Rulers of the Playground


Joseph Kuefler - 2017
    Perfect for fans of Jon Klassen and Oliver Jeffers.One morning, Jonah decided to become ruler of the playground.Everyone agreed to obey his rules to play in King Jonah’s kingdom . . . Everyone except for Lennox . . . because she wanted to rule the playground, too.A gloriously rendered, hilariously deadpan tale of playground politics.

My Best Friend


Julie Fogliano - 2020
    What is a best friend, if not someone who laughs with you the whole entire day, especially when you pretend to be a pickle?

Maud and Grand-Maud


Sara O'Leary - 2020
    Maud loves the weekends when she stays at her grandma's house. There's always breakfast for supper, matching nightgowns, black-and-white movies, and--best of all--someone to listen to her dreams for her life as a grown-up. But what makes the visits extra special is what Grand-Maud has hidden in an old chest under Maud's bed. She may find a paint set, a toy, homemade cookies, or hand-knit mittens or sweaters. Best of all is when Maud finds something that belonged to Grand-Maud when she was a little girl. In this story of family togetherness, Maud wants to be just like Grand-Maud when she grows up.

Alice the Fairy


David Shannon - 2004
    She has a magic wand, fairy wings, and a blanket, all of which she uses to disappear, to fly, to transform her dad into a horse, and to turn his cookies into her own! There are still a few things Alice needs to learn to become a Permanent Fairy, like how to float her dog on the ceiling and make her clothes put themselves away, but she's working on it--sort of. Here's an endearing, funny story about a girl and her magical imagination, sure to delight every fairy in training!

Flight School


Lita Judge - 2014
    With irrepressible spirit, Penguin follows his dreams to flip, flap, fly! Even if he needs a little help with the technical parts, this penguin is ready to live on the wind.

Tough Chicks


Cece Meng - 2009
    They wrestle worms, rope roosters, and are often found under the hood of the tractor. All the other animals and even the farmer himself tell Mama Hen to make her chicks good. "They are good!" Mama Hen replies. But could her chicks be too loud, too independent, and too tough? Lively language and bold illustrations capture all the fun and humor of this delightfully different farmyard romp that's also a resounding endorsement for letting girls be girls (even if they're loud and tough and like to play with tractors.)

I'm Trying to Love Math


Bethany Barton - 2019
    Children's Choice Award winner Bethany Barton applies her signature humor to the scariest subject of all: math!Do multiplication tables give you hives? Do you break out in a sweat when you see more than a few numbers hanging out together? Then I'm Trying to Love Math is for you! In her signature hilarious style, Bethany Barton introduces readers to the things (and people) that use math in amazing ways -- like music, and spacecraft, and even baking cookies! This isn't a how-to math book, it's a way to think differently about math as a necessary and cool part of our lives!

Bodega Cat


Louie Chin - 2019
     Bodega is a Spanish word for "grocery store," but they are so much more than that. Bodegas are often a community cornerstone, a welcoming neighborhood haven, and in New York, an emblem of the city's cultural diversity. And who knows these treasured institutions better than the cats who run them? (Or at least they think they do!) In Bodega Cat, a cat named Chip takes us through his bustling workday at the Matos family's bodega: from receiving boxes in the morning and the breakfast rush, through counting inventory and making deliveries, to dinnertime with his family, when Papi cooks up some of the best Dominican food in the borough for their friends and neighbors. There is no rest for this busy kitty...except for when it's time to chase pigeons with his brother Damian, or to take the occasional nap on the potato chip bags. A slice of city life that celebrates the people who give New York its heart.

Lala's Words: A Story of Planting Kindness


Gracey Zhang - 2021
    "Hello, hello, friends!" she whispers. Lala waters the plants every day, but it is her kind words that make them sway and nod. Lala's wild nature and quiet compassion enchant in this evergreen story about the power of kind words and the magic of being loved for who you are.

Everywhere, Wonder


Matthew Swanson - 2017
    From a lost balloon to an endless road, there are stories to discover, to dream about, and to share.Everywhere, Wonder explores the wonder in the world, while encouraging young minds to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary, and creatively share their stories with others.“Open your eyes and open your window and let your story out into the world. It is a little gift from you to me.”

The Tea Party in the Woods


Akiko Miyakoshi - 2010
    When she arrives at a strange house in the wintry woods, a peek in the window reveals that the footprints Kikko had been following did not belong to her father at all, but to a bear in a long coat and hat! Alice in Wonderland meets Little Red Riding Hood in this charmed tale.

The Wonderful Things You Will Be


Emily Winfield Martin - 2015
    . . now and forever!   From brave and bold to creative and clever, Emily Winfield Martin's rhythmic rhyme expresses all the loving things that parents think of when they look at their children. With beautiful, and sometimes humorous, illustrations, and a clever gatefold with kids in costumes, this is a book grown-ups will love reading over and over to kids—both young and old. A great gift for any occasion, but a special stand-out for baby showers, birthdays, and graduation. The Wonderful Things You Will Be has a loving and truthful message that will endure for lifetimes.

Out There


Tom Sullivan - 2019
    Yellow and I Used to Be a Fish.Do you ever look up at the night sky and wonder if there is anybody else out there?Are there evil robots or cool aliens?Do they fly in UFOs or live in futuristic cities?Or maybe . . . they are just like us.Out There is a wonder-filled, surprising journey of imagination and empathy, a book that will inspire readers of all ages to reflect on how much we all have in common, despite our differences.

Imaginary Fred


Eoin Colfer - 2015
    A quirky, funny, and utterly irresistible story from Eoin Colfer and Oliver Jeffers, two of the finest children's book creators on the planet.Did you know that sometimes, with a little electricity, or luck, or even magic, an imaginary friend might appear when you need one? An imaginary friend like Fred.Fred floated like a feather in the wind until Sam, a lonely little boy, wished for him and, together, they found a friendship like no other.The perfect chemistry between Eoin Colfer's text and Oliver Jeffers's artwork makes for a dazzlingly original picture book.

Into the Outdoors


Susan Gal - 2011
    Beside a lake! Next to a waterfall! On top of a mountain! Then after the sun slips behind the hills, they'll snuggle alongside each other and dream sweet dreams inside their tent among the trees.Gal's pictures capture all the beauty of the natural world. And she's included a humorous cast of animal characters on a parallel journey of their own, so the art is full of funny things to spot.This is a gem of a story for parents and teachers to share with their happy campers.