Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee

Illustrated by Tony Fucile. The winner of this year's Geisel award, given to the authors and illustrator of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year, shows us two opposites who are always best friends - even when compromise is required.  The three adventures include buying discount socks, a trip to the Andes Mountains, and buying a goldfish.  A funny, early reader; a graphic novel for this audience.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

 

Although this book sat on my bookshelf for a few months, I hesitated to pick it up because I know once I pick a book up I can't put it down, and I really did not have time to read.  I did, however, pick up on the tidbit that Larsson created the character based on a grown-up Pippi Longstocking.  That intrigued me.  I had a hard time with the first few chapters but once I got into the book, it became a page turner. After being accused of libel, journalist Mikael Blomqvist is hired by Henrik Vanger to find the murderer of his great-niece Harriet. Blomqvist pairs up with Lisbeth Salamander, the heroine of Larsson's trilogy. 

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

Caldecott Honor Book.  Papa Chicken tries to read a variety of bedtime stories to little red chicken but chicken eagerly interrupts and the stories end abruptly.  Finally Little Red tells the story and Papa readily falls asleep.  Illustrations in mixed media, watercolor, crayon add a humorous touch to this laugh-out-loud story.  Good read aloud. Also good for a funny bedtime story.