Only the best kids' books are featured here

Many years ago, I wrote a column at the end of the year and listed the 10 worst children's books I had read over the last 12 months. Two of those 10 books came from one publisher. Soon after the column was printed, I received a phone call from a very furious publicist at that publishing house.

After a rather lengthy monologue from her end, her summation was: "After all, the books weren't that bad." That's when I became annoyed.

I responded by telling her she had apparently forgotten who her audience was — children — the most impressionable target market, and that children's publishers have a greater responsibility than any other manufacturer to put forward the best possible product, foremost for the sake of the children, but also for the adult consumers who work hard for their money and trust that children's book publishers will offer excellent stories and nothing less.

There are a lot of mediocre children's books on the market, and some are downright lousy, but you'll never find those books reviewed here. Instead, what you will find are the very best children's books, and that's my guarantee to you.

Books to Borrow

The following book is available at many public libraries.

"Shy Charles" written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells, Dial Books for Young Readers, 28 pages

Read aloud: age 2 — 3

Read yourself: age 7

Charles was a happy little boy. He was also painfully shy. He wouldn't talk to the next-door neighbor girl, wouldn't answer the phone and simply couldn't say thank you to the nice lady from the neighborhood store who always gave Charles a chocolate when he and his mother came in to shop.

Exasperated, Charles' parents decided it was time they do something about Charles' shyness. First they enrolled Charles in ballet. It was not a success. Then they tried football. It was also a disaster. Would Charles ever be able communicate with others, hold a job, handle himself in an emergency?

With snappy, rhyming text and wonderful, happy illustrations, this delightful story is a genuine winner.

Librarian's Choice

Library: Butte County Library — Biggs Branch, 464A B St., Biggs

Library Director: Derek Wolfgram

Branch Librarian: Cynthia Pustejovsky

Choices this week: "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak; "The Cricket in Times Square" by George Selden; "Sounder" by William Armstrong

Books to Buy

The following books are available at your favorite bookstores.

"A Giraffe Goes to Paris" by Mary Tavener Holmes and John Harris, illustrated by Jon Cannell, Marshall Cavendish, 2010, 32 pages, $17.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 6 — 9

Read yourself: age 8 — 9 and older

In 1826, the great pasha of Egypt wanted to give a gift to the king of France and decided that since no one in France had ever seen a giraffe before, the gift of the elegant giraffe, Belle, would be the perfect present. But getting Belle from Egypt to Paris would prove to be difficult.

Accompanied by Belle's personal assistant, Atir, the two were part of a team that involved three cows, two antelopes, a boat, a captain and a crew. When Belle and her companions arrived in Marseilles, France, the group would then walk 500 miles to reach Paris. Along the way, countless people came out to see the beautiful giraffe as she gracefully made her way north. In Paris, the city residents awaited her arrival with enormous preparations and fanfare.

This is the true story of Belle, told in the imagined words of her devoted caretaker, Atir. A fascinating glimpse of history, this charming story with its lovely illustrations is a real gem.

"Pierre the Penguin: A True Story" by Jean Marzollo, illustrated by Laura Regan, Sleeping Bear Press, 2010, 32 pages, $15.95 hardcover

Read aloud: age 3 and older

Read yourself: age 6 — 8

At the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, aquatic biologist Pam feeds and cares for the African penguins. One day she notices that one of the penguins, Pierre, has lost many of his feathers. African penguins don't like the cold, and Pierre's featherless body made him shiver, and he is afraid to go into the water.

Pam tries to help Pierre, first with a halter, then with pills prescribed by the vet. But nothing works. Then Pam has an idea — would a tiny wet suit help Pierre?

Written in rhyme, this true story of one little penguin and how he was nurtured back to health is both fascinating and inspiring.

Kendal A. Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached at kendal@sunlink.net .