The Dot


Peter H. Reynolds - 2003
    Reynolds entices even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark -- and follow where it takes us.Her teacher smiled. "Just make a mark and see where it takes you."Art class is over, but Vashti is sitting glued to her chair in front of a blank piece of paper. The words of her teacher are a gentle invitation to express herself. But Vashti can't draw - she's no artist. To prove her point, Vashti jabs at a blank sheet of paper to make an unremarkable and angry mark. "There!" she says.That one little dot marks the beginning of Vashti's journey of surprise and self-discovery. That special moment is the core of Peter H. Reynolds's delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us.

Memoirs of a Goldfish


Devin Scillian - 2010
    A personal account from a goldfish on life in his bowl as other intruders crowd him.

Construction


Sally Sutton - 2014
    Hoist the wood. Chain and hook and strap. Swing it round, then lower it down. Thonk! Clonk! Clap! Build the frame. Build the frame. Hammer all day long. Make the stairs and floors and walls. Bing! Bang! Bong!

Naughty Kitty


Adam Stower - 2012
    When things start to go wrong around the house, Lily is quick to blame her new furry friend, but doesn't notice the much bigger and more dangerous feline that has taken up residence - a huge tiger!

Cars and Trucks and Things That Go (Giant Little Golden Book)


Richard Scarry - 1974
    Every manner of machinery that moves is riotously depicted in this classic favorite. As the pig family head to the beach for a picnic, they encounter every vehicle known, from the forklift to the locomotive, and many vehicles that are not as common, from the pumpkin car to the broom-o-cycle. Each detailed spread provides tremendous opportunity to make up stories and describe situations. Will Officer Flossy catch Dingo? Will Rollo Rabbit catch his runaway steamroller? And with literally hundreds of things to look at, youngsters will spend hours trying to find Goldbug on every page.

Bill and Pete


Tomie dePaola - 1978
    Bill, the crocodile, and Pete, his "toothbrush" bird friend, were inspired by the Egyptian plover, which does indeed act as a crocodile toothbrush.Their adventures together along the banks of the River Nile, which include Bill's first day at crocodile school and an encounter with the Bad Guy from Cairo, are filled with the originality and offbeat humor of this favorite author-artist.

Quackers


Liz Wong - 2016
    Sure, he may have paws and whiskers. And his quacks might sound more like…well, meows, but he lives among ducks, everyone he knows is a duck, and he’s happy.Then Quackers meets another duck who looks like him (& talks like him, too!)—but he calls himself a cat. So silly!Quackers loves being among his new friends the cats, but he also misses his duck friends, and so he finds a way to combine the best of both worlds. Part cat, part duck, all Quackers!

Little i


Michael Hall - 2017
    A charming, suspenseful, and wholly original picture book about the adventure of growing up, from the acclaimed and bestselling creator of Red: A Crayon’s Story and Wonderfall.When Little i’s dot falls off, rolls down a hill, over a cliff, and into the sea, Little i sets out on a journey to rescue it.With a playful focus on the alphabet, spelling, and simple punctuation, this accessible young quest story about letters, self-confidence, belonging, and growing up is a great choice for the classroom, library story-hours, and bedtime.

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.

Stick and Stone


Beth Ferry - 2015
    But when Stick gets stuck, can Stone return the favor? With simple rhyming text, subtle messages of kindness and compassion, and Tom Lichtenheld’s signature charm, this delightful story about making and helping friends will enchant readers young and old because it’s never too early—or too late—to stick up for your friends.Don't miss further adventures with Stick and Stone in Stick and Stone: Best Friends Forever.

Gaston


Kelly DiPucchio - 2014
    Gaston works the hardest at his lessons on how to be a proper pooch. He sips - never slobbers! He yips - never yaps! And he walks with grace - never races! Gaston fits right in with his poodle sisters.But a chance encounter with a bulldog family in the park-Rocky, Ricky, Bruno, and Antoinette-reveals there's been a mix-up, and so Gaston and Antoinette switch places. The new families look right...but they don't feel right. Can these puppies follow their noses-and their hearts-to find where they belong?

Miss Nelson Is Missing!


Harry Allard - 1977
    Spitballs stuck to the ceiling. Paper planes whizzing through the air. They were the worst-behaved class in the whole school.So begins this quirky classic, first published in 1977 and still relevant today as a lighthearted reminder to show our appreciation to those we value. The students don’t proffer a shred of respect for their good-natured teacher Miss Nelson, but when the witchy substitute Miss Viola Swamp appears on the scene, they start to regret their own wicked ways. James Marshall’s scritchy, cartoonish full-color ink and wash illustrations are hilarious. A back-to-school perennial!

Who Took the Farmer's Hat?


Joan L. Nodset - 1963
    And as fast as the farmer ran, the wind raced even faster. So the farmer went looking. Neither squirrel, nor Mouse, nor Duck, nor any of the other animals has seen the hat--though they had seen some pretty strange things. Would the farmer ever find his favorite hat?

The Missing Piece


Shel Silverstein - 1976
    And it was not happy. What it finds on its search for the missing piece is simply and touchingly told. This inventive and heartwarming book can be read on many levels, and Silverstein’s iconic drawings and humor are sure to delight fans of all ages.So it set off in searchof its missing piece.And as it rolledit sang this song— Oh I'm lookin' for my missin' pieceI'm lookin' for my missin' pieceHi-dee-ho, here I go,Lookin' for my missin' piece.And don't miss Runny Babbit Returns, the new book from Shel Silverstein!

On the Day You Were Born


Debra Frasier - 1991
    Accompanied by a detailed glossary explaining such natural phenomena as gravity, tides, and migration, this is an unforgettable book. “A book filled with reverence for the natural order of the world and the place of the individual in it.”--School Library Journal