humor reading list - august house re… · bill mooney follow up their previous hit spiders in the...

HumorReadingList

TheBullyGoatGrim:AMaynardMooseTale

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:WillyClaflin

ILLUSTRATOR:JamesStimson

DESCRIPTION ThishilariousMaynardMoosetale,asretoldbymasterstorytellerWillyClaflin,takesusonanotherwhimsicaljourneywiththemisadventuresofaBullyGoatwhosuffersfromRandomHostilitySyndrome.TheBullyGoatclasheswithathreeheadedtroll“fambly”andisundonebyababygirltrollwhenshesuddenlyrealizesthat“everybodyoughttomesswithhim!”HerinspirationleadstoaconfrontationwiththeBullyGoatusingonlyapillowandthreeraggedyoldbedsheets.AftershecleverlyoutwitstheBullyGoat,alloftheforestanimalsfollowherexampleandthethreatofthebullyiseliminated.Fortunately,everyoneliveshappilyfor“neverafterwords”exceptfortheBullyGoat,sincenobodylikesa“dubnoxiousbeastly”.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:2nd-5th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:S/LEXILE:970L

ISBNS HARDCOVER:978-0-874839-52-4

TheCleverMonkey:AFolktalefromWestAfrica

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:RobCleveland

ILLUSTRATOR:BairdHoffmire

DESCRIPTION Whentwogreedyjunglecatsdiscoveralargepieceofcheese,theycan'tdecidehowtodivideitfairly.Theclevermonkeycomestotheirrescue.Orsotheythink.AfterreadingthistrickstertalefromWestAfrica,youwillthinktwicebeforeaskingamonkeyforhelp.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:K-2nd/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:G/LEXILE:540L

ISBNS PAPERBACK:978-0-874838-01-5

TheCleverMonkey:AFolktalefromWestAfrica

Conejito:AFolktalefromPanama

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:MargaretReadMacDonald

ILLUSTRATOR:GeraldoValerio

DESCRIPTION WhenConejitobeginshisschoolholiday,hegoestovisithisTíaMónica—orisitthecakesandcookiesheknowsshewillfeedhimwhenhearrives?ButConejitorunsintoafewobstaclesonthewaytohisauntie's,includingSeñorZorro,SeñorTigre,andSeñorLeón.ConejitomaywanttoeatAuntieMónica'streats,butMr.Fox,Mr.Tiger,andMr.Lionwanttoeathim!WithhisownquickthinkingandalittleassistfromTíaMónica,Conejitooutwitsthebiggeranimalsandmakeshiswaysafelyhome.ThisLatinAmericanfolktalefromPanamahighlightRabbit'scourageandresourcefulnesstooutwitFox,Tiger,andLion.Itisalsoaccompaniedwithasongthatyoungreaderswilllove.ThisfolktalefromPanamaisagreatwaytointroduceSpanishintoyourchildren'svocabulary!Award-winningauthor,MargaretReadMacDonaldexcelsatproducingalyricalstorythatyoungreadersareencouragedtoparticipatein.Inaddition,GeraldoValério'svividillustrationsinstillwhimsyandfunwitheachturnofthepage.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:K-2nd/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:M/LEXILE:460L

ISBNS HARDCOVER:978-0-874837-79-7/ PAPERBACK:978-1-939160-96-6

TheExplodingToilet:ModernUrbanLegends

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:DavidHoltandBillMooney

ILLUSTRATOR:KevinPope

DESCRIPTION Hey,didyouhearabouttheguywhodroppedalitcigaretteintothetoiletwithoutseeingthegasolineragssoakinginthebowl?Ofcourseyoudid,ithappenedtoyourcousin'sgymteacher.Orwasityourgymteacher'scousin?StorytellersDavidHoltandBillMooneyfollowuptheirprevioushitSpidersintheHairdowithawholenewcollectionofmodernurbanlegends.Hereyou'llfindstupidcriminals,governmentSNAFU's,scarystories,andasectionfeaturingtheInternet.Thesestoriesaretoogoodnottopasson....Onceyoustarttellingthem,yourfriendswillsayyou'reonaroll!Thesepranksterschoolstorieswillteachreaderstheimportanceofcourage,resourcefulnessandfairness.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:6th-8th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:Z/LEXILE:970L

