The Sleeping Gypsy by Mordicai Gerstein

Mr. Gerstein explains his interpretation of Henri Rousseau's painting The Sleeping Gypsy.
Intriguing!
Perfect when teaching an art unit about Henri Rousseau.
-Borrowed from the library.

Penguin Problems by Jory John illustrated by Lane Smith

My boys and I did not like this book at all.
A penguin spends most of the book complaining why he does not like being a penguin.  His bad attitude and pessimistic outlook are quite overwhelming.  Mr. John certainly does an excellent job portraying a whiny, spoiled kid (although in this case, a penguin).
I could see using this book to show a child who has a continual bad attitude how it may feel to be around him/her.
My youngest thought the book was boring.
The cover is adorable.
-Borrowed from the library.

Cold-Case Christianity for Kids by J. Warner Wallace and Susie Wallace with Rob Suggs*

Using second person, Mr. Wallace places the reader right in the story.
With other characters in the story, the reader is trained in the detective training academy as cadets.  Detective Jeffries instructs the students how to look at a crime scene like a detective.  As they solve a skateboard mystery, they also "solve" the mystery of Christianity to determine if it is true.
*Highly recommend.
-I own this book.
Reading this version makes me want to read Mr. Wallace adult version -Cold-Case Christianity (which he recommends to parents who have bought this book for their children).

Poets and Saints by Jamie George*

This beautifully written book was another one I savored.  Mr. George, a pastor at Journey Church in Tennessee, delves into various poets' and saints' lives and provides thought-provoking spiritual applications.  To research this book and to produce a movie about the people featured, he and a crew traveled to the locations where these individuals resided or made their mark.  He also brought along some of his children.
So this book is also a travel memoir with some amusing stories.
Such creativity!
Individuals featured: St. Patrick, William Cowper, John Newton, C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Saint Therese of Lisieux, John Calvin, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Peter and Martin Luther.
My favorite individuals featured were St. Patrick and Peter.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan*

Two children are lost in a snowstorm.  A dog, Teddy, finds them and leads them to a cabin in the woods.  For days the threesome is stranded in the cabin.  As the story progresses, the reader discovers why the dog is there alone and more about the owner of the dog.
Beautiful story!
The story is told from Teddy's point of view.

Follow the Leader by Emma Chichester Clark*

A boy and his dog are playing "follow the leader" when, one-by-one other animals join in the game.  Then a tiger wants to join in the game.  What a predicament!
A great book for toddlers who are learning to identify animals.  As each animal joins the line, the toddler can name it.
For older listeners, they can predict how the boy will solve the problem.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

Follow the Leader by Erica Silverman illustrated by G. Brian Karas

An brother and his younger brother play follow the leader, with the older brother always leading.
Rhyming text.
-Borrowed from the library.