Blue Chicken


Deborah Freedman - 2011
    The innocent chicken just wants to help, but things get worse and worse-and bluer and bluer--the more she tries. Playing with colors and perspective, and using minimal text, this richly layered story reveals new things to see and laugh about with each reading.

Find a Cow Now!


Janet Stevens - 2012
    He is also driving his bird companion crazy with the commotion. Bird sends him to the countryside to find something more appropriate to herd, such as a cow. but since Dog has never seen a cow, he finds all the wrong animals. After being pecked by a chicken, spattered with mud by a pig, and walloped by a donkey, Dog needs a friend. By chance a mysterious and kindly animal helps lead him back to the city, only to cause chaos there, before revealing her identity -- as a cow!

Apple Trouble!


Ragnhild Scamell - 1998
    Unfortunately, a ripe apple falls from the tree above and gets stuck in her spines, making it impossible for her to fit in her new digs. She has several friends to whom she can go for advice, but their instructions simply make her situation worse. She ends up with other bits and pieces stuck to her body in addition to the apple -- including nuts, a pear, a dried leaf, and some berries. Then she meets another animal that is able to ease her situation by eating everything stuck to her. Bright spreads reveal the harried hedgehog and her helpers. Blooming flowers and the summer green of the trees belie the fact that it's time to hibernate, but kids won't mind this anomaly.

Hello, Snow!


Hope Vestergaard - 2004
    . .Here we go!Through the doorAnd . . . HELLO, SNOW!"On the morning of a fresh snowfall, a young girl bounces out of bed, scrambles into warm clothes, grabs her dad, dashes outside, and jumps right into the delights of a snowy day. Whether she's rolling a giant snowball, bumping into a new friend, or tumbling into a pile of white, her spirit and energy are hard to resist.Playful rhyming text and exuberant watercolor illustrations full of funny antics and details reflect the enthusiasms of a snow-loving girl on this best of winter days.

Farmyard Beat


Lindsey Craig - 2011
    As soon as the sun goes down, the animals are up! ("Sheep can't sleep. Sheep can't sleep. Sheep can't sleep 'cause they got that beat!") Before long, there's a giant farmyard dance party, complete with funny animal sounds. But what happens when all the racket wakes up Farmer Sue? Here's a colorful bedtime story that begs to be read aloud.

The Perfect Nest


Catherine Friend - 2007
    Jack the cat is building the perfect nest. It' s bound to attract the perfect chicken, who will lay the perfect egg, which will make the perfect omelet. And sure enough, a chicken shows up ( Caramba ), but so do a duck ( Sacre bleu ) and a goose ( Great balls of fire ). Feathers get ruffled -- and Jack gets much more than breakfast -- in a funny tale rich in detail with a sweet final twist.

The Hat


Jan Brett - 1997
    When Lisa's red-and-white woolen stocking blows off the clothesline, Hedgie finds it and sticks his nose inside, only to discover his prickles prevent him from pulling out of it. Soon all the farm animals are coming around to chuckle at silly Hedgie's stocking cap. But in the end, nimble-witted Hedgie gets the last laugh. Now young fans of this glorious Scandinavian picture book can curl up with the illustrious Hedgie, himself! This fluffy 5-inch fellow, with long, lush, decidedly unprickly fur, sports the very sock--uh, hat--that got him in trouble. A soft body and cheerful smile guarantee many friends for this huggable guy. Packaged with the only available board book version of the award-winning The Hat, this delightful book and sweet plush toy set make a perfect gift any time of year! (Ages 3 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Oink-a-Doodle-Moo


Jef Czekaj - 2012
    Are you ready?Oink!Oink-a-DoodleOink-a-Doodle-DooOink-a-Doodle-MooNow you say it back. . . .A barnyard game of telephone goes wildly wrong in this hilarious picture book that demands to be read out loud.

You Can Do It, Sam


Amy Hest - 2003
    Sam goes all by himself to deliver treats to his friends in an endearing new tale from the creators of the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller KISS GOOD NIGHT and DON'T YOU FEEL WELL, SAM?"Little ones will find this both a suitable precursor to nap time and a spur to be brave and act generously — just like Sam." — BOOKLIST

Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep!


Maureen Wright - 2009
    He thinks Old Man Winter has told him to drive a jeep, to sweep, and to leap. Big Bear just can’t seem to hear what Old Man Winter is saying. Finally, Old Man Winter finds a noisy way to get Big Bear’s attention. Cozy illustrations rendered in pencil and mixed media by Will Hillenbrand bring this bedtime story to a fitting conclusion.

No Sleep for the Sheep!


Karen Beaumont - 2011
    All is peaceful until—QUACK! Is that a duck at the barn door? And now a goat? A pig? A cow? A horse? Each new unexpected guest is bigger and louder than the last! How will the sheep ever get this barnyard crowd to quiet down before—COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!

The Little Rabbit Who Liked to Say Moo


Jonathan Allen - 2008
    The fun begins when Calf hears Rabbit out in the field mooing—and feels inspired to give a great big BAA. Why? Because he likes the sound! Before long, Lamb, Piglet, Baby Donkey, and all the other creatures on the farm realize they’re not limited to their own language, but can enjoy experimenting with others.The cute surprise ending shows that Little Rabbit—who started the delightful chorus by thinking outside the box—still plays by his own rules. Thanks to Jonathan Allen’s wonderful illustrations and engaging join-in text, this will become a favorite that kids will read again and again.

You Are (Not) Small


Anna Kang - 2014
    Two fuzzy creatures can't agree on who is small and who is big, until a couple of surprise guests show up, settling it once and for all!The simple text of Anna Kang and bold illustrations of New Yorker cartoonist Christopher Weyant tell an original and very funny story about size -- it all depends on who's standing next to you.

Cindy Moo


Lori Mortensen - 2012
    . . until a trick of nature shows Cindy a way to triumph.As delightfully silly as the original nursery rhyme, this hilarious picture book will have readers of all stripes (and spots) cheering for its determined heroine.

Cock-A-Doodle-Hooooooo!


Mick Manning - 2007
    When a tired, lonely owl finds shelter in a hen house during a storm, he is awakened by a flock of bossy hens who try to force him to be a cockerel, until he demonstrates what he can do for them.