My Favorite Pets, by Gus W. for Ms. Smolinski's Class


Jeanne Birdsall - 2016
      Things to know about sheep: Sheep live outside. Sheep have wool. Sheep will not learn to ride a skateboard. Sheep will not climb a tree. Sheep will come into the house...but this will get you into trouble.   Seventeen sheep plus one Gus means that life is never dull on the farm! From National Book Award winning author Jeanne Birdsall and New York Times Bestselling illustrator Harry Bliss comes a hilarious tale about man's other best friend.

What Dads Can't Do


Douglas Wood - 2000
     Dads can't cross the street without holding hands. They can push, but can't swing. When dads play hide-and-seek they always get found, but they have a hard time finding you. Dads really need to be kissed good night at bedtime. It's a wonder they make it through life at all!

Giraffe Problems


Jory John - 2018
    . . . A second hilarious collaboration from picture-book superstars Lane Smith and Jory John!Can you guess what's making this giraffe self-conscious? Could it be . . . HIS ENORMOUS NECK Yes, it's exactly that--how on earth did you figure it out?Edward the giraffe can't understand why his neck is as long and bendy and, well, ridiculous as it is. No other animal has a neck this absurd. He's tried disguising it, dressing it up, strategically hiding it behind bushes--honestly, anything you can think of, he's tried. Just when Edward has exhausted his neck-hiding options and is about to throw in the towel, a turtle swoops in (well, ambles in, very slowly) and helps him understand that his neck has a purpose, and looks excellent in a bow tie.

The Thingamabob


Il Sung Na - 2008
    . . .So begins the story of a curious elephant and a mysterious red object. But what is it?! When none of his friends can tell him, the little elephant decides to experiment. He thinks: Maybe I can fly with it? (Maybe not.) Maybe I can sail in it? (Maybe not.) Maybe I can hide behind it? (Maybe not.) Nothing seems to work, until big drops of rain begin to fall. The little elephant does not want to get wet. Luckily, with the thingamabob (an umbrella), he does not need to get wet!With bright, adorable illustrations and a simple, playful text, Il Sung Na captures the excitement of making—and sharing—an unexpected discovery.From the Hardcover edition.

The Great Gracie Chase - Stop That Dog!


Cynthia Rylant - 2001
    When Gracie decides to go for a walk, the painters, the neighbors, and the garbage man all run after her. She can't figure out why, so she keeps running, causing the whole town to join in the chase. Full-color illustrations.

My Lucky Day


Keiko Kasza - 2003
    Fox's door "accidentally," the fox can hardly believe his good luck. It's not every day that dinner just shows up on your doorstep. It must be his lucky day! Or is it?Before Mr. Fox can say grace, the piglet has manipulated him into giving him a fabulously tasty meal, the full spa treatment (with bath and massage), and . . . freedom.In a funny trickster tale of her own, Kasza keeps readers guessing until the surprise ending when they'll realize it was piglet's lucky day all along.

This Is a Moose


Richard T. Morris - 2014
    It turns out the moose has a dream bigger then just being a moose—he wants to be an astronaut and go to the moon.His forest friends step in to help him, and action ensues. Lots of action. Like a lacrosse-playing grandma, a gigantic slingshot into space, and a flying, superhero chipmunk.In this hilarious romp, Richard T. Morris and bestselling illustrator Tom Lichtenheld remind us to dream big and, when we do, to aim for the moon.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On: Things About Me


Jenny Slate - 2011
    Now the tiny shell with shoes and a big heart is transitioning from online sensation to classic picture book character, and readers can learn more about this adorable creature and his wonderfully peculiar world. From wearing a lentil as a hat to hang-gliding on a Dorito, Marcel is able to find magic in the everyday. He may be small, but he knows he has a lot of good qualities. He may not be able to lift anything by himself, but when he needs help, he calls upon his family. He may never be able own a real dog . . . but he has a pretty awesome imagination.

The Purple Kangaroo


Michael Ian Black - 2009
    What begins as a simple request to imagine the most spectacular thing in history turns into the story of a roller-skating, bubble-blowing purple kangaroo searching for his dear friend Ernesto on the moon. So by the time you finish this book, there's no chance you will be thinking of anything BUT the purple kangaroo.

Pancakes for Breakfast


Tomie dePaola - 1978
    “The optimistic determination of the woman and the gentle humor of the illustrations make this an appealing book for the very young.”--School Library JournalThis title has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades K-1, Stories).

Pirates Don't Change Diapers


Melinda Long - 2007
    Sure, there's buried treasure to be found, but nobody's digging up anything until Bonney Anne quits her caterwauling. So, quicker than you can say "scurvy dog," Braid Beard and his swashbuckling pirates become . . . babysitters? Blimey!     This hilarious companion to How I Became a Pirate reveals that minding the nursery can be even more terrifying than walking the plank--especially if you're a pirate.

Can I Keep It?


Lisa Jobe - 2019
    When he asks to keep the animals that happened to “follow” him home, his mom points out that birds belong in the sky and frogs belong in the pond. He starts to wonder: is there an animal that belongs right there with him? In a heartwarming conclusion, he discovers the perfect pet has been around him all along.Readers of all ages will giggle at the sly sense of humor, and adults will love how the mother’s questions encourage empathy. Lively illustrations and dialogue play off each other with a sly sense of humor as the boy learns to walk in someone else's shoes—or paws.

The Sword in the Stove


Frank W. Dormer - 2016
    Was it Eenie? Was it Meenie? Was it Harold? WHO WOULD PUT A SWORD IN THE STOVE!? Frank Dormer’s rollicking whodunit has bumbling characters worthy of The Three Stooges, sly humor straight out of Monty Python, and an irresistible screwball spirit all its own.

Curious George Goes Camping


Margret Rey - 1990
    Before long, an encounter with a cute forest creature throws George into a chain of outrageous events that allows him to find a way to be helpful after all.

Nothing Like a Puffin


Sue Soltis - 2011
    It's completely unique and one-of-akind. A ladder is nothing like a puffin. A house is nothing like a puffin. A newspaper is nothing like a puffin. . . . But wait! Who would have guessed? Could these things be more alike than you think? Young children will love following this mischievous puffin in an entertaining exercise in creative classification-- and are guaranteed to start looking at everyday things in a whole new way.