Book picks similar to
Best Buddies by Lynn Plourde


picture-books
animals
pets
picture-book

Boot & Shoe


Marla Frazee - 2012
    They eat out of the same bowl, pee on the same tree, and sleep in the same bed. But they spend their days apart - Boot on the back porch because he's a back porch kind of dog, and Shoe on the front porch because he's a front porch kind of dog. This is exactly perfect for them. But then a crazy neighborhood squirrel arrives . . . and everything goes topsy-turvy!Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee brings her signature wit, tenderness, and hilarious illustrations to this tale of an irresistible puppy pair.

Just Me and My Puppy


Mercer Mayer - 1985
    He learns to feed, walk, train and love his new friend. Little Critter discovers puppies are a lot of work, but it's all worth it!

Lone Wolf


Sarah Kurpiel - 2020
    She’s a valued member of the team, but strangers always seem to think she’s a wolf! It’s true: Maple can hunt, she can howl, and she can dig, just like wolves can. Oh, no! What if she is a wolf and doesn’t belong with her family, after all?

Outside, Inside


LeUyen Pham - 2021
    . .. . . went inside.Outside, it was quieter, wilder, and different. Inside, we laughed, we cried, and we grew.We remembered to protect the ones we love and love the ones who protect us.While the world changed outside, we became stronger on the inside and believed that someday soon spring would come again.

The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree


Paola Peretti - 2018
    Can Mafalda find a way through a seemingly dark future and still go to school, play soccer and look after her beloved cat? With the help of her family, and her friends, Mafalda needs to discover the things that will be important to her when her sight has failed.

Hello, Jimmy!


Anna Walker - 2021
    They have tacos and milkshakes, and make each other laugh. But lately Jack wonders if his dad is lonely when he isn’t there. Then Jimmy arrives. Jimmy is loud and obnoxious, but Dad thinks he’s clever and funny. Jack does not think he’s clever or funny. And he’s starting to wonder if Dad likes Jimmy better than he likes Jack. This beautifully written and illustrated book about the unconditional love a parent has for a child is both heartwarming and reassuring.

Barnaby


Andrea Curtis - 2021
    Until his owner brings home a “friend” for Barnaby: a little yellow canary.Barnaby is not happy. When his tantrums don’t convince his owner to get rid of the canary, Barnaby flies away and ends up hopelessly lost. While stopping for a rest, he encounters a flock of wild sparrows. At first, he looks down his beak at the drab, brown birds. But, growing hungrier and thirstier, he realizes he has a lot to learn from them.Soon Barnaby is a part of their flock, scavenging for seeds and riding on the wind. But Barnaby can’t forget his former home, and every night he searches for his owner’s house using tricks the sparrows taught him. Finally, he finds it, and Barnaby returns home a changed bird. With subtle messages about sibling rivalry and jealousy, readers will enjoy Barnaby’s antics and the sweet conclusion to this story.

Madeline's Rescue


Ludwig Bemelmans - 1953
    One day on a walk through Paris (a "twelve little girls in two straight lines" kind of walk), Madeline slips and falls off a bridge right into the Seine. Everyone feared she would be dead, "But for a dog / That kept its head," saving her from a "watery grave." What choice do Madeline and the girls have but to take the heroic pooch home, feed her biscuits, milk, and beef, and name her Genevieve? Sadly, when Lord Cucuface gets wind of the new dog, he decrees that no dogs will be allowed in the "old house in Paris that was covered with vines," and kicks Genevieve out on the street. Madeline vows vengeance, and the girls scour Paris looking for the pup: "They went looking high / and low / And every place a dog might go. / In every place they called her name / But no one answered to the same." As we've come to expect from Bemelmans, all's well that ends well chez Clavel, and young readers will be tickled by this heartwarming, quirky dog story with a surprise finale. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson

Ruby in the Sky


Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo - 2019
    She doesn’t want kids at school asking about her missing father or discovering that her mother has been arrested. But keeping to herself isn’t easy when Ahmad Saleem, a Syrian refugee in her class, decides he’s her new best friend. Or when she meets “the Bird Lady,” a recluse named Abigail who lives in a ramshackle shed near Ruby’s house. No one in town understands Abigail — people whisper about her, about her boarded-up house and the terrible secrets she must be hiding.As Mom’s trial draws near and Abigail faces eviction, Ruby is forced to make a choice: break her silence or risk losing everyone she loves. Ruby’s story is about the walls we hide behind and the magic that can happen when we are brave enough to break free.

