Best of
Picture-Books

1977

The Big Orange Splot


Daniel Pinkwater - 1977
    Plumbean's expression of creativity and individuality challenges his neighbor's ideas about the importance of having a “neat street.” By repainting his house to reflect his colorful dreams, Mr. Plumbean breaks away from the conformity of his street.“My house is me and I am it. My house is where I like to be and it looks like all my dreams.”— Daniel Pinkwater

Miss Nelson Is Missing!


Harry Allard - 1977
    Spitballs stuck to the ceiling. Paper planes whizzing through the air. They were the worst-behaved class in the whole school.So begins this quirky classic, first published in 1977 and still relevant today as a lighthearted reminder to show our appreciation to those we value. The students don’t proffer a shred of respect for their good-natured teacher Miss Nelson, but when the witchy substitute Miss Viola Swamp appears on the scene, they start to regret their own wicked ways. James Marshall’s scritchy, cartoonish full-color ink and wash illustrations are hilarious. A back-to-school perennial!

Dogger


Shirley Hughes - 1977
    "Warmly satisfying....Hughes has a way of zeroing in on the foibles of childhood with remarkable accuracy; this doesn't miss its mark."--Booklist.

A Time to Keep


Tasha Tudor - 1977
    There were homemade valentines and Easter eggs, Fourth of July picnics and family birthdays. Thanksgiving brought visits from relatives—so many, the children had to sleep in the barn! And finally, there was Christmas, the best of all “times to keep,” with handmade presents, an Advent calendar, and a “beautiful tree in a shine of candles.” Month by month, Tasha Tudor’s delicate illustrations bring to life the holidays of an earlier time. A warm-hearted celebration of family and tradition, this treasury of “times to keep” will be cherished and enjoyed all year long.

Burglar Bill


Janet Ahlberg - 1977
    It's Burglar Bill.Burglar Bill lives all by himself in a tall house full of stolen property. Every night (after eating his stolen fish and chips) he goes out to work... stealing things. But one day, Burglar Bill steals something very unexpected indeed! The Janet and Allan Ahlberg classic is the perfect bedtime story for all little readers everywhere. Allan Ahlberg has published over 100 children's books and with his late wife Janet, created many classics such as:The Jolly Postman Cops and RobbersFunnybonesEach Peach Pear PlumPeepo!

The Mysterious Tadpole


Steven Kellogg - 1977
    But it soon becomes clear that this "tadpole" is not turning into an ordinary frog! It'll take a little help from friends and a lot of ingenuity to feed and shelter this unusual, ever-growing pet. The Mysterious Tadpole, with its giddy mix of fantasy, adventure, and high humor, is one of Steven Kellogg's most popular books. It was an ALA Notable, an IRA-CBC Children's Choice, and won the Irma Simonton Black Award. For its anniversary, Steven has reworked aspects of the story and has created entirely new artwork in the bright, bold colors that weren't reproducible twenty-five years ago. He discusses why he wanted to revise the book in a lively author's note.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat


Simms Taback - 1977
    But what did he make it into after that? And after that?As children turn the pages of this book, they can use the die-cut holes to guess what Joseph will be making next from his amazing overcoat, while they laugh at the bold, cheerful artwork and learn that you can always make something, even out of nothing.

The Seeing Stick


Jane Yolen - 1977
    Her father offers a reward to anyone who can find a cure for the little girl. It seems that no one from magicians to physicians can help her. Then, one day a wise old man with a mysterious seeing stick visits the princess. Will he be able to teach Hwei Min that there is more than one way to see the world?

John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat


Jenny Wagner - 1977
    Rose's dog feels he can look after her without any help from a cat, but Rose has different ideas.

Helga's Dowry: A Troll Love Story


Tomie dePaola - 1977
    “Richly colored pictures capture the droll humor of [Helga’s] clever, determined fight to garner impressive riches.”--Booklist

Noah's Ark


Peter Spier - 1977
    Peter Spier uses his own translation of a seventeenth-century Dutch poem about this most famous menagerie.

Anno's Journey


Mitsumasa Anno - 1977
    "With paintings, visual puzzles and tricks of perception, Anno introduces geography and science by focusing on children and adults at work and play, as well as on art, architecture, composers, and painters, as he conducts an imaginary tour of England . . . Lush paintings, exquisitely detailed . . . An exceptional book."--Publishers Weekly "Executed in meticulous and gently hued watercolors, this imaginative rendering will fill hours of wonderment, always with the delightful anticipation of seeking still one more amazing detail."--Booklist

The Donkey Prince


M. Jean Craig - 1977
    A retelling of the Grimm tale about the prince who, as a punishment for his parents' greed, was shaped like a donkey.

