The Children's Hour

12/22/2025

Check out the latest newsletter. Lots of great Christmas books to read to your children.

Welcome to The Storytellers, a monthly newsletter of outstanding children’s literature to read and read aloud from preschoolers to teens.

12/22/2025

Great children’s books should contain Heart, Hope, Humor, & Heroes:

MR. WILLOUGHBY’S HEAD OVER HEELS CHRISTMAS
written & illus. by Robert Barry, (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, Oct. 2025, $18.99, ISBN 978-0-593-70819-4), 40p, Ages 4-7

On Christmas Eve, Mr. Willoughby’s delivery truck becomes stuck in a snowbank and cannot deliver his Christmas tree. Barnaby Bear realizes the problem, finds a perfect tree at the top of a mountain, and rides it down the mountain. Along the way the tree scoops up friends Frisky Fox, Dusty Duck, Benjamin Rabbit, and Mistletoe Mouse.
As they crash through Mr. Willoughby’s front door and become stuck in the fireplace, kids will love the jolly old man who comes to the rescue and save Christmas for Mr. Willoughby’s tree and the animals. “From his sleigh in the sky, / Santa shouted with glee, / ‘Happy Christmas to all! / What a wonderful tree!’”.
Filled with laughter, surprises, fun, frolics, and Christmas magic, kids will love this perfect holiday read-aloud. The afterword by Robert Barry’s son provides details surrounding the discovery of the long-forgotten manuscript.
Themes: Adventure, Animals, Holidays, Humor, Series
Other book in the Series: Mr. Willoughby’s Christmas Tree

12/09/2025

LITTLE CHRISTMAS CAROL
written by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Joe Sutphin, (Moody Publishers $29.99, 2024, ISBN 978-0-802-43283-4), 144p, Ages 10+
Charles Dickens originally wrote “A Christmas Carol” in 1843 as a tale of greed, regret, loneliness, reflection, compassion, hope and redemption. This adapted edition for young readers features delightfully, illustrated woodland animals as the characters, while lightly editing some of the original text and expressive vocabulary.
With its rich language, delightful animal illustrations, and messages of caring for others, this adapted classic will make for a perfect family read-aloud during the Christmas season, and maybe all through the year.
As Charles Dickens once said, “It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself.”
Themes: Classics, Families, Holidays, Values

11/26/2025

TRAINS
written by Ian Graham, illus. by Stephen Biesty, (Templar Books, 2017, $6.47, ISBN 978-0-7636-96474), 16p, Agen 8+
This award-winning, fact-filled, lift-the-flap, detail-oriented board book features eight well-loved trains over the years. Readers will find a large amount of information on Early Steam Trains, American Steam Trains, The Golden Age of Steam, Diesel Replaces Steam, Electric Trains, Heavy-Duty Diesel Trains, High-Speed Trains, and Trains of the Future.
For example, Early Steam Trains includes a history, information on the various carriages, the inner workings, workers on the train, specific cars and their purposes, Construction of Early Railway Line, and Evolution of Early Railway Locomotive Design.
The illustrations are stunning and will delight readers who love trains, even those who don’t. With over forty flaps to lift, kids and adults will thoroughly enjoy pouring over this award winning book of Trains.
Themes: Adventure, Concept, Inventions, Trains, Series
Another book in the series: Flying Machines

10/24/2025

THE GHOST OF SIFTY SIFTY SAM 7-10
written by Angela Shelf Medearis, illus. by Jacqueline Rogers, (Scholastic Press, 1997), 40p, Ages 7+
“Deep down in the East Texas woods, there stands a beautiful old house that folks in those parts say is haunted by the ghost of Sifty Sifty Sam.” When a realtor, unsuccessful in selling the house, offers a $5,000 reward to anyone who can spend one night in the house, a chef named Dan decides to try. Armed with pots, pans, and food, he encounters a very hungry spirit. Scared witless, Dan soon realizes that delicious food is the way to Sifty’s heart, and prepares a banquet for the ghost who hasn’t eaten in 20 years. Dan wins the reward, opens a café, and Sifty agrees to wash the dishes exchange for food and board.
Themes: Food, Holidays, Humor

10/16/2025

This is good. Read to your children. 📚

10/10/2025

PUMPKIN SPICE
written by Arie Kaplan, illus. by Monique D**g, (Grosset & Dunlap, Aug. 2025, $7.99, ISBN 978-0-593-88914-5), 16p, Ages 1-3
Meet Pumpkin Spice, a little girl dressed in her special pumpkin costume, ready to paint the leaves red, yellow, and orange for fall. When she meets a talking pumpkin, he tells her the leaves automatically turn colors by themselves and explains how autumn affects the foliage, animals, fruit trees, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.
Readers will enjoy the Pumpkin Spice Recipe on the last page and kids will enjoy the fetching illustrations of colorful leaves, animals, holidays, and family celebrations in this cute board book about the delightful season of autumn.
Themes: Adventure, Animals, Concept, Families, Holidays, Nature

08/23/2025

The Land of Classics

There is a land not far away,
and only found in books today,
In this land all classics await
for you to read, so don’t be late.

