How to Lose a Lemur


Frann Preston-Gannon - 2013
    Eventually,after climbing mountains, taking trains and going through the air in a balloon, he finally thinks that he has lost them.Or has he?In the process he has managed to get himself lost, and it is only then that he realizes that the cunning lemurs might just be helpful after all...

Eek!: A Noisy Journey from A to Z


Julie Larios - 2020
    Then the fun begins! To complete his journey, Mouse must make his way through the alphabet. One sniff of his special flower--Achoo!--and a bee flies out--Bzzz! Readers will love meeting the colorful parade of characters along Mouse's trek and will cheer when he reaches his destination and presents the flower to... Well, that part of the story is a surprise!Author Julie Larios and illustrator Julie Paschkis have collaborated to create an entertaining combination of clever text and lively art. With its fun--and onomatopoeic--sounds, and its parade of colorful characters, this distinctive picture book will delight young fans and inspire them to create imaginary alphabet adventures of their own.

Over the River and Through the Wood


Emma Randall - 2018
    Coupled with Emma Randall's delightful illustrations, the familiar poem-turned-song is the perfect way to celebrate the season. Just remember to leave room for pumpkin pie!Praise for Over the River and Through the Wood This jaunty, optimistic interpretation of the nostalgic Thanksgiving song will be useful in library holiday collections as well as for family celebrations. --Kirkus

The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC's (the Hard Way)


Patrick McDonnell - 2017
    When a DRAGON (and a chicken and an egg!) join in pursuit, things start to get REALLY interesting. A wild and wacky chase through snow and ice, and to jungles and over mountaintops, leads the whole crew to a wonderful realization: They're better off as friends.From New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott Honor recipient Patrick McDonnell comes an exciting new take on the alphabet book for everyone who has ever wondered what's just beyond the front door.

Finding Wild


Megan Wagner Lloyd - 2016
    From the bark on the trees to the sudden storm that moves across the sky to fire and flowers, and snowflakes and fresh fruit. As the children make their way through the woods and back to the paved and noisy streets, they discover that wild exists not just off in some distant place, but right in their own backyard.

Imagine That: A Hoot & Olive Story


Jonathan D. Voss - 2019
     Olive is a little girl with a big, bright imagination. Hoot is her stuffed-animal owl…and her best friend. The two love adventures of all sorts. But on the rainiest of days, there is only one thing to do: stay inside and imagine a whole new world.Just as they’re about to begin their adventure, Hoot makes a shocking discovery—his imagination is broken! Like the best of best friends, Olive comes up with some ideas to help him. But nothing is working: not the head unscrambler, the earmuffs, or the hypnosis. Just as the two are about to give up, Olive remembers the secret ingredient to imagination, and they give it one more try.Fans of Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin, George and Martha, and Frog and Toad are certain to fall in love with the next adventure in the Hoot & Olive series.

Are We There Yet?


Dan Santat - 2016
    And when things get boring, time slows down. In this book, a boy feels time slowing down so much that it starts going backward--into the time of pirates! Of princesses! Of dinosaurs! The boy was just trying to get to his grandmother's birthday party, but instead he's traveling through Ancient Egypt and rubbing shoulders with Ben Franklin. When time flies, who knows where--or when--he'll end up.

Red Light, Green Lion


Candace Ryan - 2019
    While he waits, a series of unexpected events occur, involving such things as lightning, a lilac, library books and lima beans. Or rather, “li-ghtning,” “li-lac,” “li-brary books,” and “li-ma beans” because the text on each spread ends with “Red light, green li-,” and the reader must turn the page to see the whole word --- and what's happened. All the while, the lion calmly and helpfully deals with whatever shows up (even loading livestock into a lifeboat!) and wryly muses about the way life can be. “Some days are not like most days,” the lion explains at the beginning. But as all children know: those days are usually the most fun!This charming, sometimes silly, philosophical picture book is inspired by the popular childhood game Red Light, Green Light. Candace Ryan's text is simple, and the repeated refrain allows for guessing what (green) surprise comes next, making for an engaging read-aloud. Jennifer Yerkes's illustrations have a fresh look, with a limited palette and spare, expressive lines. The collaboration of story and design --- using color and muted tones for the refrain --- keeps the concept easy to understand. Important life lessons are shared with simplicity, clarity and beauty: “Some days we get exactly what we need, exactly when we need it.” “And some days, nothing goes the way we thought it would.” This would make a delightful choice for character education lessons on kindness, teamwork and inclusiveness.

