Book picks similar to
Sand in My Shoes by Wendy Kesselman


picture-books
summer
graphic
stories-in-rhyme

The Moon's Almost Here


Patricia MacLachlan - 2016
    Robin sings in her nest. Babies fly back to her, ready to rest. The moon’s almost here. There’s no time to play. Mama sheep hurries; Sun’s going away. Nighttime is approaching as each animal readies itself for bed in this lyrical picture book text by Patricia MacLachlan. In striking paintings with a calming palette, Tomie dePaola imagines the scene through the eyes of mime Pierrot and his child.

Beach Day!


Patricia Lakin - 2004
    It's the perfect day for the beach. And once they've put on their swimsuits and packed a picnic lunch, they're off! But with Sam, Pam, Will and Jill, nothing is as easy as it seems. Will they actually make it to the beach?

The Nice Book


David Ezra Stein - 2008
    . . well, maybe a little. Love was meant to be passed on.An adorable menagerie of irrestible animals populate this gentle look at friendship. Getting close to someone is an art and these little creatures demonstrate the simple ways to show you care. David Ezra Stein's expressive illustrations ooze charm and will inspire readers to be very nice indeed.

Hello, Hot Dog!


Lily Murray - 2018
    Prepare for a laugh-out-loud picture about this little hot dog's quest for freedom. Boldly illustrated by the brilliant Jarvis, winner of Best Illustrated Book at the V&A Illustration Awards 2017, this hilarious, irreverent picture book is told entirely in speech bubbles and demands audience participation - and your undivided attention!

Curious George Goes Camping


Margret Rey - 1990
    Before long, an encounter with a cute forest creature throws George into a chain of outrageous events that allows him to find a way to be helpful after all.

Little Babymouse and the Christmas Cupcakes


Jennifer L. Holm - 2016
    . . all about cupcakes! (Typical.)   Thank goodness Babymouse ate all of the Christmas cookies her mom made for Santa. Now she can make him something he really wants—CUPCAKES! But wait . . . what’s that rumbling in the other room? OH NO! A DRAGON!!!!! Can Sir Babymouse defeat her fiery foe and save Christmas?! Or at least save a cupcake or two? Maybe not. . . . Jennifer and Matthew Holm bring us Babymouse’s very first full-color adventure! With signature Babymouse humor, comic book–style panels, and oodles of pink-frosted cupcakes, new readers and devoted fans alike will find plenty to love.

"Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"


Patricia Thomas - 1971
    Knowing the havoc it will cause, all the animals try to prevent the elephant from sneezing.

Room for Everyone


Naaz Khan - 2021
    A young boy on a crowded bus discovers that, after some wiggles and giggles, there’s room for everyone in this lighthearted rhyming picture book set in Zanzibar.The dala dala rumbles and roars as Musa and Dada drive off to the shore—but the bus stops for multiple detours: “Do you need a ride? It’s hotter than peppers out there in the sun! Come in, there’s room for everyone!” One stop becomes two stops which soon becomes ten, and Musa wonders when it will end: “How can any more people get in? We’re already smushed like sardines in a tin!” But there's always room for one more, if you make the room, which is the heartwarming take-away from this bouncy, joyous tale in rhyme.

If I Were a Lion


Sarah Weeks - 2004
    She said, "You try my patience, child! I do not like it when you're wild." Wild? Who me? That is so absurd. How could she even use that word? If I were a lion. I'd growl and roar And knock the dishes on the floor... AND if I were a bear... If I Were a Lion is a book for every child who's ever been sent to the time-out chair -- unjustly...or otherwise!

D.W. All Wet


Marc Brown - 1988
    bosses her brother Arthur into carrying her on his shoulders at the beach because she maintains that she hates the water, until she gets a big wet surprise.

Bringing the Outside In


Mary McKenna Siddals - 2016
    . . .”  Nothing takes the place of splashing in a puddle or jumping into a pile of autumn leaves. Along with the mud and sand that gets tracked indoors come memories that live forever! Mary McKenna Siddals has written a joyous anthem that encourages children to play in the dirt. It will surely resonate with today’s overscheduled as well as sedentary kids, and their parents.

My Pet Book


Bob Staake - 2014
    . . books! Books make the perfect pets, the boy decides, and chooses a bright red one. When it goes missing, a lively adventure is in store for readers who love a happy ending. Soon kids everywhere will wish for a pet book of their very own.

This Story Is for You


Greg Pizzoli - 2018
    Finding value in others as a matter of course, the narrator accepts and appreciates difference as the foundation of a life-long friendship. This Story Is for You celebrates moments of kindness throughout, from the small to the grand in a heartwarming tale of human connection.The warm, comforting text shares the tone of a Ruth Krauss classic and is balanced by Greg's energetic color palette and signature visual humor. This book is sure to be a special read for parents, children, and their friends for years to come.

Jethro and the Jumbie


Susan Cooper - 1979
    Angry at his brother for not taking him deep-sea fishing, Jethro stomps off, meets a jumbie, and enlists its help in changing his brother's mind.

Grains of Sand


Sibylle Delacroix - 2017
    What should she do with all of this sand? Together, she and her brother decide to plant the grains of sand, and imagine what will grow. A field of beach umbrellas, to wave hello to the sun? Or a forest of windmills, to fill the sails of a boat? Before drifting off to sleep, the girl has her dad promise they’ll go back for new grains of sand next year.