Book picks similar to
Great Big Things by Kate Hoefler


picture-books
picture-book
childrens
animals

There's a Nightmare in my Closet


Mercer Mayer - 1968
    "Childhood fear of the dark and the resulting exercise in imaginative exaggeration are given that special Mercer Mayer treatment in this dryly humorous fantasy."-School Library Journal

The Secret Life of Squirrels: A Love Story


Nancy Rose - 2016
    Peanuts spends his days climbing trees and gathering nuts--but he wishes he had another squirrel to share his time with. When he meets a special squirrel friend, he soon finds himself falling in love! They visit the bookstore, go to the park, and have a romantic candlelit dinner. Will Mr. Peanuts get his happily ever after?

Misunderstood Shark


Ame Dyckman - 2018
    SHARRRK! But this shark is just misunderstood, or is he? In a wholly original, side-splittingly funny story, New York Times bestselling author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Scott Magoon take this perennial theme and turn it on its (hammer)head with a brand-new cheeky character. The filming of an underwater TV show goes awry when the crew gets interrupted by a... SHARRRK! Poor Shark, he wasn't trying to scare them, he's just misunderstood! Then he's accused of trying to eat a fish. Will Shark ever catch a break? After all, he wasn't going to eat the fish, he was just showing it his new tooth! Or was he? Explosively funny, extraordinarily clever, and even full of fun shark facts, this surprisingly endearing story gets to the heart of what it feels like to be misunderstood by the people around you. With a surprise twist ending, our Misunderstood Shark will have kids rolling with laughter!

Wave


Suzy Lee - 2008
    In this evocative wordless book, internationally acclaimed artist Suzy Lee tells the story of a little girl's day at the beach.New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book 2008

Watersong


Tim McCanna - 2017
    As the rain begins, a little fox seeks shelter. But then it builds and builds into to a torrential storm. Wash! Wham! Lash! Whirl! Bash! Swirl! Hiss! Slap! Slam! Both a visual feast and a joy to read aloud, this stunning picture book showcases the power and beauty of nature.

The Snail and the Whale


Julia Donaldson - 2003
    Together they go on an amazing journey, past icebergs and volcanoes, sharks and penguins, and the snail feels very small in the vastness of the world. But when the whale is beached in a bay, it's the tiny snail who saves the day.

Bears in the Night


Stan Berenstain - 1971
    "A good job of combining words and pictures into a slapstick but cohesive story."--School Library Journal.

How to Catch a Unicorn


Adam Wallace - 2019
    The #1 New York Times bestseller! Try to catch one of the world's most elusive mythical creatures—the unicorn! Filled with zany traps and lots of rainbow unicorn fun, this is the unicorn book of the year!Can you catch the unicorn? You’ll have to use your brain, So set your traps and prep your teamTo pet that rainbow mane!Also in the How to Catch Series:How to Catch a MermaidHow to Catch a DinosaurHow to Catch a DragonHow to Catch a Monster

A Greyhound, a Groundhog


Emily Jenkins - 2017
    With very spare, incredibly lively language, this is an entertaining read-aloud, with two amazing and oh-so-adorable characters at its heart. When a greyhound meets a groundhog, wordplay and crazy antics ensue. The two animals, much like kids, work themselves into a frenzy as they whirl around and around one another. ("Around, round hound. Around, greyhound.") The pace picks up ("Around and around and astound and astound"), until they ultimately wear themselves out. Jenkins s masterful text is deceptively simple. NPR on "Toys Meet Snow" by Emily Jenkins Appelhans, whose career up to now has been in animated films such as "Coraline, " is a revelation. "Booklist, " Starred, on "Sparky!, " illustrated by Chris Appelhans Appelhans makes an auspicious picture book debut with strikingly beautiful watercolor and pencil illustrations. His style, reminiscent of Jon Klassen s, incorporates a muted color palette, but with a slightly softer, rounder quality, while also weaving in visual deadpan humor. "The Horn Book""

The Antlered Ship


Dashka Slater - 2017
    Marco the fox has a lot of questions, like: how deep does the sun go when it sinks into the sea? And why do birds have such lizardy feet? But none of the other foxes share his curiosity. So when a magnificent ship adorned with antlers and with a deer for a captain arrives at the dock looking for a crew, Marco volunteers, hoping to find foxes who are as inquisitive as he is that can answer his questions. The crew finds adventure and intrigue on their journey. And, at last, Marco finds the answer to his most important question of all: What’s the best way to find a friend you can talk to?

Miss Hazeltine's Home for Shy and Fearful Cats


Alicia Potter - 2015
    They come from all over, and Miss Hazeltine gives them lessons in everything, from “Bird Basics” to “How Not to Fear the Broom.”The most timid of all is Crumb. He cowers in a corner. Miss Hazeltine doesn’t mind. But when she gets in trouble and only Crumb knows where she is, will he find his inner courage and lead a daring rescue?Filled with adorable illustrations and ideal for fans of Disappearing Desmond and The Invisible Boy, Miss Hazeltine’s Home for Shy and Fearful Cats is a story that’s perfect for shy and fearful children as it both helps them face scary situations and accepts them just as they are.

Secrets I Know


Kallie George - 2017
    Follow the girl throughout a day spent in her own backyard, and you'll discover lots of secrets only she can tell. For example, did you know that whispers hide in trees? Or that trees make great umbrellas? With a simple, poetic text from Kallie George and extraordinary illustrations from debut artist Paola Zakimi, here is a book families will read again and again and treasure for years to come.

Mama, Do You Love Me?


Barbara M. Joosse - 1991
    How much? In this universal story, a child tests the limits of independence and comfortingly learns that a parent's love is unconditional and everlasting. The lyrical text introduces young readers to a distinctively different culture, while at the same time showing that the special love that exists between parent and child transcends all boundaries of time and place. The story is beautifully complemented by graphically stunning illustrations that are filled with such exciting animals as whales, wolves, puffins, and sled dogs. This tender and reassuring book is one that both parents and children will turn to again and again.• Set in a captivating and unusual Arctic setting• Includes a carefully researched glossary provides additional information on Arctic lifeFans of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon, and Guess How Much I Love You will love this book. This book is a great read for:• Toddlers and young children• Families interested in different cultures• Parents• Librarians

Hopper and Wilson


Maria van Lieshout - 2011
    So the two sail off in a boat made of paper . . . only to discover they already have everything they could wish for in each other, and at home. Maria van Lieshout's adorable new picture book tugs at heartstrings, inspires discussion, and reminds us all how good returning home can feel.Praise for HOPPER AND WILSON"...van Lieshout's story is filled with adventure, emotion, and imagery that supplies lots of effervescent warmth."--Publisher's Weekly"Winsomely ambiguous and otherworldly, this sweet, quirky story offers fantastic footholds for dizzying discussion."--Kirkus Reviews

Ideas Are All Around


Philip C. Stead - 2016
    Wednesday chases squirrels while the two friends discuss fishing and war and how back before the neighborhood was there enormous woolly mammoths roamed where houses now sit.Thoughts open up to other thoughts, and ideas are born and carried forward, often transforming into other ideas until he finds that ideas really are all around, you just have to know what to do with them.