Sylvie


Jennifer Sattler - 2009
    Like Leo Lionni's chameleon in A Color of His Own, Sylvie comes to learn that being yourself is the best thing to be. When she learns that it's due to the little pink brine shrimp they eat, Sylvie takes the maxim "You are what you eat!" to a whole new level. Her new diet leads to some very interesting new looks--from scarlet to stripey to positively purple!

Red Wagon


Renata Liwska - 2011
    But her mother has other plans for her-and the wagon. Lucy must go to the market and buy vegetables for dinner. Lucy doesn't want to do chores! But she sets off for the market nonetheless, hauling her red wagon with her. Before long, her ordinary trip becomes a high-seas adventure, a ride through outer space, and a day at the circus. As long as she has her red wagon, not even chores can get in the way of Lucy's fun.New York Times bestseller Renata Liwska's most vibrant art ever takes center stage in this imaginative book for the youngest of readers.

My Blue Is Happy


Jessica Young - 2013
    Or maybe your best friend likes pink because it’s pretty like a ballerina’s tutu, but you find it annoying — like a piece of gum stuck on your shoe. In a subtle, child-friendly narrative, art teacher and debut author Jessica Young suggests that colors may evoke as many emotions as there are people to look at them — and opens up infinite possibilities for seeing the world in a wonderful new way.

Bulldozer's Big Day


Candace Fleming - 2015
    Bulldozer wheels around asking his truck friends if they know what day it is, but they each only say it's a work day. They go on scooping, sifting, stirring, filling, and lifting, and little Bulldozer grows more and more glum. But when the whistle blows at the end of the busy day, Bulldozer discovers a construction site surprise, especially for him!

The Patchwork Bike


Maxine Beneba Clarke - 2016
    That's when you and your brothers get inventive and build a bike from scratch, using everyday items like an old milk pot (maybe mum is still using it, maybe not) and a used flour sack. You can even make a numberplate from bark, if you want. The end result is a spectacular bike, perfect for going bumpity-bump over sandhills, past your fed-up mum and right through your mud-for-walls home.A delightful story from multi-award-winning author Maxine Beneba Clarke, beautifully illustrated by street artist Van T Rudd.

The Mixed-Up Truck


Stephen A. Savage - 2016
    How can he help the other trucks on the construction site? By mixing some powdery white cement, of course!He mixes it up, adds a little water, and presto . . . a cake?! He must have mixed flour instead of cement.Not to worry, he'll try again . . . and presto! Frosting?! He'll keep trying until he gets it just right and it's time for one more mixing: a bubble bath!

Duck on a Tractor


David Shannon - 2016
    Now Duck is back and turning the farm upside down! Flushed with the success of his trailblazing bike ride around the farm, Duck decides he's ready to drive the tractor. As in the bestselling Duck on a Bike, all the barnyard animals share their humorous comments as they watch Duck do the unthinkable. Then, one by one, they join him on the tractor for a ride! But what happens when Duck drives the big red tractor through town, past the popular diner where all the locals are having lunch? What will those folks really think when they see Duck and all the other animals riding around on Farmer O'Dell's tractor? Filled with entertaining detail and sly jokes, readers will pore over each picture again and again. Perfect for reading aloud!

Everything You Need For a Treehouse


Carter Higgins - 2018
    For anyone who's ever wanted to escape real life and live in a nostalgic dream come true, this poignant picture book captures the universal timelessness of treehouses and celebrates all the creativity and adventure they spark.

What We'll Build: Plans for Our Together Future


Oliver Jeffers - 2020
    What shall we build, you and I?We'll build a watch to keep our time.I'll build your futureand you'll build mine.A father daughter story.

Oscar's Half Birthday


Bob Graham - 2005
    So there's nothing else for Mom and Dad to do but pack some sandwiches, park Oscar in his stroller, and take older sister Millie — handmade fairy wings attached — to the "half country" of their urban park for a half-birthday party. As always in the warm, quirky world of Bob Graham, the joy is in the details — a stop in a graffitied tunnel as the train rushes overhead; the expressions on Oscar's face as he watches a single leaf fall; the little half candle on his cake; and the impromptu gathering of admiring park visitors who join, one by one, in the hearty birthday song. With his jaunty watercolors full of charming surprises and a gently humorous text, Bob Graham creates an endearing, unconventional family readers will be happy to meet, and they'll be tickled to join in their celebration.

A Fire Truck for Chuck


Annika Dunklee - 2018
    It only costs a buck—what luck! Mom buys Chuck the truck, and he loves everything about it. At home, he plays with it nonstop: in the sandbox, the yard, and the mud. But after bath time, once Chuck is squeaky clean, his fire truck is nowhere to be seen! Dumbstruck, Chuck hunts all over the house. Where is his truck?! Was it sucked up into the vacuum, now stuck? Finally, Chuck and his truck are reunited, just in time for bed. Told not in verse but with plenty of fun rhyme and repetition, this story’s bright, cartoon-like art conveys Chuck’s full range of emotions. With humor and warmth, it’s a lovable read-aloud that captures a child’s joy for their favorite toy.

Memory Jars


Vera Brosgol - 2021
    She has to wait a whole year before they're back, and she doesn't want to lose them! Then Gran reminds her that they can save blueberries in a jar, as jam. So Freda begins to save all her favorite things. But it turns out that saving everything also means she can't enjoy anything, and Freda realizes that some things are best saved as memories.

Festival of Colors


Surishtha Sehgal - 2018
    Siblings Mintoo and Chintoo are busy gathering flowers to make into colorful powders to toss during the festival. And when at last the big day comes, they gather with their friends, family, and neighbors for a vibrant celebration of fresh starts, friendship, forgiveness, and, of course, fun!

The Bear and the Piano


David Litchfield - 2015
    As time passes, he teaches himself how to play the strange instrument, and eventually the beautiful sounds are heard by a father and son who are picnicking in the woods. The bear goes with them on an incredible journey to New York, where his piano playing makes him a huge star. He has fame, fortune and all the music in the world, but he misses the friends and family he has left behind. A moving tale of exploration and belonging from an exciting debut author-illustrator.

Little Excavator


Anna Dewdney - 2016
    Thumpa-thumpabumpa-bumpaBEEP! BEEP! BEEP!There's Loader and Dump Truck, Backhoe and Crane. They're ready to transform a vacant lot into a neighborhood park. And who wants to help most of all?Little Excavator! But are there any jobs for someone so small?Anna Dewdney's signature rhyming text and inviting illustrations make this a perfect read aloud for for fans of things that go!