Book picks similar to
Octopus Escapes! by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer


picture-books
animals
storytime
children-s-books

Little Green Peas: A Big Book of Colors


Keith Baker - 2014
    Join the fun as they fly red kites, sail blue boats, ski down purple mountains, and more! Read along with the enclosed CD as Stanley Tucci narrates this fresh and fun exploration of color!

Diary of a Worm


Doreen Cronin - 1996
    . . of a worm. Surprisingly, a worm not that different from you or me: He lives with his parents, plays with his friends, and even goes to school. But unlike you or me, he never has to take a bath, he gets to eat his homework, and because he doesn't have legs, he just can't do the hokey pokey -- no matter how hard he tries. Oh, and his head looks a lot like his rear end.Doreen Cronin, the New York Times best-selling author of Click, Clack, Moo and Giggle, Giggle, Quack, teams up with illustrator Harry Bliss for this hysterical journal about the daily doings and the hidden world of a lovable underground dweller.

Don't Push the Button!


Bill Cotter - 2013
    Who knows what would happen?Okay, quick. No one is looking... push the button.Uh, oh.

999 Tadpoles


Ken Kimura - 2003
    Hungry hawks are flying through the sky. A young frog makes a mighty tasty morsel.   Never underestimate the quick wits of 999 young frogs!

You Are Not a Cat!


Sharon G. Flake - 2016
    Written completely in dialogue, this minimalist text by award-winning novelist Sharon G. Flake (in her debut picture book) is fun to read aloud and easy enough for newly independent readers to enjoy on their own. Anna Raff’s humorous and deceptively simple artwork highlights the characters’ personalities, showing Duck’s quirkiness and good humor and Cat’s rising frustration as Duck impersonates a variety of animals, refusing to concede that he is, indeed, a duck. Duck’s silliness will appeal to children who enjoy pretend play, and older siblings will relate to Cat’s annoyance as Duck refuses to leave his side. This concise, funny story is ideal for multiple readings, with playful details in the artwork and humor that never fades.

Chicken Cheeks


Michael Ian Black - 2009
    This one recruits every animal that comes along to form, well, a stack. The result? Tail of the duck to the gluteus maximus of the duck-billed platypus (with many other rears in between). Readers will giggle with delight at the bird's eye view of some hysterical animal bottoms. Follow this back-sided journey up the tree - where the real surprise awaits. The pairing of Black's minimal text with Hawkes's visual story line will keep you chuckling from the bottom up.

That's What Dinosaurs Do


Jory John - 2019
    Because, well, he’s a dinosaur.But when William gets a sore throat, the doctor tells him, “No roaring for a week!”No roaring at the mailman or the bus driver.No roaring in line or at the park.That means absolutely NO roaring at anyone or anything? This can’t be happening!Will this overexcited dinosaur make it through the week without roaring at all?!

Frog on a Log?


Kes Gray - 2014
    Cats sit on mats, hares sit on chairs, mules sit on stools, gophers sit on sofas, and frogs sit on logs."Each animal's designated seat rhymes with that animal's name. "It's not about being comfortable," explains the cat. "It's about doing the right thing."The frog does not want to sit on a log. Doing his best to find an alternative place to sit, the frog asks the cat a litany of questions. For every answer the cat has, the frog has another question--until the frog finds out what dogs sit on!Peppered with catchy rhymes, Frog on a Log? shows young readers that every animal has a special place to sit. With rhymes that are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's beginner books, Frog on a Log? is a fun, educational read-aloud story that helps teach phonics!

Duck in the Truck


Jez Alborough - 1999
    Then sheep helps push, too. But duck's truck won't come unstuck! Can anyone help him get out of the muck? Or is duck out of luck?Find out in this rollicking read-aloud by the inimitable Jez Alborough.

Cookie's Week


Cindy Ward - 1988
    With its bright watercolor illustrations and one sentence of text per page, toddlers will love following Cookie through the days of the week--and seeing all the trouble he causes around the house!

Ned the Knitting Pirate


Diana Murray - 2016
    They heave and they ho and they swab and they . . . knit?Well, one of them does, at least! Unfortunately for Ned, his knitting doesn't go over well with the captain and crew. They urge him to hide his hobby and strive to be scurvier, like pirates should be. But when the briny ocean beast shows up to feast on the Rusty Heap and its crew, maybe Ned's knitting is just the ticket to save the day!From author Diana Murray and illustrator Leslie Lammle comes a delightfully salty tale about a pirate boy whose love for yarn and appliqué just doesn't quite let him fit in, but makes him stand out in the best way, instead. With their appealing angle on individuality, Murray's hilarious characters and Lammle's bright illustrations are sure to win over even the most reluctant landlubber.

Pepper & Poe


Frann Preston-Gannon - 2015
    He's set in his ways, and used to his normal routine in the house that he rules--or thinks he rules, anyway! Yup, he's got everything down to a science, including how to manipulate the house dog. That is until a new kitty named Poe comes along and starts messing up everything! Can Poe get Pepper to accept him as part of the family?This hilarious story reinvents the age-old new sibling topic with a furry twist, taking an emotionally heavy subject and masking it with humor--all while reinforcing the days of the week! Frann Preston-Gannon, the 2011 Maurice Sendak Fellowship Award Winner, makes a stunning US picture book debut with her unique, eye-catching artwork and clever use of text.

Scaredy Squirrel


Mélanie Watt - 2006
    It's way too dangerous out there. He could encounter tarantulas, green Martians or killer bees. But in his tree, every day is the same and if danger comes along, he's well-prepared. Scaredy Squirrel's emergency kit includes antibacterial soap, Band-Aids and a parachute.Day after day he watches and waits, and waits and watches, until one day ... his worst nightmare comes true! Scaredy suddenly finds himself out of his tree, where germs, poison ivy and sharks lurk. But as Scaredy Squirrel leaps into the unknown, he discovers something really uplifting ...

Vegetables in Underwear


Jared Chapman - 2015
    The unexpectedness of vegetables in their unmentionables is enough to draw giggles, but the pride with which the “big kid” attire is flaunted in front of the baby carrots in diapers will tickle readers of all ages. With rhyming text that begs to be chanted aloud and art that looks good enough to eat, this vibrant story will encourage preschoolers to celebrate having left those diapers behind!

My Little Sister Ate One Hare


Bill Grossman - 1996
    Now in Dragonfly, this is the perfect book for any kid who loves to giggle (and who doesn't?) and parents who love to hear them.