Flying carpets, lamps, and genies
Pirates, crooks, and no-good meanies.
Ruby shoes and yellow brick roads,
Little engines that pull big loads.

Boys, giants, and beanstalks to climb,
And, of course, a Mother Goose rhyme.
Spaceships, death stars, an evil realm,
battles and heroes that overwhelm.

Little chickens and falling skies,
And kings and queens and blackbird pies.
Spiders and webs that save a pig,
Shovels named Mike that love to dig.

Children that fly and pixie dust,
Pirates and crocs, never to trust.
Magic lands across blue seas,
A bear called Pooh, and honey bees.

These classic stories hold the key
To special worlds, just wait and see.
But don’t delay, pull up a chair,
Begin to read, we’ll meet you there.

The Children’s Hour ©2016

08/23/2025

THE PEDDLER OF PUDDLES
written by Beth Ferry, illus. by Tom Lichtenheld, (Clarion Books, $19.99, April 2025, ISBN 978-0-06-331834-2), 48p, Ages 4-7
“The Peddler of Puddles never got anywhere fast—possibly because of the weight of his cart, possibly because of some dawdling ducks, but most likely because he was always busy making puddles.” An energetic and clever turtle travels the countryside pushing his cart full of bells, pipes, levers, buckets, and a balloon-like rain cloud, creating puddles for animals and human friends. He makes puddles for thirsty birds, bathwater for hundreds of frogs, and puddles for children to stomp in. His services are freely given and sometimes he receives carrots, soup, and a smile as a thank you.
Traveling through forests, farms, and fields, one day he reaches the biggest puddle of all -- The Ocean. When his cart becomes stuck in the sand, friends come to his rescue, lead him back through the forest, and show him the giant hole they dug for him. He then begins dismantling his cart and building a sweet home of his own to share with all his friends. “And, of course, the Peddler didn’t mind sharing. Not one little bit. Peddlers rarely do.”
Kids will enjoy the beautifully detailed illustrations, and the “Puddle Menu” in this enchanting tale of kindness, sharing, and love for others.
Themes: Adventure, Animals, Friendship, Heroes, Humor, Inventions

08/14/2025

SNOOP: written by Gordon Korman, (Scholastic Press, $18.99, July 2025, ISBN 978-1-5461-2608-9). 208p, Agen 11+

Due to a skiing accident with his brother because of his screen addiction to his phone, seventh grader Carter is laid up with two broken legs at home in a wheelchair. Taking his classes remotely, Carter quickly discovers a way to hack into the local video surveillance cameras placed around his small North Carolina town and borrows his mother’s drone to spy on classmates, neighbors, and strange mysteries going on in town. Why is a stranger in a red Maserati parked in various places around town? Why is a red panda and other endangered creatures roaming around the streets at night? Why are two food businesses attacking each other? Why is a man casing a local art store where Carter's mother has a print for sale?

Kids will enjoy how Carter finally pieces everything together, saves classmates from a snow leopard attack, tries to convince the police to help, and the cautionary messages regarding ethical uses of online snooping, and the hazards of jumping to conclusions, with no profanity, sexual content or significant violence.

Themes: Adventure, Animals, Families, Friendship, Heroes, Humor

08/06/2025

ON OUR WAY WITH MR. JAY
written by Chelsea Lin Wallace, illus. by Thyra Heder, (Neal Porter Books, $18.99, July 2025, ISBN 978-0-8234-5704-5), 48p, Ages 5-8
Heroes abound but this school bus driver is one of the best. Mr. Jay is the first school hero kids see in the morning and the last as they say goodbye. With his breakfast, Mr. Jay checks his School Bus 3, starts the engine, and picks up 18 children all over town. As his route begins many emergencies arise – pony p**p on shoes, motion sickness, a pet who sneaks on the bus, a school project that blows away, a forgotten backpack, traffic jams, and nervous students watching the clock as several stops take longer than usual. Will they make it to school on time? How does Mr. Jay comfort the kids? With his consistent “That’s okay!”
“When problems happen on the road, / when little things make heavy loads, / there’s nothing like a trusted guide / to keep you safe inside the ride.” Yep, he’s the hero of the day, the kids love him, and readers will enjoy Mr. Jay’s final route home.
Themes: Adventure, Heroes, Humor

07/30/2025