Redwoods


Jason Chin - 2009
    As he reads the information unfolds, and with each new bit of knowledge, he travels--all the way to California to climb into the Redwood canopy. Crammed with interesting and accurate information about these great natural wonders, Jason Chin's first book is innovative nonfiction set within a strong and beautiful picture storybook.

Yonder


Tony Johnston - 1988
    Born in Los Angeles, she now resides in San Marino, California. Illustrator Lloyd Bloom holds a master's degree in fine arts from Indiana University. An illustrator and painter, he lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Just Plain Fancy


Patricia Polacco - 1990
    The Amish first came to Pennsylvania in the early 1700s, and to this day preserve a religious and "plain" life-style. As part of her household chores, Naomi looks after the chickens with her little sister, Ruth.One day Naomi and Ruth find an abandoned egg near the road. This is no ordinary chicken egg, though. In fact, surrounded by the simplicity and austerity of their Amish ways, this egg is almost "fancy." Naomi decides this special egg must be hatched. And when it is, it's plain to see that this is no ordinary chick!The girls manage to keep the chick, dubbed Fancy, a secret... until the day of the Vleckes' frolic, or community working bee. On this day, Naomi is to receive a white organdy cap, a family tradition, as a reward for her hard work and responsibility. But on this day, too, Fancy decides to introduce himself to the community.The results are a sheer delight, pure and simple. Patricia Polacco's passion has taken her into the heart of Amish country in search of a story. In this unabridged reading of her award-winning book, her lively voice, accompanied by her beautiful artwork carry this story of discovery and growing up into the hearts of all who listen and turn its pages.

The Touch of the Master's Hand


Myra Brooks Welch - 1997
    First published in 1921, the poem's message about the individual worth of those often overlooked strikes a familiar chord in a society struggling to come to terms with its own victims of homelessness, drug abuse, and alienation.The poem is made new with the addition of Greg Newbold's illustrations. Newbold's images -- which are rich in detail, and made even more so by his use of color and light and his painterly style -- evoke a bygone era that is old-fashioned, small-town, pleasantly nostalgic. Newbold's work in Touch of the Master's Hand has already been recognized by the Society of Illustrators and Communication Arts magazine with a 1996 Award of Merit.

The Important Book


Margaret Wise Brown - 1949
    With lyrical words and vivid illustrations by Caldecott winner Leonard Weisgard, The Important Book shows children just how important everyday objects can be. What is the most important thing about a spoon? The fact that you can eat with it? What about an apple? Or a shoe? This book helps curious preschoolers notice important details about their everyday surroundings, like daisies are white, rain is wet, and a spoon is used for eating.For the important thing about The Important Book is that the book resonates long after it's closed. What's most important about many familiar things—like rain and wind, apples and daisies—is suggested in rhythmic words and vivid pictures. "A perfect book. The text establishes a word game which tiny children will accept with glee," said Kirkus.Chosen as a "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children" by the American National Education Association."Rekindles the sense of wonder we were born with. True poetry about perceiving the world around us."— Mark Frauenfelder, BoingBoing magazine

Meerkat Mail


Emily Gravett - 2006
    One day Sunny goes to visit his mongoose cousins. But from the watery world of the Marsh Mongoose to the nocturnal lifestyle of the Malagasy Mongoose, Sunny just doesn't fit in. And what's that shadowy figure that seems to be following him around?

Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow: a Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix


Gary Golio - 2010
    But first, he was a boy named Jimmy who loved to draw and paint and listen to records. A boy who played air guitar with a broomstick and longed for a real guitar of his own. A boy who asked himself a question: Could someone paint pictures with sound?      This a story of a talented child who learns to see, hear, and interpret the world around him in his own unique way. It is also a story of a determined kid with a vision, who worked hard to become a devoted and masterful artist. Jimi Hendrix--a groundbreaking performer whose music shook the very foundations of rock 'n' roll.

Toot & Puddle


Holly Hobbie - 1997
    But when Toot leaves Woodcock Pocket to travel and see the world, Puddle chooses to stay at home. Just when Puddle begins to miss his old friend, he embarks on some of his own adventures-right at home. Finally, after Toot returns from his year-long trip, the two discover that true friendship knows no boundaries.With a delightful mix of humor, warmth, and a classic style all her own, Holly Hobbie captures the all excitement and joy that surround adventures-near and far-and reminds readers that true friendship knows no boundaries.

