Book picks similar to
Zoom: Rainforest Adventure by Susan Hayes


animals
nature
picture-books
not-at-library-kids

Lost and Found Ducklings


Valeri Gorbachev - 2018
    Everyone must help! Moose will try to call Mama and Papa Duck with his earth-shattering bellow. Moooo! Wolf will use her piercing howl. Awooo! and Bear his Grrr! What finally attracts Mama and Papa, though, are the sweet peep-peeps of their little ones. A story about cooperation, community, and noisy fun! Hooooot!Ink and watercolor paintings are masterful, charming, and joyful.Perfect for fans of Moo, Baa, La La La!

The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas


Kimberly Willis Holt - 2021
    Rylee befriends Joe and learns that Joe's father was a first responder on 9/11. The two unlikely friends soon embark on a project to find Zachary Beaver and hopefully reconnect him with Rylee's father almost thirty years later.This beautiful middle grade novel is a tribute to friendships--old and new--and explores the challenges of rebuilding what may seem lost or destroyed.

The Adventure Is Now


Jess Redman - 2021
    Greene. He says all the wrong things, his family is falling apart, and everyone at school avoids him because of the very embarrassing Bird Brain Incident. But when Milton plays his video game Isle of Wild, he becomes someone else--Sea Hawk, the brave and brilliant naturalist explorer who conquers danger at every turn. Then Milton's parents ship him off to the remote Lone Island for the summer, where his uncle Evan is an environmentalist researcher. The island is chock-full of spectacular species, and Milton realizes this is his chance to become the brave and brilliant naturalist he's always wanted to be--and even meet some fellow explorers!But as it turns out, the future of the Lone Island is in some pretty serious peril, and the only thing that can save it is a field guide full of cryptic clues. If Milton and his unexpected new friends are going to protect the island, they'll have to trust each other, discover new truths, and embark on a wild and wondrous adventure all their own.

Alma and the Beast


Esmé Shapiro - 2019
    From the utterly original imagination of the author-illustrator of Ooko comes a story about celebrating differences and making new friends. For fans of Where the Wild Things Are and Wild.Alma lives happily in her hairy world, where she can braid the trees, comb the grass, pet the roof and feed her plumpooshkie butterfly. Until one day . . . a hairless, button-nosed beast appears in the garden! At first Alma is scared but when she realizes the beast is lost and misses her hairless home, Alma offers to help her find her way back. As the two take a fantastical journey through the red-headed woods and the bearded mushroom glen to the beast's bald abode, they discover that they are much more alike than different.This quirky and charming story about friendship, tolerance and perspective invites readers into a surreal, fantastical world that evokes Alice in Wonderland, Where the Wild Things Are and The Lorax.

Hill & Hole


Kyle Mewburn - 2010
    Hill loves being a hill, but sometimes he wishes he could be a hole and feel the earth breathing beneath him. Hole loves being a hole but just once would love to see the sun rising. So they ask mole if he can help. Pretty soon Hill is a hole and Hole is a hill. But things aren't always what they seem and what at first seemed wonderful and new turns out not to be so great after all. Can Hill and Hole ever find an answer to their dilemma?

I Dream of a Journey


Akiko Miyakoshi - 2020
    He enjoys meeting them, and many even become his friends. Only, sometimes, when he goes to sleep at night, the desire to travel far away himself wells up inside him. He dreams of packing a big bag and journeying wherever he pleases, from one unfamiliar town to another. He imagines stopping to visit friends and having wonderful and unexpected experiences. The innkeeper continues to go about his daily routine at his hotel, but, someday, he is sure, he will explore the world.

Chirri & Chirra: Underground


Kaya Doi - 2013
    Join them as they visit moles, discover caves full of glowing flowers, poke at the roots of growing plants, traverse a subterranean lake, and spend the night with a family of badgers! The fourth book in the Japanese Chirri & Chirra series, this underground adventure is sure to charm and delight.

