Book picks similar to
Train Song by Diane Siebert


picture-books
poetry
childrens
picture-book

Cats' Night Out


Caroline Stutson - 2010
    The short rhyming text makes it a perfect read-aloud treat, and with vivid illustrations from a breakout DreamWorks animator, readers and listeners alike will be thrilled to see what happens one night on Easy Street when a pair of cats start to groove to the beat.

Baby Builders


Elissa Haden Guest - 2020
     Wearing their hard hats, safety goggles, and work boots, a team of toddlers are busy building away. Using excavators, shovels, and bulldozers, they are hard at work making their perfect playhouse blueprint come to life. Jaunty rhyme perfectly complements the playful and bouncing illustrations in this kid pleaser.

If I Had a Gryphon


Vikki VanSickle - 2016
    She's not really impressed. The hamster isn't very exciting--he mostly eats and sleeps and gets his shavings wet. BORING!After reading a book about mythological creatures, Sam gets some ideas for more exciting pets. But she soon realizes that taking care of these magical beasts might not be as wonderful as she though. Unicorns are shy, gryphons scare the dogs at the dog park and having a fire extinguisher handy at all times makes dragons seem like an awful lot of work. Maybe the hamster really is the best pet for her. A nice, safe pet... right?

The Greedy Python


Richard Buckley - 1985
    Full-color illustrations.

Wombat Walkabout


Carol Diggory Shields - 2009
    This whimsical counting poem follows six brave little wombats on walkabout in the Australian outback. But the wilderness is bound to bring more excitement than an innocent counting game. Soon enough, the curious wombats learn to beware the hungry dingo! Aussie native Sophie Blackall?s delicious illustrations set adorable wombats in a lush world of golden wattles, billabongs, kookaburras, and gum nuts. With marvelous wordplay and irresistible read-aloud phrases, this ingenious text is sure to become a well-worn favorite. Accompanied by a short, simple glossary of Australian terms and wildlife.

The Caboose Who Got Loose


Bill Peet - 1971
    Katy Caboose is tired of being last, and one day an accident allows her to realize her dream of peace and solitude.

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight


Penny Parker Klostermann - 2015
    Now meet the old dragon who swallows pretty much an entire kingdom! Will he ever learn a little moderation?! This rollicking rhyme is full to bursting with sight gags, silly characters, and plenty of burps! Parents and kids alike will delight in Ben Mantle’s precisely funny illustrations and in Penny Parker Klostermann’s wacky rhymes.In days of yore, before a certain fly's ultimately fatal encounter with an Old Lady, there was an old dragon who felt rather peckish. "There was an old dragon who swallowed a knight. / I don't know why he swallowed the knight // It's not polite!" He follows the knight with the knight's steed ("that galloped around at a terrible speed"). Then a squire, a cook, a lady, a castle, and finally a moat are each swallowed in turn. But…"With all of that water, he started to bloat. / And that's when the dragon roared, and I quote: / ‘Okay, enough! I've had enough— / More than enough of this swallowing stuff!' " So realizing that eating all those things might have been "a tad impolite," the old dragon burps them all out in reverse except the knight (which is "ahhh…just right"). Klostermann's debut is a rollicking and warped Medieval take on the well-worn cumulative rhyme. Prolific British animator and illustrator Mantle's expressive and bright cartoon illustrations of the red, horned dragon (and the contents of his stomach) are a perfect match. The antics within the dragon's stomach—every image of the steed is accompanied by a little "clippity, clippity, clippity, clop" in teeny type—and his copious burping will leave 'em laughing. No matter how many swallowed-fly titles you own, this one belongs on your shelf too. KIrkus, May 1,2015

Antiracist Baby


Ibram X. Kendi - 2020
    Providing the language necessary to begin critical conversations at the earliest age, Antiracist Baby is the perfect gift for readers of all ages dedicated to forming a just society.

Ben's Trumpet


Rachel Isadora - 1979
    Using the art-deco style of the period, Rachel Isadora not only captures the poignancy and yearning of a youthful talent, but in page after page of striking art seems to convey the very sound of music.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon: Saint Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the Creatures


Katherine Paterson - 2011
    Illuminated with the exquisite illustrations of cut-paper artist Pamela Dalton, this picture book offers a stunningly beautiful tribute to nature.

Ruby's Wish


Shirin Yim Bridges - 2002
    Instead of aspiring to get married, Ruby is determined to attend university when she grows up, just like the boys in her family. Based upon the inspirational story of the author's grandmother and accompanied by richly detailed illustrations, Ruby's Wish is an engaging portrait of a young girl who strives for more and a family who rewards her hard work and courage.

Dozens of Doughnuts


Carrie Finison - 2020
    But just before she takes the first bite, DING DONG! Her friend Woodrow (a woodchuck) drops by. LouAnn is happy to share her doughnuts, but as soon as she and Woodrow sit down to eat, DING DONG! Clyde (a raccoon) is at the door. One by one, LouAnn's friends come over--Topsy (an opossum) and then Moufette (a skunk) and then Chip and Chomp (chipmunks)--until it's one big party. LouAnn welcomes her surprise guests and makes batch after batch of doughnuts, always dividing them equally among her friends. But she makes one BIG miscalculation. Soon LouAnn's kitchen is bare, winter is near, and she's had nothing to eat at all!

Monkey and Duck Quack Up


Jennifer Hamburg - 2015
    . . this picture book has it all!Duck and Monkey, best of friends,as different as odds and ends.Monkey's eager, Duck's laid-back.Together, do they have the knackto be a winning rhyming teamand satisfy a monkey's dream?Turn the page and try your luck.See if you can out-rhyme Duck!

Tree: A Peek-Through Picture Book


Britta Teckentrup - 2015
    With clever peekaboo holes throughout, each page reveals a new set of animals playing and living in the tree—baby bears frolicking in the spring, bees buzzing around apples in the summer, squirrels storing nuts in the fall, and finally the lone owl keeping warm during the winter chill—until another year begins. . . .   Children will love seeing a new set of animals appear and then disappear as each page is turned, and along the way they’ll learn about the seasons and how a forest and its inhabitants change throughout the year."Ideal for sharing up close, where little ones can get a good look at the pictures, this gentle, easy-to-memorize story of the seasons is a great fit for bedtime."—Booklist

Rhymoceros


Janik Coat - 2015
    His ability to appear “stinky” and “inky,” or “caring” and “daring,” oftentimes lands him in compromising contexts. Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to mind. Surprising novelty features such as gold foil stamping and flocking enhance this unique, gifty, high-design concept board book.