Dr. Dave's Family Favorites' - Print this page

Tales of Adventure

Preschool

1. A Beasty Story by Bill Martin, Jr. Illustrated by Steven Kellogg. Harcourt Brace, 1999. $16.00 (Hardcover) ISBN: 015201683X
        Bill Martin and Steven Kellogg have teamed up to create a wonderful "scary" story for the younger child who doesn't want to be too scared. They even managed to make learning color names part of the fun.
2. Gramps and the Fire Dragon by Bethany Roberts. Illustrated by Melissa Iwai. Clarion Books, 2000. $15.00 (Hardcover) ISBN: 0395698499
        A bit of imagination whips up a perfect dragon for this grandfather and grandson. Only this dragon breaths fire and the duo has quite a chase before they manage to outwit the dragon and arrive safely back home.
3. Bill and Pete by Tomie dePaola. PaperStar, 1978. $5.99 (Paperback) ISBN 0698114000
        Tomie de Paola has created an engaging pair of friends, a crocodile and his friendly "toothbrush" bird. With its bright, colorful illustrations, this humorous story is sure to please the youngest reader.
4. Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile by Tomie dePaola. PaperStar, 1987. $5.99 (Paperback) ISBN 0698114019
        Bill and Pete team up for another adventure. This time they recognize the "Bad Guy" on their class trip down the Nile. Silly and fun, readers will enjoy seeing how Bill and Pete save the day again.
5. The Adventures of Taxi Dog by Debra and Sal Barracca. Illustrated by Mark Buehner. Puffin, 1990. $5.99 (Paperback) ISBN 0140566651
        The life of Maxi the taxi dog is full of adventure and great characters. Jim the taxi driver finds Maxi, homeless, on the street and his life has never been the same since. Wonderful illustrations make this a fun and engaging story for the youngest reader.
6. Five Little Piggies by David Martin. Illustrated by Susan Meddaugh. Candlewick, 1998. $6.99 (Paperback) ISBN 076361081X
        Martin has turned a traditional finger rhyme into five short engaging stories. Why did that piggy go to market? And what did that piggy have none of? Read the tale, have a laugh and find out.
7. Hug by Jez Alborough. Candlewick, 2000. $14.99 (Hardcover) ISBN 0763612871
        What does every little one want more than anything? (A hug, of course.) Follow baby monkey through the jungle, as he looks for the one who can hug him the best.

1. Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure by Don Brown. Houghton Mifflin Co (Trd), 2000. $5.95 (Paperback) ISBN: 0618073167
        Set in the early 1900's Alice Ramsey is the first woman to drive across the United States by automobile. What makes this adventure so appealing is that in 1909 there were no roads, only trails over much of the country. It took her fifty-nine days and quite an adventure she had.
2. Rhinos for Lunch and Elephants for Supper! by Tololwa Mollel. Illustrated by Barbara Spurll. Houghton Mifflin Co (Trd), 2000. $6.95 (Paperback) ISBN: 0618051562
        In this traditional Maasai tale, the animals of the forest try, one by one, to evict a horrible "monster" from rabbit's cave. A voice booming, " A monster, a monster! I eat rhinos for lunch and elephants for supper! Come in if you dare!" always stops them in their tracks. Who will finally be able to help rabbit?
3. In Control : How to Fly a 747 by Ian Graham. Candlewick Press, 2000 $7.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0763612782
        Here is just the book for anyone interested in how to fly the 747 airplane. Included are a well illustrated book on how to fly the plane, a fact filled book on being a pilot, a poster, your own 747 model to build, and stickers to decorate your plane. Altogether this makes for a fascinating look at what's inside those giant planes.
4. John Blair and the Great Hinckley Fire by Joi Nobisso. Illustrated by Ted Rose. Houghton Mifflin Co (Juv), 2000. $16.00 (Hardcover) ISBN: 0618015604
        In 1894, one of the most damaging firestorms in history ravaged through central Minnesota. Read how John Blair became a hero saving a train full of people who found themselves unknowingly caught in the middle of this devastating fire.
5. Catkin by Antonia Barber. Candlewick Press, 1994. $6.99 (Paperback) ISBN 156402976X
        In this fantasy tale, the lord and lady of the Little People have mysteriously abducted a child. Catkin, a small "golden cat" must use all her strengths to solve three riddles and free the child from the Little People's magical kingdom.
6. Patrick's Dinosaurs by Carol Carrick. Illustrated by Donald Carrick. Clarion, 1983. $5.95 (Paperback) ISBN 0899194028
        A great story for any dinosaur lover. Young Patrick is not quite so sure that dinosaurs have disappeared. As his brother Hank fills him in on dinosaur facts, Patrick is sure there are still a few poking their heads around.
7. What Happened to Patrick's Dinosaurs? by Carol Carrick. Illustrated by Donald Carrick. Clarion, 1986. $5.95 (Paperback) ISBN 0899197973
        In this colorfully illustrated follow-up story, Patrick spins his imagination to explain why all the dinosaurs disappeared. Wonderfully creative, Patrick weaves a tale that will leave every reader satisfied.

1. Maze by Will Hobbs. Camelot, 1999. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 038072913X
        At fourteen, Rick Walker's life has hit a dead end. A way out of this maze comes in the high deserts and canyons of Utah. In this high adventure tale of friendship and lost identity, Rick finds a future.
2. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. Puffin, 1950. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN 0140309578
        Pippi turns life upside down and that's just fine for her two new friends, Tommy and Annika. In Astrid Lindgren's classic humorous story, Pippi, lives life to her own tunes much to the dismay of adults.
3. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. Puffin,1959. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN0140348107
        Living in New York City, Sam dreamed of surviving all alone in the woods. One day Sam sets off to make his dream come true and finds himself in the middle of an adventure of a lifetime. Could he make his dream come true? Can he survive all by himself, living off the land?
4. Holes by Louis Sachar. Yearling Books, reprint 2000. $5.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0440414806
        Stanley finds himself in an adventure that he wouldn't have wished on his worst enemy. Unjustly sent to a detention center, Camp Greenwood, Stanley soon finds that this camp doesn't have a lake or trees. It does have holes, lots of them. A mystery and a wonderful cast of strange characters fill out the story, making this book a best read.

1. The Pirate's Son by Geraldine McCaughrean. Scholastic, 1999. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0590203487
        In the early 1700's three teenagers find themselves sailing away from England bound for Madagascar and the adventure begins. Pirates control the seas and one of these teens is the son of a the most notorious pirate of all. McCaughrean has created a well-written story of high adventure.
2. Come A Stranger by Cynthia Voigt. Aladdin, 1986. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN 068980444X
        Cynthia Voigt weaves a complex, moving story of a young African American girl and her awakening self-awareness as she moves into young adulthood. Her family and close-knit community provide a balance as she encounters and deals with issues ranging from racism and prejudice to love.
3. The Wreckers by Iain Lawrence. Yearling Book, 1998. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0440415454
        A gripping page turner from the beginning, The Wrecker, is a high seas tale of adventure and suspense. Evil lurks in the village high on the cliffs where folks would pray and finally lure ships to their death during stormy weather. Set in the 1700s, John Spencer finds himself on such a ship. Surviving the wreck, he must now survive the villagers.
4. Checkers by John Marsden. Laureleaf, 1996. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0440228603
        "It's a miracle anyone survives to be a teenager. It's a miracle any teenager survives to be an adult." This story is about the survival of one such teen. Sadness and impending doom pervade her family's high finance story. When the crash comes, she has to learn to tell her story to begin to heal.

Dr. Dave's Family Favorites can be found at your local Target store