Loula and Mister the Monster


Anne Villeneuve - 2015
    Unfortunately, Mister does not follow her good manners. When she hears her mother say she can no longer live with that MONSTER, Loula decides it s time to teach an old dog polite tricks. Can Mister learn to behave? Or will Mama throw him and his monstrous manners out?

This Book Is Gray


Lindsay Ward - 2019
    But the other colors are always leaving him out. So he decides to create his own project: an all-gray book. Once upon a time, there lived a wolf, a kitten, and a hippo…Gray just knows it’s going to be perfect. But as he adds page after page, the Primary and Secondary colors show up…and they aren’t quite so complimentary.A book within a book, this colorful tale explores the ideas of fitting in, appreciating others, and looking at things from another perspective and also uses personality and wit to introduce basic color concepts.

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.

Peep!: A Little Book About Taking a Leap


Maria van Lieshout - 2009
    When they hop off a steep curb, Peep freezes. It's too high! He just can't do it!   Will peep overcome his fear and take a leap?   This gentle tale is perfect for anyone facing a challenge big or small.

Let Liberty Rise!: How America’s Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty


Chana Stiefel - 2021
    An informative must-have for all libraries." -- School Library Journal, starred review"All rise to this evocative, empowering offering." -- Kirkus Reviews"[A] true tale of cooperation among all ages." -- Publishers WeeklyOn America's 100th birthday, the people of France built a giant gift! It was one of the largest statues the world had ever seen -- and she weighed as much as 40 elephants! And when she arrived on our shores in 250 pieces, she needed a pedestal to hold her up. Few of America's millionaires were willing to foot the bill.Then, Joseph Pulitzer (a poor Hungarian immigrant-cum-newspaper mogul) appealed to his fellow citizens. He invited them to contribute whatever they could, no matter how small an amount, to raise funds to mount this statue. The next day, pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters poured in. Soon, Pulitzer's campaign raised enough money to construct the pedestal. And with the help of everyday Americans (including many thousands of schoolchildren!) the Statue of Liberty rose skyward, torch ablaze, to welcome new immigrants for a life of freedom and opportunity!Chana Stiefel's charming and immediate writing style is perfectly paired with Chuck Groenink's beautiful, slyly humorous illustrations. Back matter with photographs included.

Secrets I Know


Kallie George - 2017
    Follow the girl throughout a day spent in her own backyard, and you'll discover lots of secrets only she can tell. For example, did you know that whispers hide in trees? Or that trees make great umbrellas? With a simple, poetic text from Kallie George and extraordinary illustrations from debut artist Paola Zakimi, here is a book families will read again and again and treasure for years to come.

How the Crayons Saved the Unicorn


Monica Sweeney - 2019
    In his sadness, his colors start to fade away until they are gone completely. Worrying that he may never get back his colors or make true friends, the unicorn finds himself lost and alone. It is not until he comes across a group of spunky crayons that his world changes. The crayons band together to help their new friend get back his colors, and in the process play and have fun. The crayons’ helping generosity and friendship may just be what the unicorn has been missing!  How the Crayons Saved the Unicorn is the all-new, colorful friendship book from the plucky crayons who brought you How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow. How the Crayons Saved the Unicorn teaches the importance of friendship and self-confidence through seven crayons with unique personalities and their hopes to help a friend in need.

Invent-a-Pet


Vicky Fang - 2020
    Then one day Katie comes home to find a gift from her mother: a mysterious machine designed to help her create that one-of-a-kind creature. Each time she feeds different items into the machine, out comes a marvelously colorful new animal—like a purple monkey, rainbow-spotted horse, and green bunny! But none of them is just right. Through trial and error, Katie figures out the formula for her absolutely perfect SURPRISE pet.

The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister


Linda Ravin Lodding - 2011
    Monday through Sunday, Ernestine’s week is packed with after-school lessons—tuba, knitting, sculpting, water ballet, yoga, yodeling, and karate. Overwhelmed and exhausted, Ernestine decides to take matters into her own hands and heads off to the park with her Nanny where she builds a fort, watches the clouds, and plays all kinds of unstructured and imaginative games. But when a teacher calls Ernestine's mom to report that she has not shown up for yodeling, her parents search everywhere until at last they hear their daughter's laughter coming from the park. Ernestine tells her parents what a wonderful afternoon she's had, and explains her plight, asking, "I like my lessons, but can't I stop some of them?" This saga hilariously captures the dilemma of the modern-day over-scheduled child in riotous color and absurd extremes. A delightful heroine, Ernestine will be sure to put “play” back on everyone’s agenda, demonstrating that in today’s overscheduled world, everyone needs the joy of play and the simple wonders of childhood.

Wake Up, Color Pup


Taia Morley - 2019
    As Pup follows his new friend on a walk, each discovery ignites a new feeling and corresponding color, until Pup is saturated with them. But when a storm comes, Pup's color is drained as fear sweeps through him. Only his curious yellow friend remains bright, and encourages him to keep his chin up, play, and carry on!This is a remarkably simple and resonant examination of exploration and resilience, and introduces the idea of abstract association.

Pumpkin Countdown


Joan Holub - 2012
    The book is perfect for the fall season, and an extra fun way to teach children to count backward from twenty.

Aaron Slater, Illustrator


Andrea Beaty - 2021
    But when it comes to reading, the letters just look like squiggles to him, and it soon becomes clear he struggles more than his peers. When his teacher asks each child in the class to write a story, Aaron can’t get a single word down. He is sure his dream of being a storyteller is out of reach . . . until inspiration strikes, and Aaron finds a way to spin a tale in a way that is uniquely his. Follow Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, Ada Twist, Sofia Valdez, and Aaron Slater on all of their adventures! Add the picture books, chapter books, and activity books starring The Questioneers by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts to your family library today.

Three Squeezes


Jason Pratt - 2020
    When you could neither talk nor standlife’s hourglass still filled with sand,I gently held your tiny handand gave it three soft squeezes.When you awoke within the nightAnd cried from fear and called for light,I held you safe with all my mightand gave you three long squeezes.Follow a father and his son from babyhood to baseball games to graduation and beyond in this loving saga about the unbreakable bond between generations.A perfect gift, Three Squeezes is a tender, rhyming picture book that is an ode to the love between parent and child, no matter how old the child (or) parent is.

Heads and Tails


John Canty - 2017
    Leveraging the natural and universal fascination that children have with animals, the book utilises hints and recognition to build a sense of anticipation on each page, that is resolved on the following page when the identity of the animal is discovered. Young readers are engaged in the process of deduction by drawing on visual prompts and clues such as where an animal may live, what the animal may look like and sounds the animal makes. The effect is that each page presents an engaging yet accessible mini mystery for the child to solve. Accordingly, the young reader's inevitable participation in the process of discovery is ensures the book's enjoyment.

My Best Friend


Mary Ann Rodman - 2005
    lily decides that tamika will be her new best friend. only, tamika already has a best friend, and no matter how hard lily tries, she can?t seem to impress tamika. but without tamika, who will be lily?s best friend? with beautiful watercolor art and poignant text, this author and illustrator create a timeless story about the difficulties of finding a friend.