Atticus Caticus


Sarah Maizes - 2021
    Whether Atticus is lying in the sun or stealing a sip from a water glass, sharpening his nails on a favorite chair or settling in for the night on his boy’s head, this cat will win your heart—and maybe inspire you to improvise a few riffs of poetry about your own animal friends.

Yum Yum!: What Fun!


Mara Bergman - 2009
    . . but what if this boisterous surprise guest wants to snack on them instead?Yum, Yum!

Cindy Moo


Lori Mortensen - 2012
    . . until a trick of nature shows Cindy a way to triumph.As delightfully silly as the original nursery rhyme, this hilarious picture book will have readers of all stripes (and spots) cheering for its determined heroine.

Rain Before Rainbows


Smriti Prasadam-Halls - 2020
    Along the way they find friends to guide and support them, and when the new day dawns, it is full of promise. With gorgeous, richly realized illustrations and immense hope at its heart, Rain Before Rainbows holds out a ray of sunshine for anyone looking for light.

Everyone's Awake


Colin Meloy - 2020
    Instead of settling down to sleep, Dad bakes bread, Mom fixes the roof, and Grandma plays cards with a ghost. And between the dog, the cat, Sister, and Brother, there's at least three different wars being waged!

I Hatched!


Jill Esbaum - 2014
    Rompy, rhyming text evokes the zeal of a toddler who's eager for everything. And Jen Corace's gorgeous artwork is alive with critters and curiosities and surprises--the biggest of which? The hatching of a new baby sister, to the absolute delight of her now "expert" big brother! Breathless, breathtaking, and downright funny, this story is sure to find fans in new moms, toddlers, and big brothers and sisters too.

Who Said Coo?


Deborah Ruddell - 2010
    But every time she snuggles in her cozy bed, she’s disturbed by the noises of two naughty birds outside her window. Whoooooo…Coooooo….Lulu must find a way to get her wide-awake pals to pipe down. But as her frustration grows, will she be able to ask them nicely?Brimming with pitch-perfect rhymes, fun-to-say animal noises, and heaps of humor, this book is a delightful read-aloud that’s perfect for bedtime—or anytime!

How To Be A Lion


Ed Vere - 2018
    Leonard and Marianne have a happy life together - talking, playing, writing poems, and making wishes - until one day a pack of bullies questions whether it’s right for a lion and a duck to be pals. Leonard soon learns there are many ways to be a lion, and many ways to be a friend, and that sometimes finding just the right words can change the world…This sweet, funny, thoughtful, and much-needed story will open up readers’ eyes to the importance of being who they are and not backing down to hurtful criticism. It’s an empowering tale about connecting with others and choosing kindness over bullying, and shows children how angry and provocative words can be overcome by empathy and courage.

Counting Crows


Kathi Appelt - 2015
    So they fly out of their nest with snacking in mind, and snack they do. Snack one, snack two, snack three—all the way to a dozen! But before they have time to complain about bellyaches, they have a bigger problem: a cat has been eyeing them…as potential snacks! Can these well-fed crows become well-FLED crows? Read and find out in this counting book from Newbery Finalist and two-time National Book Award Nominee Kathi Appelt, with spot-on illustrations from Rob Dunlavey. It’s the cat’s meow!

When Spring Comes


Kevin Henkes - 2016
    Before spring comes, the trees are dark sticks, the grass is brown, and the ground is covered in snow. But if you wait, leaves unfurl and flowers blossom, the grass turns green, and the mounds of snow shrink and shrink. Spring brings baby birds, sprouting seeds, rain and mud, and puddles. You can feel it and smell it and hear it—and you can read it!Kevin Henkes uses striking imagery, repetition, and alliteration to introduce basic concepts of language and the changing of the seasons. And Laura Dronzek’s gorgeous, lush paintings show the transformation from quiet, cold winter to the joyful newborn spring. Watch the world transform when spring comes!

Lovabye Dragon


Barbara M. Joosse - 2012
    In his nest in his cave in his mountain, a dragon dreams of a girl.When a lonely dragon follows a trail of princess tears, a beautiful friendship is born. They march and sing, roar and whisper, hide and seek, then settle into snug companionship at bedtime. Barbara Joosse’s fiercely protective and gently loving dragon cavorts across the pages, endearingly illustrated by Randy Cecil. At the end of the day, who can resist curling up in the embrace of a lovabye dragon?

Wherever You Go


Pat Zietlow Miller - 2015
    Want an adventure?Just open your door. Join an adventurous rabbit and his animal friends as they journey over steep mountain peaks, through bustling cityscapes, and down long, winding roads to discover the magical worlds that await them just outside their doors.Award-winning author Pat Zietlow Miller's lilting rhyme and bestselling illustrator Eliza Wheeler's enchanting, lush landscapes celebrate the possibilities that lie beyond the next bend in the road--the same road that will always lead you home again.

My Penguin Osbert


Elizabeth Cody Kimmel - 2004
    B. Lewis, Elizabeth Cody Kimmel's hilarious romp through the land of be-careful-what-you-wish-for offers a whole year's worth of holiday fun magic.This year, I was very specific in my letter to Santa Claus.Each year at Christmas, Joe writes a letter to Santa. But they've had a few misunderstandings in the past. Last year, for example, Joe wanted a fire-engine-red racecar with retracting headlights, and he did get one — but it was only three inches long. So this year Joe is really, really careful. He describes exactly what he wants — and on Christmas morning, guess what's waiting for him under the tree! Santa has brought him a living, breathing, black-and-white penguin named Osbert. Will anything in Joe's life ever be the same?

Uno's Garden


Graeme Base - 2006
    And one entirely unexceptional Snortlepig.Uno loves the forest so much, he decides to live there. But, in time, a little village grows up around his house. Then a town, then a city. . . and soon Uno realises that the animals and plants have begun to disappear. . .

Tiny Little Fly


Michael Rosen - 2010
    Off flies the fly! The teasing insect easily misses the rhino’s roll, squash, roll and the tiger’s swat, swoop, snatch too. Michael Rosen’s simple language is a joy to read aloud, while Kevin Waldron’s whimsical images match his playful rhythm beat for beat, offering a fly’s-eye view of each favorite animal before revealing the energized creature in full. How will this gently suspenseful adventure end? Fly, fly, fly!