Definitions range from wanting to know everything about cookies (curious) to thinking carefully about what kind of cookies to make for your friend (ponder). This is a tasty vocabulary list that will resonate well beyond the school years.

    Meet Tiny, a diminutive but determined T-Rex in a big world, as he embraces all obstacles against him in his quest to learn how to hug.

     When Librarian Vicki Myron finds a young kitten abandoned in the Spencer Library return box, she nurses him back to health, deciding then and there that he will be their library cat, and naming him, appropriately, Dewey Readmore Books. Dewey loves his new home, but once he discovers the littlest library visitors-who like to chase him, pull his tail, and squeeze him extra tight-Dewey begins to wonder if he's truly cut out for the demands of his new job. In the end, he is triumphant as he realizes that helping people big and small is what he is meant to do, and that by sharing his special brand of Dewey love, he can be the best library cat of all.

    There are so many neat things to see, and so many strange things to find. These explorers are prepared for anything . . . except each other! When Bear and Boy meet in the woods, they're scared at first. Really scared. But soon these kings of the wild realize that no mountain is too big to conquer if you have a friend to climb it by your side.Praise for To the Sea"A whale's tale that dives deep and surfaces with useful lessons about making, keeping, and helping friends." -Kirkus Reviews "An unusual and appealing story about friendship." -School Library Journal

    But one day Mommy tells Herbie that it's time to go exploring--all by himself! Herbie is so not sure, but ready or not, a westerly wind sweeps Herbie into the wide world ... and Herbie's Big Adventure begins! Little Herbie finds that he's braver than he thinks and even makes a friend before coming safely back home to Mommy.

    And isn’t that everyone? This is a self-published success story from debut authors Justin Lowe and Kevin Diller. Octicorn is half octopus, half unicorn, half confused . . . which sometimes makes it hard to fit in.But maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

    One day, he decides to build a tower that will reach the moon, and he wants to do it all by himself. Will the moon be made of cheese? Can he catch a shooting star? As Peter climbs higher and higher into space, he discovers he doesn’t have a way down! He’ll have to figure out what to do next—all by himself.

    "I'm like the wind. I am faster than lightning!" But will speed alone keep boastful Jake from being caught by a cat, a fox, a wolf, or a bear? "Can't catch me!" he shouts. Well, clever Old Tom Cat will just have to see about that. . . . Expressive and energetic illustrations pair with a fun cumulative text in a mischievous story that begs to be read aloud.

    She is also a cat who is very set in her ways...until the day she turns blue!

    Max is very sleepy. It's way past Max's bedtime. Max has drunk his milk. Max has brushed his teeth. Max has cleaned behind his ears. Now Max just needs to say goodnight...Max is tired and all ready for bed, but when he can't find the moon to say goodnight to, he sets out to find it. But that's not as easy as Max had hoped... Witty and heart-warming, this stylish and beautifully illustrated book is the perfect bedtime read.

    And boy, does it come in handy! Whenever anything scares Oliver--be it a teacher, a classmate, or the prospect of learning "everything"--the alligator makes the problem go away. Quickly, school becomes much simpler . . . and a little lonely. But Oliver knows just what to do! Paul Schmid's gentle, funny tale about overcoming first day of school jitters is destined to become a modern classic that fans of "Olivia" and Kevin Henkes' books will love.

    "How about going to the park to eat jellybeans?" And so the two friends meet up and have a hilarious, poignant, and surprisingly trenchant discussion about the existence of heaven, and what might or might not go on there, while munching on their favorite food, jellybeans. Funny, winsome, with a touch of Frog and Toad, this little book is an absolute delight.

    Find them he does, but will Angus make it back home?

    Before long, Dog is doodling and drawing himself into a new world, full of friends and surprises.

    Desperately. “No,” says Dad, “pets cost too much to keep.” “No,” says Mom, “pets make noise.” But Prudence is determined. She finds her own pet. It is a…branch. But Branch isn't exactly the pet of her dreams, and neither are Twig, Mr. Round (a car tire), or her baby brother Milo. Poor Prudence. Will she ever find the perfect pet?