We Give Books

Thanks to An Abundance of Books for leading me to this site.

We Give Books was started by Penguin Group and the Pearson Foundation to "support literacy through programs that engage entire communities through literacy and awareness programs". The We Give Books program is an initiative that allows anyone with Internet access to give books to children in need. When you sign up you can choose from one of five charities. Then you can select from one of 151 digital picture books (both fiction and non fiction) to read online.

This is all completely free for the reader! Simply choose the charity you want to read for and then select the books you want to read. For each book you read online, a book is donated to a leading literacy group on your behalf. So please sign up and support literacy.

Title: Trixie and Jinx
Author: Dean Koontz
Illustrator:Janet Cleland
Publisher: Putnum Juvenile
Publication Date: September 16, 2010
Format: eBook
Genre: Childrens 5+
Source: We Give Books

Quite a schizophrenic tale. Half the story is in rhyme and the other half is using words that I think might be over a young child’s head leaving the reading partner to explain what some of the words mean and losing the overall flow of the story.

Trixie and his dog companion Jinx have to spend a week apart and poor old Trixie is struggling to find a new friend. This tale does emphasis the special place a good friend holds in our lives, so from that standpoint, this could be a good conversation starter.

Dean Koontz is an adult horror writer, so when I saw his name associated with a children’s book, I was curious. Not a good match. He needs to bring his craft down a notch or two to speak more clearly to his young audience.


Title: Llama Llama Mad at Mamma
Author and Illustrator: Anna Dewdney
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication Date: September 6, 2007
Format: eBook
Genre: Childrens 3+
Source: We Give Books

Poor Llama is not having a good day. Mamma wants to do a little shopping and poor Llama just wants to stay home and play with his toys. Little Llama has no say, so off to Shop-o-Rama they go, with its long lines, itchy clothes and boring stuff, but what is a Llama to do? Well, apparently it is time for Llama drama.

It’s not just Llama who learns a lesson today.

Cute story that puts the complete shopping experience with a child into perspective.


Title: The Hat
Author and Illustrator: Jan Brett
Publisher: Putnum Juvenile
Publication Date: September 29, 1997
Format: eBook
Genre: Childrens 4+
Source: We Give Books

Beautiful illustrations.

Hedgie learns the lesson of making the best of a bad situation when he comes across a sock and after getting his head stuck in it, decides that instead of telling his barnyard friends of his misfortune, he was going to pretend how cool clothing can be.

An adorable story that you will enjoy reading over and over.