The Three Billy-goats Gruff: A Norwegian Folktale


Ellen Appleby - 1992
    A charming illustrated folktale about three billy goats, who outwit a menacing troll.

The Tortoise & the Hare


Jerry Pinkney - 2013
      This nearly wordless companion to the Caldecott Medal-winning The Lion & the Mouse is Jerry Pinkney's most stunning masterpiece yet. Even the slowest tortoise can defeat the quickest hare, and even the proudest hare can learn a timeless lesson from the most humble tortoise: Slow and steady wins the race! Here is a superbly rendered journey from starting line to finish that embodies the bravery, perseverance, and humility we can all find inside ourselves.  Don't miss these other classic retellings by Jerry Pinkney: The Little MermaidThe Lion & the Mouse The Grasshopper & the Ants The Three Billy Goats Gruff Little Red Riding HoodTwinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Ganesha's Sweet Tooth


Sanjay Patel - 2012
    Ganesha is just like any other kid, except that he has the head of an elephant and rides around on a magical mouse. And he loves sweets, especially the traditional dessert laddoo. But when Ganesha insists on biting into a super jumbo jawbreaker laddoo, his tusk breaks off! Ganesha is terribly upset, but with the help of the wise poet Vyasa, and his friend Mr. Mouse, he learns that what seems broken can actually be quite useful after all. With vibrant, graphic illustrations, expressive characters, and offbeat humor, this is a wonderfully inventive rendition of a classic tale.

Clever Jack Takes the Cake


Candace Fleming - 2010
    What would you do if you were invited to the princess’s tenth birthday party but didn’t have money for a gift? Well, clever Jack decides to bake the princess a cake.Now he just has to get it to the castle in one piece. What could possibly go wrong?Candace Fleming and G. Brian Karas, creators of the bestselling picture book Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!, have teamed up again to bring us a modern fairy tale starring a determined boy and a story-loving princess with a good sense of humor. While girls will fall for a story featuring a princess’s birthday party, Jack’s adventures with trolls, bears, and gypsies make this the perfect read for young boys as well—and ideal for storytime.

Just In Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book


Yuyi Morales - 2008
    Señor Calvera is worried. He can’t figure out what to give Grandma Beetle for her birthday. Misunderstanding the advice of Zelmiro the Ghost, Señor Calvera decides not to get her one gift, but instead one gift for every letter of the alphabet, just in case. Una Acordéon: An accordion for her to dance to. Bigotes: A mustache because she has none. Cosquillas: Tickles to make her laugh… only to find out at the end of the alphabet that the best gift of all is seeing her friends. Morales’s art glows in this heart-warming original tale with folklore themes, a companion book to her Pura Belpré-winning JUST A MINUTE.Just In Case is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year, the winner of the 2009 Pura Belpré Medal for Illustration and a Pura Belpré Honor Book for Narrative.Latino Interest. In English with Spanish vocabulary.

Harold and the Purple Crayon


Crockett Johnson - 1955
    Adventure goes hand in hand with imagination to create this charming classic story.

At the Hotel Larry


Daniel Pinkwater - 1997
    He gets to spend time with his friends, and he has a great job as a lifeguard (although very few guests use the pool!). On his days off, Larry puts on his human disguise and goes out for blueberry pancakes with his best friend, Mildred. One day, after stuffing themselves with pancakes, Larry and Mildred decide to go to the zoo. And who should they find in the polar bear pen but Larry’s brother, Roy! Of course, Larry invites Roy and his two friends, Bear Number One and Bear Number Three, to come to dinner. But how do you entertain four wild polar bears?

The Princess and the Pig


Jonathan Emmett - 2011
    Priscilla the princess has accidentally switched places with Pigmella, the farmer's new piglet. The kindly farmer and his wife believe it's the work of a good witch, while the ill-tempered king and queen blame the bad witch-after all, this happens in fairy tales all the time! While Priscilla grows up on the farm, poor yet very happy, things don't turn out quite so well for Pigmella. Kissing a frog has done wonders before, but will it work for a pig?Sure to hog all the attention, this story's frequent nods to well-known fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty, The Frog Princess, and Thumbelina-plus hilarious illustrations-will delight readers of any age.

