If You Give a Cat a Cupcake


Laura Joffe Numeroff - 2008
    When you give him the sprinkles, he might spill some on the floor. Cleaning up will make him hot, so you'll give him a bathing suit . . .Written in the tradition of the bestselling If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond's If You Give a Cat a Cupcake will show everyone that Cat is where it's at! The If You Give... series is a perennial favorite among children. With its spare, rhythmic text and circular tale, these books are perfect for beginning readers and story time. Sure to inspire giggles and requests to "read it again!"Other favorites in Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond's bestselling series include:If You Give a Dog a DonutIf You Give a Moose a MuffinIf You Give a Mouse a CookieIf You Give a Pig a PancakeIf You Give a Pig a Party

Pete & Pickles


Berkeley Breathed - 2008
    At least, he was . . . before a runaway circus elephant named Pickles stampeded into his life, needing a friend. Pickles is larger than life and overflowing with imagination. She takes Pete swandiving off Niagara Falls. (Sort of.) And sledding down the Matterhorn. (Sort of.) Pete goes along for the wild ride and actually begins to enjoy himself . . . until Pickles goes too far. And Pete tells her she must leave. Yet sometimes the simple life isn?t all it?s cracked up to be.Pulitzer Prize?winning cartoonist Berkeley Breathed offers two new irresistible characters and a heartfelt, hilarious look at the rarity of true friendship.

Katie Loves the Kittens


John Himmelman - 2008
    She loves them so much!But Katie's enthusiasm frightens the kitties, and she's sad when they run away from her. Don't they know that she just wants to play?Katie Loves the Kittens is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

The Twelve Days of Christmas


Jan Brett - 1986
    A Christmas carol, a parlor game, and a delightful counting song-The Twelve Days of Christmas- is indeed a favorite of the holiday season. In this book, sumptuously illustrated by Jan Brett, all the splendid images of The Twelve Days of Christmas come joyously alive. Look closely and you'll see not only the extravagant gifts given by a suitor to his lady, but a love story, a family's busy Christmas preparations, "Merry Christmas" in eleven languages, and a veritable menagerie of charming creatures. Jan Brett's exquisitely detailed illustrations so rich in traditional folk motifs, make this book a visual treat to be enjoyed over and over again.

The Princess and the Pony


Kate Beaton - 2015
    A BIG horse. A STRONG horse. A horse fit for a WARRIOR PRINCESS! But when the day arrives, she doesn't quite get the horse of her dreams...From the artist behind the comic phenomenon Hark! A Vagrant, The Princess and the Pony is a laugh-out-loud story of brave warriors, big surprises, and falling in love with one unforgettable little pony.

Possum Magic


Mem Fox - 1983
    But when Hush longs to be able to see herself again, the two possums must make their way across Australia to find the magic food that will make Hush visible once more. “Another treat from Mem Fox that is sure to be treasured. The whimsical illustrations are a wonderful complement.”--Children’s Book Review Service

The House on East 88th Street


Bernard Waber - 1962
    The first book in the Lyle series, this tells the story of how the Primms found Lyle the crocodile in the bathtub of their new home.

A Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home


Henry Cole - 2010
    She lives alone, quietly weaving baskets with creative flair under the floor boards of the Oakley Plantation. However, Celeste’s world turns upside down with the arrival of the great naturalist John James Audubon and his assistant Joseph, who have come to study and paint the birds of the Louisiana bayou. Their arrival coincides with Celeste’s sudden displacement from her home below to a guest room upstairs. There she watches young Joseph struggle to create the backgrounds for Audubon’s bird paintings. As the two homesick souls strike up a friendship, the mouse secretly puts her artistic skills to good use; she simultaneously helps Joseph improve his compositions while aiding the wounded birds that Audubon captures for his studies. Nearly every page of author-illustrator Henry Cole's fine novel combines text and remarkable drawn images to tell the story of a mouse in need of a home of her own from the tiny creature's unique vantage point.

The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant)


Avi - 2004
    And adventure, he has heard, is the key to a happy life. So with his new friend Edward the ant, Avon sets out on a journey to find the excitement his life has been missing. The travelers meet all manner of wise, weird, and intriguing creatures--including a dragon!--and it's not long before their adventures begin. In the tradition of such classics as "The Little Prince," "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," and "Winnie-the-Pooh," this completely original story--a modern fable for our time--brims with wit, wisdom, and profound insights about the meaning of things . . . great "and" small.

The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh


A.A. Milne - 1961
    Along with his young friend, Christopher Robin, Pooh delighted readers from the very beginning. His often befuddled perceptions and adorable insights won the hearts of everyone around him, including his close group of friends. From the energetic Tigger to the dismal Eeyore, A. A. Milne created a charming bunch, both entertaining and inspirational. These simple creatures often reflected a small piece of all of us: humble, silly, wise, cautious, creative, and full of life. Remember when Piglet did a very grand thing, or Eeyore's almost-forgotten birthday?Gorgeous watercolor illustrations from Ernest H. Shepard appear in all their glory. With beautiful colors and simple lines, these images hold their own as classics. The tales, filled with superb story lines and lessons, will continue to capture the hearts of new generations.

The Tub People


Pam Conrad - 1989
    But after the near loss of the Tub Child down the drain, they are all reunited on a warm bed, where they mountain climb on the ridges formed by soft quilts.

Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age


Raymond Briggs - 2001
    Young Ug is always on the brink of finding a better and nicer way of getting through life. Told in more than 100 colorful frames with speech balloons, much like a graphic novel but for a younger audience with witty footnotes. Illustrations.

A Child's Garden of Verses


Robert Louis Stevenson - 1885
    In this collection of sixty-six poems, Stevenson recalls the joys of his childhood, from sailing boats down a river, to waiting for the lamplighter, to sailing off to foreign lands in his imagination.Tasha Tudor's watercolour paintings evoke a simpler time in the past, and celebrate two of the things she loves most — children and nature. Her talents are the perfect match for these inspiring poems, making this a handsome gift edition that will be cherished by families for generations.

The Reluctant Dragon


Kenneth Grahame - 1898
    When the town-folk send for St. George to slay the dragon, the boy needs to come up with a clever plan to save his friend and convince the townsfolk to accept him. This story first appeared as a chapter in Grahame's Dream Days and was first published as a separate book by Holiday House in 1938 with illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard.

Bless This Mouse


Lois Lowry - 2011
    It falls to her to keep all the church mice safe and out of sight.But when a few parishioners report mouse sightings, Hildegarde and the rest of the church mice must face a most dreadful consequence: the Great X. To complicate things, a ceremony called the Blessing of the Animals is fast approaching. Saint Bartholemew’s will soon be filled with pets . . . including cats!Oh, dear. Within the stately stone walls of the church, life is not as serene or safe as one might think. It will take the courage and patience of a—well, of a saint—to keep this scampering, squeaking tribe of Hildegarde’s intact