Good Books for Little Friends

Animals in the Snow by Margaret Wise Brown Child-pleasing illustrations by Carol Schwartz and repetition of words help make this simple coming-of-spring story by a well-loved children’s author truly a delight.

The Shepherd Boy by Kristine L. Franklin Ben is the shepherd boy. He is young; he is a Navajo. When school is out, he takes fifty sheep to a secret spring each day. One evening he must race against nightfall to find a lamb “small and lost but not afraid, for she knows the voice of the shepherd boy.”

A Quiet Night In by Jill Murphy Mrs. Large got the four little Larges ready for bed early so that she and Mr. Large could celebrate his birthday with a quiet night in. When he came home from work, all the little Larges asked was that he read them a story. But he fell asleep in the middle of it—and Mrs. Large fell asleep while trying to finish it for them. So the little Larges very quietly put themselves to bed!

Amber on the Mountain by Tony Johnston Amber was lonely on the mountain where she lived with her parents. She didn’t even have books to keep her company because there was no one to teach her to read. Then Anna, a road-builder’s daughter, did. But the road was finished before Anna could teach Amber to write, and she desperately wanted to write to the only friend she’d ever had.

Three Cheers for Tacky by Helen Lester Tacky was different. He didn’t exactly louse everything up, but he didn’t do things like the other penguins. He tried hard, and he finally did the cheer right—before the contest. He couldn’t do it for the contest, though, and that turned out to be a good thing! The hilarious pictures are just right.