I Don't Like Koala


Sean Ferrell - 2015
    Koala is a little creepy.Adam tries explaining this to his parents. He tries putting Koala away—far away. He tries taking Koala on a long, long walk. Nothing works. Will Adam ever be rid of Koala?This darkly funny debut picture book from Sean Ferrell and Charles Santoso celebrates imagination and bravery while addressing a universal childhood dilemma: what to do about that one stuffed animal who just won’t stop staring at you.

Let Me Finish!


Minh Lê - 2016
    And as it turns out, the boy is quickly approaching a surprise ending of his own! Maybe he should have listened to the animals after all. . . . This silly, timeless picturebook with a clever meta twist introduces debut author Minh L 's witty text and Isabel Roxas's eye-catching illustrations.

Robo-Sauce


Adam Rubin - 2015
    Here's the story of a magic potion called Robo-Sauce. It's all happy fun times until robots take over and transform this very book, right before your eyes. Get ready for a surprise ending, the likes of which humanity has never seen!

Wodney Wat's Wobot


Helen Lester - 2011
    The meek wodent . . . er, rodent . . . hero with a speech impediment and a heart of gold is back! So is Camilla Capybara—the BIG bully who makes poor Wodney and his  classmates tremble. But this time, Wodney has a secret weapon: a robot that helps him pronounce his r’s and seems to be just the thing to scare Camilla away for good. With the second empowering tale about Wodney, Lester and Munsinger use their signature dose of humor to remind us that the little guy can finish first, and it’s often brains—not brawn—that save the day.

Go to Sleep, Monster!


Kevin Cornell - 2016
    But getting a monster to sleep? That’s an adventure.A funny and surprising twist on the typical monster-under-your-bed story.

This Book Just Ate My Dog!


Richard Byrne - 2014
    But when the helpers disappear too, Bella realizes it will take more than a tug on the leash to put things right. Cleverly using the physicality of the book, This book just ate my dog! is inventive, ingenious, and just pure kid-friendly fun!

Swine Lake


James Marshall - 1999
    Faced with all those luscious porkers, whats a hungry wolf to do? Well, something totally surprising, as it turns out.Pure fun from Marshall and Sendak--an incomparable duo!

Harriet Gets Carried Away


Jessie Sima - 2018
    She wears them to the dentist, to the supermarket, and most importantly, to her super-special dress-up birthday party. Her dads have decorated everything for the party and Harriet has her most favorite costume all picked out for the big day. There’s just one thing missing—party hats!But when Harriet dons her special penguin errand-running costume and sets out to find the perfect ones, she finds something else instead—real penguins! Harriet gets carried away with the flock. She may look like a penguin, but she’s not so sure she belongs in the arctic. Can Harriet manage her way back to her dad's (and the party hats!) in time for her special day?

Even Monsters Need Haircuts


Matthew McElligott - 2010
    Although his customers are mostly regulars, they are anything but normal-after all, even monsters need haircuts. Business is steady all night, and this barber is prepared for anything with his scissors, rotting tonic, horn polish, and stink wax. It's a tough job, but someone's got to help these creatures maintain their ghoulish good looks.Perfect for Halloween, this is a hilarious story about a boy who follows in his father's footsteps . . . in his own monstrously unique way.

Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads


Bob Shea - 2014
    Not the hop-down-your-britches, croaking-all-night toad kind of problem. The thievin', hootin' and hollerin', steal-your-gold never-say-thank-you outlaw toad kind of problem.Then hope rides into town. Sheriff Ryan might only be seven years old, and he might not know much about shooting and roping. But he knows a lot about dinosaurs. Yes, dinosaurs. And it turns out that knowing a thing or two about paleontology can come in handy when it comes to hoodwinking and rounding up a few no-good bandits. From Bob Shea and Lane Smith comes this hilarious picture book, Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads.

Too Many Frogs!


Sandy Asher - 2005
    He cooks for himself, cleans up for himself, and at the end of the day, reads himself a story. It's a simple life, and he likes it. But one evening, Froggie shows up at his door. He wants to listen to Rabbit's story, too. While eating a snack-or three. While lounging on a pillow-or ten. And bringing over his family-dozens and dozens of frogs! Rabbit has finally had enough; Froggie will have to go! But when he sits down alone to read himself a story, Rabbit realizes something is missing: someone to listen; someone to share a wonderful story. Keith Graves' boisterous, humor-filled artwork lends just the right touch to this multilayered tale that celebrates the joy of reading aloud.

The Purple Kangaroo


Michael Ian Black - 2009
    What begins as a simple request to imagine the most spectacular thing in history turns into the story of a roller-skating, bubble-blowing purple kangaroo searching for his dear friend Ernesto on the moon. So by the time you finish this book, there's no chance you will be thinking of anything BUT the purple kangaroo.

This Is a Taco!


Andrew Cangelose - 2018
    . . "Hey, I may be a squirrel, but my name is Taco! And I don't eat nuts and tree bark—blech—I prefer tacos!" The natural predator of squirrels is . . . "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who is writing this book? I do not like where this is going." This hilarious send-up of a children's nature primer teaches kids that the most important story is the one you write yourself.

Walter the Farting Dog


William Kotzwinkle - 2001
    Walter is a fine dog, except for one small problem: he has gas. He can't help it; it's just the way he is. Fortunately, the kids Billy and Betty love him regardless, but Father says he's got to go! Poor Walter, he's going to the dog pound tomorrow. And then, in the night, burglars strike. Walter has his chance to be a hero. A children's beloved classic, this story will have kids rolling on the floor with laughter. Adults are permitted to laugh too.

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich


Julia Sarcone-Roach - 2015
    . . . A sly classic-in-the-making for fans of Jon Klassen, Peter Brown, and Mo Willems. By now I think you know what happened to your sandwich. But you may not know how it happened.So let me tell you.It all started with the bear . . .   So begins Julia Sarcone-Roach’s delicious tale of a bear, lost in the city, who happens upon an unattended sandwich in the park. The bear’s journey from forest to city and back home again is full of happy accidents, funny encounters, and sensory delights. The story is so engrossing, it’s not until the very end that we begin to suspect this is a TALL tale.   The wonderfully told story, spectacular illustrations, and surprise ending make this Julia Sarcone-Roach’s best book to date. You’ll want to share it with your friends (and keep a close eye on your lunch).