Little Ree


Ree Drummond - 2017
    When I first arrived, I felt so out of place! But eventually, I looked around and discovered all the wonderful things about country life. So I decided to write a story about my experiences, as seen through the eyes of a little girl named Ree.Little Ree moves to the country and feels as scared and unsure as I was. But then she finds that if she sets her mind to it, being a country girl is a pretty cool thing. Come along on her adventures!"Little Ree trades in her city days for a country way of life when she moves with her family to her grandparents' ranch. She's excited to ride horses, swim in the pond, and help Grandma cook for everyone. But on her first day, she finds that living on a ranch can be tough.She has to get up at the crack of dawn, learn to herd cows, and make sure her horse, Pepper, doesn't eat everything in sight. And that's all before breakfast! Will she ever get used to this new place? Luckily, the end of the day brings a big family barbecue...and the happy discovery that being a country girl isn't about the right pair of boots, it's all about the right attitude.With warmth, humor, and stories inspired by life on the ranch, Ree Drummond's picture book introduces us to a spunky new picture book star and treats us to a special pancake recipe at the end!

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.

Goodnight Farm Animals


Sharlene Alexander - 2012
    Seuss, P.D. Eastman, and Sandra Boynton, your child will fall in love with "Goodnight Farm Animals."This is a fun twist on the classic story, "Goodnight Moon." As the sun sets on the farm, it is time for the animals to say goodnight. With beautiful illustrations and fun rhyming text, this book will surely be a favorite.

The Cat, the Rat, and the Baseball Bat


Andy Griffiths - 2013
    The title story from Griffiths' popular and hilarious book The Cat on the Mat is Flat is now formatted as a stand-alone for beginning readers.

Ballet Cat: The Totally Secret Secret


Bob Shea - 2015
    Nothing that Sparkles suggests--making crafts, playing checkers, and selling lemonade--goes well with the leaping, spinning, and twirling that Ballet Cat likes to do. When Sparkles's leaps, spins, and twirls seem halfhearted, Ballet Cat asks him what's wrong. Sparkles doesn't want to say. He has a secret that Ballet Cat won't want to hear. What Sparkles doesn't know is that Ballet Cat has a secret of her own, a totally secret secret. Once their secrets are shared, will their friendship end, or be stronger than ever?

The Mouse and the Moon


Gabriel Alborozo - 2016
    He is all alone, except for his friend the moon. Each night the mouse tells the moon all of his news, his hopes, and his fears. But the moon never replies. So the little mouse ventures out to find his friend--and finds someone unexpected instead.Gabriel Alborozo's beautiful illustrations shift from black and white to color, celebrating the dawn of a new day and the beginning of a new friendship.

Moondog


Alice Hoffman - 1988
    The next morning, they find their front yard in shambles, and a small bundle cowering on their doorstep. It's a puppy! A cute, darling little mutt they decide to call Angel. They soon learn, however, that Angel is no ordinary puppy, especially when the moon is full..... Hoffman and her teenage son's delightful tale of the challenges of owning a were-puppy is charmingly illustrated by acclaimed artist Yumi Heo.

Taming Horrible Harry


Lili Chartrand - 2006
    Written originally in French, and illustrated with delightfully ghoulish paintings by the Québecois artist known simply as Rogé, Taming Horrible Harry is a wonderful tale about the power of stories.At the gates of a beautiful forest, Harry the monster lies in wait. One day, as monsters are wont to do, he frightens a little girl, who runs away leaving behind a peculiar object. Harry picks it up, turns it over, bites it … spits it out, and throws it down in a fury! He wonders what kind of a thing he has found. As it turns out, the object is a book … and one way or another, Harry learns to read it, and his life is changed forever. This delightful story will enchant both young readers and their parents, teachers, and librarians, as they discover together, the magic of reading.

Joe & the Gladiator


Catherine Cookson - 1971
    Then an unlikely friendship with an old rag-and-bone man, Mr. Prodhurst, leads him into the greatest challenge of his life. For Mr. Prodhurst bequeaths his peculiar-looking horse, The Gladiator, to Joe -- with only enough money for a couple of weeks feed!How can Joe possibly look after the horse properly? He is determined to try. Otherwise, The Gladiator will have to be put down...A tense and absorbing tale of one boy's courage and determination to succeed against all the odds.

Edgar Gets Ready for Bed


Jennifer Adams - 2014
    Dinnertime, cleanup-time, and bedtime are all met with one word: NEVERMORE! But as the evening winds to a close, Edgar's mom knows just what to do to get her son into bed—a bedtime story.

The Hole


Øyvind Torseter - 2012
    He seeks expert advice. But not everything can be explained. Perhaps he'll just have to accept that the hole is there? The Hole has simple, expressive drawings created by pen and computer, and there's a hole punched right through the book, so it really exists, even if it can't be explained.Comic yet philosophical, simple yet deeply expressive, The Hole is quite simply—brilliant!"Hello, I've discovered a hole in my apartment. . . . It moves. . . . If you could come take a look. . . . Bring it down, you say? What? Hello?!"Born in 1972, Øyvind Torseter is an artist and one of Norway's most acclaimed illustrators. He employs both traditional and digital picture techniques and has created six picture books on his own and many others with different authors. Torseter has received numerous prizes for his books, which have been translated into many languages. My Father's Arms Are A Boat (Enchanted Lion Books, 2012) was his first book to be published in the United States.

Pigs in the Mud in the Middle of the Rud


Lynn Plourde - 1997
    That won't do. For a car to get through, somebody's gotta shoo! But who? Plourde's trademark style blends alliteration and rhyme into an elegantly simple mix that children-and adults-enjoy reading aloud.

One Proud Penny


Randy Siegel - 2017
    Who knew the life of a penny could be so exciting?Born in 1983, our copper (well, zinc and copper as we find out) narrator travels everywhere from New York City to Portland, Oregon, to Puerto Rico describing in colorful detail his many adventures along the way.Randy Siegel's quirky, informative text mixed with Serge Bloch's spare but exuberant illustrations (which make use of real pennies) make this book a must-have for lovers of American history or just a good story.A Neal Porter Book

Raggedy Ann's Wishing Pebble


Jan Palmer - 1925
    It's up to Raggedy Ann and Andy to get the magic pebble back -- and to teach the trickster a valuable lesson about kindness. In this new version of a classic, retold for young children, Raggedy Ann and the other dolls in the nursery come to life with humor and spirit.

If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't!


Elise Parsley - 2016
    She is NOT talking about the piano. But Magnolia is a little girl with a big idea, determination, and one very heavy upright piano that, she insists, she needs to take with her. What's the worst that can happen? In a riotous series of mishaps, Magnolia quickly learns that--not surprisingly--a piano doesn't mix well with sand, sun, and seagulls!