Dinosaur Roar!


Paul Stickland - 1994
    The subjects are, first, antonyms--such as above/below and weak/strong--and then lunch. The paired dinosaurs, in a goofy array of pastels, are almost all smiling, even when the rhyme insists they're "grumpy"--so when they settle down to a lunch with (and not of) each other, the end is satisfying. The pictures and swingy short verses will make this a good group read-aloud, even for the very young. -BooklistThese prehistoric monsters are just perfect for the preschool crowds. A natural for story time. -School Library Journal

The Moon's Almost Here


Patricia MacLachlan - 2016
    Robin sings in her nest. Babies fly back to her, ready to rest. The moon’s almost here. There’s no time to play. Mama sheep hurries; Sun’s going away. Nighttime is approaching as each animal readies itself for bed in this lyrical picture book text by Patricia MacLachlan. In striking paintings with a calming palette, Tomie dePaola imagines the scene through the eyes of mime Pierrot and his child.

There's a Walrus in My Bed!


Ciara Flood - 2017
    Flynn has longed for his first big boy bed, but now that it's here, there's one rather large problem: a walrus!

Little Mouse


Alison Murray - 2012
    Other times, it's nice to be quiet and cozy, cuddly and dozy, especially when you're snuggled up on Mommy's lap. Mommy's little mouse.

Happy in Our Skin


Fran Manushkin - 2015
    As they grow, their clever skin does too, enjoying hugs and tickles, protecting them inside and out, and making them one of a kind. Fran Manushkin’s rollicking text and Lauren Tobia’s delicious illustrations paint a breezy and irresistible picture of the human family—and how wonderful it is to be just who you are.

Tap Tap Boom Boom


Elizabeth Bluemle - 2014
    With quirky wordplay and infectious rhymes, Elizabeth Bluemle crystallizes an unexpected moment of community, while G. Brian Karas’s warm illustrations show the smiles to be had when a storm brings strangers together as friends.

If Animals Kissed Good Night


Ann Whitford Paul - 2008
    Would Wolf and his pup “kiss and then HOWL”? Would Bear and her cub “kiss and then GROWL”? But what about Sloth and her baby? They move soooo slooowwwww . . . they’re sure to be kissing from early evening until long after everyone else is fast asleep!With its whimsical art and playful rhymed verse, this affectionate picture book is bound to become a bedtime favorite.

Chickens to the Rescue


John Himmelman - 2006
    . . . On Tuesday, Mrs. Greenstalk was too tired to make dinner. . . .   Who will help the poor Greenstalk family? Chickens to the rescue! The amazing chickens on the Greenstalk farm race to help various family members and farm animals every day of the week. Every day until Sunday, that is, when Emily Greenstalk has a little trouble . . .   John Himmelman's expressive illustrations are filled with the kind of hilarious details that will delight young readers.

Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night?


Brianna Caplan Sayres - 2012
    Young readers will identify with fire engines, tractors and monster trucks as the vehicles ask for one more story while their mommy trucks tuck them in, and their daddy trucks sing a goodnight song. Children who can't get enough of trucks will love Brianna Caplan Sayres things-that-go bedtime story.

Xander's Panda Party


Linda Sue Park - 2013
    Yes, a dandy whoop-de-do!But Xander was the only panda. Just one panda at the zoo.The zoo’s paucity of pandas doesn’t impede Xander’s party planning for long. He decides to invite all the bears. But Koala protests. She’s not a bear—she's a marsupial! Does that mean she can’t come? Xander rethinks his decision to invite only bears, and “Calling all bears” evolves into “Calling all creatures.” The Newbery Medal author Linda Sue Park introduces animal taxonomy in a wonderfully engaging way, and the celebrated artist Matt Phelan’s charming ink and watercolor paintings are the icing on the cake. A read-aloud whoop-de-do!

Hocus Pocus, It's Fall!


Anne Sibley O'Brien - 2016
    Fall is a season of transition: apples are picked, and animals prepare for winter. Summer days are coming to an end, and there's a hint of winter in the air. Hocus Pocus, It’s Fall! celebrates the magic of that in-between time.

Polar Bear Night


Lauren Thompson - 2004
    . . A nighttime journey . . . A bedtime story of love and wonder.One keen, clear night, a polar bear cub wakes inside her warm den. Something in the moonlit stillness quietly beckons. What is it?The little cub sets out for the snow and sky and sea and ice, and the moon follows.So begins a magical journey through a starlit world filled with love and wonder. Soothing words and luminous pictures make this nighttime tale as comforting as a goodnight kiss.

Where Is Tippy Toes?


Betsy Lewin - 2010
    Over here. Over there. His house is the perfect place to tiptoe the day away, lurking behind unsuspecting birds and mice, crouching behind garden posies, and surprising a little boy with his unusual hiding spots. Die-cut pages let readers discover where Tippy Toe goes as his day unfolds, and end up revealing the most satisfying hiding place of all—a warm cozy bed! Told with simple rhymes and mischievous illustrations by award-winning creator Betsy Lewin, this is a book to curl up with and enjoy—preferably in a nice sunny spot.

The Sleepy Little Alphabet: A Bedtime Story from Alphabet Town


Judy Sierra - 2009
    It's sleepy time in Alphabet Town. But the twenty-six little letters of the alphabet all have something they need--or want--to do before BIG-letter moms and dads tuck them in. Not since the classic Chicka Chicka Boom Boom has there been such an appealing way to teach the youngest child the ABCs while providing a one-minute goodnight story. Of course, Melissa Sweet's animated watercolor, pencil, and collage illustrations may beg for a little more time to match up all the toys with the right letters, and Judy Sierra's rollicking rhymed story will want to be heard again and again. Okay, so maybe it's a three-minute story!

Mouse Paint


Ellen Stoll Walsh - 1989
    One day three white mice discover three jars of paint--red, blue, and yellow. But what happens when they splash in the colors, mixing the red and blue? Or dance in the blue and yellow? This playful introduction to colors will appeal to any budding artist or curious preschooler.