I Am Not a Fish!


Peter Raymundo - 2019
    Higgins and Jory John comes a humorous and splashy story from a former Disney animator, about a jellyfish with an identity crisis who learns how to be himself with a little help from friends.Edgar is a jellyfish, but he doesn't look, act, or feel very much like a fish. With a little help though from some friendly starfish, Edgar realizes that labels aren't important, and he should celebrate what makes him unique!

Those Darn Squirrels!


Adam Rubin - 2008
    He'll build some birdfeeders and fill them with yummy seeds and berries. That way, the wild birds he loves so much will stick around for the winter--instead of flying south. But there are other hungry creatures in the forest, and the have plans, too...Those darn squirrels!

Too Crowded


Lena Podesta - 2021
    It feels TOO CROWDED! When Gil leaves his bowl in search of open spaces, he finds a world full of many interesting…and loud … and possibly dangerous creatures.It turns out that life outside the bowl might not be right for a fish. Thank goodness for Turtle, a citizen of the not-so-great outdoors who comes to Gil’s rescue! Will Gil make peace with his home sweet home, and maybe even find room for a friend in the process?

What Does an Anteater Eat?


Ross Collins - 2018
    Baffled and with his tummy rumbling, he consults the other animals. But Sloth is too busy, Toucan is clueless, and Crocodile has his own mouth full. Maybe the ants will know—and maybe the answer isn't quite as obvious as you may think! A delightfully silly tale that little ones will return to again and again.

A Squiggly Story


Andrew Larsen - 2016
    But there's a problem, he tells her. Though he knows his letters, he doesn't know many words. “Every story starts with a single word and every word starts with a single letter,” his sister explains patiently. “Why don't you start there, with a letter?” So the boy tries. He writes a letter. An easy letter. The letter I. And from that one skinny letter, the story grows, and the little boy discovers that all of us, including him, have what we need to write our own perfect story.This picture book from award-winning author Andrew Larsen playfully and imaginatively explores a young child's process of learning to express himself. It promotes the idea that stories are available for everyone to tell, whatever way we can, and will inspire pre-readers to try writing stories of their own. The lively, fun illustrations by Mike Lowery incorporate story panels with dialogue bubbles, adding visual texture. Also helpful, the boy's story is shown both as he actually writes it --- with just a few letters, some punctuation marks and typographical symbols --- and as he imagines it. Celebrating self-expression, self-discovery and imagination, this book would enhance an early language arts lesson on writing, particularly on the parts of a story. It beautifully highlights the exciting worlds that are opened up when children begin to read and write. In a sweet touch, the boy and his sister model a close and supportive sibling relationship.

Little Boo


Stephen Wunderli - 2014
    But he doesn't scare anyone . . . not the snowflakes in winter, not the bees in spring, not even the watering can!The wind tells him to be patient—he'll be scary soon enough. But waiting is hard. Will the little seed ever be really, truly scary?This simple story is more than a fun Halloween read—it is a heartwarming tale perfect for any child who can't wait to grow up.

The Library Bus


Bahram Rahman - 2020
    There are no bus seats--instead there are chairs and tables and shelves of books. And there are no passengers--instead there is Pari, who is nervously starting her first day as Mama's library helper. Pari stands tall to hand out notebooks and pencils at the villages and the refugee camp, but she feels intimidated. The girls they visit are learning to write English from Mama. Pari can't even read or write in Farsi yet. But next year she will go to school and learn all there is to know. And that is a wonderful thing. Not long ago, Mama tells her, girls were not allowed to read at all.

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons


Julie Fogliano - 2016
    Summer swims move over for autumn sweaters until the snow comes back again. In Julie Fogliano's skilled hand and illustrated by Julie Morstad's charming pictures, the seasons come to life in this gorgeous and comprehensive book of poetry.

One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me!


