The Puddle


David McPhail - 1998
    After he finds a perfect spot for sailing, the boy is joined by a frog who wants a ride on his boat. Then a turtle floats by, followed by a helpful crocodile, a pig in a swimsuit, and a very thirsty elephant. Brought to life in rich watercolor illustrations, this cheerful assortment of visitors could make a rainy day a happy adventure for any child.

My Teacher Sleeps in School


Leatie Weiss - 1984
    Marsh's class as they search for clues to prove their teacher sleeps in school, and enjoy their surprise when a mystery bus trip ends in front of a nice white house with a blue door--a house much like the ones they live in themselves.

Birdie's Lighthouse


Deborah Hopkinson - 1996
    Sometimes it roars so load that it drowns our voices. Mama says there hasn't been a storm this fierce since the night I was born. She thinks it too dangerous for me to go to the tower again. Yet what else can I do? I'm the lightkeeper now. On the tiny lighthouse island that is her family's new home, Birdie faithfully keeps a journal. She writes down everthing: the change of seasons, the rhythms of the sea, and all that her father, the lightkeeper, is teaching her. But then one stormy night, her father is taken ill. And only Birdie knows how to keep the lighthouse's strong beam running. Will she be brave enough to guide the boats safely into harbor?

Herman the Helper


Robert Kraus - 1974
    Herman the helpful octopus is always willing to assist anyone who needs his help--old or young, friend or enemy.

Do You Know What I'll Do?


Charlotte Zolotow - 1958
     Do you know what I'll do at the seashore? I'll bring you a shell to hold the sound of the sea. In a little girl's magical question-and-answer game, Charlotte Zolotow captures, with unerring childlike simplicity, a sister's special love for her little brother.

Crickwing


Janell Cannon - 2000
    All he wants is to create his art in peace. But it's not easy being different--a cockroach with a cricked wing and a flair for sculpture is a ready target for the bigger creatures in the forest. Crickwing just wants to even the score, and leafcutter ants are so easy to pick on. ...Big mistake. INobody/I angers the leafcutter queen and gets away with it.In this epic adventure beneath the foliage, Crickwing and the leafcutter ants go head-to-head. Then a swarm of ferocious army ants threatens, and suddenly everyone is in danger. Crickwing has to do something, but what? He's an artist, not a fighter. What the leafcutters need is a hero. Or, maybe, a cockroach with a really clever idea...About the Author: Janell Cannon's picture books have won many awards and are beloved around the world. Before she became a full-time creator of books for children, she designed and produced summer reading programs at her local public library. Born and raised in Minnesota, Ms. Cannon now lives in Southern California.

Welcome with Love


Jennifer Prior - 1999
    The midwife arrives and the whole family prepare for the home birth.

Do Not Open


Brinton Turkle - 1981
    Captain Kidd wasn't the famous pirate; he was a cat. One morning after a storm, Miss Moody found him washed up on the beach. He was nearly drowned. She nursed him until he was well, and he repaid her kindness by keeping her cottage free of mice.

The Signmaker's Assistant


Tedd Arnold - 1992
    But what he'd really like to do is make his own signs. Then one day he gets his chance... and suddenly, all signs are pointing to trouble!'Well suited for reading aloud... (this book) will appeal to children's sense of fun.'- School Library Journal

Peter Spier's Circus


Peter Spier - 1992
    The circus is in town! Come join in the fun as Caldecott Medalist Peter Spier creates a circus like no other, in this exuberant celebration of the wonders of the big top.

Norman the Doorman


Don Freeman - 1959
    Norman, the doorman of a mouse hole in an art museum, uses his own art talent and finds a way to see the art treasures in the galleries upstairs.

John Patrick Norman McHennessy: The Boy Who Was Always Late


John Burningham - 1987
    To make things worse, his teacher never believes his story.

Why the Chicken Crossed the Road


David Macaulay - 1987
    The tale of the chicken and Desperate Dan, a bandit, told in beautiful full-color pictures and leavened by the trademark wit of David Macaulay.

Gilberto and the Wind


Marie Hall Ets - 1963
    The wind blows all kinds of things.

Miss Fannie's Hat


Jan Karon - 1993
    Now includes an audio CD of the author reading the story.