Community Corner
Patch Picks: Children's Librarian Names Her Top 5 Kids' Books
Who better to recommend a list of great kids' books than a children's librarian?
In honor of National Read Across America Day (R.E.A.D.) on March 2 - named such for the birthday of perhaps the most well-known children's author of all time, Dr. Seuss - this week's Patch Picks will explore five great books to read to your kids. And in that spirit, Laurie Harrison, children's librarian with the Riverhead Free Library, shared her Top 5 with Riverhead Patch:
1. Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do You See?, by Bill Martin, Jr.
Rhymes, repetition, and rhythms make this book a preschool favorite. Animals, each a different color, see a variety of animals looking back at them.
2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
Die-cut pages reveal what a very hungry, newly hatched caterpiller ate throughout the week.Toddlers and preschoolers relate well to the caterpiller's rather odd selections, as well as the theme of metamorphosis.
3. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, by Mo Willems
Toddlers and preschoolers love the interactive antic story of a pigeon who begs to be allowed to drive a bus, and especially love the opportunity to shout "NO!" to the pigeon. Adults adore how the pigeon captures children's behavior in all of its stubborn, self-centered, unrelenting attributes.
4. Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey
A timeless tale about a duck family in Boston who stop traffic on their way from their island on the Charles River to the Public Garden. One of the best stories to share at bedtime with a child.
5. Swimmy, by Leo Lionni
Swimmy, the only black fish in a school of little red fish, travels alone through the sea meeting marvelous creatures and devises a means for the small fish to cooperate; chasing away the bigger predatory fish.
