Book picks similar to
Uncle James by Marc Harshman


el-ed-445
elementary-books
picture-books

A. Lincoln and Me


Louise Borden - 1999
    And what the boy learns as he studies Lincoln opens his mind to great possibilities for his own future.

Gingerbread Mouse


Katy Bratun - 1998
    Then…crack! A tree branch falls and destroys her house!It’s up to Mouse to find a new place to live in time for her to enjoy the season. With determination, resourcefulness, and a good amount of Christmas wonder, Mouse finds not only another house but also a place she can truly call home.Katy Bratun’s detailed and vivacious illustrations capture the warm yet festive innerworkings of Mouse’s possible homes. Little ones will want to snuggle up with this story over and over again throughout the holiday season.Includes a delicious recipe for gingerbread cookies.

The Legend of Papa Noel: A Cajun Christmas Story


Terri Hoover Dunham - 2006
    But in a deep, swampy bayou of Louisiana, he's known as Papa No�l. In such a hot and humid place, there can be no sleds or reindeer, so Papa No�l rides the river in a boat that's pulled by eight alligators, with a snowy white one named Nicollette in the lead. On this particular Christmas Eve, it's so foggy on the river that even Nicollette's magical glowing-green eyes may not be enough to guide Papa No�l. The alligators are tired, grumpy and bruised from banging into cypress trees, and Papa is desperate to get all the gifts to the little children. Well, "quicker than a snake shimmies down the river," the clever Cajun people come up with a solution that saves the day. A colorfully inventive Christmas tale, Papa No�l is a lesson in fast thinking, as well as a witty introduction to a part of America that's rich in folklore and legend.

Dad School


Rebecca Van Slyke - 2016
    With warm, silly illustrations and a fun role-reversal story in which dads act like kids, young readers will love imagining what would happen if their own dads went to Dad School. And don’t forget Mom: Look for the companion book, Mom School!

The Prince and the Porker


Peter Bently - 2015
    It turns out that he's always wanted a double to deal with a particularly frightening dragon… his Aunt Alice!

Fright Club


Ethan Long - 2015
    Only the scariest of monsters can join Fright Club-Vladimir the Vampire, Fran K. Stein, Sandy Witch, and Virginia Wolf have all made the cut. They've been practicing their ghoulish faces, their scary moves, and their chilling sounds. But when a band of cute little critters comes along asking to join in the fun, the members of Fright Club will find out who really is the scariest of all!This clever, rollicking read aloud text and delightfully spooky illustrations will have young readers laughing, cheering, and begging to be the newest members of Fright Club.

What Do They Do with All That Poo?


Jane Kurtz - 2018
    So what do zoos do with all of that poo? This zany, fact-filled romp explores zoo poo, from cube-shaped wombat poo to white hyena scat, and all of the places it ends up, including in science labs and elephant-poo paper—even backyard gardens!

My Shape Is Sam


Amanda Jackson - 2019
    Good at rolling, spinning, and pushing. They all turned together to make things go.Squares were sturdy and even. Good at stacking, steadying, and measuring. They all fit together to make things stay.In a world where everybody is a shape and every shape has a specific job, Sam is a square who longs for softer corners, rounder edges, and the ability to roll like a circle. But everyone knows that squares don't roll, they stack. At least that's what everyone thinks until the day Sam takes a tumble and discovers something wonderful. He doesn't have to be what others want or expect him to be.With playful imagery, this story considers identity and nonconformity through the eyes of Sam, a square struggling to find his true place in the world.

Dino-Hockey


Lisa Wheeler - 2007
    Fans go wild in the stands as T. Rex and Triceratops face off, and the game is off to a rip-roaring start. An assist from Raptor gains the first goal for the Meat-Eaters--but the naughty Pterodactyl twins, playing wingers, earn their team a penalty. The Veggies are quick to take advantage and Diplo scores. A tie game! Join the fans and find out what happens. You'll have a front row seat, so keep an eye on Raptor. Hockey gets him pretty riled up and that's quite a set of teeth he's baring . . .

The Boo-Boos That Changed the World: A True Story about an Accidental Invention (Really!)


Barry Wittenstein - 2018
    

A Weave of Words: An Armenian Tale


Robert D. San Souci - 1998
    A reworking of Armenian folktales in which a lazy prince learns to read, write, and weave to win his love only to have these very talents later save him from a three-headed monster.

Little Red Writing


Joan Holub - 2013
    and saves the day.

Christmas in the Trenches


John McCutcheon - 2006
    Full color. With CD

The Biggest Valentine Ever


Steven Kroll - 2005
    Mousely asks her class to make valentines, Clayton and Desmond decide to make one together and give it to their teacher as a surprise. But things don't go as planned. First Clayton puts too much glitter on the card. Then Desmond puts on too many hearts. Soon the friends are arguing and they rip the card in half. "I'm going to make my own valentine!" they both say and go home in a huff. But then Desmond and Clayton realize that by working together they can make the biggest, best valentine ever! Kids can use the colorful foil stickers to make their own valentines!

Mickey Mantle: The Commerce Comet


Jonah Winter - 2017
    He could run from home plate to first base in 2.9 seconds. He could hit a ball 540 feet the longest home run in major league history. He was the greatest switch hitter ever to play the game. And he did it all despite broken bones, pulled muscles, strains, and sprains, from his shoulders to his feet. How did a poor country boy from Commerce, Oklahoma, become one of the greatest and most beloved baseball players of all time? This is the story.