For those of you who read as many childrens books as I do,  I LOVE THIS LADY!  Her books are so endearing,  her illustrations are gorgeous and the stories are adorable.  Her books always have  a really nice underlying moral.  They always seem to involve a childs mind being open by an older relative.   Something I really appreciate.   Its a nice change.  Our elders are knowledgeable and in many cultures the grandparents are a respected source of education for the children. This is something I wish our western culture recognized more... Could you imagine!! more grandparents in the schools please!!  Circle story time would be amazing.  Check out her site Patricia Polacco

and even if you dont have kids of your own ... childrens literature is a breath of fresh air.