Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons for Young Readers

Summary:  It’s the last weekend of summer; the narrator is about to start first grade and isn’t sure he wants to leave kindergarten.  When he and his family go on their annual camping trip to Mountain Pond, they’re surprised when a tiger comes to join them. He asks if he can borrow a tent, and he and the boy hang out inside.  The tiger joins the family as they hike, canoe, and fish, and the boy finds himself doing things that in the past have been difficult, like catching a fish and steering the canoe. The two go on a nighttime adventure the final night, but when the boy wakes up the next morning, the tiger is gone.  When the family gets home again, he draws a picture to show his first grade teacher and to help him to remember the tiger. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Kids will be kept guessing about the tiger–is he real or imaginary?–as they connect with the boy discovering his own tiger nature and becoming braver about trying new things.  John Rocco’s illustrations are amazing and possibly worth some Caldecott consideration.

Cons:  Some of the symbolism introduced by Yale professor and Pulitzer Prize finalist Susan Choi may be a bit over the heads of the intended audience.

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Published by Disney-Hyperion

Summary:  The bears arrive first, ready to enjoy their annual week inside.  Then come the beavers, deer, and skunks. They marvel at the luxuries of a roof over their heads, ice cream in the freezer, and electricity.  They enjoy their life indoors for a few days, but eventually things turn around and boredom sets in. They start to get on each others’ nerves and to miss life outside (“I miss peeing behind a tree,” says a skunk).  At the end of the week, they’re ready to go home, but they promise each other they’ll be back for another vacation next year. The last page shows a family returning from a camping trip, unsuspecting that their house has been trashed by the animals.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A perfect summer read-aloud, with the animals acting indoors just like humans do when they spend a week in the great outdoors.  The wild and crazy illustrations and cartoon bubbles will elicit lots of laughs

Cons:  The transition from enjoying vacation to boredom seemed abrupt.

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Published by Kids Can Press

Summary:  “Some days are not like most days,” reads the first page, accompanied by a picture of a traffic light.  “Red light, green li-”. If you’re expecting “-ght” on the next page, you’ll be surprised to find “-on”, along with a picture of a green lion.  After that, it’s green lightning. There’s also a green lilac, a green lifeboat, some green livestock, and green library books. The message is that you can’t know what the day will bring, and it’s best to accept whatever comes along.  “Some days don’t make much sense at the beginning. But they always make sense in the end.” And, finally, the traffic light turns green. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A deceptively simple book that would make a fun read-aloud for kids to guess what “li-” word is coming up next, and then to discuss the message of the story.

Cons:  It would make a more fun guessing game to have a clue on the preceding page.

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