Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr: A Multicultural Novel Study Unit


Melanie Komar - 1997
    

Give Me Back My Book!


Ethan Long - 2017
    Funny Books for Kids, Silly Picture Books, Children's Books about FriendshipTwo friends, Redd and Bloo argue over the possession of one special book with a green cover, hard cover, a nice spine, and pages turn from right to left--but unite when Bookworm walks off with it.

My Bear Griz


Suzanne McGinness - 2011
    A Grizzly Bear. And the two friends have all kinds of wonderful adventures together. They go exploring, play hide and seek, eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches, share secrets and tell jokes. Griz is the best friend a boy could possibly have - whether he's a Grizzly Bear or a teddy bear... This is a stunning debut picture book about a boy and his bear, in which the short text and tactile, large scale paintings bring Griz and Billy magically to life.

Not Quite Narwhal


Jessie Sima - 2017
    Sure, he’s always been a little bit different—his tusk isn’t as long, he’s not as good of a swimmer, and he really doesn’t enjoy the cuisine. Then one night, an extra strong current sweeps Kelp to the surface, where he spots a mysterious creature that looks just like him! Kelp discovers that he and the creature are actually unicorns. The revelation leaves him torn: is he a land narwhal or a sea unicorn? But perhaps, if Kelp is clever, he may find a way to have the best of both worlds.

The Witch Who Was Afraid to Fly


Yonit Werber - 2013
    No matter how hard her mother tried to convince her that she wouldn’t fall, the young witch refused. This was until one day the fairy queen visited her in a dream. Realizing that the young witch had never faced the reasons for her fear, the fairy queen asked her one simple question; one simple question that changed the young witch’s destiny, forever. A wonderfully-illustrated story in rhyme, for children aged 3 to 7 years old, about coming to terms with fear and realizing that often our fears are only thoughts. Most of the time one simple question can motivate us so much that we find the courage inside ourselves to do the things that we were, at first, afraid of.

Hey, Al


Arthur Yorinks - 1986
    They eat together, they work together, they do everything together. So what's the problem?Their room is crowded and cramped; their life is an endless struggle. Al and Eddie are practically at each others throats when a large and mysterious bird offers them a new life in paradise. After some debate, they decide to accept.Transported to a gorgeous island in the sky, Al and Eddie are soon living a life of ease and luxury. But they come to find that the grass can be a little too green on the other side. After a dramatic, nearly tragic escape from their paradise prison, both man and dog agree: there really is no place like home. Hey, Al is the winner of the 1987 Caldecott Medal.

The Bedspread


Sylvia Fair - 1982
    Artfully it explores in a fresh way the perennial interest of children in the "olden times" of a family.Maud and Amelia are two old sisters who live at each end of a long, long bed. Although they, disagree about most things, they do agree that their plain white bedspread is the most boring feature of their boring life. So they decide to decorate it, each embroidering on it their recollection of the house in which they grew up, Maud, a fine needlewoman, remembers all her stitches: spider stitch, pineapple, bugle, buttonhole, and the others. Amelia has forgotten hers, but she remembers the happiness and excitement, the people and animals that filled the house. When finished, the bedspread is a surprise, but each treasures it in her own way.This lovely story, which young and old can enjoy together or separately, is a rich feast of pleasure for the eye and heart.

Max's Words


Kate Banks - 2006
    Benjamin collects stamps and Karl collects coins, and neither one will share with their little brother. So Max decides to start a collection of his own. He’s going to collect words. He starts with small words that he cuts out of newspapers and magazines, but soon his collection has spilled out into the hall. All the while, his brothers are watching. Benjamin brags that he has one thousand stamps. Karl is just a few coins short of five hundred. But a thousand stamps is really just a bunch of stamps, and a lot of coins is only a heap of money. A pile of words, however, can make a story.  Bright, bold pictures incorporating clever wordplay accompany this highly original tale about a younger brother’s ingenuity. Max's Words is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Patrick's Dinosaurs


Carol Carrick - 1983
    One Saturday while visiting the zoo, Hank tells his brother Patrick all about dinosaurs, and Patrick scares himself by imagining what it would be like if the great creatures were alive today.

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.

Enemy Pie


Derek Munson - 2000
    That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became neighborhood enemy number one. Luckily Dad had a surefire way to get rid of enemies: Enemy Pie. But part of the secret recipe is spending an entire day playing with the enemy! In this funny yet endearing story, one little boy learns an effective recipes for turning your best enemy into your best friend. Accompanied by charming illustrations, Enemy Pie serves up a sweet lesson in the difficulties and ultimate rewards of making new friends.

Too Many Carrots


Katy Hudson - 2016
    When he tries to move in with friends, more chaos ensues. Will Rabbit learn to change his selfish ways?

Quick, Slow, Mango!


Anik McGrory - 2011
    Baby elephant Kidogo is off with his Mama to find breakfast. Kidogo loves to take his time, and wants to do everything slowly, slowly-even though Mama wants to move quickly. Meanwhile, up in the trees, a mischievous monkey named Polé Polé is always in a hurry, trying to grab all the mangoes he can. Fast and slow, these two adorable critters meet up in the luckiest way-and it's mangoes for breakfast for everyone!

The Velveteen Rabbit


Margery Williams Bianco - 1922
    This reissue of a favorite classic, with the original story and illustrations as they first appeared in 1922, will work its magic for all who read it.

Unicorn Day


Diana Murray - 2019
    But when it's revealed there's an impostor in their midst, the party comes to a screeching halt...Will the unicorns welcome all and continue their fun in all its glittery glory?A clever, colorful, and over-the-top picture book about unicorns, celebrations, and most importantly, friendship.