Southwest Sunrise


Nikki Grimes - 2020
    . .When Jayden touches down in New Mexico, he's uncertain how this place could ever be home. But if he takes a walk outside, he just might find something glorious.Flowers in bright shades . . .Birds and lizards and turtles, all with a story to tell . . .Red rock pillars towering in the distance . . .Turquoise sky as far as the eye can see . . .Perhaps this place could be home after all.Gorgeously poetic and visually stunning, this story from acclaimed creators Nikki Grimes and Wendell Minor celebrates the beauty of the Southwest as a young boy sees it for the very first time.

Miss Maple's Seeds


Eliza Wheeler - 2013
    She takes them on field trips to explore places to grow. In her cozy maple tree house, she nurtures them; keeping them safe and warm until it's time for them to find roots of their own, and grow into the magnificent plants they’re destined to become.Eliza Wheeler’s luminous paintings feature gorgeous landscapes, lush foliage and charming details. Her tender story celebrates the potential found in each seed—since even the grandest tree and most brilliant flower had to grow from the smallest of seeds.Celebrate every season with Miss Maple, from Earth Day to graduations to harvest festivals.

If I Had a Horse


Gianna Marino - 2018
    If I Had a Horse is an inspiring picture book with simple text and gorgeous, impressionistic artwork from acclaimed author-illustrator Gianna Marino about a girl imagining what life would be like with a horse.

A Dark, Dark Cave


Eric Hoffman - 2016
    Strange creatures skitter along the walls while bats brush past. A wild howl makes the cave feel just a teensy bit darker. But readers are in for a delightful surprise when a beam of light reveals a softer side of the cave.Told in spare rhyming text alongside stunning illustrations, A Dark, Dark Cave will ignite a young reader's imagination and inspire creative play. This just-spooky-enough story is sure to become a read-aloud favorite.

Don't Feed the Coos!


Jonathan Stutzman - 2020
    From the park to home to the arcade to karate practice, the coos follow the generous-but-foolish girl who didn't heed the warning. Because when you give a coo a crumb...the entire population of coos will come! But fret not: our spunky little heroine will discover that even the biggest of problems can be solved with a little determination.In the grand tradition of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Don't Feed the Coos reminds us that the most disastrous of reactions can come from the most innocent of actions. Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox deliver another ridiculous and hilarious story, sure to delight fans of The Bad Seed and I Want My Hat Back.

One Red Sock


Jennifer Sattler - 2019
    While getting dressed one day, she realizes that she is missing a red sock. But as she searches throughout her sock drawer, she cannot find a suitable replacement. From blue to green and gray to white, nothing she finds will match. But does that really matter? This new picture-book offering from Jennifer Sattler (Bully) reminds readers of all ages of the enjoyment that may occur when one lets go and embraces imperfection.

Sea Glass Summer


Michelle Houts - 2019
    She gives him a magnifying glass that once belonged to his grandfather, and with it Thomas explores the beach, turning grains of sand into rocks and dark clamshells into swirling mazes of black, gray, and white. When his grandmother shows him a piece of sea glass, Thomas is transfixed. That night he dreams of an old shipyard and the breaking of a bottle. Could the very piece of sea glass on his nightstand have come from that bottle? For the rest of the summer, he searches for more sea glass and hopes to have dreams that will reveal more of the sea's secrets. A stunning ode to stories and the seaside, this picture book invites readers to imagine the ocean of possibility that lives in every small or forgotten treasure.