The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury: Celebrated Picture Books and Stories to Read Aloud


Janet SchulmanMargaret Wise Brown - 1998
    Here are classics such as Madeline and Curious George; contemporary bestsellers such as Guess How Much I Love You and The Stinky Cheese Man; Caldecott Medal winners such as Make Way for Ducklings and Where the Wild Things Are; and family favorites such as Goodnight Moon, The Sneetches, Winnie-the-Pooh, and Alexander & The Terrible, No Good Very Bad Day, soon to be a motion picture. The selections range from concept books and wordless books to picture books and short read-aloud stories, and represent the complete array of childhood themes and reading needs: ABCs, number and color books, stories about going to bed and going to school; tales about growing up, siblings, parents, and grandparents; animal stories, fantasies; fables; magical stories; stories about everyday life--and more. This beautiful edition includes a recommended list of books published in the time since this anthology's original compilation, including Caldecott Honors Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Olivia, with descriptive annotations intended to guide parents to these new books and new voices of the 21st century. Also included are an introduction from editor Janet Schulman, capsule biographies of the 62 writers and artists represented in the collection, color-coded running heads indicating age levels, and indexes. As a gift, a keepsake, and a companion in a child's first steps toward a lifelong love of reading, The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury belongs in every family's bookcase.

Children Just Like Me


Barnabas Kindersley - 1995
    . . each of these children has hopes and fears, dreams and beliefs. Their cultures are different, yet in many ways their daily lives are very similar, as are their hopes for the future and their ways of looking at the world.Over the past two years, a photographer and a teacher have traveled to more than 30 countries, meeting and interviewing children. Each child's story is recorded in this remarkable book, published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Extraordinary photographs bring to life the children's families and homes, their clothes and food, their friends and favorite games, and other aspects of their daily lives.The children live in places as diverse as New York, Mongolia, and the Amazon Basin. These are children from both industrialized and developing nations, children from busy cities and remote rural communities, and children from tribal cultures. Their environments include mountains, deserts, rain forests, plains, and polar regions. Most live in families, but Suchart, a novice monk, lives in a monastery, and Tadesse, an Ethiopian boy, lives in an orphanage. Children everywhere will enjoy reading about the lives of these children who share their world.Those who want to make friends with children around the world can join the Children Just Like Me Penpal Club, details of which are included in this book. Part of the Penpal Club membership fee goes to support UNICEF, helping children all over the world.

To Root, to Toot, to Parachute: What Is a Verb?


Brian P. Cleary - 2000
    Chock-full of colorful, lively examples, the playful rhymes and illustrations of comical cartoon cats combine to hightlight key words in the sentences. Verbs like toss and tumble, jump and jam, jog and juggle, and jig and leap are printed in color for easy identification.

The Night Before First Grade


Natasha Wing - 2005
    Penny is excited to startthe year with her best friend right beside her in the same classroom. This humorous take on Clement C. Moore's classic tale has a perfect twist ending that will surprise readers—as well as the “heroine” of the story—and help all about-to-be first-graders through their own backto- school jitters.

Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems


Marilyn Singer - 2013
    Now a second book is here with more witty double takes on well-loved fairy tales such as Thumbelina and The Little Mermaid.Read these clever poems from top to bottom and they mean one thing. Then reverse the lines and read from bottom to top and they mean something else–it is almost like magic!A celebration of sight, sound, and story, this book is a marvel to read again and again.

A Million Dots


Andrew Clements - 2006
    But do you really know what a million looks like? If you'd like to see -- actually see, right now, with your own eyes -- what a million looks like, just open this book. Be prepared to learn some interesting things along the way. Like how many shoe boxes it would take to make a stack to Mount Everest. And be prepared to do some number wondering of your own. But, most of all, be prepared to be amazed. Because a million is a LOT of dots.

The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot July 25, 1909


Alice Provensen - 1983
    "This book...recounts the persistence of a Frenchman, Louis Bleriot, to build a flying machine to cross the English Channel....  The text is succinct, caption-like in its directness and brevity....The paintings...add the necessary testure and tone to this marriage.  This is vintage Provensen" – School Library Journal