Book picks similar to
Handa's Hen by Eileen Browne


picture-books
children-s-books
animals
africa

Only One You


Linda Kranz - 2006
    Make it a better place. Adri's mama and papa share some of the wisdom they have gained through the years with their eager son. Their words, simple and powerful, are meant to comfort and guide him as he goes about exploring the world. This exquisitely illustrated book explodes with color and honest insights. Kranz's uniquely painted "rockfish," set against vibrant blue seas, make an unforgettable and truly special impression. Only One You will inspire parents and children of all ages as they swim through the sea of life.

Kitten and the Night Watchman


John Sullivan - 2018
     All night he is alone. Every hour he makes his rounds. He sees the stars twinkling. He hears the sounds of the night: ki-DEE ki-DEE ki-DEE shhhhheeeeeEEEERRRROOOOooooommmmmm Woof! Woof! Woof! Meeeoooow. When he is joined by a stray kitten, the night suddenly seems different. Has the kitten found a new home? Kitten and the Night Watchman is inspired by the true story of author John Sullivan meeting a stray cat while working as a night watchman. The cat, Beebe, was John’s companion for seventeen years.

The Mousehole Cat


Antonia Barber - 1990
    Based on the wonderfully atmospheric and dramatic Cornish tale of Old Tom, the fisherman, and his cat Mowzer, who braved the wrath of the Great Storm-Cat to save their village.

Tadpole's Promise


Jeanne Willis - 2005
    Where the willow tree meets the water, a tadpole met a caterpillar.They gazed into each other's tiny eyes...and fell in love."I love everything about you," said the caterpillar."Promise you'll never change." And foolishly the tadpole promised...But we all know that tadpoles don't stay the same, and neither do caterpillars.Will they still be able to love each other?

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes


Mem Fox - 2008
    . . . And here, from two of the most gifted picture-book creators of our time, is a celebration of baby fingers, baby toes, and the joy they—and the babies they belong to—bring to everyone, everywhere, all over the world! This is a gorgeously simple picture book for very young children, and once you finish the rhythmic, rhyming text, all you’ll want to do is go back to the beginning . . . and read it again! The luminous watercolor illustrations of these roly-poly little ones from a variety of backgrounds are adorable, quirky, and true to life, right down to the wrinkles, dimples, and pudges in their completely squishable arms, legs, and tummies.

Smiley Shark


Ruth Galloway - 2003
    Smiley Shark longed to dip and dive, jiggle and jive, dart and dash with a splash and a splash with all the other fish; but whenever he smiled at them they swam away. But when all of the other fish are trapped in a fisherman's net, it's up to Smiley Shark to find away to free them-and he saves the day with his big, toothy smile!

Snow


Sam Usher - 2014
    . . and all the dogs . . . and all the zoo animals! Only when the two finally arrive does Granddad see why Sam was in such a hurry—and they have the best time playing with everyone in the snow.

Jungle Drums


Graeme Base - 2004
    Tired of being teased by his bigger brothers and sisters, he wishes things could be different. When Old Nyumbu the Wildebeest gives Ngiri a set of magic drums, he is sure his wish is about to come true. But all the animals of the jungle are in for a BIG surprise as Ngiri's wish is granted in a most unexpected way. In the end, the gentle message that inner beauty and change is more important than outer beauty rings true. In true Graeme Base style, there is an added surprise at the end of the book. Everything seems to be normal in the jungle, but look closely and you will see that none of the animals or the other creatures watching from the trees are quite the way they were when the book began. Look even closer, and you will also find Old Nyumbu the Wildebeest hidden somewhere on every spread. "Jungle Drums is a book to be read over and over again.

The Cow Who Climbed a Tree


Gemma Merino - 2015
    She believes that the sky is the limit and that everything is possible. But her sisters aren't convinced—and when Tina tells them she has climbed a tree and met a dragon, they decide that her nonsense has gone too far. Off they go into the woods to find her…and soon discover a world of surprises!

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy


Lynley Dodd - 1983
    All is uneventful until they meet Scarface Claw, the toughest tom in town, and run for home. The story is told by a brilliant, cumulative rhyming text and terrific pictures.

Strictly No Elephants


Lisa Mantchev - 2015
    There will be cats and dogs and fish, but strictly no elephants are allowed. The Pet Club doesn’t understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, just like friends. Now it is time for a boy and his tiny pet elephant to show them what it means to be a true friend.Imaginative and lyrical, this sweet story captures the magic of friendship and the joy of having a pet.

A House Is a House for Me


Mary Ann Hoberman - 1978
    The poem engages in flights of fancy - what about a husk being a house for an ear of corn, or a throat being a house for a hum? "And once you get started in thinking this way,/ It seems that whatever you see/ Is either a house or it lives in a house,/ And a house is a house for me!" whimsical drawings color the imaginative text.

Little Chick


Amy Hest - 2009
    And the incomparable Anita Jeram renders Little Chick’s gestures and movements with a mastery that captures the spirit of every young child.

One Family


George Shannon - 2015
    From veteran picture book author George Shannon and up-and-coming artist Blanca Gomez comes a playful, interactive counting book that shows how a family can be big or small and comprised of people of a range of ages, genders and races.

Giggle, Giggle, Quack


Doreen Cronin - 2002
    'But keep an eye on Duck. He's trouble.' Bob follows the instructions in Farmer Brown's notes exactly to the letter. He orders pizza with anchovies for the hens, bathes the pigs with bubble bath, and lets the cows chose a movie. Is that giggling he hears? The duck, the cows, the hens and the pigs are back in top form in this hilarious follow-up to 'Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type'.