ISBNS PAPERBACK:978-0-874837-15-5

FatCat:ADanishFolktale

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:MargaretReadMacDonald

ILLUSTRATOR:JuliePaschkis

DESCRIPTION Haveyoueverheardthesaying,“Youreyesarebiggerthanyourstomach?"Well,Cat'sstomachisbiggerthanalotofthings.Heisalwayshungry,andlivingwithculinary-inclinedMouse,whomakesthirty-fivepiesinoneday,justmakesitworse.FatCatswallowseverythinginsight,includingthewashladyandherwashtub,atroopofsoldiersandtheirswords,evenakingandhiselephant!ButwhenCatswallowsMouseandhersewingbasket,that'sthelaststraw.TinyMousecutstotheheartofthesituation,takinganupside-downworldandturningitright-side-upagain.GreedyCatlearnshislessonandturns“fat”into“fancy,”“fabulous,”and“fantastic.”MargaretReadMacDonald'sinfectiousenergycombineswithJuliePaschkis'folk-inspiredgouachepaintingstocreateanewretellingofafavoritecomiccumulativetale.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:K-2nd/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:I/LEXILE:330L

ISBNS HARDCOVER:978-0-874836-16-5/ PAPERBACK:978-0-874837-65-0

FortyFunFables:TalestoTrick,Tickle,andTeach

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:MarthaHamiltonandMitchWeiss

ILLUSTRATOR:BairdHoffmire

DESCRIPTION Animalsdon'ttalkbuttheyappearinfablestotellusaboutourveryhumanselves.Thisclassiccollectionofwhimsicalstoriesistoldsimplywithwitthatappealstochildrenofallages.WhimsicalstoriesfromthiscollectionincludeAesopFablessuchas"TheSickLionandtheSlyFox"and"TheRabbitsandtheFrog"alongwithuniqueadaptationsofstoriesfromawidespreadofculturessuchas"TheFussyMouse"and"HowMommaMouseConfusedtheCat."Attheendofeachfable,theauthorsoffer"TheMoraloftheStory"tohelpguidestudentinterpretation.Theyalsonotedthattheirgoalsforthebookweretomakesurethatthestoriescouldbeeasilyintegratedintolessonplansbyteachers,meanwhilesimplifyingthestoriestomakethemfunforstudentstoreadaloudinclassandtoretellintheirownwords.Inreadingthesetales,thelessonsofmanyculturesarepassedalongandwisdomisshared.Youngreaderswillbehighlyengagedandentertainedbythefools,tricksters,andclevercharacterswhoappearinthesetimelessstories.TheseAesopfableswillalsoteachyoungreaderstheimportanceofcitizenship,trustworthinessandcaring.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:2nd–5th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:N/LEXILE:550L

ISBNS PAPERBACK:978-1-939160-77-5

GreekMyths,WesternStyle:TogaTaleswithanAttitude

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:BarbaraMcBride-Smith

ILLUSTRATOR:KatrinaKelso

DESCRIPTION Whenshewasayounggirl,BarbaraMcBride-SmithwasintroducedtotheancientGreekmyths,butshedidn'tquitehearthemcorrectly.Whenherteachertoldhertheylivedinthecradleofwesterncivilization,youngBarbarathoughtshesaidWesterncivilization—asincentralTexas,aroundaboutWaco,wheretheyseemedtofitrightin.Ol'ManZeus,afterall,wasagun-totin'BigDaddy,sortoftheJ.R.EwingofMountOlympus.YouknowAphrodite,theschoolbasketballqueenorPandorathedebutante,thebestguitarpickeraroundwasOrpheus-TomT.,andwasn'tMedusatheonewhostartedthefashiontrendknownasBigHair?WithherincurableTexasdrawl,feministsympathies,andcheerleader'sdo-rightattitude,masterstorytellerBarbaraMcBride-SmithspinstheGreekmythsasyou'veneverheardthembefore.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:6th–8th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:Z/LEXILE:810L

