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Here are most of my BOOKS. Happy reading.
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NEW: Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the Last Day of Kindergarten (Dutton), with illustrations by Ashley Wolf, 2006. "As with other titles in the series, this is a bright and lively book. While there are a few tears shared on this last day, the focus is on the cooperative good cheer of this tightly knit class. This title is sure to become an end-of-year favorite."---School Library Journal |
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What Star is This? (Putnam), with illustrations by Alison Jay, 2005. "Star so Bright: What Star is This?, by Joseph Slate (author of the popular Miss Bindergarten series), illustrated by Alison Jay (Putnam, $15.99; ages 4-up), provides a fresh perspective on the Christmas story of the bright star that guided worshipers to the manger.......Slate's unique approach combined with Jay's illustrations makes this an exceptional book..."-- Lori Smith, Washington Post, Book World, December 2005 |
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Miss Bindergarten Has a Wild Day in Kindergarten (Dutton), with illustrations by Ashley Wolff, 2005. "Miss Bindergarten's day starts off all wrong. She spills her breakfast, breaks a necklace, and has a flat tire. When she finally arrives in her classroom, everything there goes wrong, too. ......But after Zach sets the butterflies free, everyone finds this has been a good day after all. Wolff's cheerful scenarios are laugh-out-loud funny and wonderfully detailed, and the beautiful monarch butterflies seem to fly off the pages. If you have the other "Miss Bindergarten' adventures, you'll want this one for her fans. If you don't....this would be a fine place to start." --School Library Journal, 2/2005 |
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The Great Big Wagon That Rang: How the Liberty Bell was Saved (Marshall Cavendish), illustrated by Craig Spearing, 2002. "A great introduction to Revolutionary War studies for elementary-age children and a stirring piece of American history. The text rings out in bell-like tones...making this a good choice for sharing aloud." --Robin Gibson, School Library Journal. "Spearing's illustrations look like colored woodcuts that fit the mood of early American art. ...he sticks to authentic details and keeps his pages uncluttered, effectively focusing the reader's attention." --Kirkus. |
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Miss Bindergarten Plans a Circus with Kindergarten (Dutton), with illustrations by Ashley Wolff, 2002. "...Excitement is high. The great finale...is the piece de resistance. This triumph is followed by a helpful student roster...." --Nicholas A. Basbanes, nationally syndicated book critic. "Kids...will be happy to see the beloved dog teacher back in the business of making learning fun." --Karen Nelson |
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Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip With Kindergarten, Dutton, 2001. Our fourth in the Miss Bindergarten series spent six weeks on the New York Times children's best seller list. "Learning has never been more fun!" - School Library Journal. |
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Story Time for Little Porcupine, Marshall Cavendish, 2000 Eighteen years after Little Porcupine was introduced, we finally have a sequel. But there is a bonus: three stories in one. Jacqueline Rogers interprets LIttle Porcupine this time around. It always pleases me to see how different artists interpret my work. It gives me an advantage over the grave, as I hope my stories live on after I'm gone. "The terrific story-within-a-story book revels in the joys of family love. The golden flow of the watercolor illustrations reflect the sweet details of the porcupines....From start to finish, the enchanting book is a delight; it's a great way to introduce children to the process and joys of myth making."--Booklist "A cozy bedtime choice. The animals are wonderfully personified..."--School Library Journal. |
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Miss Bindergarten Stays Home from Kindergarten, Dutton, 2000. Our third in the series. Why does she stay home? I'll never tell. "This book should find a spot on every library shelf."--School Library Journal. |
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Crossing the Trestle, Marshall Cavendish, 1999. My first young adult novel. I've written two more since, but they haven't found a home yet. That's a good sign, as my best sellers were always rejected by many publishers. "Filled with issues and challenges that seem insurmountable....Slate has created an entire cast of thoroughly likable, believable characters, and he provides vivid descriptions...a pleasure to see how the gentle story unfolds."--Booklist "A sweet ending to a story that has a lively narrative style and a loving family at its center...Readers will be rewarded."--Kirkus Reviews. |
