Playing to Get Smart
by Elizabeth Jones and Renatta M. Cooper, Teachers College Press; November 2005

In Playing to Get Smart, Jones and Cooper assert that “play is what young children do best,” and “it’s through play that young children get smart.” Their book is an argument on play as an important and much neglected component of early childhood education. The book is not only a serious academic/ philosophic treatise, but also describes many instances of children at play that illustrate how play contributes to critical thinking, promotes language development, exploration and investigation and more. And its fun too: throughout there are sprinkled the kind of jokes that kids love: “Why did the whale cross the ocean? To get to the other tide.” “Why did the chicken cross the playground? To get to the other slide.” (Judy Baum)

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The Shame of a Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America
by Jonathan Kozol, Crown; September 2005

From Jonathan Kozol, a longtime advocate for the nation's most impoverished students, comes a dismal report about how growing racial segregation; rigid, scripted teaching techniques; and military-style discipline in schools cause poor and minority students to be left behind. New York City readers will be interested to read Kozol's vivid descriptions of the decrepit facilities in South Bronx schools, his sad and brief history of Martin Luther King High school  -- and his plaudits for Insideschools.org!

Small Victories
by Samuel G. Freedman, Perennial; May 1991

This compelling story captures the challenges and rewards of a year in the life of a high school teacher and her students on the Lower East Side. First published in 1988, Small Victories remains one of the most evocative and memorable books written about New York City public schools.

Freddy Goes to Florida by Walter R. Brooks, Puffin Books; June 2001 (Reprint edition)

Meet Freddy, the pig, hero of Walter Brooks's 26 volumes about the animals in Mr. and Mrs. Bean's farmyard. Charles the speechifying rooster, Mrs. Wiggins, the calm and motherly cow, Hank the loyal and hardworking horse, Jinx the wiley cat are among a host of others whose adventures might lie just around the corner or as far away as the North Pole, for that matter. Since the first was published in 1927, the humorous and endearing Freddy series has won a loyal following so lots of parents and teachers remember them fondly. They will be happy to know that all 26 books are being reissued, either in hard cover by Overlook Press or paperback by Puffin. Whether they are old fans or new to the books, adults will love reading these novels with their kids. (Judy Baum)

Born Blue by Han Nolan, Harcourt Children's Books, 2001.

Born Blue tells the story of a girl, born to a heroin-addict, who has seen it all -- abandonment, foster homes, abuse, teenage pregnancy -- by the age of 13. Incredibly, she not only survives, but manages to stay focused on her goal of becoming a famous singer. This moving account of the hardships of growing up in the foster care system gives readers realistic insight into what it must be like to survive against the odds.

Elsewhere
by Gabrielle Zevin, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); September 2005

This deftly written novel begins after the death of its main character, 15-year-old Lizzie Hall. Even though it’s set in an alternate reality, an afterlife called Elsewhere, young adults will recognize their own experiences as Lizzie learns to drive, fights with her friends and falls in love for the first time. Elsewhere is perfect for maturing readers who want to think about the biggest questions of real life without sacrificing the whimsy of children’s literature. (Philissa Cramer)

Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States
by Lori Marie Carlson, Henry Holt and Co., April 2005

This compilation of poems from award-winning writers and NYC public school students are the voices of various Latino communities. Vibrant words filled with Latin flavor will get your hips swaying to rancheras, hupangos, merengue, y salsa. Good for Spanish-speaking children who are just learning English -- and English-speaking children who are just learning Spanish.