ISBNS HARDCOVER:978-0-874835-24-3/ PAPERBACK:978-0-874836-17-2

JuanBoboSendsthePigtoMass

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:AriAcevedo

ILLUSTRATOR:TomWrenn

DESCRIPTION JuanBobo,whichtranslatesto“SimpleJohn”,isfeaturedinaseriesofhumorousfolktalesfromPuertoRico.ThestoryisretoldbyAríAcevedo-Feliciano.Itisaclassictaleaboutamotherandherfoolish,youngsonwholackscommonsense.Onemorning,Juan'smotheraskshersontotakecareoftheirpigwhileshegoestochurchformass.Whilesheisgone,Juanhearsthepigsquealingandgrunting,sohethinksthatthepigissadbecauseshewantedtogotomass,too.Inanattempttobehelpful,hedressesupthepiginhismother'sclothesandjewelry,thenhesendsherofftomass.WhenJuan'smotherreturnsfromchurch,sheisfuriouswhenshediscoversthepigrollinginthemudwithwhatisleftofherdress.Still,Juanjustdoesn'tunderstandwhythepignevermadeittomass.TheseCubanfolktalesfeaturestoriesofpigsandfools.Readerswilllearntheimportanceofresourcefulness,responsibilityandtrustworthiness.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:K-2nd/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:H/LEXILE:610L

ISBNS PAPERBACK:978-0-874838-83-1

TheLittleMooseWhoCouldn’tGotoSleep:AMaynardMooseTale

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:WillyClaflin

ILLUSTRATOR:JamesStimson

DESCRIPTION IfyouloveMaynardMoosetalesfromtheNorthernPineyWoods,thenbeforewarned,thisbookmightjustbethefunniestyet.ThefourthinstallmentintheMaynardMooseseriesprovidesthebackstoryfortheMaynardMoosetales.InthiswhimsicaltellingofhowLittleMoosestruggleswithgoingtosleepeachnight,you'llmeetLittleMoose,Maynard'syoungestcousinandhisfavoritekin,herparentsMr.andMrs.Moose,thesheep,andmost,importantly,you'lllearnthelegendofMotherMooseandherkitchen.You'llalsovisitMooseAcademywhereyoungmoosegotolearnproperposture,woodlandskillsandcountingtothreeoverandoveragain.ThiswhimsicallyillustratedstoryalsoincludesaCDandaMoosetoEnglishdictionary.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:3rd–5th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:O/LEXILE:720L

ISBNS HARDCOVER:978-1-939160-67-6

NoodleheadStories:WorldTalesKidsCanReadandTell

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:MarthaHamiltonandMitchWeiss

ILLUSTRATOR:ArianeElsammak

DESCRIPTION Callitwhatyouwill:storiesofthefoolhavebeenaroundaslongaspeoplehavebeentellingstories.Everyonehasanoodleheadday,whenthebraintakesaleaveofabsence.Asthestoriesinthiscollectionshow,knuckleheadscomeinallformsandshapes.ThesestoriesbringtomindthewisewordsoftheFrenchhumoristFrancoisRebelais:"Ifyouwishtoavoidseeingafool,youmustfirstbreakyourmirror."Followingeachstoryaretipsfortelling—especiallywrittenforchildren,butsuitableforanyage—thatincludesuggestionsfortiming,intonation,gestures,andbodylanguage.Thereisalsoamapshowinginwhatareaoftheworldeachstoryoriginated.Designedforuseinprimaryandmiddlegrades,thisbookisperfectforchildrentoreadontheirownaswellasthosewhowanttolearntotellstories.It'salsoawonderfulresourceforadultswhotellstoriestochildren,andforteacherstouseinconjunctionwithlanguageartsorsocialstudiescurricula.Thesefoolishtalesarehilariousandrelatable.Furthermore,thiscollectionteachesreaderstheimportanceofcaring,citizenshipandfairness.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:3rd–5th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:V/LEXILE:830L

ISBNS PAPERBACK:978-0-874835-85-4/ HARDCOVER:978-0-874835-84-7

NoodleheadStories:WorldTalesKidsCanReadandTell

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:MarthaHamiltonandMitchWeiss

