Oh, Harry!


Maxine Kumin - 2011
    All's well until the arrival of six-year-old Algernon Adams the Third--a boy with a talent for mayhem. When Algernon finds himself in a pinch, will reliably helpful Harry come to his rescue or go back to sleep and let the little terror figure his own way out of a sticky situation?

A Penguin Story


Antoinette Portis - 2008
    She is convinced there is something more out there. So she sets out on a quest—a quest for color. When she finally finds what she's been looking for, it's everything she hoped for and more. But that doesn't mean she will ever stop looking.

Bear Has a Story to Tell


Philip C. Stead - 2012
    But first, Bear had a story to tell...Bear found his friend Mouse, but Mouse was busy gathering seeds and didn't have time to listen to a story. Then Bear saw his friend Duck, but Duck was getting ready to fly south. What about his friend Toad? He was busy looking for a warm place to sleep. By the time Bear was through helping his friends get ready for winter, would anyone still be awake to hear his story?This endearing story of friendship and patience is a worthy companion to Philip and Erin Stead's last collaboration, A Sick Day for Amos McGee, winner of the 2011 Caldecott Medal.Bear Has a Story to Tell is a Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2012. This title has Common Core connections.

Some Bugs


Angela DiTerlizzi - 2014
    Get the buzz on bugs in this picture book from Angela DiTerlizzi!Grab your magnifying glass!Find your field guide!And come hop, hide, swim, and glidethrough this buggy backyard world! Featuring insects including butterflies and moths, crickets and cicadas, bumblebees and beetles, this zippy rhyming exploration of backyard-bug behavior is sure to have insect enthusiasts of all ages bugging out with excitement!

The Show Must Go On!


Kate Klise - 2013
    Sarah Klise blend a story bursting with jokes, puns, and wordplay with illustrations, signs, letters, recipes, and bold graphics to introduce Three-Ring Rascals.When Sir Sidney, a kindly old circus owner, becomes too tired to travel with his show, he places a Help Wanted ad in the newspaper. Enter Barnabas Brambles: “I have a degree in lion taming from the University of Piccadilly Circus.” But does Leo the lion need taming? Will Elsa the elephant still get her gourmet peanuts? And what will Brambles say when he discovers Bert and Gert—two mice who travel with the circus on popcorn cleanup patrol?Brambles has big plans: More cities! More shows! No more free popcorn. Soon he’s made a big mess of Sir Sidney’s Circus, but Leo, Elsa, Bert, Gert, and the rest of the performers agree: The Show Must Go On!Black and white line drawings throughout.

Soaked!


Abi Cushman - 2020
    How could he possibly have fun when he is soaked? But Badger, Rabbit, and Moose don't seem to mind. In fact, Moose can still hula hoop! And it looks like so much fun. Might Bear like to try?Here is a story that shows that fun is not dependent on sunshine and blue skies. In fact, it might be more fun to be soaked!

How to Apologize


David LaRochelle - 2021
    From a porcupine who accidentally popped his friend’s balloon to a snail who was running so fast he stepped on a sloth’s toes, hilarious examples and sweet illustrations abound. For both listeners who are just learning and older readers who need a refresher, this book will come as a welcome reminder that even though apologizing can be hard, it doesn’t have to be complicated.

The Rain Came Down


David Shannon - 2000
    It made the chickens squawk. The cat yowled at the chickens, and the dog barked at the cat. And still, the rain came down."The barking dog wakes the baby, the dog barks louder, and a policeman comes. His police car blocks traffic, and a woman in a taxi yells, so the taxi driver honks his horn. The truck driver in front of him gets mad and starts honking back. The beauty parlor owner comes out to look, and she bumps into the barber, and they begin to argue. A painter bonks the barber on the head with a can of paint, and then the baker opens up his umbrella and pokes the pizza man. On and on and on until suddenly . . . . . . the rain stops!The sun comes out, everything shimmers, and all of the bickering townspeople make amends–even the arguing children, who get free ice cream cones.

The Cheese


Margie Palatini - 2007
    Why the cheese stand alone?In this hilarious riff on the favorite nursery rhyme "The Farmer in the Dell," readers will discover what really happened to that hunk of cheddar.

Round


Joyce Sidman - 2017
    If you look closely, you will find that the world is bursting, swelling, budding, and ripening with round things awaiting discovery—like eggs about to hatch, sunflowers stretching toward the sun, or planets slowly spinning together for billions of years.Whimsical and imaginative, this poetic ode to all that is round and full of wonder by the Newbery Honor–winning author and poet Joyce Sidman, with illustrations by the two-time New York Best Illustrated Book award recipient Taeeun Yoo, inspires curiosity and wonder for this (round) little earth we call home.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff


Jerry Pinkney - 2017
    But the bridge is home to a terrible troll, who is peckish himself, and looking for a tasty morsel to gobble up. In his interpretation of the timeless tale, Jerry Pinkney shows there's little good to come from greed--but in the end, redemption for even the most trollish bully is possible. A dramatic gatefold heightens the climax of this brilliant rendition.Don't miss these other classic retellings by Jerry Pinkney:The Little MermaidThe Lion & the MouseThe Tortoise & the HareThe Grasshopper & the AntsLittle Red Riding HoodTwinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Because of Thursday


Patricia Polacco - 2016
    She was born on a Thursday. She won her first cooking contest at the age of eight on a Thursday. She met the love of her life, Mario, on a Thursday. They were married on a bright Thursday afternoon and their two children were both born on a Thursday. Annie is known far and wide for her Poke Pasta Salad and has the most popular restaurant for miles around. When Mario suddenly passes away, Annie’s joy and love of cooking disappears. Before too long, a little kitty appears and Annie takes the kitty in, and, of course, calls it Thursday. Annie is back making Poke Salad in no time. Thursday the cat is known for amazing twirls and tricks and one day his twirls land him in Annie’s draining rigatoni, causing the pot of hot oil, garlic, and peppers to spill into the pasta! Then the entire container of Parmesan cheese overturned into the mix. The customers were horrified until they noticed that what looked like a big mess had the most amazing aroma and turned out to be the most delicious pasta dish ever created! Ugly Pasta—the dish that would make Annie famous for miles around—was born. And of course it was a Thursday!

If I Had a Gryphon


Vikki VanSickle - 2016
    She's not really impressed. The hamster isn't very exciting--he mostly eats and sleeps and gets his shavings wet. BORING!After reading a book about mythological creatures, Sam gets some ideas for more exciting pets. But she soon realizes that taking care of these magical beasts might not be as wonderful as she though. Unicorns are shy, gryphons scare the dogs at the dog park and having a fire extinguisher handy at all times makes dragons seem like an awful lot of work. Maybe the hamster really is the best pet for her. A nice, safe pet... right?

The Quicksand Book


Tomie dePaola - 1977
    An ALA Notable Book.

The Woods


Rob Hodgson - 2019
    The foxes follow some helpful signs over the tallest trees, under the carrot fields, and through the pumpkin patch, but there’s no sign of any rabbits. What on earth has happened to them? And why are there strange eyes following them from the trees?   This is a great title for entertaining children indoors: they will love outwitting the foxes—who continually say, 'No rabbits here'—by spotting the rabbits in each colorful illustration! Don't miss Rob Hodgson's other hilarious books: The Cave and My Best Friend.