Grumpy Owl


Eric Esau - 2019
    Grumpy Owl wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and, just when he thinks things can't get worse, he discovers his animal friends are making all the wrong sounds! Brown Bear says "Woof!", Tan Toad says "Gobble!", and Red Rooster says "Moo!" Grumpy Owl cannot believe his ears and frantically tries to correct his friends without much success! Come along on this silly adventure as Grumpy Owl learns a valuable lesson about treating others with kindness whether they "Woof, oink, gobble! Moo, quack or squeak!"

When You Are Happy


Eileen Spinelli - 2006
    Coupled with dazzling art by illustrator Geraldo Valério, her words become a beautiful reminder of the care and comforts of unconditional love.

GUYKU: A Year of Haiku for Boys


Bob Raczka - 2010
    The wind is winning.When you’re a guy, nature is one big playground—no matter what the season. There are puddles to splash in the spring, pine trees to climb in the summer, maple seeds to catch in the fall, and icicles to swordfight with in the winter.      Nature also has a way of making a guy appreciate important stuff—like how many rocks it takes to dam up a stream, or how much snow equals a day off from school.So what kind of poetry best captures these special moments, at a length that lets guys get right back to tree-climbing and kite-flying? Why, guyku, of course!

Buz


Richard Egielski - 1995
    Little does he know what is going on inside! In his award-winning signature style, Richard Egielski invents an ingenious behind-the-scenes adventure of two keystone cop-like pills in pursuit of a bug inside a human body. Buz eventually makes his escape, only to discover he has caught a bug of his own. On with the chase!New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 19951998 Young Reader's Choice Award, PennsylvaniaAn ABA Pick of the Lists100 Titles for Reading and Sharing 1995 (NY Public Library)1995 "Pick of the Lists" (ABA)Children's Choices for 1996 (IRA/CBC)Best Illustrated Children's Books of 1995 (NYT)1995 Parent's Choice Silver Award for Picture Books1998 PA Young Reader's Choice Award

Me, Toma and the Concrete Garden


Andrew Larsen - 2019
    Mimi's drab city neighborhood, complete with an empty dirt lot across the street, doesn't seem too promising. But then Vincent meets Toma, a boy who lives nearby, and things start looking up. Mimi has a mysterious box of “dirt balls” in her apartment. When she asks Vincent to get rid of them, the fun Vincent and Toma have throwing them into the lot becomes the start of a budding friendship. Then one day, they notice new shoots sprouting all over the lot. Maybe those balls weren't just made of dirt after all! Bestselling author Andrew Larsen brings a light touch and gentle humor to this picture book story about several kinds of growth --- of the boys and their friendship, the flowers in the newly thriving lot, and the community that comes together around it. Award-winning artist Anne Villeneuve's illustrations add a visual layer to the storytelling as they show the transformation from mostly gray to vibrant color, both literally, in the blossoming garden, and figuratively, in the now engaged neighborhood. This book highlights the value of connecting to nature, even in urban areas, and the sense of community that comes from civic engagement. It's an excellent choice for character education lessons on kindness, generosity and citizenship.

Peter Spier's Rain


Peter Spier - 1982
    Come along as they explore their neighborhood, splash through puddles, see where the animals hide, and make footprints in the mud. From the first small drops of rain to the clear blue sky of a bright new morning, "Peter Spier's Rain" will delight parents and children again and again.