Book picks similar to
When Emily Was Small by Lauren Soloy


picture-books
netgalley
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childrens

Petra


Marianna Coppo - 2016
    . . until a dog fetches her for its owner, and she is tossed into a bird's nest. A mountain? No, Petra is now an egg! An egg of the world in a world of possibility. Until she's flung into a pond, and becomes an amazing island . . . and, eventually, a little girl's pet rock. What will she be tomorrow? Who knows? But she's a rock, and this is how she rolls!

The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story


Tina Cho - 2020
    The haenyeo dive off the coast of Jeju Island to pluck treasures from the sea--generations of Korean women have done so for centuries. To Dayeon, the haenyeo are as strong and graceful as mermaids. To give her strength, Dayeon eats Grandma's abalone porridge. She practices holding her breath while they do the dishes. And when Grandma suits up for her next dive, Dayeon grabs her suit, flippers, and goggles. A scary memory of the sea keeps Dayeon clinging to the shore, but with Grandma's guidance, Dayeon comes to appreciate the ocean's many gifts.Tina Cho's The Ocean Calls, with luminous illustrations by muralist Jess X. Snow, is a classic in the making.

School for Bandits


Hannah Shaw - 2011
    But he doesn't act normal at all. He's disturbingly well behaved, clean and tidy, shockingly polite, and he even brushes his teeth!  Mr. and Mrs. Raccoon are worried—how will Ralph ever become a great raccoon bandit like Grandpa Cutlass or Uncle Whiskers?  It's time Ralph learned some bad manners . . . at Bandit School.Ralph has no chance of winning the "Best Bandit in School" competition—he's not very bandit-like at all. But sometimes good manners can be useful, and Ralph just might surprise everyone--including himself.

Carl and the Meaning of Life


Deborah Freedman - 2019
    He spends his days happily tunneling in the soil until a field mouse asks him a simple question that stops him short: "Why?" Carl's quest takes him on an adventure to meet all the animals of the forest, each of whom seems to know exactly what they were put on this earth to do, unlike the curious Carl. But it's not until the world around him has changed that Carl begins to realize everyone, no matter how small, makes a big difference just by being themselves.

Over, Bear! Under, Where?


Julie Hedlund - 2021
    They go on the swings (Over goes over Under) and the seesaw (Under is under Over). They meet a hot-dog dog (who joins them for a hot dog). And then they spot . . . a bear! (Unbearable!) But is he really the overall scary creature they first understand him to be?In this hilariously punny story that will have readers laughing out loud as they pick apart the wordplay, a pair of pals overcome their fears as they discover that friendship underpins all.Praise for Over, Bear! Under, Where? I adore this book. Am Over Come with emotion . . . er laughter. It's Jeff Mack on steroids, and every English teacher from kindergarten up to college needs to have it. THAT good. --Jane Yolen, bestselling and award-winning author of How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?The absurdity of the premise, which swings around to fit the wordplay, will elicit laughs, while the wordplay will entertain and challenge younger readers. -- BCCB A whimsical 'Who's on First'-like picture book . . . that earns its giggles. -- Publishers Weekly

Fussy Flamingo


Shelly Vaughan James - 2020
    Lola, a young flamingo, knows that eating shrimp will make her feathers pink, but when her parents look away she tries different foods and turns a series of wild colors.

National Regular Average Ordinary Day


Lisa Katzenberger - 2020
    But when he wakes up one morning to discover there isn't any holiday, he realizes he'll have to take matters into his own hands and make up his own! That's easier said than done, though, and nothing seems to go right--until Peter realizes that even a regular, average, ordinary day can be something worth celebrating.

The Most Magnificent Thing


Ashley Spires - 2013
    She is going to make the most MAGNIFICENT thing! She knows just how it will look. She knows just how it will work. All she has to do is make it, and she makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!? But making her magnificent thing is anything but easy, and the girl tries and fails, repeatedly. Eventually, the girl gets really, really mad. She is so mad, in fact, that she quits. But after her dog convinces her to take a walk, she comes back to her project with renewed enthusiasm and manages to get it just right.

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!

Imagine!


Raúl Colón - 2018
    He passes wall after wall of artwork until he sees a painting that makes him stop and ponder. Before long the painting comes to life and an afternoon of adventure and discovery changes how he sees the world ever after.

Camp Tiger


Susan Choi - 2019
    This year, the boy is going into first grade, and his mother is encouraging him to do things on his own, just like his older brother. And the most different thing of all . . . this year, a tiger comes to the woods.

Two Bicycles in Beijing


Teresa Robeson - 2020
    Side by side, two bicycles, Lunzi and Huangche, come out of the factory. Side by side, they watch the city of Beijing from their shop window. Then a young girl comes in and buys Huangche, rolling him away from Lunzi! With the help of a delivery boy, Lunzi begins an epic race to find her friend that introduces readers to all the sights and sounds of Beijing.

The Tiger's Egg


Nele Brönner - 2018
    A playful celebration of family, our wonderful differences, and the transformative power of love.

Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood


F. Isabel Campoy - 2016
    Pick up a paintbrush and join the celebration!

How the Cookie Crumbled: The True (and Not-So-True) Stories of the Invention of the Chocolate Chip Cookie


Gilbert Ford - 2017
    Meet Ruth Wakefield, the talented chef and entrepreneur who started a restaurant, wrote a cookbook, and invented this delicious dessert. But just how did she do it, you ask? That’s where things get messy!So sit back and grab a cookie to read a story—or three—about how this round, crispy, chocolatey piece of perfection came to be. Which tale is true? Well, what do you think?