ILLUSTRATOR:ArianeElsammak

DESCRIPTION Callitwhatyouwill:storiesofthefoolhavebeenaroundaslongaspeoplehavebeentellingstories.Everyonehasanoodleheadday,whenthebraintakesaleaveofabsence.Asthestoriesinthiscollectionshow,knuckleheadscomeinallformsandshapes.ThesestoriesbringtomindthewisewordsoftheFrenchhumoristFrancoisRebelais:"Ifyouwishtoavoidseeingafool,youmustfirstbreakyourmirror."Followingeachstoryaretipsfortelling—especiallywrittenforchildren,butsuitableforanyage—thatincludesuggestionsfortiming,intonation,gestures,andbodylanguage.Thereisalsoamapshowinginwhatareaoftheworldeachstoryoriginated.Designedforuseinprimaryandmiddlegrades,thisbookisperfectforchildrentoreadontheirownaswellasthosewhowanttolearntotellstories.It'salsoawonderfulresourceforadultswhotellstoriestochildren,andforteacherstouseinconjunctionwithlanguageartsorsocialstudiescurricula.Thesefoolishtalesarehilariousandrelatable.Furthermore,thiscollectionteachesreaderstheimportanceofcaring,citizenshipandfairness.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:3rd–5th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:V/LEXILE:830L

ISBNS PAPERBACK:978-0-874835-85-4/ HARDCOVER:978-0-874835-84-7

RapunzelandtheSevenDwarfs:AMaynardMooseTale

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:WillyClaflin

ILLUSTRATOR:JamesStimson

DESCRIPTION "Onceuponatime,along,longtimeago..."Sobeginsthisstoryof...Rapunzel?...andTheSeven,orEight,orNINEDwarfs?Hey,what'sgoingonhere???Welcometotheslightlyoff-trackworldofMaynardMooseandtheancientMotherMoosetales.Thiswhimsicalfracturedfairytalewillhaveyoungreaderslaughingoutloud.WillyClaflinchannelsandtranslatesthesetalesforourentertainmentandenlightenment—ormaybejusttoconfuseus.RapunzelandtheSevenDwarfsexemplifiesthelessoninmanyofthesestories..."Thatthereain'tnomoraltosomestoriesatall."Thisgoofytakeonaclassicfairytalewillteachreaderstheimportanceofcourage,resourcefulnessandresponsibility.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:2nd–5th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:S/LEXILE:910L

ISBNS HARDCOVER:978-0-874839-14-2

SisterTricksters:RollickingTalesofCleverFemales

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:RobertSanSouci

ILLUSTRATOR:DanielSanSouci

DESCRIPTION EveryonerememberstheexploitsofBr'erRabbitandhiscohortsBr'erFox,Br'erPossum,andotherslycharacters.ButwhilethesetaleswerecirculatingamongslavesinthesouthernUnitedStates,anothersetofstorieswaspassedalongjustasenthusiastically,onlyheretheclevertricksterswerefemale.WhobettertotacklethestoriesofthesesistertrickstersthantheSanSoucibrothers?Utilizingacontagiouslyrhythmic,pitch-perfectdialect,writerRobertgleefullyinterpretstheexploitsofMollyCottontail,MizGrasshopper,MizDuck,andMizGooseagainstworthy(andnot-so-worthy)foessuchasMistahSlickrySly-fox,MistahRooster,andMistahBear.BrotherDaniel'scomicallyrealisticpaintingscapturetheslapstickfrenzyofthesecharactersengagedinbattlesofwitsagainsttheruralSouthernlandscapethatnourishedthetalesintheirinfancy.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:2nd–5th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:S/LEXILE:1050L

ISBNS HARDCOVER:978-0-874837-91-9

SittingDowntoEat

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:BillyHarley

ILLUSTRATOR:KittyHarvill

DESCRIPTION Ayoungboy'ssnacktimeisinterruptedbyavisitfromanelephant.Assoonashemovesovertomakeroom,theyarejoinedbyatiger...andahippo...andabigbluewhale...andsoonafullmenagerie,eachinsistingthere'sroomforonemore.Withhistrademarkmarriageofstoryandsong,children'sentertainerBillHarleyteststheboundariesofhisyounghero'spatience—andhospitality.YoungreaderswilldelightincountingcandlesonthebirthdaycakethatisamongthemanyfavoritefoodstobefoundinKittyHarvill'svibrant,kineticcut-papercollages,whichcapturetheenergyandrhythmofHarley'scumulativetale.Thisvibrantanimalstorywillteachreaderstheimportanceofsharing.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:PreK–3rd/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:H/LEXILE:N/A

