One of my Favorites: Bark, George

One of the best parts of being a librarian is having the opportunity to tell parents, teachers, caregivers, and kids about some truly wonderful children's books that they may overlook. Children often get excited about books that are gimmicky - that feature their favorite television character or that have sparkles on the cover, etc. There is certainly a place for those books, and I would never discourage a child from reading them. (I would get concerned if that was all they were ever reading, but that's another post...) The books that become favorites, though, they aren't the gimmicky ones.

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer is one of my favorites - I've read it aloud dozens of times in a variety of situations and it never fails to crack up the listener, even adults, but it's great for getting kids giggling. It's really funny! It seems like you can always get a child interested in books and reading if you can get him to laugh. This simple picture book is great for preschoolers and early elementary students. Poor puppy George just can't seem to bark, for some very absurd reasons! (Moms, watch the pictures for the facial expressions of George's mother and tell me you don't relate!)

I have to also encourage anyone who reads Bark, George to really dramatize the story. The reader needs to act out George's mom's frustration and react in shock when the source (and extent) of George's problem is discovered. If you aren't used to reading aloud with some feeling, it can feel silly, but it's totally worth it when your child becomes engaged and delighted by the story.