Books for beginning readers earn tip of hat from Dr. Seuss award

Learning to read should be fun. All too often, however, the books available for beginning readers are simple-minded and boring.

Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, sought to change all that with his brilliantly witty books for beginning readers, such as "The Cat in the Hat." So several years ago, the American Library Association decided to salute Geisel's efforts to make reading fun by establishing a special award in his name.

The Geisel Award, first given in 2006, is bestowed annually to the authors and illustrators of the most distinguished books for beginning readers. The winner is chosen by a group of librarians.

If you're a parent whose child is just learning to read, give the Geisel winners a try. You can find out more about the award and previous winners at this Web site: www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/geiselaward/index.cfm.

While the winning books have so far been beginning readers, several of the Geisel Honor — or runner-up — books have been picture books, such as "Jazz Baby" by Lisa Wheeler, or even nonfiction, like "Vulture View" by April Pulley Sayre. This year, the Geisel Honor books included a picture book, a nonfiction volume and even a graphic novel.

Here's a closer look at the 2009 Geisel winners.

GEISEL AWARD

Mo Willems burst onto the children's-book scene in 2004, when one of his first children's books, "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus," won a Caldecott Honor. The following year, Willems won a second Caldecott Honor for "Knuffle Bunny."

In 2007, Willems expanded his efforts from picture books to beginning readers, publishing the first four volumes in a new series focused on two unlikely friends, Elephant and Piggie. One of those books, "There Is a Bird On Your Head," won the 2008 Geisel Award.

Now, Willems has done it again, winning the 2009 Geisel Award for another Elephant and Piggie book, "Are You Ready to Play Outside?" (Hyperion, $8.99). Once again, Elephant, whose name is Gerald, isn't sure he's up to doing what his exuberant friend Piggie is planning.

Piggie wants to spend the day outside so they can skip, jump and run. "Nothing can stop us," he adds confidently. Then it begins to rain, and Piggie is furious. Fortunately, Gerald has a solution or two.

Willems' text uses basic words but vibrates with energy, and young readers will love the way Gerald creates a happy ending for Piggie. As always, Willems' artwork is wonderful as he uses simple lines and a limited color palette to add lots of detail and emotion to his story. (Ages 4-7.)

GEISEL HONORS

• Young readers can learn all about a tiny but fascinating "backyard predator" in "Wolfsnail" (Boyds Mill Press, $16.95). Written by Sarah Campbell, the book follows a wolfsnail as it spots and then devours its prey — a smaller snail. Campbell's text is full of interesting facts, and readers can gather further information from the close-up color photographs taken by her husband, Richard Campbell. (Ages 4-7.)

• Stinky's a swamp-dwelling monster who dislikes kids because they like to take baths, they don't like mud and they eat cake and even apples. So Stinky is appalled when a boy decides to build a treehouse in one of his trees. Despite his best efforts, however, Stinky can't get rid of the boy and they eventually become friends, brought together by Stinky's enormous toad, Wartbelly. In "Stinky" (Toon Books, $12.95), author-illustrator Eleanor Davis has created a graphic novel that's perfect for beginning readers. As in all the Toon Book readers, kids can get the entire story by just looking at the pictures, which cuts down on frustration as they attempt to decipher the text. (Ages 4-7.)

• Author-illustrator Laura Vaccaro Seeger combines vibrant artwork with a clever story and die-cut pages to create the memorable "One Boy" (Roaring Brook Press, $14.95). In this picture book, kids will learn to read numbers and simple words as they try to figure out just how Seeger is going to tie things up in the end. Young readers will particularly enjoy exploring Seeger's use of die-cut pages to tell her story. (Ages 3-6.)

• Earl and Pearl are trying to get some gardening done, and Chicken just won't stay out of their pumpkin patch. But, as author Judyann Ackerman Grant shows in "Chicken Said, 'Cluck!' " (HarperCollins, $16.99), Chicken ends up saving the pumpkin patch from hungry grasshoppers. Grant's text will entertain young readers, while Sue Truesdell's illustrations further broaden the comedy. (Ages 4-7.)

Karen MacPherson, the children's/teen librarian at the Takoma Park, Md., Library, can be reached at Kam.Macpherson@gmail.com.