A list of ten favorite quotations from children’s literature. Ooooh, I want one. I’ll have to make my own.

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Connie Willis has a new set of two books (a twology?) about her crazy time-traveling historians. The books are Blackout and All Clear, and in these two books the historians are traveling to World War II Britain. I can’t wait, but I’ll have to wait until after Cybils season. Maybe someone will give me the two volume set for Christmas? Hint, hint. Review of Blackout at Becky’s Book Reviews.

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I don’t really like short stories. Even if they’re good, they’re disappointing because there’s not enough. Nevertheless, this list, compiled by a group of NPR interns, looks worthwhile. I might even find a short story that I can enjoy on its own terms.

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I’m working on a project of collecting books for this orphanage in Zambia. Today I’ll list the picture books that I would like to send/take to Zambia this summer, and on future Sundays I’ll list the easy readers and middle grade fiction books that I would like to take to be placed in the library there. If you would be interested in helping with this project by providing any of the books (new, or used in good condition), please email me for more information. You can order any of the books from Amazon by clicking on the title link and have them sent to me (yes, I get a small kickback from Amazon which I will use to purchase more books). Right now the plan is for a group from my church to go to Zambia this summer and take the books that we have gathered with them.

Rabbit Makes A Monkey of Lion by Verna Aardema
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema
This for That: A Tonga Tale by Verna Aardema
My Five Senses by Aliki.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by John Archambault and Bill Martin.
Listen to the Rain by John Archambault and Bill Martin.
Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang
Flash, Crash, Rumble and Roll by Franklyn Branley.
The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown.
Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan
Along the Luangwa: A Story of an African Floodplain by Schuyler Bull.
Crocodile Crossing by Schuyler Bull.
I Can’t Said the Ant by Polly Cameron.
Do You Want to Be My Friend by Eric Carle.
The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Does God Know How to Tie Shoes by Nancy Carlstrom.
Mama Panya’s Pancakes by Mary Chamberlin.
The Little Fish That Got Away by Bernadine Cook.
Not So Fast, Songololo by Niki Daly.
Pretty Salma by Niki Daly.
The Cloud Book by Tomie dePaola.
The Hatseller and the Monkeys by Baba Waque Diakite.
Feel the Wind by Arthur Dorros.
Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean by Arthur Dorros.
Petunia by Roger Duvoisin.
Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert.
Take This Hammer by Beryl and Sam Epstein.
Jambo Means Hello by Muriel Feelings.
Moja Means One by Muriel Feelings.
Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag.
Trucks by Gail Gibbons.
Each Orange Had 8 Slices by Paul Giganti.
How Many Snails by Paul Giganti.
Look What Came from Africa by Miles Harvey.
Count Your Way Through Africa by James Haskins.
How Animals Care for their Babies by Roger Hirschland.
Count and See by Tana Hoban.
Is It Red? Is It Yellow? Is It Green? By Tana Hoban.
My Hands Can by Jean Hozenthaler.
Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins.
At the Crossroads by Rachel Isadora.
Over the Green Hills by Rachel Isadora.
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats.
Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats.
The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats.
Africa Is Not a Country by Margy Burns Knight.
A Hole Is to Dig by Ruth Krauss.
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss.
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf.
Jafta by Hugh Lewin.
Jafta and the Wedding by Hugh Lewin.
Jafta’s Mother by Hugh Lewin.
Jafta’s Father by Hugh Lewin.
Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni.
Swimmy by Leo Lionni.
Eating Fractions by Bruce Macmillan.
Beatrice’s Goat by Page McBrier.
Africa’s Animal Giants by Jane McCauley.
Animals in Summer by Jane McCauley.
Ways Animals Sleep by Jane McCauley.
Growing Colors by Bruce McMillan.
One Hen by Katie Smith Milway.
A Kiss for Little Bear by Else Minarik.
My Rows and Piles of Coins by Tololwa Mollel.
Bread, Bread Bread by Ann Morris.
Houses and Homes by Ann Morris.
Shoes, Shoes by Ann Morris.
On the Go by Ann Morris.
Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel.
Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River; An African Version of the Good Samaritan Story by Kunle Oguneye.
Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O’Neill.
Vacation in the Village by Pierre Njeng.
A Is For Africa by Ifeoma Onyefulu.
Chidi Only Likes Blue: An African Book of Colours by Ifeoma Onyefulu.
Emeka’s Gift by Ifeoma Onyefulu.
Triangle for Adaora: An African Book of Shapes by Ifeoma Onyefulu.
The Icky Bug Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta
The Ocean Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta.
The Yucky Reptile Alpahbet Book by Jerry Pallotta.
The Toolbox by Anne Rockwell.
Machines by Anne Rockwell.
The Bicycle Man by Allen Say.
Somewhere in the World Right Now by Stacy Schuett.
Seeds and More Seeds by Millicent Selsam
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina.
Noah’s Ark by Peter Spier.
Monkey Sunday: A Story from a Congolese Village by Sanna Stanley.
Elizabeti’s Doll by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen.
Elizabeti’s School by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen.
Mama Elizabeti by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen.
Babu’s Song by Stephanie Stuve Bodeen.
I Love My Hair by Natasha Tarpley.
Oh Not Toto by Katrin Tchana and Louise Tchana Pami.
Rain Drop Splash by Alvin Tresselt.
The Camel Who Took a Walk by Jack Tworkov.
Four Feet Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams.
Galimoto by Karen Lynn Williams.

If you have more suggestions for picture books that would be especially appropriate for preschoolers in an orphanage in Zambia, please leave your suggestions in the comments section. If you want more information about donating books to this project, email me at sherryDOTearlyATgmailDOTcom.