Book picks similar to
More Than Fluff by Madeline Valentine


picture-books
picture-book
consent
animals

Nightsong


Ari Berk - 2012
    It’s an adventure, but how will he find his way? And how will he find his way home? As the young bat discovers, navigating the world around him is easy as long as he uses his good sense.This beautiful and touching coming-of-age story, with mesmerizing artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long and lyrical text from Ari Berk, conveys a heartwarming and universal message: No matter how far away you go, you can always find your way home.

Chicken Cheeks


Michael Ian Black - 2009
    This one recruits every animal that comes along to form, well, a stack. The result? Tail of the duck to the gluteus maximus of the duck-billed platypus (with many other rears in between). Readers will giggle with delight at the bird's eye view of some hysterical animal bottoms. Follow this back-sided journey up the tree - where the real surprise awaits. The pairing of Black's minimal text with Hawkes's visual story line will keep you chuckling from the bottom up.

The Rough Patch


Brian Lies - 2018
    One day the unthinkable happens: Evan’s dog dies. Heartbroken, Evan destroys the garden and everything in it. The ground becomes overgrown with prickles and thorns, and Evan embraces the chaos.But beauty grows in the darkest of places, and when a twisting vine turns into an immense pumpkin, Evan is drawn out of his misery and back to the county fair, where friendships—old and new—await.

A Visitor for Bear


Bonny Becker - 2008
    He even has a sign. So when a mouse taps on his door one day, Bear tells him to leave. But when Bear goes to the cupboard to get a bowl, there is the mouse -- small and gray and bright-eyed. In this slapstick tale that begs to be read aloud, all Bear wants is to eat his breakfast in peace, but the mouse -- who keeps popping up in the most unexpected places -- just won't go away!

The Forever Garden


Laurel Snyder - 2017
     Every day, Honey tends her garden, thinning the lettuces, pulling up beets, and even singing to the kale. (Honey says if you listen carefully, you can hear the kale singing back!) Laurel, the little girl who lives next door, likes to help, weeding the rows, washing vegetables under the pump, and gathering speckled eggs from the chicken coop. But one day there is a FOR SALE sign in Honey's front yard. Honey's mother is sick, and she is moving away! What will happen to Honey's garden? And what will Laurel do without her friend? Here is a touching story that beautifully illustrates how friendship—just like a garden—grows. Praise for Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder: "Spare, poetic words sit as lightly as snowflakes." —The Wall Street Journal

Sparky!


Jenny Offill - 2014
    Like the Caldecott Medal-winning Officer Buckle and Gloria, Sparky stars a pet who has more to offer than meets the eye. When our narrator orders a sloth through the mail, the creature that arrives isn't good at tricks or hide-and-seek . . . or much of anything. Still, there's something about Sparky that is irresistible.Winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award

I'm a Duck


Eve Bunting - 2018
    A landlocked duck is very sad. One day, an egg rolled out of a nest and right into a deep pond. Now that egg is a little duck, and the water is still very scary. Jumping into the pond at all seems impossible, never mind swimming in a line with all his brothers. "You're a duck, and ducks don't sink," Big Frog points out. Practicing in a puddle helps a little, while backrubs and snacks from his mother help a little more. Big Frog offers to hold his friend's wing and dive in together, but our little duck knows that some challenges need to be faced alone. Even when they are very scary!

The Very Impatient Caterpillar


Ross Burach - 2019
    Right. I knew that...WAIT?! You're telling me I can become a BUTTERFLY?Yes.With wings?Yes.Wait for ME!!Ross Burach's hilarious, tongue-in-cheek exploration of metamorphosis will make you flutter with glee, while also providing real facts about how caterpillars transform into butterflies.

Little Owl's Night


Divya Srinivasan - 2011
    Hedgehog sniffs for mushrooms, Skunk nibbles at berries, Frog croaks, and Cricket sings. A full moon rises and Little Owl can't understand why anyone would want to miss it. Could the daytime be nearly as wonderful? Mama Owl begins to describe it to him, but as the sun comes up, Little Owl falls fast asleep.Putting a twist on the bedtime book, Little Owl's Night is sure to comfort any child with a curiosity about the night.

Hug Me


Simona Ciraolo - 2014
    Cactuses can be quite prickly sometimes you know . . . and so can Felipe. But he'll be darned if this one pointy issue will hold him back, so one day Felipe sets off on his own to find a friend and just maybe, that long awaited hug.In her debut picture book, Simona Ciraola creates an endearing tale of friendship, beautifully illustrated with buoyant wit and the perfect story to share.

Bodies Are Cool


Tyler Feder - 2021
    Highlighting the various skin tones, body shapes, and hair types is just the beginning in this truly inclusive book. With its joyful illustrations and encouraging refrain, it will instill body acceptance and confidence in the youngest of readers. "My body, your body, every different kind of body! All of them are good bodies! BODIES ARE COOL!"

Clark the Shark


Bruce Hale - 2013
    Clark zooms into school, crashes through the classroom, and is rowdy at recess. Clark loves life—but when his enthusiasm is too much for his friends, Clark's teacher, Mrs. Inkydink, helps him figure out a way to tone it down.Clark the Shark celebrates boisterous enthusiasm—and knowing when it's time for indoor voices!

The Dead Bird


Margaret Wise Brown - 1938
    They are very sorry, so they decide to say good-bye. In the park, they dig a hole for the bird and cover it with warm sweet-ferns and flowers. Finally, they sing sweet songs to send the little bird on its way.

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.

Shh! We Have a Plan


Chris Haughton - 2014
    Four friends, three big and one little, are out for a walk. Suddenly, they spot it—a beautiful bird perched high in a tree! They simply MUST have it and—SHH!—they have a PLAN. So they tip-toe, tip-toe very slowly, nets poised—"Ready one ... ready two ... ready three ... GO!" But, at the turn of the page, we find a ridiculous bunch of very tangled characters and a blissfully oblivious bird, flying away.