Swamp Angel


Anne Isaacs - 1994
    She single-handedly defeats the fearsome bear known as Thundering Tarnation, wrestling him from the top of the Great Smoky Mountains to the bottom of a deep lake. Caldecott Medal-winning artist Paul O. Zelinsky's stunning folk-art paintings are the perfect match for the irony, exaggeration, and sheer good humor of this original tall tale set on the American frontier.A Caldecott Honor BookAn ALA Notable BookA Time magazine Best Book of the YearA New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the YearWinner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book AwardA Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

Draw What You See: The Life and Art of Benny Andrews


Kathleen Benson Haskins - 2015
    He drew his nine brothers and sisters, and his parents. He drew the red earth of the fields where they all worked, the hot sun that beat down, and the rows and rows of crops. As Benny hauled buckets of water, he made pictures in his head. And he dreamed of a better life—something beyond the segregation, the backbreaking labor, and the limited opportunities of his world.      Benny’s dreams took him far from the rural Georgia of his childhood. He became one of the most important African American painters of the twentieth century, and he opened doors for other artists of color. His story will inspire budding young artists to work hard and follow their dreams.

Pumpkin Soup


Helen Cooper - 1998
    The Cat slices up the pumpkin, the Squirrel stirs in the water, and the Duck tips in just enough salt. But one day the Duck wants to stir instead, and then there is a horrible squabble, and he leaves the cabin in a huff. It isn't long before the Cat and the Squirrel start to worry about him and begin a search for their friend. Rendered in pictures richly evoking autumn, Helen Cooper's delightful story will resonate for an child who has known the difficulties that come with friendship. Included at the end is a recipe for delicious pumpkin soup.

Skippyjon Jones


Judy Schachner - 2003
    He would rather be El Skippito, the great sword fighter, who can do anything. Like saving a roving band of Mexican Chihuahuas from a humongous bumblebeeto that is tormenting them.Join Skippyjon Jones on his first great adventure. He's fearless, he's fun, he gets the job done - yes, indeed-o.

Duffy and the Devil


Harve Zemach - 1973
    The Zemachs have interpreted the folk tale which the play dramatized, recognizable as a version of the widespread Rumpelstiltskin story. Its main themes are familiar, but the character and details of this picture book are entirely Cornish, as robust and distinctive as the higgledy-piggledy, cliff-hanging villages that dot England's southwestern coast from Penzance to Land's End.The language spoken by the Christmas players was a rich mixture of local English dialect and Old Cornish (similar to Welsh and Gaelic), and something of this flavor is preserved in Harve Zemach's retelling. Margot Zemach's pen-and-wash illustrations combine a refined sense of comedy with telling observation of character, felicitous drawing with decorative richness, to a degree that surpasses her own past accomplishments.Duffy and the Devil is a 1973 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and Outstanding Book of the Year, a 1974 National Book Award Finalist for Children's Books, and the winner of the 1974 Caldecott Medal.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble


William Steig - 1969
    But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results.

Hewitt Anderson's Great Big Life


Jerdine Nolen - 1998
    This warmly humorous tale is “proof that, when it comes to heart, physical size isn’t the whole story” (Kirkus Reviews).Descended from a long line of giants, the J. Carver Worthington Andersons take their height very seriously indeed. You see, without exception all of the many J. Carver Worthington Andersons have been giants until now. And poor Hewitt—hidden in the floorboards, trapped in the flour vat, lost in the bedsheets—has his struggles being tiny. Oh, his parents worry: How will their son manage to live in a world of big things? Leave it to Hewitt to prove the power of being small. Inspired by the tale of “Jack and the Beanstalk,” the inimitable Jerdine Nolen tells an original story of bravery and the power of the individual. Kadir Nelson’s imaginative and loving illustrations create a world where smallness rules—a world that children will want to return to again and again.

The Black Snowman


Phil Méndez - 1989
    Jacob and his little brother make a snowman out of the dingy snow on their street, and wrap their creation in a scrap of cloth they find. But the cloth is really a kente, an African storytelling shawl that has special, magical qualities. Soon, Jacob's snowman has come to life-and is about to teach him an unforgettable lesson about history, hope, heritage...and faith.

The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes


Duncan Tonatiuh - 2016
    Even though she was the daughter of the emperor, Izta had no desire to marry a man of wealth and power. Instead, she fell in love with Popoca, a brave warrior who fought in her father’s army—and a man who did not offer her riches but a promise to stay by her side forever.   The emperor did not want his daughter to marry a mere warrior, but he recognized Popoca’s bravery. He offered Popoca a deal: If the warrior could defeat their enemy, Jaguar Claw, then the emperor would permit Popoca and Izta to wed. But Jaguar Claw had a plan to thwart the warrior. Would all be lost?   Today two majestic volcanoes—Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl—stand overlooking Mexico City. They have been admired and revered for countless generations, and have formed the basis of many origin and creation myths. In The Princess and the Warrior, award-winning author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh retells one of Mexico’s cherished legends.

The Lion's Paw


Jane Werner Watson - 1987
    Illustrations.

And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street


Dr. Seuss - 1937
    A plain horse and wagon on Mulberry Street grows into a story that no one can beat! In this tale, Young Marco allows his imagination to run riot as he travels home from school one day, to the extent that a horse and cart is soon transformed into a chaotic carnival of colourful creatures in his own mind.

The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty & the Beast Tale


Laurence Yep - 1997
    When a poor farmer falls into the clutches of a dragon, only Seven, his youngest daughter, will save him—by marrying the beast.

Rainstorm


Barbara Lehman - 2007
    But if you find a key, a mysterious key, that leads you to an unexpected place . . . chances are your afternoon is about to get a lot more interesting.

Mouse & Lion


Rand Burkert - 2011
    When a cold moon brings a humbling lesson, Lion comes to recognizeMouse's keen skill, and deeper kindness.Mouse and Lion, Aesop's fabled duo,renew their ancient bond in this warm retelling by Rand Burkert, illuminated by the authentic natural detail of Nancy Ekholm Burkert's art.

Sam and the Tigers: A Retelling of 'Little Black Sambo'


Julius Lester - 1996
    There was a little boy in Sam-sam-sa-mara named Sam...So begins this delightful telling of one of the most controversial books in children's literature, Little Black Sambo. Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney reveal at the heart of this story a lively and charming tale of a little boy who triumphs over several hungry tigers. "Lester and Pinkney have stripped away the ugly racism and...reclaimed a great classic for children. AThe? expansive black storytelling voice is both folksy and contemporary, funny and fearful." --Booklist