No Boring Stories


Julie Falatko - 2018
    What could she possibly offer to their group? Surely she only wants to write about sharing and mommies and cuddling! A story about finding your people and following your heart, even if your heart is telling you to write about evil attacking grapes from outer space.

The Dam Keeper


Robert Kondo - 2017
    A dangerous black fog looms outside the village, but its inhabitants are kept safe by an ingenious machine known as the dam. Pig’s father built the dam and taught him how to maintain it. And then this brilliant inventor did the unthinkable: he walked into the fog and was never seen again.Now Pig is the dam keeper. Except for his best friend, Fox, and the town bully, Hippo, few are aware of his tireless efforts. But a new threat is on the horizon—a tidal wave of black fog is descending on Sunrise Valley. Now Pig, Fox, and Hippo must face the greatest danger imaginable: the world on the other side of the dam.Based on the Oscar-nominated animated short film of the same name, The Dam Keeper is a lush, vibrantly drawn graphic novel by Tonko House cofounders Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi.

Quinn Says Goodbye: Friends May Go Away, but God Is Here to Stay


Christie Thomas - 2019
    When Quinn the Owl makes a new friend, a firefly named Blink, she is filled with joy. But one night, Quinn wakes up to find her friend has disappeared in a flash. “Momma, why didn’t God make Blink stay with me? Didn’t he know how much I loved him?”“God doesn’t always stop bad things from happening, Quinn. But He does promise that He will always be with you, and He will never stop being your friend.” Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully written, Quinn Says Goodbye is designed for children dealing with different kinds of loss, whether it be death of a pet or a family member, or simply the loss of a favorite toy. Remind little ones that although people and things might not be in their life forever, God will never leave them.

The Highest Mountain of Books in the World


Rocío Bonilla - 2015
    He spent hours watching birds and airplanes in flight and tried to design his own sets of wingsmany times. But each time they failed. He wrote letters to Santa, pleading for help, but was disappointed with the toy wings and capes he received. Then one day something magical happened, without him even knowing it. His mother put a book in his handsand Lucas began to fly. And fly. And fly. Bonilla celebrates the wonder of books and their power to transport us to places beyond our imagination.

Beware the Monster


Michaël Escoffier - 2017
    That little bit of fear that they inspire is what makes storytime so exciting. In this book, young children are introduced to a ravenous monster that eats everything in its path. Apples, leaves, trees, and even cows don’t stand a chance as he ploughs his way through the woods satisfying his enormous appetite.Who will his next victim be? Be careful! His favorite dish is little children! But don’t worry. The surprise ending will make children sigh with relief—and laugh out loud.Filled with humor and just the right amount of scariness, this book speaks directly to the child with comments, warnings, and asides on every page. Giggle-inducing lines such as “I think you’d better hide” and “Here he comes! Close the book!” place the child right in the story.Energetic, colorful illustrations complete this funny book for very young children.

Go Big or Go Gnome!


Kirsten Mayer - 2017
    Each year, Al feels left out of the Beards International Gnome-athalon, B.I.G.So Al decides to go BIG or go Gnome! It’s a close shave, but with a hidden talent and the help of his friend, Gnorm, Al learns accepting that you are different is the key to fitting in.An Imprint Book

The Girl and the Dinosaur


Hollie Hughes - 2019
    . . In a little town by the seaside, Marianne can often be found foraging on the beach. But she isn’t playing with children her own age; instead Marianne is alone, digging for dinosaur bones. When she finds an entire skeleton, she names him Bony and vows to become his best friend.That night, she goes to sleep wishing with all her heart that her dinosaur might come to life . . . and her wish comes true. Together, a girl and her dinosaur’s adventures are only limited by their imagination.

Flora and the Penguin


Molly Idle - 2014
    Twirling, leaping, spinning, and gliding, on skates and flippers, the duo mirror each other's graceful dance above and below the ice. But when Flora gives the penguin the cold shoulder, the pair must figure out a way to work together for uplifting results. Artist Molly Idle creates an innovative, wordless picture book with clever flaps that reveal Flora and the penguin coming together, spiraling apart, and coming back together as only true friends do. Plus, this is a fixed-format version of the book, which looks nearly identical to the print version.

You Are Never Alone


Elin Kelsey - 2019
    This book draws examples from the clouds and the cosmos, the seafloor and the surface of our skin, to show how we are never alone: we are always surrounded and supported by nature. Whether it's gravity holding us tight; our lungs breathing oxygen synthesized by plants; the countless microorganisms that build our immunity; or the whales whose waste fertilizes the plankton that feed the fish we eat: nature touches every aspect of how we live.Using lyrical text grounded in current science alongside detailed diorama art, this book presents the idea that we thrive through connections to the land and sea and sky, and togetherness is key to nature. It encourages inquiry-based learning, inviting readers to wonder, ask questions, observe the natural world, and engage with big ideas. An author's note at the end offers more insight into the research behind the text.

The Reader


Luciana De Luca - 2019
    It's naptime, but this young bookworm isn't going to sleep. It's time to read. The Reader is a whimsically illustrated love letter to the powerful combination of books, reading, and the imagination. It is the story of a girl, her family library, and those happy stolen moments during the siesta when she can read quietly while everyone else is resting.

The Yes


Sarah Bee - 2014
    He was snug, but the Yes had a Where to go to. So he left his nest and went trundling out. But the Where was an endless place of Nos. They teemed and seethed. They picked and nipped, and snipped and snicked. The Yes yessed in all his goodness and bigness and yesness. But was he strong enough to overcome them?‘Kitamura is one of the world’s most original and stylish children’s illustrators.’ Sunday Times

Simon and the Big, Bad, Angry Beasts: A Book about Anger


Ian De Haes - 2018
    So mad that big, bad, angry beasts appear. At first Simon loves having the beasts around to help scare off anyone who upsets him, but over time he realizes that no one wants to be around him or the beasts. This makes Simon sad, so he decides to try to still his mind and practice being calm. And the beasts disappear!Featuring colorful and expressive illustrations, this insightful book helps children ages 4-8 learn how to handle their anger. A guide for parents and teachers in the back of the book features strategies for talking to children about their emotions along with various exercises they can use to cope with anger.

Sarabella's Thinking Cap


Judy Schachner - 2017
    There is so much going on in her head that it can barely be contained. But there are times when daydreaming is decidedly not a good thing—like when you’re supposed to be doing multiplication tables. Luckily, Sarabella has an understanding teacher and with his encouragement She comes up with her own idea to show everyone who she is.

Behind the Canvas


Alexander Vance - 2016
    Past the paint of the canvas is a realm where art lives, breathes, creates, destroys.Claudia Miravista loves art but only sees what is on the surface, until the Dutch boy Pim appears in her painting. Pim has been trapped in the world behind the canvas for centuries by a power-hungry witch, and now believes that Claudia is his only hope for escape. Fueled by the help of an ancient artist and some microwaveable magic, Claudia enters the wondrous and terrifying world, intent on destroying the witch's most cherished possession and setting Pim free. But in that world nothing is quite as it appears on the surface. Not even friendship.

We Forgot Brock!


Carter Goodrich - 2015
    Everyone can see Phillip, but only Phillip can see Brock. A night at the Big Fair is all fun and games until Phillip gets sleepy, heads home, and forgets Brock! Brock misses Phillip. And Phillip misses Brock. Will they reunite? With the help of another pair of pals, they just might. Because even imaginary friends get lost sometimes. Finding them is part of the adventure.