Duke


Kirby Larson - 2013
    Hoping to help end the war and bring his dad home faster, Hobie decides to donate Duke to Dogs for Defense, an organization that urges Americans to "loan" their pets to the military to act as sentries, mine sniffers, and patrol dogs. Hobie immediately regrets his decision and tries everything he can to get Duke back, even jeopardizing his friendship with the new boy at school. But when his father is taken prisoner by the Germans, Hobie realizes he must let Duke go and reach deep within himself to be brave. Will Hobie ever see Duke, or his father, again? With powerful storytelling and gripping emotion, critically acclaimed author Kirby Larson explores the many ways bravery and love help us to weather the most difficult times.

The Grumpy Fairies


Bethan Stevens - 2021
    Deep in the darkest forests, under rustling leaves, live the fairies. You probably think that fairies are good, kind, and sweet. Well, a lot of them are. These helpful fairies take care of the forest and they're happy to do it. But I'm sorry to tell you that some of the fairies, particularly the littlest ones, are GRUMPY. I mean super grumpy. I mean foot-stompy, frowny, bottom-lip-sticking-outy kind of grumpy. I mean "it’s just one of those days" grumpy. But these grumpy fairies better watch out. There's a goblin about, and grumpy fairies happen to be a his favorite food… This wonderful, funny book will bring a smile to the smallest (and grumpiest) of children.

How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids


Tom Rath - 2009
    Each of us has an invisible bucket. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it’s empty, we feel awful. Yet most children (and many adults) don’t realize the importance of having a full bucket throughout the day. In How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids, Felix begins to see how every interaction in a day either fills or empties his bucket. Felix then realizes that everything he says or does to other people fills or empties their buckets as well. Follow along with Felix as he learns how easy it can be to fill the buckets of his classmates, teachers and family members. Before the day is over, you’ll see how Felix learns to be a great bucket filler, and in the process, discovers that filling someone else’s bucket also fills his own.

Pinduli


Janell Cannon - 2004
    But Dog, Lion, and Zebra don't think so. Why else would they make her feel so rotten about her big ears, her fuzzy mane, and her wiggly stripes? Poor Pinduli just wants to disappear--and she tries everything she can think of to make that happen. Yet "nothing goes her way. Nothing, that is, until a case of mistaken identity lets her show the creatures of the African savanna how a few tiny words--bad or good--can create something enormous. Janell Cannon, the creator of the bestselling "Stellaluna, introduces yet another endearing character in this triumphant story about self-image, self-acceptance, and treating others with respect.""Includes notes about hyenas and other animals of the African savanna.

Unicorn Day


Diana Murray - 2019
    But when it's revealed there's an impostor in their midst, the party comes to a screeching halt...Will the unicorns welcome all and continue their fun in all its glittery glory?A clever, colorful, and over-the-top picture book about unicorns, celebrations, and most importantly, friendship.

Ten Beautiful Things


Molly Beth Griffin - 2020
    Ten Beautiful Things gently explores loss, a new home, and finding beauty wherever you are.Lily and her grandmother search for ten beautiful things as they take a long car ride to Iowa and Lily's new home with Gran. At first, Lily sees nothing beautiful in the April slush and cloudy sky. Soon though, Lily can see beauty in unexpected places, from the smell of spring mud to a cloud shaped like a swan to a dilapitated barn. A furious rainstorm mirrors Lily's anxiety, but as it clears Lily discovers the tenth beautiful thing: Lily and Gran and their love for each other.Ten Beautiful Things leaves the exact cause of Lily's move ambiguous, making it perfect for anyone helping a child navigate change, whether it be the loss of a parent, entering or leaving a foster home, or moving.