A Unicorn Named Sparkle

Young, A. (2016). A unicorn named Sparkle. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: A very adorable book about a little girl wanting a unicorn of her own. She sends off for her dream unicorn in the mail. She receives something she did not expect. He was like a goat, but had one horn. He was not what she expected, and demanded he go back. But by the time the shipping people return she has fallen in love with Sparkle and is not able to part ways with him.

Resources:

Book Preview from the Publisher

Activity Kit from the Publisher

Book's Website

Book Read Aloud from Lee Rebel Tech

Duck, Duck, Porcupine!.

Yoon, S. (2016). Duck, Duck, Porcupine! Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: A beginning graphic novel. The book is written with 3 short stories. This book is a great book to use in teaching children about how to use illustrations to help tell the story. There are not very many words the pictures are very important in helping to tell the story.

Resources:

The author's website

Is That Wise, Pig?

Thomas, J. (2016). Is that wise, Pig? Beach Lane Books.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: A book about a pig, a cow, and a mouse. They make soup together. The book is a counting book to 10, with some one to one correspondence. Pig makes a few silly suggestions then his friends ask him is that wise? He finally get it right and adds something reasonable to the soup.

Resources:

Author's Website 

Read Aloud by Michael Clark

Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion

Smith, A. (2016). Little Red and the very hungry Lion. Scholastic Press.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: I do believe this book is my favorite out of all 20 of the 2017, 2X2 books. I love the new twist on the old story of Little Red Riding Hood. This version takes place in the Safari. Little Red needs to take her Auntie some pills for her spots. On the way she runs into Lion. He runs ahead and puts Auntie away in a cabinet. Little Red is too smart for him and realizes he is not Auntie. She does several silly things to teach him a lesson. In the end Auntie gets her medicine and the Lion learns a lesson. Don't mess with Little Red.

Resources:
Book Read Aloud by Kidslanding

Ocean Animals From Head to Tail

Roderick, S. (2016). Ocean animals from head to tail. Kids Can Press.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: A Nonfiction book about ocean animals. Containing colorful illustrations. On one page it asks, "Can you guess what sea animal." The illustration shows parts of the animal. Then on the next page the book tells you which animal and provides facts. Each animal's facts include key vocabulary that is explained within the text. Some new words also have pronunciation ques to help the reader say the words correctly. The book is a great resource for schools that study ocean animals, or for children that love to learn about new animals.

Resources:

Ocean Animals for kids learning video

School's First Day of School

Rex, A. (2016). School's first day of school. Roaring Brook Press.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: The author shares the perspective of the school building in this story. The school building has lots of mixed feelings about figuring out what he is used for. At the beginning the school is not sure it is a good thing with crying kids on the first day. Then he learns all the awesome things he provides for children.

Resources:

Teaching Resources from MacMillan Children's Publishing

Read Aloud by Mrs. Clark's Reading Corner

The Grumpy Pets

Lombardi, K. (2016). The grumpy pets. Abrams Books for Young Readers.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: About a boy who was not happy. His mother wanted to find a pet to cheer him up. So she took him to a pet store where you can adopt pets. The boy did not like the happy pets and happy people. Then he finds a section in the store that had grouchy, grumpy pets. He found his perfect pet match there.

Resources:

Book Trailer from Abrams the publisher

I Will Not Eat You

Lehrhaupt, A. (2016). I will not eat you. Simon & Schuster / Paula Wiseman Books.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: A dragon who thought about eating several animals. A boy teaches Theodore the dragon to laugh and they become friends and play. The book contains great sound effect words. 

Resources:

Book Trailer

Hank's Big Day: The Story of a Bug

Kuhlman, E. (2016). Hank's big day: the story of a bug. Groenink, Schwarts & Wade Books.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: The book is about a bug that goes on an adventure to get to his best friend. A little girl named Amelia Earhardt and Hank pretend to fly around the world. Eventually they make it back home and Hank realizes what a lucky bug he is.

123 Dream

Krans, K. (2016). 123 dream. Random House Books for Young Readers.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: A wordless counting book. The book uses pictures and digits. Beautiful black and white with watercolor added to the pictures to highlight the items that need counted. At the end the author asks the reader to go back and find different hidden items.

Resources:
Counting Song

Fabulous Frogs

Jenkins, M. (2016). Fabulous frogs. Candlewick Press.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: Contains an index and gives facts about different frogs. Simple and descriptive in describing all different kinds of frogs.

Resources:

BBC Video Trailer

Alan's Big Scary Teeth

Jarvis, P. (2016). Alan's big scary teeth. Candlewick Press.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: Alan the alligator like to scare the other animals. He happens to have false teeth and the other animals do not realize this. Until, one night he takes his teeth out to go to sleep and another animal happens to come across his teeth. The other animal takes his teeth. Alan wakes up to do his usual scaring, but does not know what to do without his teeth. He becomes sad and lost. The other animals realize how lost he is without being able to scare them that they help him learn a new way to interact with others.

Resources:
KidLitTV - see a book trailer

Book Reading on YouTube by Kiddiewinks.

La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes for Los Ninos

Elya, S. (2016). La madre goose: nursery rhymes for los ninos. G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: The book contains a glossary of Spanish / English words at the very beginning to help readers fully understand book. Each nursery rhyme has a Spanish twist to it and some Spanish words intertwined with the English text. The rhymes are fun and silly.

Resources:

Author's Website

Check out the Mother Goose Club on YouTube for fun video songs about traditional nursery rhymes.

Horrible Bear!

Dyckman, A. (2016). Horrible bear! Brown Books for Young Readers.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: A girl lost her kite. It flew into a cave with a bear. The bear rolled over the kite. She called him a horrible bear. The bear got his feelings hurt. He set out to show the girl what a real horrible bear was really like. The girl became even more upset and broke something else that she loved, her lovey. Bear came to be a horrible bear, but eventually the girl realized the bear never meant to hurt her kite and it was an accident. She apologized and they went to play together. 

Resources:

Book Trailer by the publisher.

Blocks

Dickson, I. (2016). Blocks. Nosy Crow.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview - The book is a great way to visualize sharing for young children. A child with red blocks plays by herself and a child with blue blocks plays by himself. One takes the others block. Then the child tries to get their missing block back. Finally they decide to share and build together. Then a third child comes along with green blocks. What are they to do? 

Resources - 
Author's Website

Oral book reading with pictures from the book.

There's a Bear on My Chair

Collins, R. (2016). There's a bear on my chair. Nosy Crow.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview: A delightful rhyming book. Mouse is frustrated and looses his temper with Bear. Bear taunts Mouse by sitting in his chair through most of the book. Then Bear wonders home and finds Mouse in his house.

Resources: 

Author's website - has a link to a story telling of the book.

Rhyme Time by Hooked on Phonics

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea

Clanton, Ben. (2016). Narwhal: Unicorn of the sea. Tundra Books.

A 2017 Texas Library Associations 2X2 Reading List book

Brief Overview - Narwhal is a beginning early level graphic novel with 5 chapters. I think this book is appropriate for 1st and 2nd grade 2X2 readers. The story is about a Narwhal which is a sea creature with a horn that lives deep in the ocean. He becomes friends with a jellyfish. The two have a silly, humorous adventure through the ocean.

Resources -  
Author's website 

Narwhals are real.