The Zoo Box


Ariel Cohn - 2014
    When they open a mysterious box, hundreds of animals come pouring out! Soon the town is awash in more and more zoo animals, until Erika and Patrick discover that the tables have been turned... and the animals now run a zoo full of humans! With simple text and bright, graphic art, Ariel Cohn and Aron Neils Steinke have created a gentle, fantastical adventure for the very youngest of readers. The Zoo Box will be a terrific introduction to comics for both learning readers and their parents.

The Secret of the Stone Frog


David Nytra - 2012
    . .When Leah and Alan awaken in an enchanted forest, they have only each other and their wits to guide them. In a world of pet bees and giant rabbits, they befriend foppish lions and stone frogs, learning to confront danger as they find both their own independence and the way home. Newcomer David Nytra’s breathtaking pictures break the boundaries of imagination, sending the reader on a wild flight of fantasy while experiencing the most universal of stories: growing up.

Grumpy Monkey Freshly Squeezed: A Graphic Novel Chapter Book


Suzanne Lang - 2021
    Features hilarious dialogue, multiple panels per page, and a longer storyline to keep kids laughing all the way to the end!It's Wednesday! Which means it's time for Jim Panzee's weekly Wednesday walk. He wakes up, stretches a little, grabs his stress orange, and sets off. Jim's favorite part of the walk is the blissful silence. When he's alone, he can hear all the jungle sounds. Until . . . his best buddy, Norman, decides to join him. And before he knows it, Jim is followed by every animal in the jungle. It's all just too much. Now Jim and his not-so-helpful friends are on a quest across the jungle to find another stress orange before it is too late!A warm and funny chapter book graphic novel about how to handle all of life's ups and downs from the creators of the #1 New York Times bestselling Grumpy Monkey.

Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles Into Comics


James Sturm - 2009
    . . a princess tried to make a comic.  And with the help of a magical cartooning elf, she learned how – well enough to draw her way out of an encounter with a dangerous dragon, near-death by drowning, and into her very own adventure!  Like the princess, young readers will discover that they already have the drawing and writing skills it takes to make a comic – they just need a little know-how.  And Adventures in Cartooning supplies just that.

Kitten Construction Company: Meet the House Kittens


John Patrick Green - 2018
    But in a world where humans call the shots, can the Kitten Construction Company prove their worth . . . without giving up the very things that make them kittens?(Don't worry, dear reader, the answer is definitely "yes"!)

What Is Inside THIS Box?


Drew Daywalt - 2019
    Cake has lots of questions. Monkey has lots of answers. They are silly. They are curious. Sometimes they fight. But Monkey and Cake are always best friends. In this book, Monkey and Cake cannot agree what's inside Monkey's mysterious box. Is it a kitty? Is it a dinosaur? How will they find out -- and what do you think is inside?

The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip


George Saunders - 2000
    In the seaside village of Frip live three families: the Romos, the Ronsens, and a little girl named Capable and her father. The economy of Frip is based solely on goat’s milk, and this is a problem because the village is plagued by gappers: bright orange, many-eyed creatures the size of softballs that love to attach themselves to goats. When a gapper gets near a goat, it lets out a high-pitched shriek of joy that puts the goats off giving milk, which means that every few hours the children of Frip have to go outside, brush the gappers off their goats, and toss them into the sea. The gappers have always been everyone’s problem, until one day they get a little smarter, and instead of spreading out, they gang up: on Capable’s goats. Free at last of the tyranny of the gappers, will her neighbors rally to help her? Or will they turn their backs, forcing Capable to bear the misfortune alone? Featuring fifty-two haunting and hilarious illustrations by Lane Smith and a brilliant story by George Saunders that explores universal themes of community and kindness, The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip is a rich and resonant story for those that have all and those that have not.

What's That, Mittens?


Lola M. Schaefer - 2008
    So when Mittens hears a scratching noise behind the fence, he has to see what is on the other side. It may just be a new friend to play with!The playful kitten's tale is sure to appeal to beginning readers who like to explore new things and make new friends, just like Mittens!

Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite!


Ashley Spires - 2021
    He's sure he belongs in the category of bugs with superpower-like abilities. No, he can't carry 50 times his weight, like ants. No, he's not able to spray paralyzing venom, like some termites. No, he can't release a bad smell to repel predators, like stink bugs. What june beetles are known for is chasing porch lights and flailing their legs in the air --- does that count? Hmm ... Maybe Burt will just have to accept the truth. June beetles don't have any special abilities. But when some other bugs find themselves in perilous trouble that even their superpowers can't get them out of, Burt suddenly realizes there is one thing that he can do to save his friends --- and it's something that only a june beetle can do!Bestselling author-illustrator Ashley Spires's signature mix of slapstick and dry humor is front and center in this winning story that highlights how being special is as much about character as it is about abilities. Full of simply drawn panels prominently featuring the ever-plucky Burt, it's a perfect pick for emerging readers and young fans of comics. Burt's positive attitude toward himself and others offers many opportunities for character education lessons on caring, positive thinking and initiative. Snuck into the pages are facts about bugs and their traits, making this a fun choice for a science unit on the characteristics of living things.