It's Only Stanley


Jon Agee - 2015
    "That's very odd," says Mr. Wimbledon each time, but when he returns from checking on the sounds, he's always reassuring: "It's only Stanley; he's fixing the oil tank." "It's only Stanley; he's clearing the bathtub drain."But what Stanley the dog is actually doing while his oblivious family goes back to bed is deliciously absurd: he's turning the house into a rocket ship to zoom himself and his family to another planet for an alien encounter. This is a perfect rhyming read-aloud for fans of irreverent tales like Click Clack Moo and I Want My Hat Back.

Quit Calling Me a Monster!


Jory John - 2016
       Floyd Peterson is so much more than shaggy purple fur and pointy monster teeth — why can’t people just see him for him? Jory John and Bob Shea have struck gold in creating a knee-slapping, read-it-again story that will start a valuable discussion about how we treat others and how it feels to be seen as “different.”

The Blue House


Phoebe Wahl - 2020
    People are leaving, houses are being knocked down and shiny new buildings are going up in their place. When Leo and his dad are forced to leave, they aren't happy about it. They howl and rage and dance out their feelings. When the time comes, they leave the blue house behind--there was never any choice, not really--but little by little, they find a way to keep its memory alive in their new home.

Grandpa Green


Lane Smith - 2011
    He was a farmboy and a kid with chickenpox and a soldier and, most of all, an artist. In this captivating new picture book, readers follow Grandpa Green's great-grandson into a garden he created, a fantastic world where memories are handed down in the fanciful shapes of topiary trees and imagination recreates things forgotten.In his most enigmatic and beautiful work to date, Lane Smith explores aging, memory, and the bonds of family history and love; by turns touching and whimsical, it's a stunning picture book that parents and grandparents will be sharing with children for years to come.This title has Common Core connections.Grandpa Green is a Publishers Weekly Best Children's Picture Books title for 2011. One of School Library Journal's Best Picture Books of 2011.

The Jacket


Kirsten Hall - 2014
    It's a book that pays tribute, in word and form, to all that a book is and can be. Once upon a time there was a girl who had a dog named Egg Cream. This girl loved her dog, but she also loved her special book. And Book loved her. But how about Book and Egg Cream? Could they coexist as the girl's two favorite things in the whole wide world?

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear


Don Wood - 1984
    Little Mouse loves strawberries, but so does the bear... How will Little Mouse stop the bear from eating his freshly picked, red, ripe strawberry.

A Very Marley Christmas


John Grogan - 2008
    Anticipating his very first snowfall and Santa's arrival, Marley jumps in to help his family every way he can. But Marley, being Marley, always ends up on the wrong side of right. It's not long before he tears down the twinkle lights, attacks a chain of paper snowflakes, and mistakes the Christmas tree for . . . well . . . his very own indoor bathroom. Will Marley's good intentions ruin everything before Christmas begins? Or will he manage to share some Christmas magic with his family after all?This follow-up to the #1 bestselling Bad Dog, Marley! delivers a heartfelt holiday story with many hilarious Marley mishaps along the way.

Small Walt


Elizabeth Verdick - 2017
    They say I’m small, but I’ll show them all. Small Walt and his driver, Gus, take on a blizzard! All the bigger snowplows doubt that Walt has what it takes to plow the roads in the storm, but Walt is determined to prove them wrong.

Peck, Peck, Peck


Lucy Cousins - 2013
    Yippee! He’s having so much fun that he peck-peck-pecks right through a door and has a go at everything on the other side, from the hat to the mat, the racket to the jacket, the teddy bear to a book called Jane Eyre. Children will be drawn to the young bird’s exuberance at learning a new skill — and ready to snuggle along at day’s end for a night of sweet dreams.

Time for Bed


Mem Fox - 1993
    It’s time for a wide yawn, a big hug, and a snuggle under the covers—sleep tight! “Working beautifully with the soothingly repetitive text, each painting conveys a warm feeling of safety and affection.” —School Library Journal

Pie in the Sky


Lois Ehlert - 2004
    At the end of the summer, they harvest the cherries together and make a delicious pie for the whole family to enjoy. This stunning book from bestselling author Lois Ehlert features color concepts, backyard natural history, vibrant collage illustrations, and, best of all, a recipe for making cherry pie. Yum!

Saturday


Oge Mora - 2019
    Today would be splendid. It was Saturday! But sometimes, the best plans don’t work out exactly the way you expect….In this heartfelt and universal story, a mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong–ruining storytime, salon time, picnic time, and the puppet show they’d been looking forward to going to all week. Mom is nearing a meltdown…until her loving daughter reminds her that being together is the most important thing of all.Author-artist Oge Mora’s highly anticipated follow up to Caldecott Honor Thank You, Omu! features the same magnificently radiant artwork and celebration of sharing so beloved in her debut picture book.

Over in the Meadow


Olive A. Wadsworth - 1971
    Keats's collage-style illustrations perfectly complement this classic Appalachian counting rhyme, which is also a popular song for toddlers.

How Do I Love You


P.K. Hallinan - 1989
    The lyrical meter and simple rhyme makes this "love poem" especially suitable for the toddler age. And the message is simple: Mom or Dad loves the child -no matter what. P.K. Hallinan's delightful cartoon art will bring a smile to children of all ages.

Jamela's Dress


Niki Daly - 1999
    But there is a happy ending in store for "Kwela Jamela African Queen," and just in time.