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A trickster tale about generosity. A long time ago, the Oyster was not only generous and kind; he was also the keeper of all the gems in the world. Whenever any type of creature would come to him in need, the Oyster would share his jewels without hesitation. One day, a snake hatches a plan to shift the balance of wealth in the sea. But the snake is in for a surprise when he learns a lesson about the consequences of his greed.

Award-winning author and musician Johnette Downing invites children of all ages to go wild in the rainforest with dozens of exotic animals in this colorful trek through the Amazon. This A to Z adventure includes fascinating facts about some of the world's most unique creatures, from woolly monkeys and pink dolphins to electric eels, ocelots, black jaguars, and more.

On Monday, it's apples, and Tuesday is pastrami. This catchy walk through a week of yummy New York fare introduces children to the favorite foods of the Empire State. With bright collage illustrations and infectious singsong lyrics, this playful adaptation of a traditional song features such goodies as Buffalo wings, hot dogs, pizza, and cheesecake. A "Word Menu" at the end of the book, along with tips and trivia about the great state of New York, round out this toothsome trip through a week's worth of tasty eats. Come and eat it up!

Starting with the familiar words, there was an old lady who swallowed a fly, this book provides a fun twist on the classic story. Young readers will love hearing about the fly and all the other creepy-crawly bugs the old lady gulps down in this fanciful feast based on the traditional poem. With a taste for slugs, the old lady enjoys a poached roach and a squirmy worm during the course of the story. And a surprise ending reveals that this isn't just any old lady.

A week's worth of delicious Texas foods. Whether it's pan de campo on Monday, chicken-fried steak on Tuesday, or chili on Wednesday, in Texas, there's always something tasty to eat! This singsong culinary calendar introduces the Lone Star State's favorite foods accompanied by fun collage illustrations. A delicious "word menu," song, and recipe for pan de campo round out this flavorful feast.

One hot and humid day on the bayou back when Crab and Crawfish were still best friends, Crawfish was hungry, and as luck would have it, Crab had just gone fishing. Not only hungry, Crawfish was also lazy. Thinking only about himself-only about his empty belly, Crawfish decided to trick his friend out of his lunch. But Crawfish had taken advantage of Crab's good nature one time too many, and soon he learns about the consequences of cheating his friend. This cute cautionary tale, filled with Johnette Downing's signature Louisiana flavor and fresh collage-style illustrations, includes a glossary of Cajun phrases and crawfish fun facts.

Johnette Downing takes "Aiken Drum," a beloved traditional song, and adapts it into a savory Creole Chef book. Following the familiar pattern of the song, his hair is made of rice, rice, rice; his eyes are made of red beans, red beans, red beans; and his mouth is made of a praline, praline, praline. With a King Cake body and beignet feet, this Louisiana Chef is good enough to eat! Whimsically illustrated by Deborah Ousley Kadair.

Based on a traditional song adapted by Downing, this counting book tells of pelicans, armadillos, black bears, alligators, Catahoulas, nutria, possums, crawfish and mosquitoes. Set in the Louisiana bayous, marshes and wetlands, the rhythmic text offers children a tour of the Pelican State's diverse and unique natural habitats.

The Big Read 2010
Recommended Reading List
National Coalition of Girls' Schools

Based on a song by Johnette Downing, Today is Monday In Louisiana that takes children through a culinary calendar, noting a meal a day that represents Cajun, Creole, African and French foods from Louisiana.