Book picks similar to
The Tickle Stories by Jean Van Leeuwen


picture-books
honey-for-a-childs-heart
children
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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.

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?

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

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.

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.

Martha Walks the Dog


Susan Meddaugh - 1998
    She enjoys sniffing and scratching with her pals down by the hydrant. But today something is different. A house down the street has been sold, the for sale sign replaced by a new sign - Beware of Dog! Always curious, Martha investigates and discovers that there's a new dog in town, a blustering tough-dog named Bob. He's big and mean, and even Martha reluctantly concedes that he may be a bad dog. Martha will have to keep all her canine wits about her to protect her buddies and herself from the savage bully. Fortunately, she makes the acquaintance of a long-winded Parrot, and together the talkative duo may be able to restore peace to the neighborhood. In this hilarious new escapade by Susan Meddaugh, Martha is back, busily proving that there's no substitute for the simple power of praise for taming the toughest old dogs.

Buttons


Brock Cole - 2000
    "Wife! Wife!" he cried. "We are undone! My britches have burst and my buttons are burnt, every one!" After putting her husband to bed, the wife enlists the aid of her three daughters in replacing their father's buttons. The eldest promises to find a rich man who will give her buttons in exchange for her hand in marriage. The second daughter decides to join the army for the sake of the buttons on a soldier's uniform. And the youngest is going to run through the meadows with her apron held out before her, hoping to catch a few buttons falling from the sky. Which of these young ladies will succeed in restoring the family fortunes? The answer is the essential and satisfying stuff of fairy tales. Brock Cole's whimsical prose and pictures make this original story feel like a hundred-year-old classic.

The Great Gracie Chase - Stop That Dog!


Cynthia Rylant - 2001
    When Gracie decides to go for a walk, the painters, the neighbors, and the garbage man all run after her. She can't figure out why, so she keeps running, causing the whole town to join in the chase. Full-color illustrations.

There's an Alligator under My Bed


Mercer Mayer - 1987
    Full-color illustrations.

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.

The Quarreling Book


Charlotte Zolotow - 1963
    [A] pleasant picture book [that touches on] emotional maturity.’ —ALA Children’s Services Division.

When a Dragon Moves In


Jodi Moore - 2011
    Right away, a dragon moves in. The boy decides to befriend his dragon and they spend time roaming the shore, flying a kite, braving the waves, defying bullies, and roasting marshmallows—all while Dad is busy sunbathing and Mom is engrossed in her book. Unfortunately, no one believes the boy when he tries to share the news of this magnificent creature. That’s when the mischief begins, and the dragon becomes a force to be reckoned with. While adults will recognize the naughty antics as a ploy for attention, children will dissolve into giggles as the dragon devours every last sandwich, blows bubbles in the lemonade, and leaves claw prints in the brownies. Maybe the dragon really is running amok on the beach, or maybe it’s a little boy’s imagination that is running wild.

Fly!


Mark Teague - 2019
    Mama bird thinks Baby bird is finally ready to leave the nest and learn to fly so he can migrate south with the rest of their flock. But Baby bird isn’t so sure. Can’t his mother keep bringing him worms in their nest? Can’t he migrate in a hot air balloon instead? Or perhaps a car?

Goose


Molly Bang - 1996
    Adopted by woodchucks at birth, goose never feels she truly belongs ... until the day she discovers she can fly.Written in 1996, Goose was named a best book of the year by both School Library Journal and Horn Book. In 2016 it won the Phoenix Picture Book Award from the Children's Literature Association."I wrote Goose for my daughter when she was having a terrible time getting used to her first year of college. It was not intended as a book, but she suggested that it should be. It turns out that people see Goose not only as a story for children, but often give it to young people who are about to go to college or into the work world, or to retirees who are about to enter some new phase of life. It is also, obviously, a book about the difficulties faced by an adoptive child—or by any child who feels she or he doesn't quite fit into the family." —Molly Bang

Diary of a Spider


Doreen Cronin - 1996
    of a spider. But don't be worried – he's more scared of you and your gigantic shoe! Actually, he's a lot like you. He goes to gym class and has Grandparents' Day at school. But he also spins sticky webs, scales walls, and takes wind–catching lessons. Lucky for him, his best friend is a fly!Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss, the team behind the #1 bestselling Diary Of A Worm, spin a hilarious tale about the upside–down web world of an eight–legged charmer and his unlikely friend, Fly.