Reading Rainbow Guide to Children's Books: The 101 Best Titles - Softcover

The Reading Rainbow team discusses 101 children's books selected from the 400 titles that have appeared on the acclaimed public television series over its 10 years of programming for young children. A general introduction discusses how the books are chosen and how the series is made. The books are arranged alphabetically by subject, from adventure and animals to poetry, science, and sports. Each title is discussed in some detail, about a page per book, with a small reproduction of the cover; there's also a brief description of how the book was used on the show. A bibliography at the back lists the three "review books" that accompany the main title. The occasional use of adjectives such as darling and adorable is irritating, but the book choices are great, and librarians, parents, and teachers will find the well-designed volume a handy reference to some of the best children's literature that has reached a wide audience. Hazel Rochman