Book recommendations from the children's section of the library

I've always been an avid reader, and don't limit myself to adult fiction. In fact, I love a great picture book and I like to read the magazine The Reading Teacher for recommendations of new books. I also like to browse the new books in the library, children, young adult, fiction, and non-fiction. Saturday I discovered a new picture book titled "Mr. Nick's Knitting", by Margaret Wild. The story is about a man who knits on the train each day to and from work, and the woman, Mrs. Jolley, who sits next to him and knits. They discuss yarn, and help each other with knitting problems; while enjoying the sights from the train. Mrs. Jolley gets very sick and has to spend a long time in the hospital, and Mr. Nick misses her company on the train each day. Mr. Nick creates a wonderful gift for Mrs. Jolley. It's a very touching story.

I also discovered the latest in the American Girls series. Now, when my girls were younger, #2 and I loved this series, and we kept up with all the new books, and the new girls as they were added to the series. It's been a while, and I found they've added 3 new girls. The latest is a girl who lives in New York City, and is set in 1914, before America becomes involved in World War I. In the first book "Meet Rebecca" by Jaqueline Dembar Greene, the story involves a crochet hook and some thread!