Did You Know My Mom Is Awesome?


Shelley Admont - 2014
    In this touching bedtime story, a little girl describes why her Mom is awesome. We see her going through her day, carrying the warmest feeling about her mother. Mom always knows how she feels and can help with any problem. Mom can make the most complicated braid and explain fractions; Mom can help to wake her up in the morning and hug her tightly when she’s sad. With adorable illustrations and a message to which everyone can relate, this is a perfect book for kids and their moms.

The Hotel Cat


Esther Averill - 1969
    He chased mice so well that he was given the job of Hotel Cat. Tired of always spending time in the cellar Tom ventured upstairs and met the gentle Mrs. Wilkins, a longtime hotel resident who had the ability to communicate with cats. She encouraged Tom to keep an open mind about the hotel guests.One night, during the winter of New York City's Big Freeze, Tom detected three cats in one of the rooms. It turned out that due to a boiler breakdown in his house, Captain Tinker had brought Jenny Linsky and her brothers Edward and Checkers to stay at the hotel until the boiler was fixed. Other homes experienced boiler breakdowns too and soon other members of the Cat Club could be found staying in rooms at the Royal Hotel. Before long, plans were underway for the Cat Club Stardust Ball, with the help of Tom, who had proved himself helpful and considerate after all. Soon he became a "friend for ever" of Jenny and her pals.

The First Drawing


Mordicai Gerstein - 2013
    Imagine you were born before the invention of drawing, more than thirty thousand years ago.You would live with your whole family in a cave and see woolly mammoths walk by!You might even see images of animals hidden in the shapes of clouds and rocks.You would want to share these pictures with your family, but wouldn't know how.Who would have made the world's first drawing? Would it have been you? In The First Drawing, Caldecott Medal winner Mordicai Gerstein imagines the discovery of drawing...and inspires the young dreamers and artists of today.

Pond Walk


Nancy Elizabeth Wallace - 2011
    As Mama tells Buddy about the animals, bugs, and plants they see, Buddy sketches them on his drawing pad. Ducks! Whirligig beetles! Lily pads! Buddy is curious about everything, but most of all, he hopes to see a turtle. And he does—but not the kind he expected! This book, illustrated with photographs and cut-paper artwork, is a perfect introduction to environmental science and biology, but will also be useful to all enthusiastic pond goers. A make-a-rock turtle craft activity is included.

Otis and Will Discover the Deep: The Record-Setting Dive of the Bathysphere


Barb Rosenstock - 2018
    A tiny leak could shoot pressurized water straight through the men like bullets! A single spark could cause their oxygen tanks to explode! No one had ever dived lower than a few hundred feet...and come back. But Otis and Will were determined to become the first people to see what the deep ocean looks like.This suspenseful story from acclaimed author Barb Rosenstock with mesmerizing watercolors by award-winning artist Katherine Roy will put you right in the middle of the spine-tingling, record-setting journey down, down into the deep.

Don't Call Me Bear!


Aaron Blabey - 2016
    

Ada and the Galaxies


Alan Lightman - 2021
    Layering photographs taken from the Hubble telescope into charming and expressive art, illustrator Susanna Chapman zooms in on one child's experiences: Ada knows that the best place for star-gazing is on the island in Maine where she vacations with her grandparents. By day, she tracks osprey in the trees, paddles a kayak, and hunts for shells. But she's most in her element when the sun goes down and the stars blink to life. Will the fog this year foil her plans, or will her grandfather find a way to shine a spotlight on the vast puzzle of the universe . . . until the weather turns?

LeBron James: The Boy Who Became King


Anthony Curcio - 2016
    This Fully illustrated picture book biography tells the story of a young boy and his loving, single mother and their struggle to make it on their own. With the help of a coach and his family, LeBron is introduced to the game of basketball. Against all odds, “the kid from Akron” not only makes it to the NBA but becomes a basketball legend who now helps others who are struggling like he and his mother once were. Children's/Kids Picture Book Biography K-6

William Shakespeare’s: Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Retellings, #4)


Bruce Coville - 1999
    The tender story of the young star-crossed lovers from warring families, Romeo and Juliet has moved audiences to tears for four hundred years. And Coville tells it in a way that will surely whet the appetite of young audiences, who will then find even greater enjoyment in the original. As with his earlier adaptations, Coville expertly combines his own dramatic language with key lines from the play. Dennis Nolan, who illustrated Coville's version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, contributes stunning paintings, including a gatefold of the famous balcony scene. In addition to A Midsummer Night's Dream, which Publishers Weekly called "A first rate entree to the Bard," Coville also retold The Tempest and Macbeth. Of the latter, School Library Journal said, "Coville's muscular sentences, full of dramatic word choices, make this a good read-aloud." Both Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream were honored as ALA Quick Picks for Young Adults.

The Storm


Cynthia Rylant - 2002
    Just ask Pandora and Seabold. They've lived most of their lives with the sea -- Pandora in a lighthouse and Seabold on a boat -- and they're each quite used to being alone. Or they were. But one day, the sea did something extraordinary: It brought Pandora and Seabold together! And even better, the sea gave them the ingredients for an adventure that neither of them had considered before-an adventure called "family."

Big Book of the Blue


Yuval Zommer - 2018
    Alongside everything the young oceanographer needs to know, Zommer’s charming illustrations bring to life some of the slipperiest, scaliest, strangest, and most monstrous underwater animals.The book opens by explaining how different types of animals are able to breathe and survive underwater, and the different families to which they belong. Subsequent pages are dedicated to specific creatures, including sea turtles, whales, sharks, stingrays, and seahorses, and show varied life in specific habitats, such as a coral reef or deep sea bed. The Big Book of the Blue also explores the underwater world thematically, looking at animals in danger, learning how to spot creatures at the beach, and discovering how to do our part to save sea life. Beautiful and filled with fascinating facts, young, curious readers won’t be able to tear their eyes away from the page.

Lawrence in the Fall


Matthew Farina - 2019
    Lawrence is scared at first, but as he grows comfortable in the forest, he starts to recognize its magic, and how beautiful and unique each tree and leaf is, allowing him to gather a splendid, one-of-a-kind collection of his own!

Ape


Martin Jenkins - 2007
    Roam and play with a gang of chimps, then poke out some tasty termites with a blade of grass. Chatter and feast on figs with a bonobo, or chomp on bamboo with a gorilla as he readies for sleep. What could be better than spending time with these rare and wonderful creatures — after all, the fifth great ape on this planet is you!

Don't Be Afraid, Little Pip


Karma Wilson - 2009
     Nothing scares Little Pip more than the thought of swimming in the deep dark ocean -- she would much rather learn to fly just like other birds do. But soon it comes time for all the young penguins to learn how to swim, and while Little Pip might not be able to fly the way she wants to, she discovers she can soar in ways she never thought possible. Following the success of Where Is Home, Little Pip? comes this reassuring tale about the lovable Little Pip that will leave readers cheering -- and perhaps a little less scared to try something new. The bestselling author and illustrator team of Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman has created a wonderful story about all the exciting adven-tures that await us once we conquer our fears.

The Lonely Christmas Tree


Shannon Glenn - 2011
    A lonely tree stands in an empty field on Christmas Eve. Will the Christmas star grant his only wish? Written for children, but enjoyed by all.  New for 2012: A fully illustrated version is now available.  Just search "The Lonely Christmas Tree (Illustrated)".