Book picks similar to
All from a Walnut by Ammi-Joan Paquette


picture-books
picture-book
grandparents
family

Robert and the World's Best Cake


Anne-Kathrin Behl - 2021
    Robert wants to bake a gigantic cake—the best in the world! But when Robert’s freshly created invitations blow out the window, Robert, his dad, and Mopsi the dog get an even bigger surprise. Just when they sit down to eat the cake, the doorbell rings again, and again, and again! With humor and a keen sense of the absurd, Anne-Kathrin Behl tells a delightful story about the big and little wonders of everyday life. Praise for Help, I Don’t Want a Babysitter, illustrated by Anne-Kathrin Behl: “The pencil drawing illustrations . . . [are] hilarious . . . and complement the text perfectly.”—School Library Journal

What Are You Doing, Benny?


Cary Fagan - 2019
    But whenever he tries to join in Benny's activities, all Benny ever says is "No." Maybe his little brother can watch him do cool stuff, if he's lucky. What is a little fox to do, except give Benny a taste of his own medicine? Totally familiar yet fresh and original, tenderly told and consistently funny, this story perfectly captures the joys (and annoyances!) of sibling relationships.

One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey


Henry Cole - 2020
    In a three-generation family, the bag is transporter of objects and keeper of memories. And when Grandfather comes to the end of his life, the family finds a meaningful new way for the battered, but much-loved brown bag to continue its journey in the circle of life.

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 Longest Storm


Dan Yaccarino - 2021
    The family at the center of this timely story has to hunker down together, with no going outside - and that's hard when there's absolutely nothing to do, and everyone's getting on everyone else's nerves. One night, when the storm takes a scary turn that leaves them all in the dark, the fractured family finds a way to reconnect and face whatever the future brings, together.

Rupert's Snowman


Phillipa Warden - 2020
    Sledging, building snowmen, making snow angels and having snowball fights. But wait! What is this? Why is Rupert racing back up the hill? Join him and his mummy as they are forced to embark on a Snowy Adventure Rescue...

Mum's Jumper


Jayde Perkin - 2019
    And Mum's Jumper might be a way to keep her close.A simple, heartfelt and ultimately uplifting book for anyone coping with loss.

Arthur and the Forgetful Elephant


María Girón - 2017
    At least he hopes he can. But how? What does this forgetful elephant need? Arthur doesn’t know, but he’s determined to find out as he and the elephant share a playful and colorful day.Arthur and the Forgetful Elephant explores memory loss from the perspective of both those who forget and those around them. With spare writing and poignant art, this story reminds us that compassion and togetherness can make even elephant-sized problems seem a little smaller.

Leo's Monster


Marcus Pfister - 2020
    At least that’s what Leo saw. Or did he? Zoe thinks his description sounds just like Berta, the sweet-tempered cow in the meadow . . .  Bestselling author Marcus Pfister skillfully weaves a hilarious story of mystery, suspense and just a hint of scariness.

Before the World Wakes


Estelle Laure
    They marvel at the dance of the snails and the birdsong that surrounds them. And then they join in, reveling in the early morning—and their time together before the rest of the world wakes.With lyrical language and beautiful art, this book captures the magic of daybreak, the importance of small moments, and the special bond between siblings.

Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs


Tomie dePaola - 1973
    But one day Tommy's mother tells him Nana Upstairs won't be there anymore, and Tommy must struggle with saying good-bye to someone he loves. Updated with new, full-color illustrations, this classic story will continue to win the hearts of readers of all ages."Children will want to hear this again and again." --School Library Journal, starred review"A quietly touching story Athat? depicts loving family relationships." --Publishers Weekly

Ten Beautiful Things


Molly Beth Griffin - 2020
    Ten Beautiful Things gently explores loss, a new home, and finding beauty wherever you are.Lily and her grandmother search for ten beautiful things as they take a long car ride to Iowa and Lily's new home with Gran. At first, Lily sees nothing beautiful in the April slush and cloudy sky. Soon though, Lily can see beauty in unexpected places, from the smell of spring mud to a cloud shaped like a swan to a dilapitated barn. A furious rainstorm mirrors Lily's anxiety, but as it clears Lily discovers the tenth beautiful thing: Lily and Gran and their love for each other.Ten Beautiful Things leaves the exact cause of Lily's move ambiguous, making it perfect for anyone helping a child navigate change, whether it be the loss of a parent, entering or leaving a foster home, or moving.

The Nut That Fell from the Tree


Sangeeta Bhadra - 2020
    This is the house where Jill plays. This is the oak that holds the house where Jill plays. This is the nut that fell from the oak that holds the house where Jill plays ... In the style of “The House That Jack Built,” here's a cumulative, rhyming tale that follows an acorn on an arduous journey, as one animal after another steals it, drops it or tosses it, sending the acorn inside an old shoe, high above the trees and down to the bottom of a stream. But in the end, the rat, goose, bear and more turn out to simply be the conduits that help the acorn eventually land on a hillside, where the warm sun helps it grow into another grand oak tree, which now holds the house where Jack (Jill's grandson) plays.In this lively story, Sangeeta Bhadra offers a playful depiction of the circle of life. The jaunty rhythm of the text (“This is the raccoon, a sneak through and through / that tricked the goose with a bird's-eye view . . .”) and the use of fun-to-say words --- like, “hullabaloooo” and “pee-ew” --- make for a picture book that begs to be read aloud. France Cormier's richly colored illustrations add energy and continuity to the story, as the perspective zooms in and out and dotted lines follow the acorn's path. This book could easily spark discussions about plant life cycles, animal habitats and food chains.

Can You Whistle, Johanna?


Ulf Stark - 1992
    They go there together to find one - ideally one who eats pig's trotters, invites you to tea & who can teach you to whistle. This is a sensitive book about a friendship between two boys & an old man.

Survivor Tree


Marcie Colleen - 2021
    It tells the true story of the Callery pear tree that stood at the base of the World Trade Center for 30 years and was almost destroyed, only to be pulled from the rubble, coaxed back to life, and eventually replanted as part of the 9/11 memorial.