ISBNS PAPERBACK:978-0-874836-03-5/HARDCOVER:978-0-874834-60-4

TalesofNonsenseandTomfoolery

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:PleasantDeSpain

ILLUSTRATOR:DonBell

DESCRIPTION Everycultureknowntohumankindhasitsfools,thosewell-meaning(yetbungling)folkswhoalwaysmanagetodothewrongthing,eventhoughtheirheartsareintherightplace.Fromstoriesofthefool,welearnhowtoavoidbecomingoneourselves—aswellashowtolaughatourselveswhentheinevitablehappensandwedosomethingsilly.Thetenstoriescollectedheredealwithfoolsfromaroundtheworld,including:"TheSillyFarmer"fromEthiopia,"TheExtraordinaryCat"fromChina,"TheBearWhoSaidNorth"fromFinland,and"TheProudFox"fromtheUnitedStates.PleasantDeSpainistheauthorofnumerouscollectionsofmulticulturalstories,includingthehighlyregardedThirty-ThreeMulticulturalTalestoTell,SweetLandofStory,andTheEmeraldLizard.HehastraveledallovertheUnitedStatesandtheworld,collectingstoriestosharewithchildrenandadults.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:3rd–5th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:O/LEXILE:830L

ISBNS PAPERBACK:978-0-874836-45-5/HARDCOVER:978-0-874836-70-7

TricksterTales:FortyFolkStoriesfromAroundtheWorld

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:JosephaSherman

ILLUSTRATOR:DavidBoston

DESCRIPTION Peopleofallageslovetowatchtheescapadesoftricksters.Inmoderntimes,wewatchBugsBunny,RoadRunnerandWileE.Coyote,evenAceVenturaandBartSimpson.Butthesecontemporarycharactershaverootsinantiquity.Thetricksterisauniversalarchetype,foundineveryculture:AnansiamongtheAfricanpeople,CoyoteintheAmericanSouthwest,RaveninthePacificNorthwest,RabbitintheAmericanSouth,theleprechauninIreland,andFoxinSouthAmerica.JosephaShermanhascollectedfortystoriesoftrickstersfromaroundtheglobe.Sometimeshuman,sometimesanimal,mostoftenmale(butoccasionallyafemale,asShermandemonstrates),thetricksterislikeaforceofnature,anIduncheckedbySuperego.Heisthesortofbeingwhosays,whileactingonimpulse,"WhathappensifIdothis?Whatwillhappennext?"Thesestoriescomefromfortyworldcultures,includingancientBabylonia,Botswana,andChina.Thismulticulturalcollectionwillteachreaderstheimportanceofcaring,fairnessandresourcefulness.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:3rd–4th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:O/LEXILE:N/A

ISBNS PAPERBACK:978-0-874834-50-5

TheUglifiedDucky:AMaynardMooseTale

AUTHOR&ILLUSTRATOR

AUTHOR:WillyClaflin

ILLUSTRATOR:JamesStimson

DESCRIPTION YoumaythinkyouknowtheclassicstoryoftheUglyDuckling,butthinkagain.InthecapablehandsofhisalteregoMaynardMoose,renownedstorytellerWillyClaflintakesusonawackyjourneywherethisUglifiedDucky,ahaplessyoungmoose,"blundersaway"fromhishome,ismistakenforababyduck,andenduresendlesshumiliationashetriestolearntowaddle,quack,swim,andfly.Eventually,hefindshistrue"fambly,"whohelpshimdiscoverhisownbeauty.Inhisfractured“Moose”English,translatedintheglossaryatfront,Maynardrelaysasurprisinglytenderstorythatechoestheoriginaltale'sthemeofthestruggletobelonganddiscoveryourtrueself.TheUglifiedDucky'squestisplayfullybutsympatheticallyinterpretedinJamesStimson'sluminous,drollgouacheillustrations.

READINGLEVEL INTEREST:2nd–5th/FOUNTAS&PINNELL:S/LEXILE:830L

ISBNS HARDCOVER: 978-0-874838-58-9/PAPERBACK:978-0-874839-53-1