Two Old Potatoes and Me


John Coy - 2003
    “Gross.” But before she can throw them away, her dad suggests they try to grow new potatoes from the old ones, which have sprouted eyes. Told from May to September, the potato-growing season, the story includes all the basic steps for growing potatoes while subtly dealing with the parents’ recent divorce. Just like the new potatoes that emerged from ugly old potatoes, this dad and daughter move on and make a new life together in the face of unavoidable and unpleasant change. Carolyn Fisher’s artwork will be instantly recognizable from her recent picture book debut, A Twisted Tale, and her trademark high-energy art and design infuse joy and humor into this heartwarming story.

The Goodbye Book


Todd Parr - 2015
    Through the lens of a pet fish who has lost his companion, Todd Parr tells a moving and wholly accessible story about saying goodbye. Touching upon the host of emotions children experience, Todd reminds readers that it's okay not to know all the answers, and that someone will always be there to support them. An invaluable resource for life's toughest moments.

Please Do Not Open this Book!


Jon Stone - 2006
    Generations of kids have interacted with lovable, furry old Grover as he begs the reader not to turn the page--for fear of a monster at the end of the book. Oh, I am so embarrassed, he says on the last page . . . for, of course, the monster is Grover himself! This all-time favorite is now available as a Big Little Golden Book--perfect for lap-time reading. From the Hardcover edition.

Miracle on 133rd Street


Sonia Manzano - 2015
    But, oh no! It’s too big to fit in the oven. Jose and Papa need to find an oven big enough to cook Mami’s roast. As they walk from door to door through their apartment building, no one seems to be in the Christmas spirit. So they head down the street to find someone willing to help, and only when they do, lo and behold, the scent—the itself magical smell—of dinner begins to spread, and holiday cheer manifests in ways most unexpected. Sonia Manzano from Sesame Street and two-time Caldecott Honor-recipient Marjorie Priceman have cooked up a Christmas tale about how the simplest things—like the tantalizing smell of Christmas dinner and the sharing of it—can become a holiday miracle.

White Rabbit's Color Book


Alan Baker - 1999
    Soon the little rabbit is jumping from bucket to bucket and learning all about colors and how they mix. Quivering with excitement, Brown Rabbit nudges open a square gift box and finds five balloons which take on all sorts of shapes. Gray Rabbit and Black-and-White Rabbit have their own adventures as they discover numbers and the alphabet. Toddlers will have fun and learn with these concept books, warmly illustrated with meticulous detail by Alan Baker.

The Listening Walk


Paul Showers - 1961
    Do not hurry. Get ready to fill your ears with a world of wonderful and surprising sounds.A little girl and her father take a quiet walk and identify the sounds around them. Soon the girl discovers an extraordinary world of sounds in her everyday environment.

The Duchess of Whimsy


Randall de Sève - 2009
    The Duchess of Whimsy is fancy and fussy—and definitely not ordinary—surrounding herself with wild friends, fabulous foods, and fancy dress. The Earl of Norm (ho hum) is completely ordinary, but he adores the Duchess. She ignores him, until the chef gets sick, and her friends have to make a super supper—which includes tracking down truffles, spinning sugar stars, and looking for quail eggs.But the Earl is hungry! He sneaks off to an ordinary grilled cheese sandwich—and suddenly takes the Duchess’s eye. Maybe there’s something to simplicity after all. Maybe there’s something to the Earl after all . . .This deliciously told and illustrated love story by the remarkable de Sèves shows how utterly charming and extraordinary a picture book can be.

Monster Boogie


Laurie Berkner - 2018
    I’m big and I’m scary, you know what I mean? And this is what I like to do… Boogie away those bedtime fears and embrace your inner monster with Monster Boogie, based on Laurie Berkner’s irresistibly fun song and featuring lively, playful artwork by Ben Clanton! I do the monster boogie. So can you! Rraaaahhh!

Pingo


Brandon Mull - 2009
    His friend was Pingo. The two would fight ninjas, brew magical potions, and float in zero gravity. Each day was a fun-filled adventure, until Chad decided he was too old to have an imaginary friend. But Pingo wasn't ready to leave Chad alone, and started tormenting him and causing all kinds of mischief. Can this once inseparable duo ever be friends again?

Wordy Birdy Meets Mr. Cougarpants


Tammi Sauer - 2019
    ("I brought pickles and bean burritos and more pickles and mashed potatoes and some pickles and . . .") But the friends soon find themselves in hot water when the dastardly Mr. Cougarpants stalks their campsite. Can Wordy Birdy talk them all out of this pickle? Grab your pack, grill up a s'more, and find out!Author Tammi Sauer (Chicken Dance, Nugget & Fang) will keep young readers and their parents giggling with this funny, chatty, boisterous adventure about the importance of listening AND the importance of speaking up for your friends!

The Next Place


Warren Hanson - 1997
    A comforting message of hope and a gift of compassion for the bereaved. Exquisite, color illustrations.

The Christmas Mystery


Jostein Gaarder - 1992
    Accompanied by angels, shepherds, kings and even a Roman governor, she is rushing back through time and space to Bethlehem, to be present at the birth of Christ. Fifty years later a boy called Joachim pieces together her story from a magic advent calendar and brings it to a conclusion.

Night in the Country


Cynthia Rylant - 1986
    And while the people dream of daytime things, the nighttime world awakens. Owls swoop, a rabbit patters, and in the yard an apple falls -- pump! -- from the tree. Listen. Go to the window. Across the field a light glows. Who else is up so late? Who else watches and hears the sights and sounds of night in the country -- the many stirrings of silence, the many colors of the dark? Lyrical text and velvety pictures present a very different kind of nighttime: a mysterious, moving night that will lull small children to sleep.

Princess Diadora: Just an Ordinary Ballerina


Eddie Bee - 2013
    She is a regular young girl that any kid would be able to relate to. This children's book is the second book in the Princess Diadora series. In this book, the princess who loves learning ballet must deal with her mother's decision for her to take privileged ballet lessons. Look out for more books from this continuing series.

The Magic School Bus: Arctic Adventure


Gail Herman - 2004
    Frizzle's class is going to the top of the world! They want to see the different animals. But when they arrive, they get a big surprise. Join Ms. Frizzle's class on this cool field trip and learn about the animals of the Arctic.