Clovis Keeps His Cool


Katelyn Aronson - 2021
    He pours tea, listens to soothing music, and always keeps Granny’s words in mind: “Grace, grace, nothing broken to replace.”But when rivals from his football days come to heckle him at the shop, Clovis faces a big challenge that even Granny’s words and deep breaths might not be enough for. Readers will fall in love with Clovis’s gentle soul in this heartwarming and entertaining story about finding inner peace and second chances.

Extraordinary Jane


Hannah E. Harrison - 2014
    She isn't strong, graceful, or brave like her family. When she tries to be those things, Jane just doesn't feel like herself, but she also doesn't feel special. Is she really meant for this kind of life? Her Ringmaster thinks so, but not for the reasons Jane believes. Ordinary can be extraordinary!

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes


Mark Pett - 2011
    Meet Beatrice Bottomwell: a nine-year-old girl who has never (not once!) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, Beatrice holds the record of perfection in her hometown, where she is known as The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes. Life for Beatrice is sailing along pretty smoothly until she does the unthinkableshe makes her first mistake. And in a very public way!

Wolfie the Bunny


Ame Dyckman - 2015
    A new brother takes getting used to, and when (in a twist of fate) it's Wolfie who's threatened, can Dot save the day?

Katie Loves the Kittens


John Himmelman - 2008
    She loves them so much!But Katie's enthusiasm frightens the kitties, and she's sad when they run away from her. Don't they know that she just wants to play?Katie Loves the Kittens is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Bird House


Blanca Gomez - 2021
    They take it home and care for it until it can fly around the living room. It is fantastic—just like everything at Abuela’s house! But a fantastic moment is also bittersweet, for the little bird’s recovery means that it’s time to let it fly free. Drawing inspiration from a formative childhood experience, Blanca Gómez crafts a deceptively simple story that is morally and emotionally resonant and is brimming with love, wonder, and a deep respect for the natural world.

Goyangi Means Cat


Christine McDonnell - 2011
    She finds great comfort in the family's cat, Goyangi - that is, until he runs away. After searching the streets with her mother, Soo Min discovers her beloved pet has returned to the house, and speaks her first English word - "Goyangi home." This gentle story reveals that home is truly where the heart is.

Come with Me


Holly M. McGhee - 2017
    "Come with me," he says. Hand-in-hand, they walk to the subway, tipping their hats to those they meet. The next day, the girl asks her mama what she can do--her mama says, "Come with me," and together they set out for the grocery, because one person doesn't represent an entire race or the people of a land. After dinner that night, the little girl asks if she can do something of her own--walk the dog . . . and her parents let her go. "Come with me," the girl tells the boy across the hall. Walking together, one step at a time, the girl and the boy begin to see that as small and insignificant as their part may seem, it matters to the world.

Swashby and the Sea


Beth Ferry - 2020
    This hilarious picture book will keep emerging readers laughing, and the message-related mishaps in the story create an opportunity for spelling and sounding out new words while learning from home! Captain Swashby loves the sea, his oldest friend. And he loves his life by the sea just as it is: salty and sandy and serene. One day, much to Swashby’s chagrin, a young girl and her granny commandeer the empty house next door. All Swashby wants is for his new neighbors to GO AWAY and take their ruckus with them. When Swashby begins to leave notes in the sand for his noisy neighbors, however, the beach interferes with the messages that are getting across. Could it be that the captain’s oldest friend, the sea, knows what Swashby needs even better than he knows himself?

Sterling, Best Dog Ever


Aidan Cassie - 2018
    But no home has ever wanted him. So when Sterling sees a sign on the side of the Butlery Cutlery Company advertising free "shipping to homes around the world," he is determined to become the most terrific fork ever! For what home doesn't need flatware?Sterling is delivered on time and undamaged to the Gilbert family's front door. He is not, however, what they ordered. . . . But he may be exactly what they need. Here is a humorous, heart-tugging picture book about finding a family who wants you just as you are.

The Dead Bird


Margaret Wise Brown - 1938
    They are very sorry, so they decide to say good-bye. In the park, they dig a hole for the bird and cover it with warm sweet-ferns and flowers. Finally, they sing sweet songs to send the little bird on its way.

Pepper & Poe


Frann Preston-Gannon - 2015
    He's set in his ways, and used to his normal routine in the house that he rules--or thinks he rules, anyway! Yup, he's got everything down to a science, including how to manipulate the house dog. That is until a new kitty named Poe comes along and starts messing up everything! Can Poe get Pepper to accept him as part of the family?This hilarious story reinvents the age-old new sibling topic with a furry twist, taking an emotionally heavy subject and masking it with humor--all while reinforcing the days of the week! Frann Preston-Gannon, the 2011 Maurice Sendak Fellowship Award Winner, makes a stunning US picture book debut with her unique, eye-catching artwork and clever use of text.

Scaredy Squirrel


Mélanie Watt - 2006
    It's way too dangerous out there. He could encounter tarantulas, green Martians or killer bees. But in his tree, every day is the same and if danger comes along, he's well-prepared. Scaredy Squirrel's emergency kit includes antibacterial soap, Band-Aids and a parachute.Day after day he watches and waits, and waits and watches, until one day ... his worst nightmare comes true! Scaredy suddenly finds himself out of his tree, where germs, poison ivy and sharks lurk. But as Scaredy Squirrel leaps into the unknown, he discovers something really uplifting ...

Julia's House for Lost Creatures


Ben Hatke - 2014
    Quiet isn't a problem anymore for Julia...but getting her housemates to behave themselves is!The simple, sweet text of this picture book by New York Times Best-Selling Zita the Spacegirl author/illustrator Ben Hatke is perfectly balanced by his lush, detailed, immersive watercolor illustrations.

McDuff Moves in


Rosemary Wells - 1997
    After they feed him rice pudding and bathe him, they realize that they cannot bear to return him to the pound. Newly adopted, McDuff-named that night for their favorite shortbread biscuit-is last seen happily asleep on his back on a pillow next to Fred and Lucy's bed.Jeffers's illustrations brilliantly capture a bygone art deco America in Lucy and Fred's cozy home, a virtual-reality nostalgia unfaded. Dog lovers everywhere will recognize the very specific details that bring McDuff to life, from the familiar lift of a paw in the rain to the frightened eyes peeking out over the car dashboard.