John Micklos Jr. - 2017
    By summer, there's a glorious canopy. And when autumn winds blow, leaves fly from the tree, one after another, leading us into winter. There's a world of activity to spy in and around this beautiful tree as the wild creatures, and one little boy, celebrate the cycles of nature. As little ones count leaves, look for animals, and enjoy the changing seasonal landscape, bouncy rhymes and bold illustrations make learning to count easy--corresponding numerals reinforcing the learning fun.

Welcome Home, Bear: A Book of Animal Habitats


Il Sung Na - 2015
      Bear is tired of waking up every morning in the same green forest, so he decides to search for a new place to live. He visits the birds in the trees, a mole underground, a camel in the hot desert sand, puffins in the cold arctic snow . . . only to realize his own home is the perfect place for him after all. Welcome Home, Bear offers rich illustrations, bright colors, and a simple, spare text—all wrapped up in a beautiful, kid-friendly package. Readers meet animals in their habitats around the world—and return with Bear to the one place he is truly happy.

Making a Friend


Tammi Sauer - 2018
    One winter day, Beaver sees some snowflakes in the sky and gets a great idea: he’ll make a friend. Yes! A snowman will be a great friend!Raccoon passes by as Beaver sets to work and offers a helping hand. The two work side by side to give their snowman everything a friend needs.But when the snowman proves to be a little cold, Beaver discovers that he may have unknowingly “made” another buddy instead.Perfect for snuggling together for a read-aloud, this sweet snowy friendship story from Tammi Sauer and Alison Friend will warm the hearts of young readers.

Maryam's Magic: The Story of Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani


Megan Reid - 2021
    Perfect for fans of Hidden Figures and Mae Among the Stars.As a little girl, Maryam Mirzakhani was spellbound by stories. She loved reading in Tehran’s crowded bookstores, and at home she'd spend hours crafting her own tales on giant rolls of paper.Maryam loved school, especially her classes in reading and writing. But she did not like math. Numbers were nowhere near as interesting as the bold, adventurous characters she found in books. Until Maryam unexpectedly discovered a new genre of storytelling: In geometry, numbers became shapes, each with its own fascinating personality—making every equation a brilliant story waiting to be told.As an adult, Maryam became a professor, inventing new formulas to solve some of math's most complicated puzzles. And she made history by becoming the first woman—and the first Iranian—to win the Fields Medal, mathematics’ highest award.Maryam's Magic is the true story of a girl whose creativity and love of stories helped her—and the world—to see math in a new and inspiring way.

Shapes, Reshape!: A Minibombo Book


Silvia Borando - 2016
    But can you guess which animal before they reshape?When you mix up certain shapes and move them around, do you know what buzzy things they reshape into? Ten fluttering dragonflies! Now what about shapes that reshape into jumpy things? Would you guess nine slimy frogs? Turn each page to find a pile of shapes and a clue—stripy or clucky, prickly or pinchy, roary or scaly, stompy or fiery—then turn the page again to see if you’re right.

Eggs, 1, 2, 3: Who Will The Babies Be?


Janet Halfmann - 2012
    Song-like, non-rhyming verse gives clues as to who might hatch. The answer to the repeated refrain, "Who will the babies be?", is found beneath a flap. Besides discovering the animal baby or babies, kids will also pick up a lot of nature terminology and interesting facts about animals, their birthing environments, and habitats.

Wild Ideas: Let Nature Inspire Your Thinking


Elin Kelsey - 2015
    Wild Ideas looks deep into the forests, skies and oceans to explore how animals solve problems. Whether it’s weaving a safe place to rest and reflect, blowing a fine net of bubbles to trap fish, or leaping boldly into a new situation, the animals featured (including the orangutan, humpback whale and gibbon) can teach us a lot about creative problem solving tools and strategies.Like You Are Stardust, this book uses lyrical text grounded in current science alongside wonderfully detailed art to present problems as doorways to creative thinking. Wild Ideas encourages an inquiry-based approach to learning, inviting readers to indulge their sense of wonder and curiosity by observing the natural world, engaging with big ideas and asking questions. An author’s note at the end delves deeper into the research behind the text.