Book picks similar to
Birthday by John Steptoe


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Mirabel's Missing Valentines


Janet Lawler - 2018
    Yet she carefully crafts her valentines, drawing a heart on every one. In the morning, Mirabel forces herself to hurry to school. But, in her nervousness, she doesn’t notice her bag becoming lighter and lighter: her valentines are falling out! By the time she realizes what’s happened, they’re all gone. It turns out, though, that these lost valentines bring joy into the lives of all who find them. Then, with her valentines back in her pack, and some newfound friends, she musters up the courage to celebrate the holiday after all! This wonderful tale of overcoming insecurity will make its way to the hearts of all young readers.

Yo! Yes?


Chris Raschka - 1993
    "Yo!" says one. "Yes?" says the other. And so begins a conversation that turns strangers into friends. With vibrant illustrations, Chris Raschka's rhythmic read-aloud is a celebration of differences -- and how it just takes a few words to overcome them. More relevant than ever in our divided world, this 1993 Caldecott Award-winning classic is presented in an accessible paperback format.

Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses


Kimberly Dean - 2013
    But with the help of some magic sunglasses, Pete learns that a good mood has been inside him all along.Fans of Pete the Cat will love watching him take his positive outlook and transform a grumpy day into an awesome day!The fun never stops—download the free groovin’ song. Time for magic fun in the sun!

The Boxcar Children Collection, Vol. 3 (The Boxcar Children #33, #82 #88-89)


Gertrude Chandler Warner - 2007
    Includes the following four titles: The Mystery of the Mummy's Curse, The Mystery of the Star Ruby, The Pizza Mystery, The Radio Mystery, The Summer Camp Mystery.

Simpsons's Sheep Won't Go to Sleep


Bruce Arant - 2013
    Simpson's Sheep Wont Go to Sleep! is a story for every parent who has put a child to bed and every child who has creatively resisted. Ages 4 to 8.

Duck, Duck, Porcupine!


Salina Yoon - 2016
    Little Duck doesn't speak yet, but through his expressions and his actions, he shows that he has a better grasp on any situation than his older sister. Told entirely through dialogue and visual storytelling with subtle humor throughout, Little Duck ends up getting the trio out of whatever jam they are in.Moving into an exciting new paper over board reader format, Salina Yoon's early readers are perfect for fans of bestselling series like Elephant & Piggie and Ballet Cat, giving all her picture book fans a fantastic next step for reading fun.

The Monster Who Came to Visit


Neesa Bally - 2020
    All is not lost though as this unlikely pair may have more in common than you think.

The Curious Garden


Peter Brown - 2009
    one garden at a time.While out exploring one day, a little boy named Liam discovers a struggling garden and decides to take care of it. As time passes, the garden spreads throughout the dark, gray city, transforming it into a lush, green world. This is an enchanting tale with environmental themes and breathtaking illustrations that become more vibrant as the garden blooms. Red-headed Liam can also be spotted on every page, adding a clever seek-and-find element to this captivating picture book.

Blacksmith's Song


Elizabeth Van Steenwyk - 2012
    But he's got another important job to do as well: using his anvil to pound out the traveling rhythm―a message to travelers on the Underground Railroad. His son wants to help, but Pa keeps putting him off. Then one day, Pa falls ill, and the boy has to take over.A little-known piece of history comes to life in Elizabeth Van Steenwyk's absorbing, fictional story, exquisitely illustrated by Anna Rich. Ripe with themes of bravery, community, family, freedom, and hope, the award-winning book is perfect for Black and Civil War-era history units.Awards: Best Children's Books of the Year (Starred) --Bank Street College of EducationParents' Choice Recommended Award --Parents' Choice FoundationPaterson Prize for Books for Young People (Grades 4-6) --The Poetry Center at Passaic County Community CollegeKansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List (Intermediate)―Kansas National Education AssociationAlso by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk: First Dog Fala

The Thanksgiving Door


Debby Atwell - 2003
    But what appears to be a disaster becomes a blessing in disguise when Ed and Ann unknowingly intrude on an immigrant family’s own Thanksgiving celebration at their new restaurant, The New World Café. Once Grandmother silences her despairing family and invites the unexpected customers to join them, they all share an evening of friendship, good food, and lots of dancing—reminding everyone that Thanksgiving is about opening one’s heart in welcome to the strangers who become friends and the disappointments that bring unexpected joys.