The House at the End of the Road


Kari Rust - 2019
    The kids poke around, one of them causing mischief and tossing rocks at the window, until they glimpse a ghost through the glass! Later, Grandma reveals the house doesn’t belong to a ghost―just old Mr. Peterson.After visiting again with better intentions, the kids discover Mr. Peterson’s great sense of humor and that his house is full of fascinating things: old toys, photographs, even a film projector. They become regular visitors, until one day, Mr. Peterson is gone: he has left for a retirement home, and his house sits empty. Using odds, ends, and gifts he gave them, the kids create mementos of Mr. Peterson’s home to give back to him.Full of heart, this picture book incorporates graphic novel elements to tell a layered and moving story about an intergenerational friendship. It shows how appearances can be deceiving: sometimes the best adventure awaits where you least expect it.

The Icarus Show


Sally Christie - 2016
    Don't React. It's so simple, it's brilliant! David does react and becomes an outcast, nicknamed Bogsy. He's branded a weirdo and Alex is determined to avoid the same fate. But one day, Alex gets a note in his bag that forces him out of his safe little world. Who sent the note? And is it true - will a boy really fly? A powerful story about friendship, loneliness and a strange kind of genius.

Brave Little Finn


Jennifer Churchman - 2016
    He can't help but be frightened as he ventures outside and encounters unfamiliar sights, sounds, and creatures. With the help of Farmer John and his animal friends, Little Finn learns to be brave and mighty. This charming story by John and Jennifer Churchman, featuring real animals on their bustling Vermont farm (including Sweet Pea from The SheepOver!), celebrates the magic of friendship and finding the courage within.

How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read


Andrew Katz - 2018
    She climbs trees with Scotty the squirrel, plays hide-and-seek with Abigail the groundhog, and has farting contests with Frieda the skunk. Julia dreams of meeting a bear, a bear she could play with and hug. But no bear has ever shown its snout.One day, inspired by a book she’s reading, Julia brings honey (the perfect bear snack) into the woods. The next day, she tries bringing blueberries. But to her great surprise, it’s not just sweet smells that can attract a bear!So begins a thrilling quest that will bring Julia to new corners of the forest—and of her heart. Introducing a spunky young heroine with a nose for books, How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read invites children to share their love of reading—and of bearnormous hugs—with Julia.

Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths


Graham Annable - 2018
    Peter and Ernesto are friends. But Peter and Ernesto are nothing alike. Peter loves their tree and never wants to leave, while Ernesto loves the sky and wants to see it from every place on Earth. When Ernesto leaves to have a grand adventure, Peter stays behind and frets. The two friends grow even closer in separation, as Peter the homebody expands his horizons and Ernesto the wanderer learns the value of home. With ridiculously cute art and simple, funny text, their reunion is even more adorable than you are imagining.Laika Studios superstar artist, writer, and director Graham Annable brings all his significant powers to bear on this timeless friendship story for the youngest graphic novel readers.

Christopher Robin Gives Pooh a Party (Winnie-the-Pooh story books)


A.A. Milne - 1988
    Eeyore thinks the party must be for him, and the present too, but nobody listens to poor Eeyore. This book is part of a series of "Winnie-the-Pooh" story books.

Breakout


Kevin Emerson - 2015
    The truth is, he's not trying to be anyone's hero. Anthony Castillo needs a new life. His teachers are clueless autocrats except for Mr. Darren, who’s in charge of the rock band program. The girls at school are either shallow cutebots or out of his league. And his parents mean well, but they just make things worse. It’s as if Anthony is stuck on the bottom level of his favorite video game, Liberation Force 4.5. Except there is no secret escape tunnel and definitely no cheat code. Fed up, pissed off, and feeling trapped, Anthony writes his first song for his rock band, the Rusty Soles. His only problem: Arts Night. If he exercises his right to free speech and sings his original lyrics—where his own bombs will drop—he and his band will be through. The clock is ticking. Time for Anthony to pick his battles and decide what’s really worth fighting for.

The Singer and the Scientist


Lisa Rose - 2021
    But after she gives a performance for an all-white audience, she learns that the nearby hotel is closed to African Americans. She doesn't know where she'll stay for the night.Until the famous scientist Albert Einstein invites her to stay at his house. Marian, who endures constant discrimination as a Black performer, learns that Albert faced prejudice as a Jew in Germany. She discovers their shared passion for music--and their shared hopes for a more just world.