Book picks similar to
In a Small Kingdom by Tomie dePaola


picture-books
picture-book
childrens
children-s

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave


Marianna Mayer - 1994
    One night the stepmother sends Vasilisa to visit Baba Yaga, an errand from which the gentle girl has little chance of returning alive. "An engaging text and accomplished paintings set this version apart....A stylized and classy offering."--School Library Journal.

Cinnamon


Neil Gaiman - 1995
    Cinnamon had pearls for eyes. Cinnamon did not talk.Her father and mother offered many riches to anyone who could get Cinnamon to speak. One day a tiger came to the palace, armed with knowledge of the world, and everything changed.

Again!


Emily Gravett - 2011
    Every night, baby dragon Cedric loves his mom to read his favorite dragon book. He wants to hear it over and over again until the exhausted mom falls asleep...

The Cloud Spinner


Michael Catchpool - 2012
    He spins just enough cloth for a warm scarf. But when the king sees the boy's magnificent cloth, he demands cloaks and gowns galore. "It would not be wise," the boy protests. "Your majesty does not need them!" But spin he must—and soon the world around him begins to change.From author Michael Catchpool and illustrator Alison Jay comes a magical tale about the beauty and fragility of our natural world, and the wisdom and courage needed to protect it.

Rumpelstiltskin


Paul O. Zelinsky - 1986
    Adults will find that, like most classic fairy tales, this one rewards periodic rethinking." --New York Times Book Review"Zelinsky's smooth retelling and glowing pictures cast the story in a new and beautiful light." -- School Library Journal

Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug


Jonathan Stutzman - 2019
    Meet Tiny, a diminutive but determined T-Rex in a big world, as he embraces all obstacles against him in his quest to learn how to hug.

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock


Eric A. Kimmel - 1988
    But Little Bush Deer is onto Anansi's scheme, and hatches a plan to beat him at his own game.Based on tales originating in West Africa and familiar in Caribbean culture, the five-book Anansi the Trickster series is full of slapstick humor and mischief. Eric A. Kimmel's imaginative energy combined with Janet Stevens' expressive illustrations create the perfect silly stories for fun-loving kids.

The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot


Margaret McNamara - 2011
    Margaret McNamara (How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?) and Mark Fearing (The Book that Eats People) have created a humorous and visually stunning story that kids will adore—and that will introduce them to the planets and the solar system. The endpapers even include a labeled diagram of all the planets.

Princess Smartypants


Babette Cole - 1987
    Commanded by her parents to find herself a husband, the Princess sets tasks for her horde of suitors. All of the potential husbands fail miserably as the gleeful Princess looks on — until Prince Swashbuckle appears. . . .

Pirates Love Underpants


Claire Freedman - 2012
    This laugh-out-loud Underpants adventure is full of pirates, sharks, and treasure. You’ll be yo-ho-ho-ing with hilarity until the pirates conclude their zany expedition!

King Midas and the Golden Touch


M. Charlotte Craft - 1999
    When a mysterious stranger offers to reward Midas for a kindness, the king does not hesitate: He wishes that all he touches would turn to gold. To his delight, his wish is granted and he soon sets about transforming his ordinary palace into a place of golden beauty. But to his dismay, when he accidentally turns his beloved daughter into a golden statue, Midas learns that what at first seems a blessing can also become a curse.

Ganesha's Sweet Tooth


Sanjay Patel - 2012
    Ganesha is just like any other kid, except that he has the head of an elephant and rides around on a magical mouse. And he loves sweets, especially the traditional dessert laddoo. But when Ganesha insists on biting into a super jumbo jawbreaker laddoo, his tusk breaks off! Ganesha is terribly upset, but with the help of the wise poet Vyasa, and his friend Mr. Mouse, he learns that what seems broken can actually be quite useful after all. With vibrant, graphic illustrations, expressive characters, and offbeat humor, this is a wonderfully inventive rendition of a classic tale.

Lovabye Dragon


Barbara M. Joosse - 2012
    In his nest in his cave in his mountain, a dragon dreams of a girl.When a lonely dragon follows a trail of princess tears, a beautiful friendship is born. They march and sing, roar and whisper, hide and seek, then settle into snug companionship at bedtime. Barbara Joosse’s fiercely protective and gently loving dragon cavorts across the pages, endearingly illustrated by Randy Cecil. At the end of the day, who can resist curling up in the embrace of a lovabye dragon?

Love


Matt de la Pena - 2018
    "In the beginning there is light and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed and the sound of their voices is love....A cab driver plays love softly on his radiowhile you bounce in back with the bumps of the city and everything smells new, and it smells like life."In this heartfelt celebration of love, Matt de la Peña and illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical text that's soothing and inspiring, this tender tale is a needed comfort and a new classic that will resonate with readers of every age.

The Very Last Castle


Travis Jonker - 2018
    Every time she passes by him, she tries to catch his eye. While the other townspeople fear what may be locked up inside the mysterious castle, the girl finally gets up the courage to knock on the door and find out what’s really behind the gate. A story about overcoming fear of the unknown, trying new things, and reaching out to make new friends, The Very Last Castle shows that bravery comes in packages both big and small.