Letter of the Week Book List: Letter X

Here’s the book list I was dreading… letter X!  But when I decided not to subject you to a list of books all about xylophones and X-rays (you’re welcome), I found a great number of books that featured the letter X within words, which is how we use it most of the time anyway.  I must admit, though, that I did break one of my Letter of the Week book list rules.  Normally my  book lists are comprised of books my kids and I truly love.

I couldn’t be quite so particular with Letter X.

Can you forgive me this one time?

Don’ worry – there are some favorites in here too.

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Christina Katerina and the Box, by Patricia Lee Gauch

Christina’s mother gets a new refrigerator… and with it, a giant box — a child’s dream!  It becomes a castle, a clubhouse, a racing car, a dance floor, and more.  Christina’s mother is going crazy and wants the box gone — but Christina always has one more idea.  This was one of the few stories in my elementary school reading book that I read again and again.  Once upon a time I identified with Christina.  Now I know just how her mom feels!  

The Crayon Box That Talked, by Shane DeRolf

While shopping at a toy store, a girl overhears noise from a box of crayons — it’s bickering among all the crayons who just can’t get along.  When the girl takes them home, she creates a beautiful picture with all the colors.  The moral: “We are a box of crayons, each one of us unique.  But when we get together… the picture is complete.”  A good message, but the story itself wasn’t exceptional.

Fox in Socks, by Dr. Seuss

I’ve sung Dr. Seuss’s praises before, but this book is just not fun for me.  Waaay too many tongue twisters.  Instead of making me laugh, they make me tired, so our personal copy of this book is safely tucked away.

The Adventures of Taxi Dog, by Debra and Sal Barracca

A lonely, dirty city dog finds happiness when he’s adopted by a taxi driver named Jim.  This entertaining book is told in rhyme from Maxi the Taxi dog’s point of view.

The Taxi That Hurried, by Lucy Sprague Mitchell, Irma Simonto Black, and Jessie Stanton

Even though the taxi hurries, this book doesn’t.  This 1946 Golden Book is bright and engaging – but it seems to use more than its fair share of words. Maybe because it has three authors?  The story is about a taxi driver who hurries to get a woman and her son Tom to the train station.  “We’re awfully late and the train won’t wait!”  I think it’s great to read these old stories to your kids because they can open up a lot of conversations, so I read this one a few times.  However our conversation mostly centered around my Two saying, “I don’t want to read this one.”

Max’s ABC, by Rosemary Wells

This is a creative, fun book featuring the popular bunny pair, Max and Ruby.  The story begins with ants escaping from Max’s ant farm.   A new letter on every page highlights the next event in this fun story.  For letter I: “But the ants found an Ice pop in Max’s pocket.  ‘Itch! Itch! Itch!” said Max.”  Definitely one you don’t want to miss!

My Mom Has X-Ray Vision, by Angela McAllister

Young Matthew is sure his mom has x-ray vision. How else does she always know exactly what he’s up to?  Alex T. Smith’s vibrant illustrations and the story’s funny plot make this a super fun book.  My Two requested it again and again.

Fox on the Job, by James Marshall

I remember finding every Fox book on the library shelf when I was a kid.  I still love this series, and so do my kids. In Fox on the Job, charming but lazy Fox is looking for a job to pay for a new bike.  Disaster follows every attempt until he finally secures a job — napping on beds at a furniture store!   These easy readers are entertaining for parents and kids alike.

Jessica’s X-Ray, by Pat Zonta

I requested this book at the library because it’s about an x-ray.  I wasn’t expecting much.  But what a nice surprise!  My Four and Six couldn’t get enough of this book.  They’re fascinated by injuries, and the story takes us from Jessica’s fall from a tree through a hospital visit, x-rays, and a cast for her broken arm.  After getting a cast, Jessica gets a tour of the hospital and learns all about x-rays.  The coolest part is that the book features actual glossy x-rays between the pages.  My kids were especially fascinated by the x-ray of a toddler who’d swallowed a penny.  “Does it really come out in his diaper?” my Six wanted to know.

Hattie and the Fox,  by Mem Fox

Hattie warns all the other barnyard animals when she sees a fox in the bushes. But no one takes her seriously — at least not at first!  I love Mem Fox, but I have to admit that this wasn’t a winner at our house.  Too repetitive and not enough action.  It’s a popular book, though – and your kids might feel differently.

 For many more ideas for teaching the letter X, click on the image below:

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