How Beautiful


Antonella Capetti - 2017
    A question forms in the caterpillar’s mind: “What is beautiful?”So begins a quest to discover the true meaning of the word beautiful. Much to the caterpillar’s surprise, each animal in the forest has their own unique definition:A bear declares that honeycomb is beautiful!The squirrels say leaves are beautiful!A mole says his burrow is beautiful!What’s a caterpillar to do?How Beautiful offers kids an immersive, memorable experience. Elaborate and vivid illustrations by Melissa Castrillón, author of Yellow Kayak and If I Had a Little Dream, combine with a sweet, central message:Beauty is as diverse as we are.“Beautiful” means something different to everyone, and that’s okay!The beauty of the natural world is worth celebrating!

Boot & Shoe


Marla Frazee - 2012
    They eat out of the same bowl, pee on the same tree, and sleep in the same bed. But they spend their days apart - Boot on the back porch because he's a back porch kind of dog, and Shoe on the front porch because he's a front porch kind of dog. This is exactly perfect for them. But then a crazy neighborhood squirrel arrives . . . and everything goes topsy-turvy!Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee brings her signature wit, tenderness, and hilarious illustrations to this tale of an irresistible puppy pair.

Neither


Airlie Anderson - 2018
    In the Land of This and That, there are only two kinds: blue bunnies and yellow birds. But one day a funny green egg hatches, and a little creature that's not quite a bird and not quite a bunny pops out. It's neither! Neither tries hard to fit in, but its bird legs aren't good for jumping like the other bunnies, and its fluffy tail isn't good for flapping like the other birds. It sets out to find a new home and discovers a very different place, one with endless colors and shapes and creatures of all kinds. But when a blue bunny and a yellow bird with some hidden differences of their own arrive, it's up to Neither to decide if they are welcome in the Land of All. This colorful, simple, and touching story promotes diversity and offers a valuable lesson to the youngest of audiences: it is our differences that unite us.

The Day the Crayons Quit


Drew Daywalt - 2013
    But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: We quit!Beige is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown. Blue needs a break from coloring all that water, while Pink just wants to be used. Green has no complaints, but Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking to each other. What is Duncan to do? Debut author Drew Daywalt and New York Times bestseller Oliver Jeffers create a colorful solution in this playful, imaginative story that will have children laughing and playing with their crayons in a whole new way.

Lissy's Friends


Grace Lin - 2007
    A paper friend. And to Lissy’s surprise, her little origami bird opens his eyes and says hello! So she quickly makes more friends. And soon Lissy has more friends than she can count! But what do you do when your friends have to leave? If you’re Lissy, you make another friend . . . but this time one that stays.Utterly imaginative and charming, Lissy’s Friends is a fresh take on the importance of friendship.

This Is a Dog


Ross Collins - 2019
    Dogs are far more important, after all! And when the other animals get angry, this dog comes up with a cunning plan to outwit them.

The Camping Trip


Jennifer K. Mann - 2020
    . . won’t it? An endearing story about a girl’s first experience with the great outdoors.My aunt Jackie invited me to go camping with her and my cousin Samantha this weekend. I’ve never been camping before, but I know I will love it.Ernestine is beyond excited to go camping. She follows the packing list carefully (new sleeping bag! new flashlight! special trail mix made with Dad!) so she knows she is ready when the weekend arrives. But she quickly realizes that nothing could have prepared her for how hard it is to set up a tent, never mind fall asleep in it, or that swimming in a lake means that there will be fish — eep! Will Ernestine be able to enjoy the wilderness, or will it prove to be a bit too far out of her comfort zone? In an energetic illustrated story about a first sleepover under the stars, acclaimed author-illustrator Jennifer K. Mann reminds us that opening your mind to new experiences, no matter how challenging, can lead to great memories (and a newfound taste for s’mores).

Big Feelings


Alexandra Penfold - 2021
    Now with Big Feelings, they help children navigate the emotional challenges they face in their daily lives.What should we do when things don't go to plan? We may feel mad, frustrated, or overwhelmed, but by talking it through, compromising, and seeing another point of view, we can start fresh, begin anew.

Crunch, the Shy Dinosaur


Cirocco Dunlap - 2018
    He would like to play, but it will require some gentle coaxing from you! If you are patient and encouraging, you will find yourself with a new friend!This picture book is an example of how to engage with someone new, who is perhaps a bit different from you.

Waiting for Winter


Sebastian Meschenmoser - 2007
    He wants his friends, Hedgehog and Bear, to see it snow too, but it's hard to stay awake. Finally, winter arrives and snow is falling ... or is it?

If You Plant a Seed


Kadir Nelson - 2015
    Kadir Nelson, acclaimed author of Baby Bear and winner of the Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Author and Illustrator Awards, presents a resonant, gently humorous story about the power of even the smallest acts and the rewards of compassion and generosity.With spare text and breathtaking oil paintings, If You Plant a Seed demonstrates not only the process of planting and growing for young children but also how a seed of kindness can bear sweet fruit.

Be Kind


Pat Zietlow Miller - 2018
    From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving and thoughtful story explores what a child can do to be kind, and how each act, big or small, can make a difference--or at least help a friend.

Hey!: A Colorful Mystery


Kate Read - 2021
    Uh-oh! That's no cave at all, but the mouth of a whale!Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Honor Award-winner Kate Read returns with a clever oceanic twist on the old telephone game starring a tiny pink fish and schools of brilliantly hued fish in a deep blue sea. As the chatter spreads, young readers will explore different varieties of sea animals, colors, and themes of gossip and unchecked claims. Perfect for interactive readalouds as well as for early childhood education units on colors, friendship, and marine life. Back matter includes an introduction to color theory.

Can I Give You a Squish?


Emily Neilson - 2020
    Not everyone's a fan of Kai's spirited embrace though, which he discovers soon after squishing a puffer fish, who swells up in fright! Kai feels awful; but with the help of his friends, he figures out another way to show his affection, and then everyone demonstrates their preferred ways of being greeted. Because, as Kai realizes, "Every fish likes their own kind of squish."

Xander's Panda Party


Linda Sue Park - 2013
    Yes, a dandy whoop-de-do!But Xander was the only panda. Just one panda at the zoo.The zoo’s paucity of pandas doesn’t impede Xander’s party planning for long. He decides to invite all the bears. But Koala protests. She’s not a bear—she's a marsupial! Does that mean she can’t come? Xander rethinks his decision to invite only bears, and “Calling all bears” evolves into “Calling all creatures.” The Newbery Medal author Linda Sue Park introduces animal taxonomy in a wonderfully engaging way, and the celebrated artist Matt Phelan’s charming ink and watercolor paintings are the icing on the cake. A read-aloud whoop-de-do!