Book picks similar to
Bighorns Don't Honk by Stephen Lester


zoo
19-10-earth-halloween
1st-grade
not-at-yucaipa

I Am a Tiger


Karl Newson - 2019
    Mouse believes he is a tiger, and he convinces Fox, Raccoon, Snake, and Bird he's one, too! After all, Mouse can climb a tree like a tiger and hunt for his lunch, too. And not all tigers are big and have stripes. But when a real tiger shows up, can Mouse keep up his act? With hilarious text by Karl Newson and bright and vivid illustrations from Ross Collins, this uproariously funny, read-aloud picture book encourages children to use their imaginations and be who they want to be! Doesn't everyone want to be a tiger?

Purrmaids #1: The Scaredy Cat


Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen - 2017
    Coral, Shelly, and Angel are best friends. They love exploring their home in Kittentail Cove. On the first day of sea school, their teacher asks everyone to bring in something special to share with the class. Shelly and Angel can't wait to visit Tortoiseshell Reef to find an extra-special treasure. But the reef is all the way on the edge of the cove and Coral is scared to swim that far away from home. Can this scaredy-cat learn to be brave?These adorable purrmaids will have young readers paws-itively hooked from page one!

Peanut Butter & Cupcake


Terry Border - 2014
    But sometimes friends are hard to come by, especially when Hamburger has to walk his (hot) dogs, Cupcake is too busy building castles in her sprinkle box, and Egg laughs so hard he starts to crack up! Does Peanut Butter have a soulmate? Young readers will know the answer long before Peanut Butter does and laugh along with each mismatched pairing.In a story that pairs silliness with poignancy, and friendship with anthropomorphic food, Terry Border, the photography mastermind behind the Bent Objects project, makes a triumphant entrance into the children's book world. Complete with a rhyming refrain, this is sure to be a favorite family read-aloud--and laugh-aloud.Praise for PEANUT BUTTER & CUPCAKE"Border’s witty food comedy will lure children who are hungry for clever visual entertainment."--Publishers Weekly"[T]he creatively zany photographs...will make this a read-aloud hit."--School Library Journal"This book would be a great read-aloud on friendship and food."--Library Media Connection

Monkey Me and the Golden Monkey: A Branches Book


Timothy Roland - 2014
    With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!Clyde is an energetic student who just can't sit still. After eating a banana that has been zapped by lasers on his class field trip to the science museum Clyde starts to feel weird. Now every time he gets excited, he transforms into a monkey! Only with the help of his twin sister, Claudia, can Monkey Clyde stay out of trouble.

Meet Me at the Moon


Gianna Marino - 2012
    Who will care for Little One? Who will sing Mama's special songs? When will she return? Mama is very reassuring - Little One will hear her song on the wind and feel her love in the warmth of the sun, and, after the rains come, they will meet where the moon sets. Exquisitely illustrated and supremely comforting, Meet Me at the Moon is a mother and child love story to be enjoyed again and again.

No Pants!


Jacob Grant - 2021
    It's party day! A cookout with the whole family. All they need to do is get ready. Eat breakfast. Brush teeth. Put on pants. And they'll be ready to go! Only Pablo has another idea: No Pants!Suddenly it's looking as if party time is a ways off after all. Here's a hilarious and warm-hearted look at a father-son relationship that shows there is more than one way of wearing--and thinking about--pants!

Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh


Sally M. Walker - 2015
    Harry was a veterinarian. But he was also a soldier in training for World War I. Harry named the bear Winnie, short for Winnipeg, his company’s home town, and he brought her along to the training camp in England. Winnie followed Harry everywhere and slept under his cot every night. Before long, she became the regiment’s much-loved mascot. But who could care for the bear when Harry had to go to the battleground in France? Harry found just the right place for Winnie while he was away — the London Zoo. There a little boy named Christopher Robin came along and played with Winnie — he could care for this bear too! Sally Walker’s heartwarming story, paired with Jonathan Voss’s evocative illustrations, brings to life the story of the real bear who inspired Winnie the Pooh.

Grumpy Monkey


Suzanne Lang - 2018
    His friends can’t understand it—how can he be in a bad mood when it’s SUCH a beautiful day? They encourage him not to hunch, to smile, and to do things that make THEM happy. But Jim can’t take all the advice…and has a BIT of a meltdown. Could it be that he just needs a day to feel grumpy?Suzanne and Max Lang bring hilarity and levity to this very important lesson. This picture book is an excellent case study in the dangers of putting on a happy face and demonstrates to kids that they are allowed to feel their feelings (though they should be careful of hurting others in the process!).

Penguin Cha-Cha


Kristi Valiant - 2013
    Set in The Romping Chomping Park and Zoo, author/illustrator Kristi Valiant creates a vibrant, funny, and spirited picture book that will leave young readers shaking their very own tail feathers."Valiant has crafted a fast-paced and entertaining tale of zoo shenanigans." - Kirkus Reviews"...this one is gauranteed to dance off shelves." - School Library JournalFrom the Hardcover edition.

The Class Trip from the Black Lagoon


Mike Thaler - 2002
    These fun-filled chapter books mix school, monsters, and common kid problems with hilarious results.Oh, no! It's the class trip from the Black Lagoon. The kids have no idea where they're going but they imagine a day full of ferocious animals, maniacal monsters, and scary aerial acrobatics. And their teacher, mean Mrs. Green, is going to quiz them on everything! When the kids stop letting their imaginations run wild they soon realize that they're going to a very cool zoo. But that won't change the fact that there's never a dull moment in the Black Lagoon!

Oscar and the Very Hungry Dragon


Ute Krause - 2007
    It’s time to feed the dragon! But this year the village is out of princesses. So the villagers send Oscar, a not so plump little boywho would rather COOK dinner than BE dinner.Putting his culinary skills to the test, Oscar shows the dragon that filet mignon and banana splits are much more delicious than princesses and children. Ute Krause’s captivating artwork and engaging story create a recipe for reading

Fruit Bowl


Mark Hoffmann - 2018
    Blueberries, check. Tomato, che– Wait, what?! Tomato wants to join the other fruits, but does he belong? The perfect mix of botany and a bunch of bananas!All the fruit are in the bowl. There’s Apple and Orange. Strawberry and Peach. Plum and Pear. And, of course, Tomato.Now wait just a minute! Tomatoes aren’t fruit! Or are they?Using sly science (and some wisdom from a wise old raisin), Tomato proves all the fruit wrong and shows that he belongs in the bowl just as much as the next blueberry! And he’s bringing some unexpected friends too!

Linus the Little Yellow Pencil


Scott Magoon - 2019
    But with the family art show drawing near, these two will have to sharpen their collaboration to make something neither one could do on their own!This ode to art by the illustrator of Spoon and Chopsticks points out the power of sharing the creative process and sticking with it.

Go, Otto, Go!: Ready-to-Read Pre-Level 1


David Milgrim - 2016
    Work, work, work on a spaceship to take him home.Since landing on Earth, Otto has made many friends, but what Otto wants most is to visit his family. Will Otto’s spaceship take him up, up, up, so he can go, go, go?

Put Me in the Zoo


Robert Lopshire - 1960
    Spot, a polka-dot leopard who can change colors and even juggle his own spots, tries to convince two children that he is special enough to be exhibited in the zoo.