Book picks similar to
Bear's All-Night Party by Bill Harley


picture-books
children-fiction
early-readers
animal-books

Owl Sees Owl


Laura Godwin - 2016
       With just three or four words per page, this story follows a baby owl one night as he leaves the safety of his nest (Home/Mama/Brother/Sister) and explores the starry world around him (Soar/Glide/Swoop/Swoosh). Inspired by reverso poetry, the words reverse in the middle when the baby owl is startled upon seeing his reflection in the pond (Owl/Sees/Owl). Afraid of it, little owl takes off toward home, soaring over farms and forests (Swoosh/Swoop/Glide/Soar) until he is finally safely home again (Sister/Brother/Mama/Home).

Old MacDonald Had a Farm


Gris Grimly - 2017
    Inspired by his son's love for Old MacDonald and his own family's farming history, and with stunning, sweeping watercolor illustrations, and a surprise twist ending that kids will relish, Gris brings this beloved song to glorious new life. Young children will love reading and singing along as they join our nimble footed Farmer on his morning jaunt across the farmyard and he greets each of his farm animals and beckons them to join his parade. Little ones will delight when the parade culminates in an unexpected e twist ending as Farmer opens the big red barn doors...and GASP...there's a BEAR hidden inside! With a moving artists' note from Gris explaining the history of this song, and his personal connection to it, this delightful retelling has all the makings of a classic.

All God's Critters


Bill Staines - 1989
     All God's critters have a place in the choir! And this jubilant and raucous bunch is waiting for you to join in because everybody has a part to sing. It doesn't matter if you sing like a bird...howl like a wolf...or croak like a frog!

Lucy and Company


Marianne Dubuc - 2016
    (Anton the bear also makes two surprise appearances!) Readers will be delighted to spend time in Lucy's world, as the friends share snacks on a picnic, celebrate a special birthday with a treasure hunt and find a new home for some lost baby chicks. Told with sweet humor and simple language, each of the bite-size stories contains its own complete adventure --- with an unexpected twist at the end! All stories are centered on the small, simple moments of the friends' days together, just what matters most to very young children. In a nod to Winnie-the-Pooh and its map of Hundred Acre Wood, a full spread at the beginning of the book features a bird's-eye view drawing that captures Lucy's world and shows where the stories take place, adding depth to the narrative. Award-winning artist Marianne Dubuc has created a perfectly charming storytime book that hits all the right notes. Her artwork, with its soft and subdued palette, beautifully captures the book's warmth. She presents her illustrations within panels, encouraging visual literacy and making the text easy to follow for pre-readers. This positive book explores key social skills for this age such as sharing, discovering new friends and helping others, making it a terrific fit for character education lessons on kindness, empathy and caring. Other classroom connections are introductions to counting and following step-by-step directions.

Tuck Me In!


Dean Hacohen - 2010
    The moon is rising. All the baby animals, from peacocks to pigs to zebras, are ready for bed. Will you tuck them in and say good night? Just turn the pages and the big inviting flaps that serve as blankets cover each little creature up to its chin. This simple but endlessly satisfying novelty, with its array of goggle-eyed baby animals, bold patterns, and vibrant colors, is sure to be the book of choice for little ones everywhere, night after night.

The Big Snow


Berta Hader - 1948
    They gather food and look for warm, snug places in the ground, trees, caves or thickets, where they can find protection against the icy winds.It might have been hard for the birds and animals of the hillside to survive when the Big Snow came if their good friends, who lived in the little stone house, had not remembered to put food out for them.Here, in many beautiful pictures, the Haders show how winter comes to the woodland as the busy animals make their preparations.

Little Mist


Angela McAllister - 2008
    Guided and protected by his mother, Little Mist discovers the glistening snow, the mountain streams and the cloud forests. The world may look big to a little cub but one day, his mother tells him, he will be the king of the mountains.

Pet of the Met


Don Freeman - 1953
    Maestro Petrini, the tiny page-turner for the Prompter at the Metropolitan Opera House, has always evaded Mefisto the cat until the day Petrini gets carried away by Mozart's Magic Flute and joins the performers onstage.

Where Is Tippy Toes?


Betsy Lewin - 2010
    Over here. Over there. His house is the perfect place to tiptoe the day away, lurking behind unsuspecting birds and mice, crouching behind garden posies, and surprising a little boy with his unusual hiding spots. Die-cut pages let readers discover where Tippy Toe goes as his day unfolds, and end up revealing the most satisfying hiding place of all—a warm cozy bed! Told with simple rhymes and mischievous illustrations by award-winning creator Betsy Lewin, this is a book to curl up with and enjoy—preferably in a nice sunny spot.

The Perfect Seat


Minh Lê - 2019
    This child and their parent are almost ready for story time--but first, they must find the perfect seat! This picture book takes readers through various opposites ("Too rough! Too slippery!") as the characters search for just the right spot.

Monkey and Duck Quack Up


Jennifer Hamburg - 2015
    . . this picture book has it all!Duck and Monkey, best of friends,as different as odds and ends.Monkey's eager, Duck's laid-back.Together, do they have the knackto be a winning rhyming teamand satisfy a monkey's dream?Turn the page and try your luck.See if you can out-rhyme Duck!

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star


Jerry Pinkney - 2011
    As a curious little chipmunk leaves his nest to greet the twilight, he gazes at the glittering sky above him. He can't help but also notice the sparkling dewdrops on a spider's web, the lights of the fireflies, and the shimmers of moonlight on the water. "How I wonder what you are!" marvels the tiny creature, launching a dreamlike quest to reach for the stars.Don't miss these other classic retellings by Jerry Pinkney:The Little MermaidThe Lion & the MouseThe Tortoise & the HareThe Grasshopper & the AntsThe Three Billy Goats GruffLittle Red Riding Hood

The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow


Andy Griffiths - 2008
    . .5,4,3,2,1 . . . KAPOW!"New York Times-"bestselling author Andy Griffiths, follows up his slimy, rhymey, easy-to-read hit, "The Cat on the Mat is Flat," with ten more hilarious short, rhyming stories guaranteed to make kids laugh.* "Kirkus Reviews"

Sweet Dreamers


Isabelle Simler - 2017
    Countless cozy animals are settling in for the night, but they all sleep in different ways. A bat dreams upside down, a hedgehog snuggles into a pile of leaves, and a humpback whale spins in its sleep like a ballerina.With its poetic language and lush illustrations, Sweet Dreamers will dazzle young readers as they drift off to sleep themselves.

Joy Unleashed: The Story of Bella, the Unlikely Therapy Dog


Jean Baur - 2016
      Just after Jean Baur adopted a rescue dog, Bella, she lost her job at sixty-five. She decided to enroll Bella in a certified therapy-dog class. This new work, visiting hospital patients with her therapy job, gave Jean hope and purpose.   As Bella’s work expanded to nursing homes and elementary schools, the journey into the world of therapy-dog work allowed Jean and Bella to help others. They met an Alzheimer’s patient who learned to smile again after Bella took a treat from her hand. They befriended a six-year-old boy with autism who previously had a deep fear of dogs. Bella also coaxed an uncommunicative hospital patient to open up again after she jumped into bed with him.   National award-winning author Kim Kavin says Joy Unleashed “isn’t just another book about a dog and a person rescuing one another. It’s about how, together, Jean and Bella share their beautiful gift with countless other people who so desperately need to smile.”