Hank's Big Day: The Story of a Bug


Evan Kuhlman - 2016
    Hank is a pill bug with a busy life—for a pill bug, that is. His daily routine involves nibbling a dead leaf, climbing up a long stick, avoiding a skateboarder, and playing pretend with his best friend, a human girl named Amelia, in her backyard. And when day is done, Hank likes nothing better than returning home to his cozy rock.

Owen and Mzee: Language of Friendship


Isabella Hatkoff - 2006
    This book traces their first year together, including their adorable playful ways and the unique "language" that they have developed.

Marta! Big & Small


Jen Arena - 2016
    . . with some extraordinary animal friends!As Marta explores the jungle, she knows she's bigger than a bug, smaller than an elephant, and faster than a turtle. But then she meets the snake, who thinks Marta is sabrosa—tasty, very tasty! But Marta is ingeniosa, a very clever girl, and she outsmarts the snake with hilarious results.With simple Spanish and a glossary at the end, this fun read-aloud picture book teaches little ones to identify opposites and animals and learn new words.

Billions of Bricks


Kurt Cyrus - 2016
    Look at all the bricks!Grab a hard hat and all your tools, and get ready for a construction adventure in counting! This clever, rhyming picture book leads readers through a day in the life of a construction crew building with bricks. A brick may seem like just a simple block, but in groupings of ten, twenty, and more, it can create many impressive structures, from hotels to schools to skyscrapers. This is a terrific introduction to counting in quantities for children.A Christy Ottaviano Book

The Crayon Man: the True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons


Natascha Biebow - 2019
    purple mountains’ majesty, mauvelous, jungle green, razzmatazz… What child doesn't love to hold a crayon in their hands?  But children didn't always have such magical boxes of crayons. Here’s the true story of an inventor who so loved nature’s vibrant colors that he found a way to bring the outside world to children – in a box for only a nickel!

Bee: A Peek-Through Picture Book


Britta Teckentrup - 2017
    Peek into this bright and lively book and discover the big ways this little insect contributes to the beauty of the environment, from pollinating colorful flowers to buzzing about the bright and beautiful meadow.With clever peekaboo holes throughout, each page reveals new flowers and plants, plus a look inside a beehive as the bees work together to help a plants grow.Children will love seeing the details of a bee's active day as each page is turned, and along the way they'll learn about ways in which bees and plants works together to produce a healthy, beautiful environment.And look for its companion books, Tree, Moon, and The Twelve Days of Christmas, in the same Peek-Through Picture Book series!"Ample opportunities can be found to linger over the vibrant multimedia collages of meadows, woods, hedgerows, streams, and, most of all, the flowers bursting from the pages. An inviting introduction to the busy lives of honeybees."--Booklist

Astro Girl


Ken Wilson-Max - 2019
    "I want to be an astronaut!" she says to everyone who will listen. While her mama is away, Astrid and her papa have fun acting out the challenges an astronaut faces on a space mission -- like being in zero gravity ("I can do that all day long!" she says), eating food from a kind of tube, and doing science experiments with the help of cookie sheets. When at last it's time to meet Mama at the air base, Astrid wears her favorite space T-shirt to greet her. But where exactly has Mama been? Channeling a sense of childlike delight, Ken Wilson-Max brings space travel up close for young readers and offers an inspiring ending.

Just Like Me


Vanessa Brantley-Newton - 2020
    With bright portraits in Vanessa's signature style of vibrant colors and unique patterns and fabrics, this book invites readers to find themselves and each other within its pages.

Sandy Feet! Whose Feet?: Footprints at the Shore


Susan Wood - 2019
    Rhyming text turns a sandy beach into an outdoor classroom. The tracks and habits of local wildlife, including hopping sandpipers, scuttling crabs, and burrowing turtles, are identified and explained for young ecology detectives. Even Daddy's feet make an appearance! And at day's end, it's time for tired feet to make their way home. STEM-based back matter includes information on how clues like footprints can identify the type of wildlife inhabiting any given habitat.

Old Rock (Is Not Boring)


Deb Pilutti - 2020
    Spotted Beetle, Tall Pine, and Hummingbird think just sitting there must be boring, but they are in for a wonderful surprise. Fabulous tales of adventurous travel, exotic scenery, entertaining neighbors, and more from Old Rock's life prove it has been anything but boring.Great storytellers come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and Old Rock's stories are sure to inspire questions that lead to wonderful conversations about the past and the natural world.

You're Invited to a Moth Ball: A Nighttime Insect Celebration


Loree Griffin Burns - 2020
    But discovering the diverse moth population is simple--stay up late and set up a party for moths! Nature centers and museums host events called moth balls each summer, but kids can create their own right at home. Captivating photographs show how to lure in moths to study them. Direct address to the reader shows kids the magic of science found at home.

Water Can Be...


Laura Purdie Salas - 2014
    Water can be a Thirst quencher Kid drencher Cloud fluffer Fire snuffer Find out about the many roles water plays in this poetic exploration of water throughout the year.

Yucky Worms


Vivian French - 2010
    Kids are invited to find out where worms live, see how they move, and understand why gardeners consider them friends with the help of this humorous and informative look at an unappreciated — and fascinating — creature.

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature


Joyce Sidman - 2011
    A Caldecott medalist and a Newbery Honor-winning poet celebrate the beauty and value of spirals.What makes the tiny snail shell so beautiful? Why does that shape occur in nature over and over againbut also celebrate the beauty and usefulness of this fascinating shape.

A Bike Like Sergio's


Maribeth Boelts - 2016
    His friend Sergio reminds him that his birthday is coming, but Ruben knows that the kinds of birthday gifts he and Sergio receive are not the same. After all, when Ruben’s mom sends him to Sonny’s corner store for groceries, sometimes she doesn’t have enough money for everything on the list. So when Ruben sees a dollar bill fall out of someone’s purse, he picks it up and puts it in his pocket. But when he gets home, he discovers it’s not one dollar or even five or ten—it’s a hundred-dollar bill, more than enough for a new bike just like Sergio’s! But what about the crossed-off groceries? And what about the woman who lost her money? Presenting a relatable story told with subtlety and heart, the creative team behind Those Shoes pairs up again for a satisfying new picture book.