"Best of the Best" Books 1966–1978 (SLJ)Children's Books of 1966 (Library of Congress)

    Rocket is ready to find new words for his word tree with his teacher, the little yellow bird. He finds a leaf, a hat, and a star . . . but when he finds a red boot, he doesn’t want to let go. What will make Rocket drop it? With predictable patterns, simple words, lots of repetition, and bright, colorful illustrations, young readers will love this new Rocket book, which they can read all by themselves!

    A unique book 'in two voices' that uses traditional reading teaching techniques (alliteration, rhyme, repetition, short sentences) to invite young children to read along with an adult. Each of the twelve short stories fit on one spread and features childlike themes - family, friendship, pets and seasons. With clear, color-coded typography and amusing illustrations, this collection is sure to entertain.

    Charming full-color illustrations and a laugh-out-loud story make this chapter book perfect for fans of the Mercy Watson and Owl Diaries series.Sydney is a skunk and Taylor is a hedgehog, but no matter how odd the pairing may seem, their friendship comes naturally. They live happily in their cozy burrow . . . until the day Taylor gets his Big Idea to go see the Whole Wide World. From mountains taller than a hundred hedgehogs, valleys wider than a thousand skunks, to the dangers that lie in the human world, Sydney and Taylor wanted to see it all. With a map and a dream, they bravely set off, soon discovering that the world is much bigger than they realized . . .

    But every time he thinks he is going to sneeze, he only gets as far as "Baa . . . ahhh . . ." No choo!Sarah Weeks′ rhyming tale and Jane Manning′s lively art make for a hilarious barnyard romp.Ages 4+

    . . . spoofing classic primers, Max the Dog talks back to the book in a twist in this early reader.See Max. Max is not a cat--Max is a dog. But much to Max's dismay, the book keeps instructing readers to "see the cat." How can Max get through to the book that he is a DOG? In a trio of stories for beginning readers, author David LaRochelle introduces Max, who lets the book know that the text is not to his liking.

    When one neighbor wishes she could buy the flowers, Amelia Bedelia fetches a shovel to dig some up. After all, a yard will always grow back!The Amelia Bedelia books are great for growing the vocabularies of newly independent readers. Amelia Bedelia by the Yard is a Level 1 I Can Read book, perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences. More than 35 million Amelia Bedelia books sold since 1963!

    . . Brring! Brring! The monster alarm! A big blue monster is threatening the goats! Stopping monsters is no job for dainty Princess Magnolia. But luckily Princess Magnolia has a secret —she’s also the Princess in Black, and stopping monsters is the perfect job for her! Can the princess sneak away, transform into her alter ego, and defeat the monster before the nosy duchess discovers her secret? From award-winning writing team of Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrator LeUyen Pham, here is the first in a humorous and action-packed chapter book series for young readers who like their princesses not only prim and perfect, but also dressed in black.

    And boy, does it come in handy! Whenever anything scares Oliver--be it a teacher, a classmate, or the prospect of learning "everything"--the alligator makes the problem go away. Quickly, school becomes much simpler . . . and a little lonely. But Oliver knows just what to do! Paul Schmid's gentle, funny tale about overcoming first day of school jitters is destined to become a modern classic that fans of "Olivia" and Kevin Henkes' books will love.

    Their doggy day becomes even more wonderful when they discover a mother lode of bones! But when the bones magically arrange themselves as a T. rex, the dogs find themselves running once again, this time away from the giant skeleton.

    Paddington is thrilled to go to the beach with the Browns. He’s never splashed in the ocean or built a sand castle. Outfitted with a new set of beach toys, Paddington seems ready for whatever comes his way. But the biggest surprise of all sweeps Paddington off on a new adventure.Paddington Sets Sail is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

    Work, work, work on a spaceship to take him home.Since landing on Earth, Otto has made many friends, but what Otto wants most is to visit his family. Will Otto’s spaceship take him up, up, up, so he can go, go, go?

    . . SHARK! This fun Step 1 book about two sharks is a study in opposites. Big Shark has big teeth; Little Shark has little teeth. Big Shark swims fast; Little Shark swims slow. But they are both hungry! Will they each succeed in finding a tasty snack? Little Shark is hoping that he won't become fast food for Big Shark!Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

    With lively scenes showing accurately illustrated vehicles in action, this book will be a joy to read out loud for truck-obsessed readers and their parents!In Build, Dogs, Build, our favorite doggy construction team is pulling down an old building to make way for a new one! Using equipment like cranes, bulldozers, dump trucks, and cement mixers, these busy dogs must race to finish the job in this fun follow-up to Dig, Dogs, Dig.

    A charming and inspiring story written and narrated by Criminal Minds actor/director, Matthew Gray Gubler.Rumple Buttercup has five crooked teeth, three strands of hair, green skin, and his left foot is slightly bigger than his right.He is weird.Join him and Candy Corn Carl (his imaginary friend made of trash) as they learn the joy of individuality as well as the magic of belonging.