Monsters Eat Whiny Children


Bruce Eric Kaplan - 2010
    Henry and Eve don’t listen, of course. The only problem is, when the monster comes, he can’t find the right recipe for whiny children—and neither can his monster friends! A whiny child salad doesn’t work because there’s paprika in the dressing. A whiny child cake won’t do because the flour spills all over the floor. And whiny child burgers are out of the question because the grill is too hard to light up. Arguments and hilarity ensue. And just when our persnickety monsters decide on the perfect dish…the worst thing of all happens….

'Twas The Night Before Thanksgiving


Dav Pilkey - 1990
    The children and turkeys giggle and gobble, and everything is gravy. As the trip comes to an end, the children leave the farm with full hearts -- and bulging bellies -- reminding people and poultry alike that there is much to be thankful for.

What's Wrong, Little Pookie?


Sandra Boynton - 2007
    And Pookie isn't helping, either. This familiar scenario is told with Sandra Boynton's signature humor, in both story and art. Caregivers and young children will laugh their way out of their sorrow as Mom and Pookie work things out. Never fear, a happy ending is on the way! Perfect for toddlers having a meltdown, or anyone in a plain old badmood, this book will come to the rescue for kids and adults for years to come.

Mama Built a Little Nest


Jennifer Ward - 2014
    There are so many different kinds of birds—and those birds build so many different kinds of nests to keep their babies cozy. With playful, bouncy rhyme, Jennifer Ward explores nests large and small, silky and cottony, muddy and twiggy—and all the birds that call them home!

The Bad Mood and the Stick


Lemony Snicket - 2017
    The stick appeared when a tree dropped it. Where did the bad mood come from? Who picked up the stick? And where is the bad mood off to now? You never know what is going to happen.

Excellent Ed


Stacy McAnulty - 2016
      Ed wonders if this is why he isn’t allowed to eat at the table or sit on the couch with the other children. So he’s determined to find his own thing to be excellent at--only to be (inadvertently) outdone by a family member every time.   Now Ed is really nervous--what if he’s not excellent enough to belong in this family?   This funny and endearing story offers a subtle look at sibling rivalry and self esteem, and will reassure kids that everyone is excellent at something, and that your family loves you, just as you are.

Is Your Mama a Llama?


Deborah Guarino - 1989
    Rhyming questions and answers will charm and amuse children. Full-color illustrations.

Aliens Love Underpants


Claire Freedman - 1998
    This humorous tale describes how aliens, rather than visiting Earth to take over the planet, really visit to steal your pants.

Dad and the Dinosaur


Gennifer Choldenko - 2017
     Nicholas was afraid of the dark outside his door, the bushes where the giant bugs live, and the underside of manhole covers. His dad was not afraid of anything. Nicholas wants to be as brave as his dad, but he needs help. That's why he needs a dinosaur. After all, dinosaurs like the dark, bugs are nothing to them, and they eat manhole covers for lunch (and everything under them for dinner). With his toy dinosaur, Nicholas can scale tall walls, swim in deep water, even score a goal against the huge goalie everyone calls Gorilla. But when the dinosaur goes missing, everything is scary again. Luckily, his dad knows that even the bravest people can get scared, and it's okay to ask for help facing your fears. It's just guy stuff. A family classic in the making from the dream team of Newbery Honor-winner Gennifer Choldenko and Caldecott Medal-winner Dan Santat. "[Choldenko's] knowing, understated storytelling and Santat's warm, expressive spreads give full credence to the fears that weigh on kids, as well as the presences both real and imagined that can help alleviate them." Publishers Weekly(starred review)"

Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody


Michael Rex - 2008
    Goodnight goon. Goodnight Martians taking over the moon."It's bedtime in the cold gray tomb with a black lagoon, and two slimy claws, and a couple of jaws, and a skull and a shoe and a pot full of goo. But as a little werewolf settles down, in comes the Goon determined at all costs to run amok and not let any monster have his rest.A beloved classic gets a kind-hearted send up in this utterly monsterized parody; energetic art and a hilarious text will have kids begging to read this again and again.

Itsy Mitsy Runs Away


Elanna Allen - 2011
    So tonight's the night she's running away to the perfect place where there are no more bedtimes ever (not even one). But running away isn't as easy as it seems. There's a lot to pack: Mitsy's friendliest dinosaur Mister Roar; a snack for Mister Roar; her dog, Pupcake, to keep the bedtime beasties away from said snack; the list goes on and on. But with a helpful Dad who makes sure Mitsy doesn't leave anything behind--especially not him--Mitsy might want to run away tomorrow night, too.

Happy Dreamer


Peter H. Reynolds - 2017
    A celebration of the colorful spectrum of what it means to dream and the many ways to find happy!While the world tells us to sit still, to follow the rules, and to color inside the lines, Happy Dreamer celebrates all those moments in between when the mind and spirit soar and we are free to become our own true dreamer maximus!

A Plump And Perky Turkey


Teresa Bateman - 2001
    But they don’t plan on meeting up with Pete—a turkey so clever, he outsmarts them all!

The Bear Who Wasn't There


LeUyen Pham - 2016
    so what happens when he doesn't show up on his page? Who will find him? Will it be Giraffe, who himself seems to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time, or Cow, or perhaps even the author herself?One thing's for sure--it probably won't be Duck. Duck doesn't seem concerned that Bear is missing. In fact, he seems to be trying to steal the show for himself! Duck would much prefer that the reader pick up his own book, The Duck Who Showed Up. He even disguises himself as Bear in an attempt to fool the reader. But after pages and pages of Duck's antics and search-party chaos, Bear appears somewhere utterly unexpected. In fact, it looks like someone may have tried to get rid of him on purpose....LeUyen Pham's The Bear Who Wasn't There takes readers a hilarious search for the missing title character.

Nobody Hugs a Cactus


Carter Goodrich - 2019
    He sits in a pot in a window that faces the empty desert, which is just how he likes it. So, when all manner of creatures—from tumbleweed to lizard to owl—come to disturb his peace, Hank is annoyed.He doesn’t like noise, he doesn’t like rowdiness, and definitely does not like hugs.But the thing is, no one is offering one. Who would want to hug a plant so mean? Hank is beginning to discover that being alone can be, well, lonely.So he comes up with a plan to get the one thing he thought he would never need: a hug from a friend.