Bright, buoyant art and a roly-poly little baby are sure to inspire plenty of giggling and grabbing and feet-in-the-air-ing. For every baby - and every parent who loves that baby to bits - here's the perfect first book.

    A perfect read-aloud!Who’s that coming down the road?Oh yikes! Oh yikes!It’s a bear on a bike.

    With quirky wordplay and infectious rhymes, Elizabeth Bluemle crystallizes an unexpected moment of community, while G. Brian Karas’s warm illustrations show the smiles to be had when a storm brings strangers together as friends.

    When Monkey jumps high, he decides he must be a rabbit. When he roars, Monkey just knows he must be a lion--until Lion shows him how loudly a real lion can roar. In this playful game of "monkey see, monkey do," Monkey and his animal friends share what makes each of them special just the way they are.

    . . two.Two small hands belong to you!Join a group of toddlers as they enjoy delicious treats, and count one by one as one little finger points to cake, two little fingers tap a plate, three little fingers pinch a bite, and four little fingers squish it tight! But one piece just isn't enough—they want more! When they’re done, a parent cleans and kisses “two small hands on one small you!”

    In a flash, it transforms her into a cowgirl, a pirate, even a superhero with a cape! So when the blankie blows away, Kiki will do anything to get it back…even face a very scary crocodile.Janie Bynum’s irresistible heroine proves that love makes us brave and strong—even when we don’t have our special blanket to protect us!

    A muddy country road is no match for this little pick up--that is, until he gets stuck while pushing a dump truck out of the muck. Luckily, Blue has made a pack of farm animal friends along his route. And they're willing to whatever it takes to get their pal back on the road. Filled with truck sounds and animals noises, here is a rollicking homage to the power of friendship and the rewards of helping others.

    Young readers will delight in spotting all the hiding places as they follow along with Bunny.

     Their mother, Sophie, knows one from another...but how do you think Mrs. Tuttle tells those kittens apart? Peter Catalanotto's sequel to his Matthew A.B.C. and Daisy 1, 2, 3 invites long looking, counting, and laughing!

    With just the right balance of sweetness and humor, this is a soothing ode to all the wonderful bits and pieces that make up a cuddly, snuggly baby.

    . . . Will it be able to take the Winner's Cup?Race cars!Line up!Who will take the Winner's Cup?Cars start,lights glow..."Rev your engines...GO GO GO!"All the cars are lining up for the race, but one car is smaller than the rest. As it squeezes in between all of them, the cars rev their engines . . . and they're off! Down mountains and by waterfalls, through tunnels and past landslides, the cars race through places that somehow look oddly familiar. . . .

    But just imagine all the fun and adventure you can have with a book box. You can explore the world and beyond! That's just what a creative little elephant discovers. And with the help of his frog friend, there’s no limit to where they can go.            Popular author-illustrator Will Hillenbrand has created an ingenious tale about the wonderful world a child enters within the pages of a book in this unique celebration of reading and the power of books.           Includes instructions for making a book box.

    Apples are red. Lemons are yellow. . . .Clever cutouts in the pages make a simple, original, and utterly beguiling introduction to color.Laura Vaccaro Seeger, whose The Hidden Alphabet dazzled critics and readers alike, introduces young children to color in this unique concept book with die cuts. The opening spread features a big, bright red lemon and the simple text, "Lemons are not RED." When the spread is turned an equally bright yellow lemon appears ("Lemons are YELLOW") across from a luscious red apple ("Apples are RED").And so it goes, from carrots that are not purple through reindeer that are not white, et al. The book ends with "The moon is not BLACK / The moon is SILVER / The night is BLACK / Good night! And the reader sees a tranquil night landscape and a house with the lights turned out.This title has Common Core connections.

    From napping to crying, cuddling to playing, this book introduces the world with humor, honesty, and unmitigated sweetness. Award-winning author and artist Lucy Knisley celebrates the joys of having—and being!—a baby in this timeless celebration of new beginnings and the transformative power of love.

    Whether they bake or build, bike or hike, a caring hug always feels just right.This is a book that is generous with love, and full of the sweetest illustrations you've ever seen.