Pick of the Decade 1995-2005:
2nd Grade

Picture Books

Kellogg, Steven. The Mysterious Tadpole: The 25 th Anniversary Edition , 2002.

Kellogg has updated the illustrations and filled in the plot of his classic story of the special birthday present that he receives from his uncle in Scotland .

Kelly, John. The Mystery of Eatum Hall , 2004.

Mr. and Mrs. Pork-Fowler are invited to spend a weekend of gourmet dining at a spooky castle where their host, Mr. Hunter, is anxious to "meat" them.

Kurtz, Jane. In the Small, Small Night , 2005.

Kofi can't sleep in his new home in the United States , so his older sister Abena soothes his fears about life in a different country by telling him two folktales from their native Ghana about the nature of wisdom and perseverance.

Kuskin, Karla. The Upstairs Cat , 1997.

The upstairs cat and the downstairs cat see only their differences, not their similarities and so they are always fighting. (See also: The Dallas Titans Get Ready for Bed and The Philharmonic Gets Dressed. )

Marshall, James. Swine Lake , 1999.

The Boarshoi ballet is performing Swine Lake and when the wolf peeks in to observe, he thinks it's the perfect opportunity to snatch his dinner. (See also: George and Martha ; George and Martha Encore ; George and Martha Rise and Shine ; George and Martha, Tons of Fun ; George and Martha Back in Town ; The Cut-Ups ; Yummers Too ; Wings : A Tale of Two Chickens ; Little Red Ridinghood ; The Cut-Ups Cut Loose ; George and Martha Round and Round ; The Three Little Pigs ; The Cut-Ups at Camp Custer ; Hansel and Gretel ; and The Cut-Ups Carry On .)

Meddaugh, Susan. Cinderella's Rat , 1997.

One of Cinderella's transformed coachmen, does not return to being a rat at the stroke of midnight. He is human and his sister is a rat and now he must find a way to remedy the situation.

Noble, Trinka Hakes. Jimmy's Boa and the Bungee Jump Slam Dunk , 2003.

Jimmy brings his Boa to basketball practice, creating calamity. (See also: The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash ; Jimmy's Boa Bounces Back ; and Jimmy's Boa and the Big Splash Birthday .)

Polacco, Patricia. Mr. Lincoln's Way , 2001.

Mr. Lincoln, an African-American principal, is well loved by most of his students, but "mean Gene," bullies everyone. Instead of berating him, Mr. Lincoln uses Gene's interest in birds to help lead him to a new way of looking at life. (See also: Thundercake ; Just Plain Fancy ; Mrs. Katz and Tush ; Babushka Baba Yaga ; My Ol' Man ; Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair ; The Keeping Quilt ; and The Graves Family .)

Puler, Robin. Punctuation Takes a Vacation , 2003.

When the punctuation in Mr. Wright's class gets miffed, all of the marks decide to go on a vacation and the students discover that nothing makes sense without them.

Recorvits, Helen. My Name Is Yoon , 2003.

Yoon, newly arrived in America , misses her native Korea and struggle to be a part of her new class. She hates the way her name looks in English and tries different words until settling on her own name at last.

Ryan, Pam Munoz. Mice and Beans , 2001.

Rosa Maria, a Spanish-speaking grandmother, is making the special preparations for her granddaughter's birthday party, unaware that the mice are making plans for a celebration of their own.

Soto, Gary . Chato's Kitchen , 1995.

Chat, a cat living in East Los Angeles , and his friend, Novio Boy, plan a dinner for their new neighbor, the mice, hoping they will be the main course. (Sequel: Chato and the Party Animals .)

Stanley, Diane. Saving Sweetness , 1996.

When Sweetness, the littlest orphan in Mrs. Slump's orphanage, runs away, the sheriff sets off to rescue her, but it isn't Sweetness that ends up needing saving. (Sequel: Raising Sweetness .)

Teague, Mark. Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School , 2002.

Mrs. LaRue has sent her terrier, Ike, off to obedience school and the pup writes begging to come home.

Wisniewski, David. Tough Cookie , 1999.

Tough Cookie, a trench-coat wearing cookie detective, lives at the bottom of the cookie jar, investigating crime and trying to ward off the invasion of "Fingers."

Woodson, Jacqueline. Coming on Home Soon , 2004.

After Mama takes a job in Chicago during World War II, Ada Ruth stays with Grandma but misses her mother who loves her more than rain and snow.

Young, Ed. I, Doko: The Tale of a Basket, 2004.

A Nepalese basket tells the story of its use through three generations of a family.

Zelinsky, Paul. Rapunzel , 1997.

Zelinsky retells the classic fairy tale and illustrates it with masterful Italian Renaissance-style paintings (Caldecott winner). (See also: Rumpelstiltskin ; and The Maid, the Mouse and the Odd-Shaped House .)