The Gift


Carol Ann Duffy - 2010
    One summer day, she visits the woods with her mother and father. While her parents prepare the picnic, she seeks out buttercups and daisies for a flower necklace. As she does so, a wish forms in her mind--and to her surprise, a silver-haired woman appears, ready to grant it. Carol Ann Duffy's story of a girl's journey through life, and the desires that shape it, will speak to everyone who wonders about the mysteries that lie at the heart of human experience.

What Can You Do with a Shoe?


Beatrice Schenk de Regniers - 1955
    An octopus could rest in it, a bird could build a nest in it, a turtle be a guest in it. Or would a horse look best in it? These are samples of the questions and wonderfully silly, laugh-provoking answers in a game played by a little girl and boy dressed up i their parents clothes. On every page of this whimsically playful book, there are enchanting watercolor illustrations by Maurice Sendak. Inspired by the infectiously funny pictures and text, children will soon begin to make rhymes of their own about everyday things. Richly imaginative and wholly in tune with children's high spirits and sense of play, What can you do with a show?, now issued in a new edition with full-color paintings, will be welcomed by young and old. It is a treasure.

A Child of Books


Oliver Jeffers - 2016
    I come from a world of stories.A little girl sails her raft across a sea of words, arriving at the house of a small boy. She invites him to go away with her on an adventure into the world of stories... where, with only a little imaginaton, anything at all can happen. Irresistibly engaging characters by Oliver Jeffers set sail and chart their way through Sam Winston's fascinating typographical landscapes in this extraordinary ode to the power and promises of storytelling. Forty treasured children's classics and lullabies are featured in the pictures, providing endless opportunities for discovery, memories and sharing. Woven together by a simple story line, the one-of-a-kind illustrations in a A Child of Books provide an unforgettable reading experience that will inspire and encourage readers of all ages to explore, question, and imagine timeless stories of their own.

The Story Machine


Tom McLaughlin - 2014
    At first, he can't work out what the machine is for - it doesn't beep or buzz like all his other machines and it doesn't have an ON/OFF button. Then, quite by accident, Elliott makes the machine work. The machine makes letters! Elliott thinks it must be a story machine but, sadly, Elliott isn't very good at letters and words. How can he make magical stories without them? But, wait, some of the letters look like pictures. Elliott is good at pictures and, as he discovers, pictures make stories.An inspiring, uplifting picture book about the simple joys of a typewriter in a world of hi-tech machines. Perfect for fans of Oliver Jeffers.

Franklin's Flying Bookshop


Jen Campbell - 2017
    One day, he meets a girl named Luna who, rather than being afraid, is fascinated to meet Franklin, having recently read all about dragons in one of her books. They instantly become friends and talk nonstop about what they’ve read: books about roller-skating, King Arthur, spiders, and how to do kung fu. Together they hatch a plan to share their love of books with others by opening a bookshop―a flying bookshop, that is―right on Franklin’s back!Franklin, a well-read and peace-loving dragon, and Luna, a young girl with an independent spirit and an insatiable love of reading, make fantastic role models for young children. Franklin’s Flying Bookshop brings the magic of classic fairy tales into the twenty-first century through exquisite illustrations, and will enchant children as well as anyone who loves books.

Wild Symphony


Dan Brown - 2020
    Each has a special secret to share.Along the way, you might spot the surprises Maestro Mouse has left for you- a hiding buzzy bee, jumbled letters that spell out clues, and even a coded message to solve!Children and adults can enjoy this picture book as a traditional read-along, or can choose to listen to original musical compositions as they read--one for each animal--with a free interactive smartphone app, which uses augmented reality to play the appropriate song for each page when a phone's camera is held over it.

The Great Nursery Rhyme Disaster


David Conway - 2007
    She's tired of her same old nursery rhyme and she has had enough of that scary, little spider! So off she goes into the pages of the book to try other nursery rhymes. Falling down a hill with Jack and Jill was too painful, running up a clock is just embarrassing and running away with the spoon caused a great ruckus with the dish! Soon Little Miss Muffet was running through the pages of the book and creating chaos throughout the rhymes. Until Little Miss Muffet decided that she no longer needed a change. Mother Goose has never been funnier than in this outrageously silly picture book!

Stan the Hot Dog Man


Ethel Kessler - 1990
    He likes the fresh air, the friends he makes, and the time to go fishing. Plus he makes the best hot dogs around!Suddenly, in a terrible blizzard, a school bus becomes stranded in the snow. And who comes to the rescue?Stan the Hot Dog Man!

The Rescue Party


Nick Butterworth - 1993
    It is a perfect day for doing nothing. But Percy’s peaceful picnic is disturbed when a little rabbit takes an unexpected tumble and needs help…Includes a surprise fold-out page!More than 9 million Percy the Park Keeper books sold, worldwide!

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas


Tim Burton - 1993
    He's in charge of making Halloweenland the coolest creepy place around. But when Jack suddenly grows bored with tricks and treats, he goes searching for new ways to celebrate...and he finds them in Christmas Town! Christmas, Jack decides, is just what Halloweenland -- and the world -- needs! He sets out to take over the role of Santa. But can anything good come of a tall and lanky skeleton dressed up as everyone's favorite jolly old elf? Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the Walt Disney Company's most successful franchises, with a huge cult following and a loyal and growing fan base. This beautiful reissue of the book first released in 1993 is a surefire Halloween, Christmas, and year-round hit! The Nightmare Before Christmas is the first book that Tim Burton has written and illustrated.

Big Blue Whale: Read and Wonder


Nicola Davies - 1997
    A great resource for teachers!Read and Wonder books tell stories, take children on adventures, and reveal how big and WONDER-full the natural world really is.

The Queen's Orang-Utan


David Walliams - 2015
    A bored queen.A birthday wish.An outrageous orang-utan.Everything’s about to go bananas!From Number One bestselling picture book duo, David Walliams and Tony Ross, comes this spectacularly funny story for children of 3 and up.

Dinosaurs in the Supermarket!


Timothy Knapman - 2013
    

The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon


Mini Grey - 2006
    The cinematic presentation—with a touch of Bonnie and Clyde, a dash of “The Perils of Pauline”—proves that crime doesn’t pay and love conquers all. A visual treat with new details to discover again and again, here is absurd good fun for the whole family.

Big Words for Little Geniuses


Susan Patterson - 2017
    Adults will appreciate the "juxtaposition" of young kids properly using impressive words that many grownups may not have heard of before! Includes a list of extra words in the back for further learning.