Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears


Verna Aardema - 1975
    "Elegance has become the Dillons' hallmark. . . . Matching the art is Aardema's uniquely onomatopoeic text . . . An impressive showpiece."-Booklist, starred review.Winner of Caldecott Medal in 1976 and the Brooklyn Art Books for Children Award in 1977.

A Chair for My Mother


Vera B. Williams - 1982
    After their home is destroyed by a fire, Rosa, her mother and grandmother save their coins to buy a really comfortable chair for all to enjoy.

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale


John Steptoe - 1987
    Who will the king choose?Award-winning artist John Steptoe’s rich cultural imagery of Africa earned him the Coretta Scott King Award for Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. The book also went on to win the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. This stunning story is a timeless treasure that readers will enjoy for generations.Coretta Scott King Award for IllustrationCaledcott HonorReading Rainbow BookBoston Globe-Horn Book

The First Dog


Jan Brett - 1988
    Jan Brett’s popular tale of adventure in prehistoric times is now a big book!

Excellent Ed


Stacy McAnulty - 2016
      Ed wonders if this is why he isn’t allowed to eat at the table or sit on the couch with the other children. So he’s determined to find his own thing to be excellent at--only to be (inadvertently) outdone by a family member every time.   Now Ed is really nervous--what if he’s not excellent enough to belong in this family?   This funny and endearing story offers a subtle look at sibling rivalry and self esteem, and will reassure kids that everyone is excellent at something, and that your family loves you, just as you are.

Let's Taco about How Great You Are


Bob Holt - 2021
     Hey, kid, let's TACO about how great you are. DONUT how you do it. You always find a RAISIN to smile.Advice, pep-talks, smiles, and silly puns aplenty are DISHED out (see what I did there?) in this bright, festive gift book that celebrates the reader on every page. Ideal for graduation, birthdays, and big milestones in a kid's life, here is a picture book that tells your young superstar that you are hap-PEA to know them and they can't be BEET. So LETTUCE all yell, Yay, you!Features a bookplate in the opening pages to personalize for easy gift-giving.

Cecil the Pet Glacier


Matthea Harvey - 2012
    Ruby would love to be like everyone else—not easy when you have a tiara-wearing mother and a father who spends his time trimming outrageous topiary. She'd also like to get a nice normal pet, maybe a dog. Then, on a family vacation to Norway, she finds herself adopted by a small, affectionate glacier. How Cecil, as the ice pet is named, proves himself to Ruby—risking his own meltdown—is a story sure to thrill and delight young readers.

There Goes Patti McGee!: The Story of the First Women's National Skateboard Champion


Tootie Nienow - 2021
    Brought to life by Erika Medina's dynamic and joyful illustrations, There Goes Patti McGee! walks us through Patti first place win in the women's division of the 1964 National Skateboard Championship. She wowed the judges with with what would become her signature move--the rolling handstand. Inspiring and unapologetic, Patti McGee proves that anyone can skate.

The Paper Kingdom


Helena Ku Rhee - 2020
    But the story is about more than brooms, mops, and vacuums. Mama and Papa turn the deserted office building into a magnificent kingdom filled with paper. Then they weave a fantasy of dragons and kings to further engage their reluctant companion--and even encourage him to one day be the king of a paper kingdom.The Paper Kingdom expresses the joy and spirit of a loving family who turn a routine and ordinary experience into something much grander. Magical art by Pascal Campion shows both the real world and the fantasy through the eyes of the young narrator.

The Crossover


Kwame Alexander - 2019
    . . The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. ’Cuz tonight I’m delivering," raps twelve-year-old Josh Bell. Thanks to their dad, he and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood—he's got mad beats, too, which help him find his rhythm when it’s all on the line. See the Bell family in a whole new light through Dawud Anyabwile's illustrations as the brothers' winning season unfolds, and the world as they know it begins to change.

A Pet for Petunia


Paul Schmid - 2011
    I'll take her for walks. I'll read stories to her and draw her pictures.Petunia knows she can take care of a pet, but what happens when the pet she most desires is a skunk?

This Moose Belongs to Me


Oliver Jeffers - 2012
    He hadn't always owned a moose. The moose came to him a while ago and he knew, just KNEW, that it was meant to be his. He thought he would call him Marcel. Most of the time Marcel is very obedient, abiding by the many rules of How to Be a Good Pet. But imagine Wilfred's surprise when one dark day, while deep in the woods, someone else claims the moose as their own...

The Girl and the Bicycle


Mark Pett - 2014
    She hurries home to see if she has enough money in her piggy bank, but when she comes up short, she knocks on the doors of her neighbors, hoping to do their yardwork. They all turn her away except for a kindly old woman.The woman and the girl work through the seasons, side by side. They form a tender friendship. When the weather warms, the girl finally has enough money for the bicycle. She runs back to the store, but the bicycle is gone! What happens next shows the reward of hard work and the true meaning of generosity.Wordless, timeless, and classic, The Girl and the Bicycle carries a message of selflessness and sweet surprises and makes an ideal gift for graduations and other special occasions.

Amazing Grace


Mary Hoffman - 1991
    When her school decides to perform Peter Pan, Grace longs to play the lead, but her classmates point out that Peter was a boy. Besides, he wasn't black. With the support of her family, Grace learns that she can be anything she wants to be, and the results are amazing!Remarkable watercolor illustrations give full expression to Grace's high-flying imagination.

Little Red Gliding Hood


Tara Lazar - 2015
    But who will be her partner? The Dish is already dancing with the Spoon, and Hansel is spinning Gretel like sugar. You won’t believe what big eyes, sharp teeth, and long snout her partner has…all the better to spin her with!