human again.

The Little Mermaid retold by Debra Hautzig, 1991
E HAU
Andersen's sweet, sad story is beautifully retold for young readers. When the little mermaid gives up her voice in exchange for legs and a chance to meet her beloved human prince, she earns a real human soul.

Princess Fairy Tales retold by Margaret Clark.

398.22 CLA

Few little girls can resist a princess. The renowned illustrator Peter Malone has created an extraordinary, richly detailed treasury with eight of the most beloved heroines in classic fairy tales. And what heroines they are! Spirited and strong-willed, they hold great appeal for the contemporary audience. -Good Reads

Note: Pocahontas was left off of this list because I am not thrilled with the few biographies we have about her... time to shop! 

Belle is my favorite because she loves books!