Book picks similar to
My Heart Is a Compass by Deborah Marcero


picture-books
picture-book
imagination
adventure

Otto the Book Bear


Katie Cleminson - 2011
    Otto is no ordinary storybook character: when no one is looking, he comes to life! Otto loves to walk off of his book's pages, but when his book is taken away while Otto is off exploring, the book bear sets off on a grand adventure to find a new home. Except...it's an awfully big world for such a small bear and Otto misses his warm book. Will Otto ever find the perfect home?With sweet, timeless illustrations and a story that will have young readers watching their bookshelves in hopes of spotting wandering book creatures, this charming story is sure to delight book lovers everywhere.

The Little House


Virginia Lee Burton - 1942
    The house has an expressive face of windows and doors, and even the feelings of a person, so she’s sad when she’s surrounded by the dirty, noisy city’s hustle and bustle: “She missed the field of daisies / and the apple trees dancing in the moonlight.” Fortunately, there’s a happy ending, as the house is taken back to the country where she belongs.

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast


Josh Funk - 2015
    Off they go, racing past the Orange Juice Fountain, skiing through Sauerkraut Peak, and reeling down the linguini. But who will enjoy the sweet taste of victory? And could working together be better than tearing each other apart?

Scaredy Squirrel


Mélanie Watt - 2006
    It's way too dangerous out there. He could encounter tarantulas, green Martians or killer bees. But in his tree, every day is the same and if danger comes along, he's well-prepared. Scaredy Squirrel's emergency kit includes antibacterial soap, Band-Aids and a parachute.Day after day he watches and waits, and waits and watches, until one day ... his worst nightmare comes true! Scaredy suddenly finds himself out of his tree, where germs, poison ivy and sharks lurk. But as Scaredy Squirrel leaps into the unknown, he discovers something really uplifting ...

The Pencil


Allan Ahlberg - 2008
    . . and began to draw."Welcome back Banjo, the boy from THE RUNAWAY DINNER! Once a pencil draws him, there's no telling what will come next — a dog, a cat, a chase (of course), and a paintbrush to color in an ever-expanding group of family and friends. But it's not long before the complaints begin — "This hat looks silly!" "My ears are too big!" — until the poor pencil has no choice but to draw . . . an eraser. Oh no! In the hands of Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman, can anything but havoc and hilarity ensue?

Harry the Dirty Dog


Gene Zion - 1956
    This childhood favourite is perfect for reading aloud before going to bed or avoiding a bath.

Blueberries for Sal


Robert McCloskey - 1948
    But when Sal wanders to the other side of Blueberry Hill, she discovers a mama bear preparing for her own long winter.  Meanwhile Sal's mother is being followed by a small bear with a big appetite for berries! Will each mother go home with the right little one?With its expressive line drawings and charming story, Blueberries for Sal has won readers' hearts since its first publication in 1948.

Go Away, Big Green Monster!


Ed Emberley - 1992
    As kids turn the die-cut pages of this vibrantly illustrated book, they'll watch the Big Green Monster grow before their very eyes. Then, when they're ready to show him who's in charge, they'll turn the remaining pages and watch him disappear!Ed Emberley's groundbreaking book about mastering fear and emotion through play and imagination has been a bestselling favorite for decades and feels as fresh and innovative today as it did 25 years ago.

Mouse Paint


Ellen Stoll Walsh - 1989
    One day three white mice discover three jars of paint--red, blue, and yellow. But what happens when they splash in the colors, mixing the red and blue? Or dance in the blue and yellow? This playful introduction to colors will appeal to any budding artist or curious preschooler.

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site


Sherri Duskey Rinker - 2011
    One by one, Crane Truck, Cement Mixer, Dump Truck, Bulldozer, and Excavator finish their work and lie down to rest—so they'll be ready for another day of rough and tough construction play!• Author Sherri Duskey Rinker's sweet rhyming text soothes little ones into a peaceful rest• Full of irresistible artwork by illustrator Tom Lichtenheld• Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site is the perfect read-aloudThis popular, timeless nighttime story continues to delight families everywhere!• Ideal for children ages 3 to 5 years old• Great for young construction fans• This adorable hardcover bedtime book is a go-to gift for any occasion

Verdi


Janell Cannon - 1997
    He likes his bright yellow skin and sporty stripes. Besides, all the green snakes he meets are lazy, boring, and rude. When Verdi finds a pale green stripe stretching along his whole body, he tries every trick he can think of to get rid of it--and ends up in a heap of trouble. Despite his efforts, Verdi turns green, but to his delight, he discovers that being green doesn’t mean he has to stop being himself. “Cannon is on a roll, her gift for creating memorable characters and scenes on glorious display in this tale of a feisty python hatchling.”--Publishers Weekly

Little Red


Bethan Woollvin - 2015
    The wolf is hungry, and Red Riding Hood looks tasty, so he hatches a dastardly plan, gobbles up Grandma and lies in wait. So far, so familiar. But this Little Red Riding Hood is not easily fooled, and this big bad wolf better watch his back. In this defiant interpretation of the traditional tale, the cheeky, brave little girl seizes control of her own story (and the wolf gets rather more than he bargained for).

Small World


Ishta Mercurio - 2019
    But as she grows, the world grows too. It expands outward—from her family, to her friends, to the city, to the countryside. And as it expands, so does Nanda’s wonder in the underlying shapes and structures patterning it: cogs and wheels, fractals in snowflakes. Eventually, Nanda’s studies lead her to become an astronaut and see the small, round shape of Earth far away. A geometric meditation on wonder, Small World is a modern classic that expresses our big and small place in the vast universe.

Ice Boy


David Ezra Stein - 2017
    Ice Boy has a normal life. He likes goofing around with his siblings ("Don t lick your brother!"). He listens when his parents tell him that being chosen to cool someone s drink or be a cold compress is the best thing that can happen to an ice cube. But Ice Boy wants more. So even though his parents tell him never to go outside, and even though his doctor tells him never to go in the sun, Ice Boy decides to head for the beach, where he rolls right into the water ("Best day ever!"). But suddenly his edges begin to blur. . . . From the creator of the best-selling Interrupting Chicken comes an offbeat and funny story of daring to venture into the unknown, whatever form it may take."

The Snatchabook


Helen Docherty - 2013
    But books are mysteriously disappearing. Eliza Brown decides to stay awake and catch the book thief. It turns out to be a little creature called the Snatchabook who has no one to read him a bedtime story. All turns out well when the books are returned and the animals take turns reading bedtime stories to the Snatchabook.