If I Were a Kangaroo: A Bedtime Tale


Mylisa Larsen - 2017
    It's time for sleep, and this fun-to-read rhyming tale envisions the bedtime rituals of animals from whales to otters, squirrels to gorillas.So curl up, imagine your favorite animal, and...zzzzzzzzzzz.

Night Light


Nicholas Blechman - 2013
    Part guessing game, part counting book, NIGHT LIGHT is a boldly imagined book for the preschool child who loves cars, trucks, and anything that goes. With die-cuts on every other page, this rhyming story features vehicles and counting, combining a high interest preschool subject with important preschool concepts.

Baa Baa Smart Sheep


Mark Sommerset - 2010
    When Quirky Turkey comes along, the opportunity to make some mischief proves too hard to resist.

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed?


Barney Saltzberg - 2005
    . . . But the brightly colored pictures tell a different story. - KIRKUS REVIEWSIt’s time for bed, and Cornelius P. Mud knows what that means — putting his toys away, brushing his teeth, putting his pajamas on, all the things we do every night. Right? Wrong! Bedtime at Cornelius’s house is no ordinary event. Whether it’s stuffing toys in the fridge or playing rodeo in the bathroom, this plucky piggy has his own ideas. So no, Cornelius isn’t quite ready for bed — he’s having too much fun!

There Are No Bears in This Bakery


Julia Sarcone-Roach - 2019
    But there are no bears here. Not on Muffin's watch.One night, Muffin hears a suspicious noise. Mouse? Raccoon? Bat? Nope, not the usual suspects. But Muffin hears . . . growling. Could it be? Yup. A bear. Just a cub. Whose stomach is definitely growling. Muffin's got this case solved--clearly this bear needs some donuts.

Finders Keepers


Keiko Kasza - 2015
    Fans of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie will love this new preschool gem from beloved storyteller Keiko KaszaA hat is not just a hat in these woods!From tree branch to stream to flower patch—wherever the hat lands, someone knows exactly what to do with it and exclaims, “Finders, keepers!”But this red hat doesn’t stay in one place for long, and everyone will be surprised by what happens to it in the end.Youngsters will be delighted by the silly scenes and clever twists and turns in this charming circular story.

I'm The Best


Lucy Cousins - 2010
    He thinks they're brilliant. But he also thinks that he's the best, and he just won't stop telling them! So what happens when his friends decide to teach him a lesson, by showing him all the things they are best at?

Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants


Giles Andreae - 2012
    But . . . Sir Scallywag is only 6 years old and with an evil giant to pursue, it's nearly mission impossible! Luckily, it's a story of David and Goliath. With his trusted steed Doofus at his side, Sir Scallywag proves that even the unlikeliest hero can be the bravest knight of all.

Ask Me


Bernard Waber - 2015
    With so many things to enjoy, and so many ways to ask—and talk—about them, it's a snapshot of an ordinary day in a world that's anything but. This story is a heartwarming and inviting picture book with a tenderly written story by Bernard Waber and glorious illustrations by Suzy Lee.PreS-Gr 2—A vivacious child and her father share an early autumn stroll. "Ask me what I like," she says. Dad's dutiful answer is printed in purple: "What do you like?" Energetically she answers with a list. Sometimes dad presses for details, "Geese in the sky? Or geese in the water?" She answers, "I like geese in the sky. No, in the water. I like both. Ask me what else I like," she demands, seeing something new she wants to tell him about. So they proceed through their day, celebrating the brief but precious time when children are gaining a sense of self and exploring the power that comes with it. The patience required to converse with a small person who wants to dictate every part of the interaction is sure to be familiar to parents, but the poetic text rises above the mundane and captures the beauty, energy, and innocence of these conversations and holds them up for readers to appreciate without becoming saccharine or trite. Lee's lively, colored-pencil drawings are a perfect match to the text. The line drawings are similar in style to those in Wave (2008) and Shadow (2010, both Chronicle), but Lee expands from the single-color palette she employed in those titles to a full spectrum of bright autumn colors. VERDICT A first choice for libraries, especially those looking to expand their selection of father-as-caregiver stories.—Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

Instructions


Neil Gaiman - 2010
    Sometimes, we need those two things the most" (Brightly.com, citing "Books That Teach Kids What It Means to Be a Kind Person").In this breathtaking jacketed picture book, Neil Gaiman's lyrical poem guides a novice traveler through the enchanted woods of a fairy tale—through lush gardens, a formidable castle, and over a perilous river—to find the way home again.Illustrated in full color by Charles Vess, Instructions features lush images of mythical creatures, magical landscapes, and canny princesses. Its message of the value of courage, wit, and wisdom makes it a perfect gift.

The First Day of Winter


Denise Fleming - 2005
    This cumulative tale will have children chanting along as they discover all the trimmings needed for the most perfect snowman ever!

Charley's First Night


Amy Hest - 2012
    He shows Charley every room, saying, "This is home, Charley." He says that a lot so that Charley will know that he is home. Henry’s parents are very clear about who will be walking and feeding Charley (Henry will, and he can’t wait). They are also very clear about where Charley will be sleeping: Charley will be sleeping in the kitchen. But when the crying starts in the middle of the night, Henry knows right away that it’s Charley! And it looks like his parents’ idea about where Charley is going to sleep may have to change. With warmth, humor, and endearing simplicity, Amy Hest tells a tale familiar to everyone who has loved a puppy, while Helen Oxenbury renders each tender gesture and charming detail in a beauty of a book that children will be eager to take home.

Red Red Red


Valeri Gorbachev - 2007
    And that’s hard for turtles to do. But he’s off to see something red and he can’t be late. But is it red like Rabbit’s roses? Or Goat’s socks? Or Fox’s roof? All the neighbors want to know, so off they go in a long parade to follow Turtle. But when he finally stops, there’s nothing red in sight. Until all at once they see red, red, red. Yet another trip into the inviting world of Valeri Gorbachev awaits young readers in this charming story. As the anticipation builds, so does the fun. And readers will be tickled—red—by the warm, rosy ending.

The King of Little Things


Bil Lepp - 2013
    When King Normous thinks he has finally become the ruler of all the world, he is enraged to learn that the King of Little Things still reigns happily in his tiny kingdom. Normous sends his army to defeat this upstart, but he finds he cannot outfight or outwit a king who holds sway over the little things of the world. After all, it is the little things that keep the big things going.

Lily the Unicorn


Dallas Clayton - 2014
    When Lily meets Roger the penguin she plans lots of adventures for them to go on together. But Roger doesn't want to make new friends or go on adventures! In this sweet tale of friendship, Lily teaches Roger that the world is a fun, amazing place and that it's great to try new things.From the author of An Awesome Book! and An Awesome Book of Love! comes a brand-new adventure starring Lily the Unicorn!