9+ Kids' Books Illustrated by Julia Denos

Many of my favorite children's book covers have been illustrated by Julia Denos. Check out some of these titles below, then visit the sketchbook on her website for more beautiful artwork!

Novels 

Lexie  by Audrey Couloumbis

Ten-year-old Lexie loves going to the shore on vacation every year with her parents, but she is resistant to the changes that come to her favorite trip after her parents divorce and her father decides to invite his girlfriend to tag along.

Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker 

In this middle grade novel by the author of the Clementine series, main character Stella has trouble getting along with her great aunt's new foster child, Angel, until a tragedy forces them to rely on each other. 

My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer by Jennifer Gennari 

Twelve-year-old June Farrell really wants to win a blue ribbon in the pie contest at the upcoming fair, but she is discouraged by her mother, a proponent of the disputed civil unions in the state of Vermont, who asks her to keep a low profile. 

Letters to Leo by Amy Hest
Annie writes letters to her dog, Leo, which confide her innermost feelings about her strict new teacher, her former beloved teacher, and her newfound interest in poetry. (This book is a sequel to Remembering Mrs. Rossi, but it can be read on its own.) 

Series

 

Sleepover Squad by P.J. Denton

The covers of this paperback series for early elementary readers have been redone with new illustrations, but Julia Denos did the originals. The series follows a group of girls who love to have sleepovers, but run into various problems preventing them from running smoothly.

Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Readers follow Alice McKinley through middle school, high school and beyond in this beloved series which ran from 1985 to 2013. The earliest books of the series have been re-released with these beautiful covers which truly capture Alice's personality and frequent embarrassments.

Casson Family by Hilary McKay 

This British series follows the children of eccentric artists, all of whom are named for colors. I reviewed the first book, Saffy's Angel, in the very early days of this blog!

The Fairy Bell Sisters by Margaret McNamara
This beginning chapter book series by the author of the Robin Hill School easy readers focuses on the younger sisters of Tinkerbell: Clara Bell, Golden Bell, Rosy Bell, Sylva Bell, and baby Squeak. 

Numbers Board Books

Today's board books are all about identifying numbers and learning to count.

Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton (ISBN: 9780689834349)

One lonely hippo makes a phone call, and suddenly, it's party time for him and all of his friends in this rhyming book.
  

One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Jane Chapman (ISBN: 9780763603342)

When one duck gets stuck in the muck, groups of animals in increasing numbers try to rescue it.

Say and Play: Numbers by Sterling Publishing (ISBN: 9781402798917)
Clean and simple photographs illustrate each number from one to ten. 

Let’s Count to Ten by Richard Scarry (ISBN: 9781742118918)
With his detailed, busy illustrations of anthropomorphic animals eating breakfast, driving cars, and feeling grumpy, Richard Scarry helps the youngest readers understand the concept of counting.

1 2 3 by Simms Taback (ISBN: 9781934706893)

Simple bold illustrations make this small, short board book a perfect introduction to counting for the littlest babies! 

One Red Sun: A Counting Book by Ezra Jack Keats (ISBN: 9780670884780)

This wordless book shows a numeral and a corresponding group of items on each page, all created using Keats's distinctive illustration style. 

Third Grade CCD 2015-2016: The Church Community, 2/1/16

This post has moved: http://ccdlessonplans.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-church-community-third-grade.html

Read Around Town: The Dentist's Office

In my latest blog series, Read Around Town, I'm highlighting picture books that celebrate the people and places in a young child's immediate community. These would work well for preschool classes or homeschool groups taking tours of local businesses, or for any child interested in learning about his or her neighborhood. Today's post includes ten picture books about dentists and teeth.

The Tooth Book by Theo LeSieg
This Dr. Seuss title, which he wrote under a pseudonym, teaches which animals have teeth, and how we should take care of our own teeth.

Doctor De Soto by William Steig
Dr. De Soto, a mouse dentist, has a policy of not treating animals who might be dangerous to small rodents, but when a fox appears at his office, his kind heart can't bring himself to turn him away.

Never Take a Shark to the Dentist by Judi Barrett, illustrated by John Nickle
Sharks don't belong in the dentist's office, and there are lots of other animals who shouldn't go out in public, either.

The Dentist from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler, illustrated by Jared D. Lee
This story plays with some of the fears kids have about visiting the dentist, in the hopes of making the experience seem more positive and pleasant.

Little Rabbit’s Loose Tooth by Lucy Bate, illustrated by Diane Degroat
Little Rabbit is excited to lose her first tooth, but she worries that the tooth fairy might forget to come. (This was one of my favorite books as a kid. The illustrator is better known these days for the Gilbert and Friends series.)

Open Wide: Tooth School Inside by Laurie Keller
This creative picture book provides information about teeth and dental care by re-imagining the inside of a mouth as a school, where each tooth is a member of the class.

Brush Brush Brush by Alicia Padron
This singable board book is perfect for toddlers (12-24 mos.) who are just learning to brush their teeth, as it simplifies the concept and makes it seem appealing.

Throw Your Tooth on the Roof by Selby Beeler, illustrated by  G. Brian Karas
This picture book describes traditions associated with losing teeth from different countries around the world.

Curious George Visits the Dentist by Margret and H.A. Rey
After an accident with a piece of wax fruit, the man in the yellow hat takes George to the dentist to have his wiggly tooth checked out.

The Crocodile and the Dentist by Taro Gomi
In this story, the dentist, and the crocodile who visits him, are both terrified of each other.