Dandy


Ame Dyckman - 2019
    When Daddy spots a solitary weed in his lawn, he's appalled (along with all of his neighborhood friends). But his daughter Sweetie has fallen in love with the beautiful flower, even going so far as to name it Charlotte. Racing against time and the mockery of his friends, Daddy has to find a way to get rid of the errant dandelion without breaking his little girl's heart.

Hello Goodbye Dog


Maria Gianferrari - 2017
    So when Zara has to go to school, WHOOSH, Moose escapes and rushes to her side.Hello, Moose!Unfortunately, dogs aren't allowed at school and Moose has to go back home.Goodbye, Moose.But Moose can't be held back for long. Through a series of escalating escapes, this loyal dog always finds her way back to Zara, and with a little bit of training and one great idea, the two friends find a way to be together all day long.

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!

A Stopwatch from Grampa


Loretta Garbutt - 2020
    "I don't want his stopwatch. I want him." Grampa used to time everything. A race to the end of the street and back: 24 seconds. Eating bubblegum ice cream: 1 minute, 58 seconds. But now, Grampa's gone. "There are no more Grampa minutes, Grampa seconds," the child says. "Time just stops." As the seasons come and go, the stopwatch becomes a cherished symbol of remembrance, and the child uses it to carry on Grampa's favorite pastimes and traditions.Loretta Garbutt uses subtlety and sensitivity to explore the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) in this moving picture book story of loss. It features a gender-neutral main character (no first name or pronouns are given) making the story universally relatable. This is a perfect choice for fostering discussions with children about their emotions, particularly the feeling of loss. It also offers a poignant representation of an intergenerational relationship between a grandfather and grandchild. Carmen Mok's expressive and thoughtful illustrations employ a limited color palette to convey the character's emotional trajectory. There are curriculum applications here in social-emotional development as well as character education lessons in caring and resilience.

The Story About Ping


Marjorie Flack - 1933
    He liked his life on the riverboat just and liked his large family and his kind master. He didn't like to be the last in line to board the boat at night, for that unlucky duck got a loud spank. So what did Ping do when it seemed that he would be the last on line? What else but set out on his own to explore the fascinating world of life on the Yangtze River.The Story about Ping is one of the best-loved and enduring children's books, both for its spirited and irrepressible hero and for its beautiful evocation of a distant land and way of life. Every child can sympathize with a dawdling duck who wants to avoid a spanking, and share his excitement and wonder as he sails down the river.

Square Cat


Elizabeth Schoonmaker - 2011
    Everything that normal cats do is hard for her: She can’t get her square paw into mouse holes, she can’t wear her favorite circle skirt, and all of her friends are round! Eula is sad until her two best friends show her just how well a square cat can fit into a round world. Debut author/illustrator Elizabeth Schoonmaker applies her dry wit to the topic of fitting in, and the spare text and appealing trim size of Square Cat make it ideal for repeated readings.

Dog Loves Books


Louise Yates - 2010
    At first he’s short of customers. But that’s all right, because when Dog is surrounded by books, he is never short of friends—or fun. And when customers begin arriving, he knows just which books to recommend.Louise Yates’s expressive little white dog—and his many expressive doggie customers—extend an irresistible invitation to the very youngest to try reading. It’s fun!

Millions of Cats


Wanda Gág - 1928
    They decided to get a cat, but when the old man went out searching, he found not one cat, but millions and billions and trillions of cats! Unable to decide which one would be the best pet, he brought them all home. How the old couple came to have just one cat to call their own is a classic tale that has been loved for generations. Winner of a Newbery Honor, this collector's edition—featuring a heavy interior stock, spot gloss and embossing on the cover, and a thread-sewn binding—will bring this beloved tale to a whole new generation of readers.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star


Jane Cabrera - 2012
    A favorite lullaby becomes a celebration of love in this lushly illustrated version featuring animals from all over the world.

I Don't Like Koala


Sean Ferrell - 2015
    Koala is a little creepy.Adam tries explaining this to his parents. He tries putting Koala away—far away. He tries taking Koala on a long, long walk. Nothing works. Will Adam ever be rid of Koala?This darkly funny debut picture book from Sean Ferrell and Charles Santoso celebrates imagination and bravery while addressing a universal childhood dilemma: what to do about that one stuffed animal who just won’t stop staring at you.

A Castle Full of Cats


Ruth Sanderson - 2015
    Told in rhyme, and with dozens of cats on each page, this gorgeous book is sure to have cat lovers of all ages purring!

It's Duffy Time!


Audrey Wood - 2012
    In addition, as we follow Duffy through his gentle adventures, a clock is cleverly tucked into each illustration, showing children the time of day-and helping them learn how to tell time!Like most pugs, Duffy loves to sleep, and from the time he wakes for breakfast to the time he prepares for bed, Duffy's day is punctuated by delicious naps: the Before Breakfast Nap; the After Breakfast Nap; the Late Morning Nap; and so on. When his best friend, a playful girl, comes home from school, Duffy helps her with her homework, follwed by his Early Evening Nap.With their typical wry humor, the Woods end their story with Duffy and his friend wearing matching pajamas in bed, reading a book. Is Duffy sleepy now? Of course not.

Number One Sam


Greg Pizzoli - 2014
    Will he learn what it truly means to be a winner?

If All the Animals Came Inside


Eric Pinder - 2012
    The dishes would break.Oh, what a terrible mess we would make!If all the animals came inside, bears would run down the stairs, kangaroos would bounce on the couch, and hippos would play hide-and-seek through the halls! Join one family's wild romp as animals of all shapes and sizes burst through the front door and make themselves right at home.Extraordinary collage artwork from beloved illustrator Marc Brown (Arthur series) pairs with Eric Pinder's hilarious rhyming verse to make this the perfect book to read aloud again and again.

Biscuit Finds a Friend


Alyssa Satin Capucilli - 1997
    Perfect for shared reading with a child, this story teaches a lesson about finding friends while also helping to boost reading fluency.