Book picks similar to
Melia and Jo by Billy Aronson


picture-books
picture-book
friendship
stem

Negative Cat


Sophie Blackall - 2021
    But Max the cat isn't quite what the family expected. He shuns the toy mouse, couldn't care less about the hand-knitted sweater, and spends most of his time facing the wall. One by one, the family gives up on Max, but the boy loves his negative cat so much, he'll do anything to keep him. Even the thing he dreads most: practicing his reading. Which, as it turns out, makes everything positive!

Snow


Sam Usher - 2014
    . . and all the dogs . . . and all the zoo animals! Only when the two finally arrive does Granddad see why Sam was in such a hurry—and they have the best time playing with everyone in the snow.

Frankencrayon


Michael Hall - 2016
    This picture book has been canceled.Wait.How can we be on the front flap of a canceled book?Good question.

The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring: The Accidental Invention of the Toy That Swept the Nation


Gilbert Ford - 2016
    Its coils took a walk…and so did Richard’s imagination. He knew right away that he had stumbled onto something marvelous. With the help of his wife, Betty, Richard took this ordinary spring and turned it into a plaything. But it wasn’t just any old trinket—it was a Slinky, and it would become one of the most popular toys in American history.

Our Favorite Day


Joowon Oh - 2019
    He drinks his tea, waters his plants, tidies up, and takes the bus into town. Papa enjoys his daily tasks, but there's one day each week that is extra special. That's the day he might visit the craft store, get two orders of dumplings to go, and possibly pick some flowers he sees along the path. With its spare text and wonderfully warm watercolor and cut-paper illustrations just begging to be pored over, Joowon Oh's tale of the singular love between a grandfather and granddaughter will nestle within the heart of every reader.

Evelyn del Rey Is Moving Away


Meg Medina - 2020
    . . and the sofa that we bounce on to get to the moon.Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela's best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today--not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it's time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special. The tenderness of Meg Medina's beautifully written story about friendship and change is balanced by Sonia Sánchez's colorful and vibrant depictions of the girls' urban neighborhood.

Super Hair-o and the Barber of Doom


John Rocco - 2013
    The young hero of this book, Rocco, thinks his abilities come from his shock of red hair, and the longer it gets, the stronger he becomes. He even has a posse of super friends with wild hair of their own. Our hero is unstoppable--until the day he's dragged to the super evil villain's lair and robbed of his powers. How will he face his friends? Will he ever regain his super hero-ness? A girl who has been watching all along offers the gang a chance to save the day and get their groove back. With bold images that burst with energy from white backgrounds and narration as earnest as Superman himself, SUPER HAIR-O AND THE BARBER OF DOOM is a feel-good and funny book for emergent comic book fans and parents who grew up on them.

Bigger Than You


Hyewon Kyung - 2018
    A group of young dinosaurs builds a makeshift seesaw and then takes turns playing on it until the bossy, big, and TERRIBLE Tyrannosaurus goes too far, and Mom steps in to deflate the situation and encourage a peaceful and productive new game. Kyung’s detailed and humorous illustrations will capture the attention of all young dinosaur fans, the short text is ideal for new readers, and the size chart, dinosaur facts, and information about simple machines keep adding to the fun. Promotes cooperation and curiosity—the perfect choice for family and story time sharing.

Rulers of the Playground


Joseph Kuefler - 2017
    Perfect for fans of Jon Klassen and Oliver Jeffers.One morning, Jonah decided to become ruler of the playground.Everyone agreed to obey his rules to play in King Jonah’s kingdom . . . Everyone except for Lennox . . . because she wanted to rule the playground, too.A gloriously rendered, hilariously deadpan tale of playground politics.

A Penguin Story


Antoinette Portis - 2008
    She is convinced there is something more out there. So she sets out on a quest—a quest for color. When she finally finds what she's been looking for, it's everything she hoped for and more. But that doesn't mean she will ever stop looking.

10,000 Dresses


Marcus Ewert - 2008
    Quite the contrary: "You're a BOY!" Mother and Father tell Bailey. "You shouldn't be thinking about dresses at all." Then Bailey meets Laurel, an older girl who is touched and inspired by Bailey's imagination and courage. In friendship, the two of them begin making dresses together. And Bailey becomes the girl she always dreamed she'd be!This gorgeous picture book—a modern fairy tale about becoming the person you feel you are inside—will delight people of all ages.

Linus the Little Yellow Pencil


Scott Magoon - 2019
    But with the family art show drawing near, these two will have to sharpen their collaboration to make something neither one could do on their own!This ode to art by the illustrator of Spoon and Chopsticks points out the power of sharing the creative process and sticking with it.

Bunheads


Misty Copeland - 2020
    But she's never danced ballet before; in fact, this is the very first day of her very first dance class!Though Misty is excited, she's also nervous. But as she learns from her fellow bunheads; she makes wonderful friends who encourage her to do her very best. Misty's nerves quickly fall away, and with a little teamwork, the bunheads put on a show to remember.

Hi, Koo!


Jon J. Muth - 2014
    Caldecott Honoree and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author/artist Jon J Muth takes a fresh and exciting new look at the four seasons!Eating warm cookieson a cold dayis easywater catchesevery thrown stoneskip skip splashWith a featherlight touch and disarming charm, Jon J Muth--and his delightful little panda bear, Koo--challenge readers to stretch their minds and imaginations with twenty-six haikus about the four seasons.

School's First Day of School


Adam Rex - 2016
    . . the school.