Book picks similar to
Agnes's Place by Marit Larsen


picture-books
childrens
picture-book
friendship

The Suitcase


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

Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn


Shannon Hale - 2021
    From bestselling duo Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham comes a kitty and unicorn story that celebrates the magic of friendship—and being exactly who you want to be! Kitty thinks she might be a unicorn. She feels so perfectly unicorn-y! “Neigh!” says Kitty. But when Unicorn clop clop clops over, sweeping his magnificent tail and neighing a mighty neigh, Kitty feels no bigger than a ball of lint.Can this unlikely pair embrace who they are, and truly see one another?

Colette's Lost Pet


Isabelle Arsenault - 2017
    Perfect for fans of Uni the Unicorn and Sparky.Colette is exploring her new neighborhood and wants to make friends. But when she encounters someone her age she's never met before, she doesn't know what to say--so she hastily invents a lost pet! Things spiral a bit out of control as a neighborhood-wide search party is assembled and Colette makes her pet bird more amazing with each telling. Will the neighborhood kids catch on to her ever-growing fib?This charming story both clearly identifies the struggle of navigating a different experience and demonstrates to kids a lovely and welcoming way to treat someone new in their community.

Ideas Are All Around


Philip C. Stead - 2016
    Wednesday chases squirrels while the two friends discuss fishing and war and how back before the neighborhood was there enormous woolly mammoths roamed where houses now sit.Thoughts open up to other thoughts, and ideas are born and carried forward, often transforming into other ideas until he finds that ideas really are all around, you just have to know what to do with them.

Eraser


Anna Kang - 2018
    Except for Ruler and Pencil Sharpener, none of the other school supplies seem to appreciate her. They all love how sharp Pencil is and how Tape and Glue help everyone stick together. Eraser wants to create so that she can shine like the others. She decides to give it a try, but it’s not until the rubber meets the road that Eraser begins to understand a whole lot about herself.Inspired by a school essay their daughter Kate wrote in the third grade, the author and illustrator behind Theodor Seuss Geisel Award–winner You Are (Not) Small have created a desktop drama about figuring out who you are, finding happiness, and the importance of second, third, and maybe even fourth chances.

Neighbors


Kasya Denisevich - 2020
    More often than not, they are a mystery, a presence suggested by low hums, footfalls, or perhaps a slammed door. This book explores the ways that we think about those we exist among, but who remain strangers until we make the brave—and affirming—decision to connect.• From debut author-illustrator Kasya Denisevich• An exploration of neighbors coexisting together in one very special apartment building• Dynamic black-and-white illustrations blur the line between imagination, dreams, and reality.As Neighbors illustrates so beautifully, that moment of connection is a portal to a world of possibility.This unique book uses both visual storytelling and compelling text to consider how we map the landscape of the vast world around us, starting with the person just on the other side of the apartment wall.• Explores what it means to exist in a world of strangers, friends, and neighbors who are both alike and completely different from each other• Resonates year-round as a charming and unique gift for birthdays, holidays, and more• Perfect for children ages 3 to 5 years old• Makes a great pick for parents and grandparents, as well as librarians, teachers, and educators• Add it to the shelf with books like Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller, The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers by Stan and Jan Berenstain, and The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates.

A Home Again


Colleen Rowan Kosinski - 2021
    As the family grows, the house delights in the sound of laughter echoing in its halls and the pitter-patter of little feet traversing its floors and realizes it is no longer just a house. It has become a home—their home. One day, the family packs up, and with tears in their eyes, they say goodbye. The house doesn’t know if it can ever be happy again until two men appear. It begins to feel a sliver of hope about this new family…perhaps it can become a home once more.Told from the perspective of a house, this story’s heartfelt text and beautiful illustrations convey a warmth of feeling as two families change and grow at different times within the same four walls.

Bird Hugs


Ged Adamson - 2020
    His wings are impossibly long, and try as he might, he just can’t seem to fly. He’s left wondering what his wings are good for…if they’re even good for anything at all. But a chance encounter with a dejected orangutan leads Bernard to a surprising discovery: that maybe what makes him different is actually something to be embraced.

Julia's House for Lost Creatures


Ben Hatke - 2014
    Quiet isn't a problem anymore for Julia...but getting her housemates to behave themselves is!The simple, sweet text of this picture book by New York Times Best-Selling Zita the Spacegirl author/illustrator Ben Hatke is perfectly balanced by his lush, detailed, immersive watercolor illustrations.

Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius Cat


Katie Harnett - 2016
    But there is one house on the street that he hasn't visited yet...From a wonderful new picture book talent comes a sweet and memorable tale about communities, friendship, and not forgetting those around us.

The Invisible Boy


Trudy Ludwig - 2013
    Nobody ever seems to notice him or think to include him in their group, game, or birthday party... until, that is, a new kid comes to class.When Justin, the new boy, arrives, Brian is the first to make him feel welcome. And when Brian and Justin team up to work on a class project together, Brian finds a way to shine.From esteemed author and speaker Trudy Ludwig and acclaimed illustrator Patrice Barton, this gentle story shows how small acts of kindness can help children feel included and allow them to flourish. Any parent, teacher, or counselor looking for material that sensitively addresses the needs of quieter children will find The Invisible Boy a valuable and important resource. Includes backmatter with discussion questions and resources for further reading.

Eric


Shaun Tan - 2008
    We found it very difficult to pronounce his name correctly, but he didn’t mind. He told us to just call him ‘Eric’.”As charming as he is curious, by the end of his stay this intriguing house guest will capture your heart. This story is from Shaun Tan’s award-winning collection Tales from Outer Suburbia.

See You Next Year


Andrew Larsen - 2015
    Year after year, everything is comfortingly predictable: the families they see, the rhythm of the days, the stars, the bonfires, and even the pattern the tractor makes as it rakes the sand on their beach. But this year, something is different: the girl, our narrator, meets a new friend who shows her how to dive under the waves and spot satellites in the night sky. When it’s time to go, she’s sad to part ways. But she knows she can look forward to seeing him next year. Illustrated in a restrained, retro palette, this story perfectly captures the timelessness of a summer holiday. The effect is nostalgic and almost hazy, as if seen in a dream, a memory, or through the shimmering air of a hot summer day.

Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse


Marcy Campbell - 2018
    Adrian Simcox lives in a tiny house. Where would he keep a horse? He has holes in his shoes. How would he pay for a horse?The more Adrian talks about his horse, the angrier Chloe gets. But when she calls him out at school and even complains about him to her mom, Chloe doesn't get the vindication she craves. She gets something far more important.

Tricky


Kari Rust - 2017
    They cheat, steal, and play cruel-hearted pranks on their neighbors, just for fun. But one day, somebody new comes to town and gives Tricky a treat that melts his mischievous heart -- and sets him thinking about the effect his actions have on others. Inspired to change his ways, Tricky decides to set things right the only way he knows how... with tricks! Tricky's ploy might just lead The Duke to reconsider his ways. Stylized cartoon-inspired art adds a distinctive mood and humor to this fun debut picture book about empathy, revenge, and reform.