Wild


Emily Hughes - 2013
    She is unashamedly, irrefutably, irrepressibly wild. That is, until she is snared by some very strange animals that look oddly like her, but they don't talk right, eat right, or play correctly. She's puzzled by their behavior and their insistence on living in these strange concrete structures: there's no green here, no animals, no trees, no rivers. Now she lives in the comfort of civilization. But will civilization get comfortable with her?In her debut picture book, Hughes brings an uncanny humor to her painterly illustrations. Her work is awash with color, atmosphere, and a stunning visual splendor that will enchant children while indulging their wilder tendencies. Wild is a twenty-first-century answer to Maurice Sendak's children's classic—it has the same inventiveness, groundbreaking art, and unmissable quirkiness.Emily Hughes is a talented young illustrator. Her book Nana Shaped Like a Banana won second prize in the 2012 Macmillan Children's Book Awards.

The Blind Colt


Glen Rounds - 1941
    Relates the adventures of a blind colt as he roams with a band of mustangs and is eventually adopted and trained as a saddle horse by ten-year-old Whitey.

Lucy


Randy Cecil - 2016
    She had one once, but she remembers it only in her dreams. Eleanor is a little girl who looks forward to feeding the stray dog that appears faithfully beneath her window each day. Eleanor’s father is a juggler with stage fright.

The Book of Storms


Ruth Hatfield - 2014
    And one night, after a particularly fierce storm, Danny's parents don't come back. Stranger still, the old sycamore tree in Danny's yard seems to have been struck by lightning, and when he picks up a fragment of wood from the tree's heart, he finds he can hear voices ... including that of next door's rather uppity cat, Mitzy. The stick is a taro, a shard of lightning that bestows upon its bearer unnerving powers, including the ability to talk with plants and animals - and it is very valuable. So valuable, in fact, that it attracts the attention of a Sammael, an ancient figure of darkness and a buyer of souls. And he will do anything to get his hands on it ... And so begins a dangerous and daring quest. Danny, who is bewildered, alone and unaccustomed to acts of bravery, must confront his fears, find his parents and unravel the secrets of The Book of Storms.

Small in the City


Sydney Smith - 2019
    

Toad Weather


Sandra Markle - 2015
    But Mama says shes seen something amazing, so despite Ally's misgivings, she sets out with her mother and grandmother. On her journey, she sees all sorts of things: dripping awnings, splashing cars, storm drain geysers, and oil slick patterns. They turn the corner, just in time to see a big crowd. Whats happening?

Varmints


Andy Hirsch - 2016
    These two youngsters only have each other, but with all their squabbling it's a miracle they still have that.When they get wind of the mysterious Pa ("crime kingpin of the West!"), Opie and Ned suddenly have something new: a mission. But tracking down the elusive (and deadly) Pa is going to take all the wiles these two kids have, and some new friends to boot.Clever, explosive, and deeply moving by turns, Varmints is a perfect middle-grade comedy. Hirsch brings an old-school Western style to bear on a story full of nuance, humor, and surprises.

The Tea Party in the Woods


Akiko Miyakoshi - 2010
    When she arrives at a strange house in the wintry woods, a peek in the window reveals that the footprints Kikko had been following did not belong to her father at all, but to a bear in a long coat and hat! Alice in Wonderland meets Little Red Riding Hood in this charmed tale.

Stupid Baby


Stéphanie Blake - 2006
    When's the stupid baby going back to the hospital?o Simon asks his parents. But the baby is there to stay. What about all the scary wolves outside the house? The wolves that want to eat Simon up? Will his parents still protect him now they have a stupid baby?

Ghoulia


Barbara Cantini - 2017
    But things aren’t as easy as they seem for this little zombie girl—all she wants is a real friend. She tries to venture past the manor’s walls, but she can’t hide her pale green skin or the deep purple circles under her eyes. The other children will be afraid of her, and no one will want to be her friend. But when Halloween rolls around, Ghoulia hatches a brilliant plan. All the other, ordinary children will be dressed up like monsters, so Ghoulia can go out into the town and be entirely herself. In the end, all the kids realize that Ghoulia is (almost) just like them and learn that friendship can come in many forms.

The Pumpkin War


Cathleen Young - 2019
    .At the end of every summer, Madeline Island hosts its famous pumpkin race. All summer, adults and kids across the island grow giant, 1000-pound pumpkins, then hollow one out, and paddle in it across the lake to the cheers of the entire town.Twelve-year-old Billie loves to win; she has a bulletin board overflowing with first prize ribbons. Her best friend Sam doesn't care much about winning, or at least Billie didn't think so until last summer's race, when his pumpkin crashed into hers as she was about to cross the finish line, and he won. This summer, Billie is determined to get revenge by growing the best and biggest pumpkin, and beat Sam in the race. It's a tricky science to grow pumpkins, since weather, bugs and other critters can wipe out a crop. Then a surprise visit from a long lost relative shakes things up, and Billie begins to see her family, and her bond with Sam, in a new way.

Holes in the Sky


Patricia Polacco - 2018
    But when she and her family move to California--in the middle of a drought--she meets a new friend, the irrepressible Stewart, and his amazing grandmother, Miss Eula, who not only takes Trisha under her wing, but, with Trisha and Stewart, steps up to lead their entire extraordinarily diverse neighborhood to help a hurting neighbor--and her once lush garden--survive the drought. Trisha's grandmother's old saying about the stars being Holes in the Sky turns out to be Miss Eula's, too, convincing Trisha that she has miraculously discovered another unforgettable grandmother.

Mama Lion Wins the Race


Jon J. Muth - 2017
    But who will take home the big trophy? Will it be the playful Flying Pandinis? The mischievous Knitted Monkey crew? Or will Mama Lion and Tigey speed past the finish line in first place? While everyone hopes to win, it's the journey itself -- filled with joy, beauty, fun, and friendships -- that is the best prize of all.With cars inspired by the early days of Italian motor racing, and characters based on his children's beloved toy animals, Jon J Muth has created a uniquely spellbinding book that readers will return to again and again.

A Home for Bird


Philip C. Stead - 2012
    Vernon shows Bird the river and the forest and some of his other favorite things, but Bird says nothing. Vernon introduces Bird to his friends, Skunk and Porcupine, but Bird still says nothing. "Bird is shy," says Vernon, "but also a very good listener." Vernon worries that Bird is silent because he misses his home, so the two set off on a journey to help find a home for Bird. This is a tender tale of a thoughtful friend who is determined to help his quiet companion, by the author of A Sick Day for Amos McGee, winner of the 2011 Caldecott Medal.

Mallko & Dad


Gusti - 2014
    This book, which was selected as the best book in the disability category by the Bologna Book Fair in 2016, comes as a call and a revelation.Born in Argentina, Gusti studied advertising design at the Escola d'Art Fernando Fade and has lived in Europe since 1985. He first worked in Paris and currently lives in Barcelona where, as well as working as an illustrator, he also gives classes in illustration at schools, libraries, and cultural centers. He co-founded the nonprofit association Windown-La Ventana, which works towards building a more inclusive society. Gusti lives with his family in Barcelona.