Book picks similar to
How to Make a Bird by Meg McKinlay


picture-books
picture-book
children-s
birds

Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug


Jonathan Stutzman - 2019
    Meet Tiny, a diminutive but determined T-Rex in a big world, as he embraces all obstacles against him in his quest to learn how to hug.

The Barnabus Project


Eric Fan - 2020
    A stunning picture book from international bestsellers The Fan Brothers, joined by their brother Devin Fan.Deep underground beneath Perfect Pets, where children can buy genetically engineered "perfect" creatures, there is a secret lab. Barnabus and his friends live in this lab, but none of them is perfect. They are all Failed Projects. Barnabus has never been outside his tiny bell jar, yet he dreams of one day seeing the world above ground that his pal Pip the cockroach has told him about: a world with green hills and trees, and buildings that reach all the way to the sky, lit with their own stars. But Barnabus may have to reach the outside world sooner than he thought, because the Green Rubber Suits are about to recycle all Failed Projects . . . and Barnabus doesn't want to be made into a fluffier pet with bigger eyes. He just wants to be himself. So he decides it's time for he and the others to escape. With his little trunk and a lot of cooperation and courage, Barnabus sets out to find freedom -- and a place where he and his friends can finally be accepted for who they are.This suspenseful, poignant and magical story about following your dreams and finding where you truly belong will draw readers into a surreal, lushly detailed world in which perfection really means being true to yourself and your friends.

Also an Octopus


Maggie Tokuda-Hall - 2016
    What happens next is up to you! A delightfully meta picture book that will set imaginations soaring.It begins with an octopus who plays the ukulele. Since this is a story, the octopus has to want something—maybe to travel to faraway galaxies in a totally awesome purple spaceship. Then the octopus sets out to build a spaceship out of soda cans, glue, umbrellas, glitter, and waffles. OK, maybe the octopus needs some help, like from an adorable bunny friend, and maybe that bunny turns out to be . . . a rocket scientist? (Probably not.) But could something even more amazing come to pass? Debut author Maggie Tokuda-Hall, with the help of illustrator Benji Davies, sets up an endearingly funny story, then hands the baton to readers, who will be more than primed to take it away.

Because


Mo Willems - 2019
    Illustrator Amber Ren brings Willems' music to life, conducting a stunning picture-book debut.

Tiny, Perfect Things


M.H. Clark - 2018
    Open your eyes and see the wonderful things all around. This is the story of a child and a grandfather whose walk around the neighborhood leads to a day of shared wonder as they discover all sorts of tiny, perfect things together. With rhythmic storytelling and detailed and intricate illustrations, this is a book about how childlike curiosity can transform ordinary days into extraordinary adventures.

The Gift of Nothing


Patrick McDonnell - 2005
    He wonders what he can buy the dog who has everything and decides that the answer, of course, is nothing. This simple story features characters from the Mutts comic strips and is the first book for children.

Beyond the Pond


Joseph Kuefler - 2015
    decides that today will be the day he explores the depths of his pond.Beyond the pond, he discovers a not-so-ordinary world that will change him forever.

The Hole


Øyvind Torseter - 2012
    He seeks expert advice. But not everything can be explained. Perhaps he'll just have to accept that the hole is there? The Hole has simple, expressive drawings created by pen and computer, and there's a hole punched right through the book, so it really exists, even if it can't be explained.Comic yet philosophical, simple yet deeply expressive, The Hole is quite simply—brilliant!"Hello, I've discovered a hole in my apartment. . . . It moves. . . . If you could come take a look. . . . Bring it down, you say? What? Hello?!"Born in 1972, Øyvind Torseter is an artist and one of Norway's most acclaimed illustrators. He employs both traditional and digital picture techniques and has created six picture books on his own and many others with different authors. Torseter has received numerous prizes for his books, which have been translated into many languages. My Father's Arms Are A Boat (Enchanted Lion Books, 2012) was his first book to be published in the United States.

