I Am Every Good Thing


Derrick Barnes - 2020
    A difference maker. A leader.The confident Black narrator of this book is proud of everything that makes him who he is. He's got big plans, and no doubt he'll see them through--as he's creative, adventurous, smart, funny, and a good friend. Sometimes he falls, but he always gets back up. And other times he's afraid, because he's so often misunderstood and called what he is not. So slow down and really look and listen, when somebody tells you--and shows you--who they are. There are superheroes in our midst!

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners


Joanna Ho - 2021
    They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, her grandmother's, and her little sister's. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future.Drawing from the strength of these powerful women in her life, she recognizes her own beauty and discovers a path to self love and empowerment.

Won-Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku


Lee Wardlaw - 2011
    Bed. Bowl. Blankie. Just like home! Or so I've been told.  Visiting hours! Yawn. I pretend not to care. Yet -- I sneak a peek.  So begins this beguiling tale of a wary shelter cat and the boy who takes him home.Sometimes funny, sometimes touching, this adoption story, told entirely in haiku, is unforgettable.

Otis


Loren Long - 2009
    Otis is a special tractor. He loves his farmer and he loves to work. And he loves the little calf in the next stall, whom he purrs to sleep with his soft motor. In fact, the two become great friends: they play in the fields, leap hay bales, and play ring-around-the-rosy by Mud Pond.But when Otis is replaced with the big yellow tractor, he is cast away behind the barn, unused, unnoticed . . . until the little calf gets stuck in Mud Pond. Then there is only one tractor—and it’s not big or yellow—who can come to the rescue. It is little old Otis who saves his friend. It is Otis who saves the day.In a wonderful new palette, and in the tradition of classics like Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and The Story of Ferdinand, Loren Long has crafted an unforgettable new story—and character—celebrating the power of friendship and perseverance.

The Library


Sarah Stewart - 1995
    Elizabeth Brown doesn't like to play with dolls and she doesn't like to skate. What she does like to do is read books. And now that she's grown up, her collection has gotten so big all the shelves are collapsing. Her front door has disappeared entirely. What in the world will she do? The reclusive Elizabeth Brown surprises everyone wit her splendid solution. In charming verse and elegant watercolors Sarah Stewart and David Small celebrate one of America's grandest institutions. The Library is a 1995 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and Outstanding Book of the Year.

The Digger and the Flower


Joseph Kuefler - 2018
    They scoop and hoist and push.But when Digger discovers something growing in the rubble, he sets in motion a series of events that will change him, and the city, forever.

The Bear's Song


Benjamin Chaud - 2011
    Papa Bear is searching for Little Bear, who has escaped the den. Little Bear is following a bee, because where there are bees, there is honey! When the quest leads both bears into the bustling city and a humming opera house, theatrical hijinks ensue, culminating in a deliciously harmonious reunion. Children and parents alike will savor Benjamin Chaud's lush illustrations, and relish in the book's bonus seek-and-find elements.Looking for more Papa Bear and Little Bear? Check out Bear's Sea Escape!

Jeremy Draws a Monster


Peter McCarty - 2009
    But then themonster wants lunch! As his creation takes over, Jeremy begins to wonder how he will ever get rid of themonstrous nuisance.He entertains his unwanted guest all day, but enough is enough. Jeremy finally draws him a bus ticket out of town!With a sure artistic touch and more than a dose of humor, Peter McCarty cleverly blurs the line between his own drawings and Jeremy’s, and in doing so subtly questions the line between reality and imagination.

Russell the Sheep


Rob Scotton - 2005
    until, at last, he falls asleep.

Lala's Words: A Story of Planting Kindness


Gracey Zhang - 2021
    "Hello, hello, friends!" she whispers. Lala waters the plants every day, but it is her kind words that make them sway and nod. Lala's wild nature and quiet compassion enchant in this evergreen story about the power of kind words and the magic of being loved for who you are.

Escargot


Dashka Slater - 2017
    To be your favorite animal. 2. To get to the delicious salad at the end of the book.But when he gets to the salad, he discovers that there's a carrot in it. And Escargot hates carrots. But when he finally tries one—with a little help from you!—he discovers that it's not so bad after all

Blue


Laura Vaccaro Seeger - 2018
    How many shades of blue are there?There’s the soft blue of a baby’s cherished blanket, the ocean blue of a romp in the waves, the chilly blue of a cold winter’s walk in the snow, and the true blue of the bond that exists between children and animals.In this simple, sumptuously illustrated companion to Caldecott Honor Book Green, award-winning artist Laura Vaccaro Seeger turns her attention to the ways in which color evokes emotion, and in doing so tells the story of one special and enduring friendship.

Over and Under the Snow


Kate Messner - 2011
    But under the snow exists a secret kingdom of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals that live through the winter safe and warm, awake and busy, under the snow. Discover the wonder and activity that lies beneath winter's snowy landscape in this magical book.

The Night Gardener


Terry Fan - 2016
    In the following days, more topiaries appear, and each one is more beautiful than the last. Soon, William’s gray little town is full of color and life. And though the mysterious night gardener disappears as suddenly as he appeared, William—and his town—are changed forever.

The Little Gardener


Emily Hughes - 2015
    He worked hard, very hard, but he was just too little (or at least he felt he was).A story that teaches us just how important it is to persist and try, no matter what the odds.