Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats


T.S. Eliot - 1939
    Eliot for his godchildren and friends in the thirties. They have delighted generations of children since, and inspired Andrew Lloyd Webber's brilliant musical Cats.

Cat Talk


Patricia MacLachlan - 2013
    Authors Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest and illustrator Barry Moser give voice to and celebrate our most opinionated furry friends in this spirited collection of poems filled with rich language, perfect for reading aloud. Cat Talk is sure to make readers wonder what their own four-legged friends have to say.Supports the Common Core State Standards

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings


Douglas Florian - 2007
         From the moon to the stars, from the Earth to Mars, here is an exuberant celebration of our celestial surroundings that's certain to become a universal favorite among aspiring astronomers everywhere.      Includes die-cut pages and a glossary of space terms.

We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices


Wade HudsonRita Williams-Garcia - 2018
    Fifty of the foremost diverse children's authors and illustrators--including Jason Reynolds, Jacqueline Woodson, and Kwame Alexander--share answers to the question, "In this divisive world, what shall we tell our children?" in this beautiful, full-color keepsake collection, published in partnership with Just Us Books.What do we tell our children when the world seems bleak, and prejudice and racism run rampant? With 96 lavishly designed pages of original art and prose, fifty diverse creators lend voice to young activists.Featuring poems, letters, personal essays, art, and other works from such industry leaders as Jacqueline Woodson (Brown Girl Dreaming), Jason Reynolds (All American Boys), Kwame Alexander (The Crossover), Andrea Pippins (I Love My Hair), Sharon Draper (Out of My Mind), Rita Williams-Garcia (One Crazy Summer), Ellen Oh (cofounder of We Need Diverse Books), and artists Ekua Holmes, Rafael Lopez, James Ransome, Javaka Steptoe, and more, this anthology empowers the nation's youth to listen, learn, and build a better tomorrow.

If I Found a Wistful Unicorn: A Gift of Love


Ann Ashford - 1978
    Through thoughtful and fanciful questions Ashford explores what we risk when we ask for love and what special rewards may be waiting for us in return. Subdued watercolor illustrations perfectly capture the book's gentle tone and important message. The perfect book for any occasion when a gift of love is needed.

Reach for the Stars: and Other Advice for Life’s Journey


Serge Bloch - 2010
    Having mastered the first day of school, the two are embarking further on the perilous journey of life. Like all of us, they encounter many FORKS IN THE ROAD and UPHILL BATTLES—but they also find that there’s no better time than right now to REACH FOR THE STARS and SHOOT FOR THE MOON. And just as with his Butterflies in My Stomach, Bloch’s witty art—a wonderful mix of whimsical line drawings and photography—will delight, charm, and inspire.

A Portrait in Poems: The Storied Life of Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas


Evie Robillard - 2020
    Toklas, come to life in this charming and innovative picture book biography, told in clever second-person free verse.Here's an insider's tour of the fascinating lives of Gertrude Stein and her partner, Alice B. Toklas, amusingly addressed directly to the reader ("The next time you go to Paris …"). It explores the couple's art collection, their famous writer and artist friends and even their dog, Basket. It also describes how Gertrude's book The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas was not about Alice, but was more about Gertrude herself! A celebration of creativity and the creative process, this original and very readable picture book biography champions two women who dared to live unconventional lives.In playful free verse, author Evie Robillard offers a unique introduction to one of the most influential figures of twentieth-century art and literature. It includes twelve child-friendly quotations from Stein's work, such as: "It takes a lot of time to be a genius, you have to sit around so much doing nothing, really doing nothing." Illustrator Rachel Katstaller's fun yet detailed art delightfully evokes the time and place of the text. Touching on literature, history, writing and the visual arts, this biography offers loads of direct curriculum applications. Back matter includes a time line, "snapshots," sources and an author's note with further background.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas


Tim Burton - 1993
    He's in charge of making Halloweenland the coolest creepy place around. But when Jack suddenly grows bored with tricks and treats, he goes searching for new ways to celebrate...and he finds them in Christmas Town! Christmas, Jack decides, is just what Halloweenland -- and the world -- needs! He sets out to take over the role of Santa. But can anything good come of a tall and lanky skeleton dressed up as everyone's favorite jolly old elf? Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the Walt Disney Company's most successful franchises, with a huge cult following and a loyal and growing fan base. This beautiful reissue of the book first released in 1993 is a surefire Halloween, Christmas, and year-round hit! The Nightmare Before Christmas is the first book that Tim Burton has written and illustrated.

The Imaginaries: Little Scraps of Larger Stories


Emily Winfield Martin - 2020
    Emily Winfield Martin, shares her "Imaginaries": paintings from over the last ten years, captioned with one sentence.From mermaids and giant flowers to magical robes and mysterious characters, each image is given a one-line caption--the beginning of a story, or maybe the middle--you imagine the rest.The captions are hand-written on vintage scraps of paper, envelopes, postcards and more.

The Little Chapel That Stood


A.B. Curtiss - 2003
    Firemen hung their shoes on the fence and raced to help the people in the towers: Oh what gallant men did we lose/Who never came back to get their shoes. The story of terror overcome by courage and bravery that teaches us no one is too small to make a difference.

The Beatrice Letters


Lemony Snicket - 2006
    How I pity these readers. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket

The Agent With a Bone to Pick


D.R. Tara - 2014
    After finding him on the road and adopting him, his parents give him a life that most dogs could only imagine, riding with Mummy on her scooter and playing cricket with Daddy. In Story 1, Jack spies on Mummy as she shops in a mall. In doing so, he foils the efforts of a robber who tried to steal Mummy’s purse. His efforts result in an invitation to join the police force as a special agent. In Story 2, Jack goes undercover to solve a case of looting in the neighbourhood. In story 3 Jack finds a great friend in Scoobie, and the two friends spend quality time playing together.

Carver: A Life in Poems


Marilyn Nelson - 1997
    In 1877 he left home in search of an education, eventually earning a master's degree. In 1896, Booker T. Washington invited Carver to start the agricultural department at the all-black-staffed Tuskegee Institute, where he spent the rest of his life seeking solutions to the poverty among landless black farmers by developing new uses for soil-replenishing crops such as peanuts, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes. Carver's achievements as a botanist and inventor were balanced by his gifts as a painter, musician, and teacher. This Newbery Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book by Marilyn Nelson provides a compelling and revealing portrait of Carver's complex, richly interior, profoundly devout life.

Goodnight iPad: A Parody for the Next Generation


Ann Droyd - 2011
    For parents and children alike, here is a modern bedtime story about bidding our gadgets goodnight. Don't worry, though. They'll be waiting for us, fully charged, in the morning.

Duck, Death and the Tulip


Wolf Erlbruch - 2006
    Death, Duck and the Tulip will intrigue, haunt and enchant readers of all ages. Simple, unusual, warm and witty, this book deals with a difficult subject in a way that is elegant, straightforward, and thought-provoking.