As the Crow Flies


Sheila Keenan - 2012
    . . and here . . . and there.We poke our beaks in everywhere. Crows can be noisy. They can be nosy and bold, too, which some people find annoying. But if you are lucky enough to live in a place where crows roost, you know they can also be funny, ingenious, and beautiful.Beautiful to look at and fun to read aloud, this book created by Sheila Keenan and Kevin Duggan will make imaginations soar as high as the crow flies.

Tomorrow Most Likely


Dave Eggers - 2019
    Rather than focusing on going to bed—and what kid wants to think about going to bed?—this book explores all of the dreamy, wonderful, strange things the next day might bring.

Over-Scheduled Andrew


Ashley Spires - 2016
    Determined to make his performance the best it can be, he joins the debate club to practice his public speaking. He signs up for dance and karate to help with his coordination. Then he's asked to play for the tennis team and edit the school newspaper. Before long he's learning to play the bagpipes, attending Spanish classes and joining the French film club. Suddenly Andrew doesn't have time for anything or anyone else, not even his best friend Edie. And he definitely doesn't have time to sleep. Will Andrew figure out how to balance all his favorite activities and his best friend at the same time? A hilarious, over-the-top look at a common issue many kids today face.

Ray


Marianna Coppo - 2020
    In that closet lives Ray, who is a light bulb. Ray spends most of his time in darkness, which is pretty boring if you don't know how to fill it. So boring that Ray usually slips into a dreamless sleep . . .Everything changes one day when Ray is migrated into a portable lantern and taken on the trip of a lifetime. He wakes up in a much larger closet (the outside), surrounded by incredible things - too many to count! Everything is super big, and Ray has never felt so small. And in the morning, Ray makes an incredible discovery which will change his life forever.Meet Ray, a charming new character from the imaginative mind of Marianna Coppo, the creator of Petra!

Whale Shines: An Artistic Tail


Fiona Robinson - 2013
    He visits the eel who wriggles abstract patterns in the sand, the squid who paints with ink, and the hammerhead shark who builds sculptures from salvage. Whale sees his friends’ confidence and creativity and wishes he could be an artist too, but he doesn’t know what to make and insists he’s too ungainly to create art. Then one day, with the unexpected help of some bioluminescent plankton, he discovers his own distinct point of view and talent.From the award-winning author-illustrator of What Animals Really Like, hailed by School Library Journal as “sublime silliness,” comes another inspiring tale about defying expectation and finding the artist within. Praise for Whale Shines STARRED REVIEW"At its core, Robinson’s (What Animals Really Like) story is a tried and true tale of a wallflower realizing his potential. But her understated, offbeat voice and visuals—a mashup of classicism and graphic novel sensibilities—makes this a standout: up-to-the-minute modern in its irreverence and offhandedness, yet timeless in its understanding of a character’s yearning."—Publishers Weekly, starred review"Sharp contrasts between light and dark are beautiful."—Kirkus Reviews"Children will embrace and understand the sincere, undervalued message of art as substantive and a way to “share one’s world.” This inspiring tale of artistic collaboration between the whale and bioluminescent plankton will be shared again and again."—School Library Journal"The watercolor and pencil art makes excellent use of the spreads’ wide horizontality; while the art projects and, indeed, the underwater world are on the literal side for such an artistic-themed story, there’s a murky charm to life in the briny deep... What’s particularly appealing here is the casual inclusion of a wide variety of approaches to art, making this an entertaining lead-in to art projects, especially those involving the natural world."—Bulletin of The Center for Children’s Books

The Suitcase


Chris Naylor-Ballesteros - 2019
    Everyone is full of questions when a weary stranger arrives one day with only a suitcase.

Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad?


Julie Middleton - 2012
    But when a trip to the museum turns into a real-life prehistoric encounter, Dave and his dad don't need to use their imagination. As they walk through the rooms of the exhibit, Dave keeps trying to get his dads attention. The dinosaurs around him spring to life, but Dad remains oblivious to the unfolding scene and keeps insisting they're dead. Dave knows better, though, and when they find themselves pursued by a hungry Tyrannosaurus, Dad finally realizes it too!