Ho'onani: Hula Warrior


Heather Gale - 2019
    She doesn't see herself as wahine (girl) OR kane (boy). She's happy to be in the middle. But not everyone sees it that way.When Ho'onani finds out that there will be a school performance of a traditional kane hula chant, she wants to be part of it. But can a girl really lead the all-male troupe? Ho'onani has to try . . .Based on a true story, Ho'onani: Hula Warrior is a celebration of Hawaiian culture and an empowering story of a girl who learns to lead and learns to accept who she really is--and in doing so, gains the respect of all those around her.Ho'onani's story first appeared in the documentary A Place in the Middle by filmmakers Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson.

Chickens Aren't the Only Ones: A Book About Animals that Lay Eggs


Ruth Heller - 1981
    Ruth Heller's prose and pictures are the perfect means for discovering the variety of oviparous animals and their unique ways of laying eggs.

We Are the Dinosaurs


Laurie Berkner - 2017
    WHADDAYA THINK OF THAT?

The Shortest Day


Susan Cooper - 2019
    So the shortest day came, and the year died . . . As the sun set on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles. They played music, bringing their own light to the darkness, while wondering if the sun would ever rise again. Written for a theatrical production that has become a ritual in itself, Susan Cooper's poem "The Shortest Day" captures the magic behind the returning of the light, the yearning for traditions that connect us with generations that have gone before—and the hope for peace that we carry into the future. Richly illustrated by Carson Ellis with a universality that spans the centuries, this beautiful book evokes the joy and community found in the ongoing mystery of life when we celebrate light, thankfulness, and festivity at a time of rebirth. Welcome Yule!

Side by Side: A Celebration of Dads


Chris Raschka - 2019
    fathers and children are all of these things and more in Chris Raschka's tribute to this familial pair. Each stanza presents three scenarios in which the father and child's roles are subtly balanced. The pairs vary between stanzas, coming together in a visit to an ice-cream truck. With minimal text and maximum emotion, the book encapsulates Raschka's own passion and nostalgia for being a father to his [now-grown] son.Ages 3-5

It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity


Theresa Thorn - 2019
    Some people are girls. Some people are both, neither, or somewhere in between.This sweet, straightforward exploration of gender identity will give children a fuller understanding of themselves and others. With child-friendly language and vibrant art, It Feels Good to Be Yourself provides young readers and parents alike with the vocabulary to discuss this important topic with sensitivity.

I've Loved You Since Forever


Hoda Kotb - 2018
    This beautiful picture book is inspired by New York Times bestselling author and Today show co-host Hoda Kotb's heartwarming adoption of her baby girl, Haley Joy.With Kotb's lyrical text and stunning pictures by Suzie Mason, young ones and parents will want to snuggle up and read the pages of this book together, over and over again.In the universe, there was you andthere was me, waiting for the day ourstars would meet. . .

Wolfie the Bunny


Ame Dyckman - 2015
    A new brother takes getting used to, and when (in a twist of fate) it's Wolfie who's threatened, can Dot save the day?

Keeping the City Going


Brian Floca - 2021
    Outside we see the city we know, but not as we’ve seen it before. The once hustling and bustling streets are empty. Well, almost empty. Around the city there are still people, some, out and about. These are the people keeping us safe. Keeping us healthy. Keeping our mail and our food delivered. Keeping our grocery stores stocked. Keeping the whole city going.

Swashby and the Sea


Beth Ferry - 2020
    This hilarious picture book will keep emerging readers laughing, and the message-related mishaps in the story create an opportunity for spelling and sounding out new words while learning from home! Captain Swashby loves the sea, his oldest friend. And he loves his life by the sea just as it is: salty and sandy and serene. One day, much to Swashby’s chagrin, a young girl and her granny commandeer the empty house next door. All Swashby wants is for his new neighbors to GO AWAY and take their ruckus with them. When Swashby begins to leave notes in the sand for his noisy neighbors, however, the beach interferes with the messages that are getting across. Could it be that the captain’s oldest friend, the sea, knows what Swashby needs even better than he knows himself?

Good Morning, Superman!


Michael Dahl - 2017
    It’s a plane. It’s the . . . SUN! When morning comes, a young boy must prepare for his day, faster than a speeding bullet. Follow along as he leaps tall buildings (jumps out of bed) in a single bound, dons his heroic uniform (his clothes), and faces his greatest weakness (Kryptonite-colored toothpaste). Then it’s up, up, and away to daycare! The perfect companion to the bestselling author Michael Dahl's BEDTIME FOR BATMAN, this official DC Comics picture book will have Superman fans young and old delighting in their morning routines. Includes a morning routine checklist.

Our Subway Baby


Peter Mercurio - 2020
    Some are adopted. This is the story of how one baby found his family in the New York City subway."So begins the true story of Kevin and how he found his Daddy Danny and Papa Pete. Written in a direct address to his son, Pete's moving and emotional text tells how his partner, Danny, found a baby tucked away in the corner of a subway station on his way home from work one day. Pete and Danny ended up adopting the baby together. Although neither of them had prepared for the prospect of parenthood, they are reminded, "Where there is love, anything is possible."

Big Little Brother


Kevin Kling - 2011
    But how would you feel if your little brother grew to be bigger than you? And what if he insisted on touching all your things and following you everywhere you went? It’s enough to frustrate the most even-keeled of kids.The narrator of Big Little Brother wants nothing more than to escape his brother’s sticky fingers. Then an encounter at the old Woman in the Shoe play area teaches him that a pesky younger sibling can actually be a pal. Maybe having a brother, big or small, is a blessing after all.Storyteller Kevin Kling, described as “one of our great national treasures” by public radio personality KristaTippett, has delighted audiences through his performances, plays, and audio and printed collections for decades. Illustrator Chris Monroe brings her witty, slightly subversive artistic sense to this heartwarming tale. the result is a playful, tender look at the familiar pains and joys of being a sibling.Storyteller Kevin Kling is the author of two books and several plays, including the musical Busytown, with composer Michael Koerner, based on the classic and amusing picture books by Richard Scarry. Painter and cartoonist Chris Monroe draws the weekly comic strip Violet Days and is the author and illustrator of Monkey with a Tool Belt and Sneaky Sheep, among other books for children.

Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race


Megan Madison - 2021
    Research shows that talking about issues like race and gender from the age of two not only helps children understand what they see, but also increases self-awareness, self-esteem, and allows them to recognize and confront things that are unfair, like discrimination and prejudice.This first book in the series begins the conversation on race, with a supportive approach that considers both the child and the adult. Stunning art accompanies the simple and interactive text, and the backmatter offers additional resources and ideas for extending this discussion.

Florette


Anna Walker - 2018
    She’ll miss the apple trees, the daffodils, and chasing butterflies in the wavy grass. But there’s no room for a garden in the city. Or is there?