The Reward Worth Having


Jay Williams - 1977
    Three soldiers of the king help a man and each gets to choose a bird as a reward.

The Grouchy Ladybug


Eric Carle - 1977
    Eric Carle's bright artwork and signature style will charm both ardent fans and new readers alike.As children follow the Grouchy Ladybug on her journey, they will learn the important concepts of time, size, and shape, as well as the benefits of friendship and good manners.For generations, The Grouchy Ladybug has delighted readers of all ages with the story of a bad-tempered bug who won't say "please" or "thank you," won't share, and thinks she is bigger and better than anyone else. Readers will love how this testy ladybug introduces them to many new animals and learns that maybe being grouchy isn’t always the best option.

Romany Free


Robert Vavra - 1977
    Poetic text reveals a gypsy boy's feelings about nature and freedom.

Who's in Rabbit's House?: A Masai Tale


Verna Aardema - 1977
    Then, as the play begins, the perspective shifts and reader becomes the real audience to this unique performance.

Uncle Wiggily and the Runaway Cheese


Howard R. Garis - 1977
    A gentleman rabbit finds a novel way to take home a round of cheese from the store.

The Day the Count Stopped Counting: Featuring Jim Henson's Muppets


David Korr - 1977
    When he makes a counting mistake, the Count decides he will never count again.

Big Bad Bruce


Bill Peet - 1977
    Bruce, a bear bully, never picks on anyone his own size until he is diminished in more ways than one by a small but very independent witch.

Fiddleheads and Mustard Blossoms: A Guide to Edible Plants of the Forest and Meadow


Catherine Derevitzky - 1977
    A guide to common edible wild plants of the northeastern United States, including a simple method of preparation for each.

How The Bear Lost His Tail


Philippa Murray - 1977
    

You Can Go Jump


Valjean McLenighan - 1977
    Many of the books by well-known author, poet, and former first grade teacher Margaret Hillert. The series is divided in to four child-centered collections. Reading levels 1.1-1.5.

Chasing the Goblins Away


Tobi Tobias - 1977
    When the lights go out and Jimmy is tucked tight in his bed, his goblins come out -- in the worst possible shapes and colors, making terrible sounds.

Yes--No; Stop--Go: Some Patterns in Mathematical Logic


Judith L. Gersting - 1977
    A brief introduction to switching patterns in mathematical logic.

Ouch!: All about Cuts and Other Hurts


Rita Golden Gelman - 1977
    

The Strongest One Of All: Based On A Caucasian Folktale


Mirra Ginsburg - 1977
    A lamb asks the ice, sun, cloud, rain, earth, and grass who is the strongest one of all and reaches a surprising conclusion.

A Book of Scary Things


Paul Showers - 1977
    Text and illustrations show that everyone is afraid of something whether it is cats, thunder, wind, airplanes, or darkness.

The Song of the Shapes


Charles Causley - 1977
    

The Mango Tooth


Charlotte Pomerantz - 1977
    Posy loses four teeth--and profits from each loss.

Inter-City


Charles Keeping - 1977
    Depicts the passengers in an inter-city train and the changing scenes they see through the windows.

I Hate To Go To Bed


Judi Barrett - 1977
    Lists all the pleasant and unpleasant things about going to bed.

Walt Disney Productions' Pete's Dragon with songs from the motion picture


Walt Disney Company - 1977
    

Solomon Grundy, Born on Oneday: A Finite Arithmetic Puzzle


Malcolm E. Weiss - 1977
    Discusses a solution to an arithmetic problem based on the rhyme about Solomon Grundy's life.

The Tale of Lazy Lizard Canyon


Doris Burn - 1977
    Though his two brothers and father think him useless because he likes to talk and sing, Lafe outsmarts them all by settling the long feud between his family and the neighboring ranch.

The Painter's Trick


Piero Ventura - 1977
    George slaying the dragon.

Gentleman Jim and the Great John L.


Syd Hoff - 1977
    

A January Fog Will Freeze a Hog, and Other Weather Folklore


Hubert Davis - 1977
    Thirty sayings used to predict the weather are accompanied by a factual explanation, the origin of the saying, and its general reliability.

The Wind Thief


Judi Barrett - 1977
    The wind wants his own special hat, so he arranges it with a puff.