The Barnabus Project


Eric Fan - 2020
    A stunning picture book from international bestsellers The Fan Brothers, joined by their brother Devin Fan.Deep underground beneath Perfect Pets, where children can buy genetically engineered "perfect" creatures, there is a secret lab. Barnabus and his friends live in this lab, but none of them is perfect. They are all Failed Projects. Barnabus has never been outside his tiny bell jar, yet he dreams of one day seeing the world above ground that his pal Pip the cockroach has told him about: a world with green hills and trees, and buildings that reach all the way to the sky, lit with their own stars. But Barnabus may have to reach the outside world sooner than he thought, because the Green Rubber Suits are about to recycle all Failed Projects . . . and Barnabus doesn't want to be made into a fluffier pet with bigger eyes. He just wants to be himself. So he decides it's time for he and the others to escape. With his little trunk and a lot of cooperation and courage, Barnabus sets out to find freedom -- and a place where he and his friends can finally be accepted for who they are.This suspenseful, poignant and magical story about following your dreams and finding where you truly belong will draw readers into a surreal, lushly detailed world in which perfection really means being true to yourself and your friends.

Flora and the Peacocks


Molly Idle - 2016
    Will this trio find a way to get back in step? In the third book featuring Flora and her feathered friends, Molly Idle's gorgeous art combines with clever flaps to reveal that no matter the challenges, true friends will always find a way to dance, leap, and soar—together.

Bear Island


Matthew Cordell - 2021
    "Life will not be the same," Louise says, as she visits a little island that Charlie loved.But on a visit to the island after Charlie's death, something strange happens: She meets a bear. At first, she's afraid, but soon she realizes that the bear is sad, too. As Louise visits more often, she realizes that getting over loss takes time. And just when she starts to feel better, it's time for Bear to bed down for the winter. Once again, Louise believes that life will not be the same. But sometimes, things can change for the better, and on the first warm day of spring, her family welcomes a new member. Here is a lovely, poignant story about loss and healing that will bring comfort to even the youngest readers.

Outside In


Deborah Underwood - 2020
    The most generous friend. The most miraculous inventor. Our connection with nature is not so easily obscured by lives spent indoors.

The Night World


Mordicai Gerstein - 2015
    Everyone in the house is sleeping, but outside, the night world is wide-awake.It's a wonderful night to explore!Perfect for bedtime, this book from Caldecott Medalist Mordicai Gerstein celebrates the secrets of the night world and the joys of the sunrise.

I Had a Favorite Dress


Boni Ashburn - 2011
    As the year passes, the narrator’s favorite dress goes through a series of creative changes, from dress to shirt to tank top to scarf and so on, until all that’s left of it is a good memory. Assisted by her patient and crafty mama, the narrator finds that when disaster strikes her favorite things, she doesn’t need to make mountains out of molehills—she “makes molehills out of mountains” instead! Structured around the days of the week, the story is also illustrated to show the passing of the seasons, a perfect complement to the themes of growing older and keeping hold (and letting go) of special mementos.

Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color


Julia Denos - 2016
    Her name was Swatch, and color was her passion. From brave green to in-between gray to rumble-tumble pink . . . Swatch wanted to collect them all. But colors don’t always like to be tamed. . . .This is an exuberant celebration of all the beauty and color that make up our lives.

Mossy


Jan Brett - 2012
    Carolina, a biologist,  takes her to live in her Edwardian museum. Visitors flock to see Mossy, but it is Dr. Carolina's niece, Tory, who notices how sad Mossy is living in a viewing pavilion. She misses the outdoors and her friend, Scoot. Dr. Carolina finds a way to keep the spirit of Mossy alive at the museum.... Then she and Tory take Mossy home, where Scoot is waiting for her. Jan Brett fans will pore over the colorful paintings of Lilypad Pond and lush borders displaying wildflowers, ferns, butterflies and birds in contrast to elegant spreads of the museum filled with visitors in stylish Edwardian dress and exquisite borders of shells, rocks, crystals and birds' eggs.MOSSY gives readers a fascinating look at nature in the wild and on display in a natural history museum.

In a Village by the Sea


Mượn Thị Văn - 2015
    A perfect book for teaching about diverse cultures and lifestyles through rich pictures and words, moving from the wide world to the snugness of home and back out again.

What's Your Favorite Animal?


Eric Carle - 2014
    Some like little white dogs or big black cats or hoppy brown bunnies best. Others prefer squishy snails or tall giraffes or sleek black panthers. With beautiful illustrations and charming personal stories, 14 children's book artists share their favorite animals and why they love them.

Claymates


Dev Petty - 2017
    Things might get a little crazy.In this photographic friendship adventure, the claymates squish, smash, and sculpt themselves into the funniest shapes imaginable. But can they fix a giant mess before they're caught in the act?

The Whisper


Pamela Zagarenski - 2015
    As the pages turn, her imagination takes flight and she discovers that the greatest storyteller of all might come from within. A celebration of reading and the power of the imagination, Pamela Zagarenski's debut as an author reminds us that we each bring something different to the same book.

The Stuff of Stars


Marion Dane Bauer - 2018
    . . nothing. But then . . . BANG! Stars caught fire and burned so long that they exploded, flinging stardust everywhere. And the ash of those stars turned into planets. Into our Earth. And into us. In a poetic text, Marion Dane Bauer takes readers from the trillionth of a second when our universe was born to the singularities that became each one of us, while vivid illustrations by Ekua Holmes capture the void before the Big Bang and the ensuing life that burst across galaxies. A seamless blend of science and art, this picture book reveals the composition of our world and beyond -- and how we are all the stuff of stars.

The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken


Jennifer Frank - 2021
    It tells the story of a young worm who, embarrassed by her family’s appearance, disguises them for a family photo, but ultimately comes to appreciate them for who they are. Publication is planned for summer 2021.

Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon


Patty Lovell - 2012
    Molly Lou heard all about how her grandma didn't have fancy store-bought toys when she was little. She made dolls out of twigs and flowers and created her own fun in her backyard. So Molly Lou does just that, proving that the best thing to play with is a huge imagination!