Dirt + Water = Mud


Katherine Hannigan - 2016
    What do you get when you combine dirt and water? Mud! What do you get when you take a sheet, a flowerpot, and a stick and make a costume? You transform yourself into Her Majesty, the queen! A cape and a strong breeze turn the treehouse into an airplane. A sheet, a stick, and a pair of well-placed cat’s ears turn the girl into a pirate! At least until mutiny leaves her alone in her kiddie pool . . . surrounded by sharks! Cheerful and action-packed illustrations and a combination of comic-like panels, conversation bubbles, sound effects, and full-page illustrations make Dirt + Water = Mud particularly appealing for new readers.

A Chick 'n' Pug Christmas


Jennifer Sattler - 2014
    Chick wants one just like it . . . until Pug explains how Santa delivers presents to kids everywhere all in one night, and Chick can't believe his ears. Clearly, Santa Claus is a superhero! And Chick wants to be his fearless sidekick. Spreading holiday cheer is no easy feat, but Chick is ready and willing, even if Pug, of course, would rather nap.Brimming with the same humor and charm fans have come to know from their favorite dynamic duo, readers will delight in this new adventure as Chick and Pug celebrate the holiday season.

The One and Only Sparkella


Channing Tatum - 2021
    Her new classmates don't like her disco-ball shoes, her PB&J-with-sprinkles sandwich, or her rainbow-y unicorn painting.Ella decides to try to be less sparkly at school the next day so the other kids won't make fun of her. But with a little help from her dad, she soon learns the importance of just being herself, no matter what other people say.

Tiptop Cat


C. Roger Mader - 2014
    How this cat bounces back will encourage readers everywhere to try, try again. Eye-catching art and crisp graphic paneling invite even the youngest of children to get back on their feet to explore the city alongside TipTop Cat.

No, No, Kitten!


Shelley Moore Thomas - 2015
    She also wants a helmet and lasers and a puppy (!). And she wants to go to Jupiter, with that helmet, those lasers, and said puppy—don’t underestimate her. This witty picture book, about longing for what’s just out of reach, will appeal to both girls and boys who’ve always wanted to do the impossible. NO, NO, KITTEN! takes flight on the power of imagination and one feline’s ambitious dreams.

Dino-Racing


Lisa Wheeler - 2016
    But make sure to buckle your seatbeltthese dino-racers are sure to set prehistoric records!

Ninja Cowboy Bear Presents the Way of the Ninja


David Bruins - 2010
    This time, the daring ninja learns that the greatest thrills and the best adventures are the ones we share. The ninja's playtime games are too rough-and-tumble for his friends the cowboy and the bear. The ninja isn't interested in his friends' games -- and playing all by himself isn't much fun. Can the rambunctious ninja ever meet his friends halfway? Children will easily relate to the lesson about mutual respect embedded in a story about three different but nonetheless close friends.

Peep and Egg: I'm Not Hatching


Laura Gehl - 2016
    No how.It is too scary out there.Peep wants Egg to hatch so they can do fun things together, like watch the sunrise, splash in puddles, and play hide-and-seek.But Egg is not cracking... Joyce Wan's bright and bold illustrations will have young chickies giggling at Laura Gehl's reassuring tale that takes the not out of I'm not.

Little Lucy


Ilene Cooper - 2011
    She likes to bark. She likes to chew and howl. But when Bobby and his family take her to a lake, she finds out there's one thing she doesn't like--the water!Step 3 (Reading on Your Own) is for children who are ready to read independently. Step 3 titles have stories with easy-to-follow plots and engaging characters.

My Weird School: Class Pet Mess!


Dan Gutman - 2017
    Cooper's class is getting a pet! Alexia hopes it is something cool, like a snake. But is she ready to take care of the pet, or will it be one weird mess? Join A.J. and the gang from Ella Mentry School as they show young readers why they attend the weirdest—and most fun!—school around.My Weird School: Class Pet Mess is a Level Two I Can Read book, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the Tea


Cynthia Rylant - 1994
    Putter, who decides that a cat will keep him from feeling lonely. Rylant’s texts reflect admirable concern for brevity and meticulous consideration of every word. They are in perfect sync with Howard’s expressive sketches, which slip abundant visual jokes into sunny, transparent watercolors and gouaches, and fluid pencil and pastel scribbles."--Publishers Weekly

Plants vs. Zombies: Brains and the Beanstalk


Annie Auerbach - 2013
    Zombies: Brains and the Beanstalk is a mash-up of the insanely addictive video game and a classic fairy tale.In Plants vs. Zombies, winner of more than 30 Best Game of the Year Awards, plants—including Sunflowers, Peashooters, Wall-nuts, and Cherry Bombs—defend humans against an array of brain-chomping zombies, such as the Pole-Vaulting Zombie and the Cone Zombie.Now in a thrilling picture book for kids, Jack—of Jack and the Beanstalk fame—enters the fantastical world of the game. He will battle the zombies with his magical beanstalk fighting by his side. The fun never dies in this action-filled adventure for kids with full-color illustrations.

Never Let a Princess Paint with Her Unicorn!


Diane Alber - 2019
    And that when attempting art, a mess can turn into a masterpiece too! Join this little girl and her unicorn on a fun painting journey that turns out to be quite magical!

Disney Manga: Descendants - Dizzy's New Fortune


Jason Muell - 2020
    A full color, manga-style graphic novel telling a brand-new story in the world of Disney Descendants, starring Dizzy — the granddaughter of Lady Tremaine — and a whole cast of Villain Kids from the Isle of the Lost! The original Villain Kids have worked hard to prove they deserve to stay in Auradon, and now it’s time some of their friends from the Isle of the Lost get that chance too! When Dizzy receives a special invitation from King Ben to join the other VKs at Auradon Prep, at first she’s thrilled! But doubt soon creeps in, and she begins to question whether she can truly fit in outside the scrappy world of the Isle.

The Cat With Seven Names


Tony Johnston - 2013
    From a librarian to a homeless war veteran to a little girl who’s just moved in, this cat makes everyone’s world a little brighter, a little less lonely.Each neighbor is unaware of the cat’s visits with everyone else, so he goes by many different names: Stuart Little, Dove, Placido—the cat answers to them all. Only when a near-accident threatens the cat does everyone learn his true identity and owner. In learning about each other, the people in the neighborhood come together as a community.THE CAT WITH SEVEN NAMES is a heartfelt story that reflects the need and desire of all people to be a part of a community, to have a connection with someone or something—be it animal or human. Told from the perspective of each of the six neighbors, Tony Johnston introduces point of view to readers of all ages, while Christine Davenier’s loose watercolor illustrations beautifully depict the diversity of the world around us.