Book picks similar to
Wake Up Engines by Denise Dowling Mortensen


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All Aboard the Dinotrain


Deb Lund - 2006
    That's right, the thrill-seeking daredevil dinosaurs from Dinosailors are back, and now they're riding a train. But this train is more like a roller coaster--up, down, and faster and faster, until the dinos realize the brakes are out! Laughs and thrills abound in this rip-snorting tale of reckless reptiles and their runaway train.

Circus Train


Jennifer Cole Judd - 2015
    Clowns paint faces and people scurry to their seats. Then the show begins, wrapping readers in all the wonders of the circus. Dancing elephants, flipping trapeze artists, and pie-throwing clowns captivate both young and old. Jennifer Cole Judd’s text is a treat for the ears with its simple, evocative rhymes, while Melanie Matthews’s delightful illustrations capture the fun and spectacle of the circus. Readers will be cheering, Encore! Encore!

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.

I Don't Draw, I Color!


Adam Lehrhaupt - 2017
    Yellow makes us feel happy. Dark blue can make us feel sad. Red can seem angry. Black can look scary. What color do you feel like today?

Gallop!: A Scanimation Picture Book


Rufus Butler Seder - 2007
    It's impossible not to flip the page, and flip it again, and again, and again. A first book of motion for kids, it shows a horse in full gallop and a turtle swimming up the page. A dog runs, a cat springs, an eagle soars, and a butterfly flutters. Created by Rufus Butler Seder, an inventor, artist, and filmmaker fascinated by antique optical toys, Scanimation is a state-of-the-art six-phase animation process that combines the "persistence of vision" principle with a striped acetate overlay to give the illusion of movement. It harkens back to the old magical days of the kinetoscope, and the effect is astonishing, like a Muybridge photo series springing into action—or, in terms kids can relate to, like a video without a screen. Complementing the art is a delightful rhyming text full of simple questions and fun, nonsense replies: Can you gallop like a horse? giddyup-a-loo! Can you strut like a rooster? cock-a-doodle-doo!Every child who opens the book will be amazed—and so will every parent.

Baby Bedtime


Mem Fox - 2013
    A lullaby to babies everywhere, Baby Bedtime is a lyrical tribute to the love inspired by the little people in our lives.This enchanting read-aloud story combines the talents of Australia's premier picture-book writer, Mem Fox, author of Possum Magic and Where is the Green Sheep?, and acclaimed illustrator Emma Quay, creator of Rudie Nudie and Not a Cloud in the Sky.

The Pout-Pout Fish


Deborah Diesen - 2008
    Fish swims aboutWith his fish face stuckIn a permanent pout.Can his pals cheer him up?Will his pout ever end?Is there something he can learnFrom an unexpected friend?Swim along with the pout-pout fish as he discovers that being glum and spreading "dreary wearies" isn't really his destiny. Bright ocean colors and playful rhyme come together in this fun fish story that's sure to turn even the poutiest of frowns upside down.The Pout-Pout Fish is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Dinosaur Parade


Shari Halpern - 2014
    Some dinosaurs are very small. Some dinosaurs walk on two legs, others on four. And some dinosaurs look sweet while others look scary.This colorful parade of dinosaurs is a visual feast for very young fans of prehistorical creatures. The simple text and bold illustrations are ideal for preschoolers who are fascinated with these magnificent animals.

Everybunny Count!


Ellie Sandall - 2018
     Ready or not, here we come! The search for fox has just begun. Everybunny count to ONE! Bunnies play hide-and-seek and count together in this bright, colorful picture book that explores the natural world and celebrates friendship and one of the most beloved early childhood games. But that’s not all. There’s a special surprise awaiting the bunnies when they take a peek inside fox’s den!

Big Hugs, Little Hugs


Felicia Bond - 2012
    With bold and beautiful art, mega-selling author and artist Felicia Bond crafts a picture book filled with animals hugging across the globe that celebrates the universality of love. Perfect for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, bedtime, naptime, or any time that parent and child simply want to snuggle together.

Who Made This Cake?


Chihiro Nakagawa - 2008
    While a boy and his parents go for an outing, little people invade the house and use their big construction equipment to bake a cake.

I'm Your Bus


Marilyn Singer - 2009
    Morning, noon, and nighttime, too, that golden buddy is at your service. Ready to drive you and your friends to and from school.And in-between those golden-bus moments, there are other vehicles who drive around town doing what they do best--sweeping, crunching, watching, creeping! Here is an in-your-face read-aloud that is bound to become a modern classic.

One Red Apple


Harriet Ziefert - 2009
    This simple, joyful book with radiant illustrations introduces readers to the amazing and delectable way the earth provides food.

Mouse's First Day of School


Lauren Thompson - 2003
     There are colors to paint with: red, yellow, blue and letters to spell with: A B C and best of all, new friends to play with! Wherever could they be?

Ribbit!


Rodrigo Folgueira - 2012
    Sitting contentedly on a rock in the middle of their pond, the pig opens his mouth and says: RIBBIT! The frogs are bewildered at first, and then a bit annoyed—"What did that little pig just say?", "Does he think he's a frog?", "Is he making fun of us?" Soon the pig draws the attention of all the nearby animals; everyone is curious to know what he wants! After much guessing (and shouting) and a visit to the wise old beetle, the animals realize that perhaps the pig was not there to mock them afterall—maybe he just wanted to make new friends!  But is it too late?  This is a warm, funny, and beautifully illustrated story of friendship, with boisterous RIBBIT!s throughout—perfect for reading aloud.