The 1619 Project: Born on the Water


Nikole Hannah-Jones - 2021
    A young student receives a family tree assignment in school, but she can only trace back three generations. Grandma gathers the whole family, and the student learns that 400 years ago, in 1619, their ancestors were stolen and brought to America by white slave traders. But before that, they had a home, a land, a language. She learns how the people said to be born on the water survived.

The Nutcracker in Harlem


T.E. McMorrow - 2017
    E. McMorrow and Coretta Scott King Award-winning illustrator James Ransome. An author’s note at the end provides additional information about the history of the Harlem Renaissance, and about the author’s inspiration for this musical retelling.

My Magical Choices (The Magic of Me Series, #2)


Becky Cummings - 2019
    Parents and teachers love the social-emotional message that greatness comes by making the choice to take positive actions towards a goal. These actions create feeling of happiness inside and help develop life-long healthy habits. A perfect book to add to every child's library and primary teachers' collections!

The Little Leprechaun Who Loved Yellow!


Sally Huss - 2013
    But unlike most leprechauns he just loves yellow. He loves all the colors of the rainbow, but he loves yellow best. This love causes him to,"follow the rainbow," to its end in hopes of finding the pot of gold -- the finest yellow of all. What he found was far better than gold. And happily his mother makes something for him that adds to his delight. This is a wonderful bedtime story that your child will want to hear or read again and again. And, if you are fans of the books by ,"Dr. Seuss, Mo Willems, Sandra Boynton, the Berenstains, Suzy Spafford, Felicia Bond, Laura Numeroff, and P.D. Eastman," you will love THE LITTLE LEPRECHAUN WHO LOVED YELLOW! If this sounds like something you'd like to explore further,"click on the cover," of the book to look "Inside the Book." From the Author: I write children's books to help brighten the lives of children and add a little dollop of wisdom in the process. Children need good habits, handy skills, and a good sense of humor to keep them moving forward in a happy, healthy, and productive manner. As a King Features syndicated author, I have been creating positive and inspirational messages, called "Happy Musings" for newspapers in the U.S. and Canada for many years. This has led to my writing and illustrating a great number of uplifting books for both adults and children. Along with my writing and illustrating, I have created collections of wallpaper for children baby bibs, t-shirts and a vast number of prints and original art for children's rooms. As a King Features syndicated author, I have been creating positive and inspirational messages, called "Happy Musings,"for newspapers in the U.S. and Canada for many years. This has led to my writing and illustrating a great number of uplifting books for both adults and children. Along with my writing and illustrating, through the years I have created collections of wallpaper for children, baby bibs, t-shirt designs, and a vast number of prints and original art for children's rooms. Here are a few more of the Sally Huss line of books: *THE MERMAID TEA PARTY (about Kindness and Manners) http://amzn.to/L04JrH *THE SECRET (Manners and Saying "Please") http://amzn.to/RUHto5 *HOW THE COW JUMPED OVER THE MOON (Trying Something New) http://amzn.to/N2CT1K *THANKSGIVING DINNER (About Thankfulness and Friendship) http://amzn.to/KQH9g3 *THE TREE-WITHIN-THE-TREE (About Friendship and Appreciation) http://amzn.to/N2E5lK and more... Here are a few reviewsof the book: Teacher: "This book has fabulous high-level vocabulary for children to access. Especially great text to use with English Language Learners too! The short length of text makes it a winner for small, guided reading groups in elementary grades. Loved it - but of course - I'm Irish too!" Catherine: "I use this story with toddlers and preschooler. One of the activities they love is making their leprechaun hat the color that THEY love." Matthew Machuca: "A fun and easy read for a second grade boy. Kept his interest for a quick March book report! BUY IT!"

13 Days of Halloween


Carol Greene - 1983
    Full-color illustrations.