The First Strawberries


Joseph Bruchac - 1993
    Long ago, the first man and woman quarreled. The woman left in anger, but the Sun sent tempting berries to Earth to slow the wife's retreat. Luminous paintings perfectly complement the simple, lyrical text. "Complete harmony of text and pictures: altogether lovely." -- Kirkus Reviews, pointer reviewJoseph Bruchac is an award-winning storyteller whose books for children include Eagle Song, Children of the Longhouse, and Arrow to the Sun (all Dial). He lives in Greenfield Center, New York. Anna Vojtech lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

Ojiichan's Gift


Chieri Uegaki - 2019
    It was unlike any other garden she knew. It had no flowers or vegetables. Instead, Ojiichan made it out of stones: “big ones, little ones and ones in-between.” Every summer, Mayumi visits her grandfather in Japan, and they tend the garden together. Raking the gravel is her favorite part. Afterward, the two of them sit on a bench and enjoy the results of their efforts in happy silence. But then one summer, everything changes. Ojiichan has grown too old to care for his home and the garden. He has to move. Will Mayumi find a way to keep the memory of the garden alive for both of them? This gentle picture book story will warm children's hearts as it explores a deep intergenerational bond and the passing of knowledge from grandparent to grandchild over time. The lyrical text by Chieri Uegaki and luminous watercolor illustrations by Genevieve Simms beautifully capture the emotional arc of the story, from Mayumi's contentment through her anger and disappointment to, finally, her acceptance. The story focuses on an important connection to nature, particularly as a place for quiet reflection. It contains character education lessons on caring, responsibility, perseverance and initiative. It's also a wonderful way to introduce social studies conversations about family, aging and multiculturalism. Mayumi lives in North America with her Japanese mother and Dutch father, and visits her grandfather in Japan. Some Japanese words are included.

The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip


George Saunders - 2000
    In the seaside village of Frip live three families: the Romos, the Ronsens, and a little girl named Capable and her father. The economy of Frip is based solely on goat’s milk, and this is a problem because the village is plagued by gappers: bright orange, many-eyed creatures the size of softballs that love to attach themselves to goats. When a gapper gets near a goat, it lets out a high-pitched shriek of joy that puts the goats off giving milk, which means that every few hours the children of Frip have to go outside, brush the gappers off their goats, and toss them into the sea. The gappers have always been everyone’s problem, until one day they get a little smarter, and instead of spreading out, they gang up: on Capable’s goats. Free at last of the tyranny of the gappers, will her neighbors rally to help her? Or will they turn their backs, forcing Capable to bear the misfortune alone? Featuring fifty-two haunting and hilarious illustrations by Lane Smith and a brilliant story by George Saunders that explores universal themes of community and kindness, The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip is a rich and resonant story for those that have all and those that have not.

Richard Scarry's Best Storybook Ever!


Richard Scarry - 1950
    Classic tales, alphabet and counting stories, lots of new words and concepts, and visits around town, to the airport, and across the world make this essential book that will captivate even the most restless child.Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 6/8/2000 Pages: 288 Reading Level: Age 3 and Up

The Poky Little Puppy


Janette Sebring Lowrey - 1942
    Now this curious little puppy is ready to win the hearts and minds of a new generation of kids.

The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition


Carol V. Aebersold - 2007
    Based on the tradition Carol Aebersold began with her family in the 1970s, this cleverly rhymed childrens book explains that Santa knows who is naughty and/or nice because he sends a scout elf to every home. During the holiday season, the elf watches children by day and reports to Santa each night. When children awake, the elf has returned from the North Pole and can be found hiding in a different location. This activity allows The Elf on the Shelf to become a delightful hide-and-seek game.The Elf on the Shelf gift set INCLUDES A SCOUT ELF from the North Pole, a hardbound CHILDRENS BOOK and a KEEPSAKE BOX for easy storage. In addition, each shipment is marked for special delivery from Santas workshop. ALL PRODUCTS ARE BRAND NEW!

The Little Engine That Could


Watty Piper - 1930
    After asking several passing trains for help over the hill, a little blue train agrees to help the stranded toys. Even though she is small, the blue train tries her best to bring the toys to the children on the other side of the hill.