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Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of Kindergarten, Dutton, 1998. The second in our series on Miss Bindergarten, the teacher with a bushy tail. Another "American Bookseller Pick of the Lists", and both this first and second made the "September Publisher's Weekly Best Seller" list. It also is on the "1999-2000 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading" list. "Once again, Wolff's sturdy genially observed illustrations prove a perfect match for Slate's rhyming text, and together they build momentum to the big event--a party that's certain to inspire similar festivities in kindergartens everywhere." --Publisher's Weekly. |
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The Secret Stars, Marshall Cavendish, 1998. I consider this my most perfect book. Everything came together. It folds back on my first book, the concerns I have for ferreting out the truth in myths and my love of the Southwest and Hispanic culture. Lucky the day when my editor, Judith Whipple, chose Felipe Davalos to illustrate it. His illustrations took the "2000 Pura Belpre Honor Book" award. We won three other citations, making the "ALA's 2000 Notable Children's Book" list, a "Joan Sugarman Honors Award for Text", and a "1998 Amercas Commended" list. "The text reads like a poem. Davolos's illustrations have a flavor of the Southwest."--School Library Journal. "A magnificent dream sequence."--Publisher's Weekly |
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Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten, Dutton, 1996. Ah, yes. The big one. It's our best seller, but guess what? I couldn't get any publisher interested in it. I finally sent it to Ashley Wolff who illustrated Who Is Coming to Our House? and said, "Do you like this? Nobody seems to." Ashley recommended I send it to Donna Brooks, her editor at Dutton, and with a tuck and a jerk here and there, it took off. It won Delaware's Blue Hen award and many other citations. Scholastic has made an audio tape of the first two Miss Bindergarten books. "A super animal-alphabet book with a clever twist." Publisher's Weekly. |
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Who Is Coming to Our House? Putnam, 1988 My biggest seller before the Miss Bindergarten books. Ox asks the title question, but mouse only says, "Someone, someone." A little friend to whom I was reading this said, "Is it Santa Claus?" Nooooo. Can you guess? Now available as a board book. "Ashley Wolff portrays her animals with unusual sympathy and occasional touches of humor.... A lovely addition to the Christmas canon."--Kirkus pointed review. "This well-crafted picture book resonates with genuine warmth and spirit."--Publisher's Weekly. |
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Lonely Lula Cat, Harper & Row, 1983 Lula Cat is in a new house far away from her friends, but owl knows just what to do. No longer in print, but Bruce Degan made this into a stunning book. "Degan's illustrations in delicate tones of blue and gold complements the quiet rhythmic lines in Slate's dreamy make-believe."--Publisher's Weekly. Alibris
- web site for out of print books |
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The Mean, Clean Giant Canoe Machine, T.Y. Crowell, 1983 My wackiet book. Wig-Switch the Pig Witch decides to corner all the bathtubs in Pinkoville so she can make a profit from her canoe machine, but the Pinko Juniors fight back by getting so dirty it plugs the machine. No longer in print. Lynn Munsinger's drawings are hilarious, so it is well worth searching rare book markets for it. "The book is a boom for all nonsense devotees."--Publisher's Weekly Alibris
- web site for out of print books
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Little Porcupine's Christmas, T.Y. Crowell, 1982. Formerly titled How Little Porcupine Played Christmas, this book is now reissued by HarperCollins with a new title, and that bright red new cover by Felicia Bond. There are some minor changes in the text, but it remains much the same. Even though the other animals exclude Little Porcupine from the Christmas play because of his quills, he still ends up in a starring role. Little Porcupine is popular in Japan. The Secret Stars, published 16 years later, grew out of the original of this manuscript. "...a second triumph for Slate and Bond."--Publisher's Weekly "...a tender story of mother love."--Chicago Tribune. |
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The Star Rocker, Harper & Row, 1982. My first book was a lullaby. How Old Cassie on her raft rocks the world to sleep. Dirk Zimmer's fine pen-and-ink drawings brought her to life. No longer in print, but Amazon.com has been able to find copies. "---quietly lovely, an ideal bedtime story."---Publisher's Weekly. Alibris
- web site for out of print books |
last modified 4.03.06