Dumplings for Lili


Melissa Iwai - 2021
    But when Nai Nai realizes that they are out of cabbage (Secret #8: line the basket with cabbage leaves!), she sends Lili up to Babcia’s apartment on the sixth floor to get some. Babcia is happy to share her cabbage, but she needs some potatoes for her pierogi. . . .What follows is a race up and down the stairs as Lili helps all the grandmothers in her building borrow ingredients for different dumplings: Jamaican beef patties, Italian ravioli, Lebanese fatayer, and more.

Dancing in the Wings


Debbie Allen - 2000
    So for now she's just dancing in the wings, watching from behind the curtain, and hoping that one day it will be her turn to shimmer in the spotlight. When the director of an important dance festival comes to audition her class, Sassy's first attempts to get his attention are, well, a little wobbly. But Sassy just knows, somehow, that this is her time to step out from those wings, and make her mark on the world. Actress/choreographer Debbie Allen and Kadir Nelson collaborated on Brothers of the Knight, about which School Library Journal raved, the strutting high-stepping brothers are full of individuality, attitude, and movement.

When Langston Dances


Kaija Langley - 2021
    He longs to twirl into a pirouette, whirl into a piqué. He wants to arabesque and attitude, grand battement and grand jeté. When he walks, the whole street is his stage. With his neighborhood cheering him on, will Langston achieve his dream?

How to Feed Your Parents


Ryan Miller - 2018
    But in this picture book, it’s finicky mom and dad—not the child—who eat only pizza with pepperoni (delivered), burgers from a bag, or noodles from a box. Eager to experience new flavors, Matilda secretly sets out to learn how to cook, satisfy her hunger for something more . . . and expand her parents’ palates, too.

A Hundred Thousand Welcomes


Mary Lee Donovan - 2021
    Fans of Here We Are and The Wonderful Things You Will Be will enjoy this timeless story about family, friendship, empathy, and welcoming others.Welcome, friend. Welcome.There are almost as many ways of making someone feel welcome as there are people on our planet. To welcome another is to give that person and yourself a chance at a new connection, a new friendship, and maybe even new eyes through which to view the world.A Hundred Thousand Welcomes introduces the word for “welcome” in more than twelve languages to illuminate a universal message of hope and acceptance. Mary Lee Donovan’s spare text is brought to life by Lian Cho’s illustrations that are full of rich details to pore over.Includes a pronunciation guide, a note from the artist, a note from the author, and information about the languages featured in the book.

Allie All Along


Sarah Lynne Reul - 2018
    . .furious, fuming, frustrated . . .” Have you ever felt mad enough to stomp, smash, and crash? Allie has! Meet one angry little girl and see how she calms down, bit by bit—with the help of her understanding big brother. Poor Allie! She’s in a rage, throwing a tantrum, and having a fit! Her emotions have built and built and now they just burst. Is there a sweet little girl hiding somewhere under all the angry layers? And can her big brother find a way to make things all right again? In the tradition of When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry and Sometimes I’m Bombaloo, Allie All Along explores simple ways kids can center themselves in the face of overwhelming emotions. The illustrations’ varying hues and vibrant colors capture the powerful feelings that young children can’t always express in words.

Hello, My Name is Octicorn


Kevin Diller - 2013
    And isn’t that everyone? This is a self-published success story from debut authors Justin Lowe and Kevin Diller. Octicorn is half octopus, half unicorn, half confused . . . which sometimes makes it hard to fit in.But maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

More-Igami


Dori Kleber - 2016
    When a visiting mother of a classmate turns a plain piece of paper into a beautiful origami crane, his eyes pop. Maybe he can learn origami, too. It’s going to take practice — on his homework, the newspaper, the thirty-eight dollars in his mother’s purse . . . Enough! No more folding! But how can Joey become an origami master if he’s not allowed to practice? Is there anywhere that he can hone the skill that makes him happy — and maybe even make a new friend while he’s at it?

This Book of Mine


Sarah Stewart - 2019
    From new mothers to fantasy lovers, butterfly hunters to musicians, the readers of This Book of Mine all share a common passion for favorite books—whether freshly discovered at the library or bookstore or saved from childhood and reread across a lifetime.

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!


Mo Willems - 2004
    But . . . then a very sly and hungry duckling enters the scene and wants a bite. Who will be the more clever bird?In this hilarious follow-up to the acclaimed Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Mo Willems has created another avian adventure that encourages children to share even their most prized processed foods.Mo Willems is a six-time Emmy Award-winning writer and animator for Sesame Street and the head writer of Cartoon Network's Codename: Kids Next Door. The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! is the companion to Mo's first children's book, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! He is also the author of Time to Pee!.

Thankful


Eileen Spinelli - 2015
    Eileen Spinelli, bestselling and award-winning children's author, charms with rhymes and whimsy in Thankful, perfect for any young reader and their family.Thankful is a heartwarming picture book that teaches children ages 4–8 to:Focus on the blessings that we tend to take for grantedAppreciate essential workers and what people in our everyday lives provide: “Like the gardener thankful for every green sprout, and the fireman, for putting the fire out.”Meant to be read aloud, Thankful features:Endearing storytelling with engaging rhyming text, making reading fun for readers young and oldWhimsical illustrations with soft colors and bold lines, perfect for any season

Ballet Cat: Dance! Dance! Underpants!


Bob Shea - 2016
    "Leap, Butter Bear, leap!" Ballet Cat prompts. But Butter Bear would prefer to just point her toe. When Ballet Cat keeps pushing, Butter Bear gets hungry, then thirsty, then sleepy . . . The bottom line is that Butter Bear would rather do almost anything to avoid making a big leap. Why? Because her bottom is covered in silly underpants! This second entry in the Ballet Cat series will have beginning readers rolling on the floor with laughter.

Melena's Jubilee: The Story of a Fresh Start


Zetta Elliott - 2016
    Melena chooses not to fight with her brother, and shares the money she has rather than demanding to be repaid by a less fortunate friend. This story introduces children to the concept of jubilee, which stresses the important principles of debt relief, generosity, and forgiveness. Aaron Boyd’s mixed-media illustrations are as bright and vivid as a sun-washed day.Fountas Pinnell Level M

Flo & Wendell


William Wegman - 2013
    She’s a sophisticated big sister who’s part of a very artistic family.  She likes playing with paint and wearing sweaters her mother knits.  Flo also likes teasing her little brother, Wendell.  They play hide-and-seek, but Flo doesn’t look very hard.  They play dress up, too, but Wendell always gets the bad costumes.  Their parents wish they would get along, and they do try…sometimes.For every child who has experienced sibling rivalry, here’s a humorous look at what it takes to play nice. Perfect for fans of Maira Kalman, Ian Falconer, and dog lovers of all ages.

Bike On, Bear!


Cynthea Liu - 2015
    Discover how he overcomes his two-wheeled challenge in this irresistibly adorable picture book!Bear can do almost anything. His one-paw pawstand is perfection. He can solve the trickiest of equations. He can even out-build a brigade of beavers. But the one thing Bear can't do? Ride a bike.Bear tries everything to help him learn: library books, training wheels and super-cheers from his fellow animal friends. But all of those fail to get poor Bear on two wheels.The situation is looking unbearable—but an unexpected mishap might be just the thing that propels Bear to bike on!