And Then Comes Summer


Tom Brenner - 2017
    When the days stretch out like a slow yawn, and the cheerful faces of Johnny-jump-ups jump up . . . then it s time to get ready for summer! From flip-flops and hide-and-seek to fireworks and ice-cream trucks, from lemonade stands and late bedtimes to swimming in the lake and toasting marshmallows, there s something for everyone in this bright and buoyant celebration of the sunny season. Tom Brenner s lovely, lyrical ode to summers spent outdoors will strike a chord with anyone who s ever counted down the days until school gets out, and Jaime Kim s jubilant, nostalgia-soaked illustrations leave little doubt that summer is indeed a time unlike any other."

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers


Fred Rogers - 2019
    Through songs, puppets, and frank conversations, Mister Rogers instilled the values of kindness, patience, and self-esteem in his viewers, and most of all, taught children how loved they were, just by being themselves. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood reimagines the songs from the show as poetry, ranging from the iconic "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" to the forgotten gems. The poems deal with topics such as difficult feelings, new siblings, everyday routines, imagination, and more.

Alfie Gets in First


Shirley Hughes - 1981
    While his mum struggles with the pushchair outside, Alfie rushes inside and slams the door behind him. So now Alfie's stuck INSIDE and his mum and Annie Rose are stuck OUTSIDE without a key! Soon everyone in the street is trying to help rescue Alfie - but he's got a plan of his own . . .

Sitti's Secrets


Naomi Shihab Nye - 1994
    Once, Mona went to visit her. The couldn’t speak each other’s language, so they made up their own. They learned about each other’s worlds, and they discovered each other’s secrets. Then it was time for Mona to go back home, back to the other side of the earth. But even though there were millions of miles and millions of people between them, they remained true neighbors forever.

Outside, Inside


LeUyen Pham - 2021
    . .. . . went inside.Outside, it was quieter, wilder, and different. Inside, we laughed, we cried, and we grew.We remembered to protect the ones we love and love the ones who protect us.While the world changed outside, we became stronger on the inside and believed that someday soon spring would come again.

Over in the Meadow


John Langstaff - 1957
    But never has it been presented in such gay and happy form. Feodor Rojankovsky's pictures are filled with the beauty of meadow life from morning till the end of day, and the amusing verses and simple melody will give pleasure to children and grownups whenever they gather to sing. "Over in the Meadow" is the creation of two very gifted artists, whose previous book, "Frog Went A-Courtin'," was awarded the Caldecott Medal.

Ada Twist, Scientist


Andrea Beaty - 2016
    Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose? Why are there hairs growing inside your nose? When her house fills with a horrific, toe-curling smell, Ada knows it’s up to her to find the source. What would you do with a problem like this? Not afraid of failure, Ada embarks on a fact-finding mission and conducts scientific experiments, all in the name of discovery. But, this time, her experiments lead to even more stink and get her into trouble!

Ten, Nine, Eight


Molly Bang - 1983
    “Ten small toes all washed and warm,” begins the story, and then young readers journey toward tuck-in time, counting down along with the story’s African-American father and daughter.In the satisfying conclusion, one little sleepyhead settles in for the night. An award-winning classic, Ten, Nine, Eight has been comforting and delighting children and their parents for more than thirty years.“This beguiling picture book, with a palette of eye-filling colors, appears to arise naturally from the love binding a father and his little ‘big’ girl who turn bedtime into playtime with a rhyming game.”—Publishers Weekly

How to Be a Friend: A Guide to Making Friends and Keeping Them


Laurie Krasny Brown - 1998
    Fun dinosaur characters teach young children all about friendship—the value of friends, how to make friends, and how to be a good friend.With playful full-color illustrations, Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown help kids cope with everyday social situations and learn:★ Who can be your friend.★ How to show someone you would like to be friends.★ How to handle bosses and bullies.★ The best ways to be a friend and ways not to be a friend.★ Ways to settle an argument with a friend.

Owl Sees Owl


Laura Godwin - 2016
       With just three or four words per page, this story follows a baby owl one night as he leaves the safety of his nest (Home/Mama/Brother/Sister) and explores the starry world around him (Soar/Glide/Swoop/Swoosh). Inspired by reverso poetry, the words reverse in the middle when the baby owl is startled upon seeing his reflection in the pond (Owl/Sees/Owl). Afraid of it, little owl takes off toward home, soaring over farms and forests (Swoosh/Swoop/Glide/Soar) until he is finally safely home again (Sister/Brother/Mama/Home).

Please, Baby, Please


Spike Lee - 2002
    Not on your HEAD baby baby baby, please! Vivid illustrations from celebrated artist Kadir Nelson evoke toddlerhood from sandbox to high chair to crib, and families everywhere will delight in sharing these exuberant moments again and again.

Blizzard


John Rocco - 2014
    Told with a brief text and dynamic illustrations, the book opens with a boy's excitement upon seeing the first snowflake fall outside his classroom window. It ends with the neighborhood's immense relief upon seeing the first snowplow break through on their street. In between the boy watches his familiar landscape transform into something alien, and readers watch him transform into a hero who puts the needs of others first.

One Beetle Too Many: The Extraordinary Adventures of Charles Darwin


Kathryn Lasky - 2006
    And despite his father's efforts to turn young Darwin — a poor student — into a doctor or clergyman, the born naturalist jumped instead at the chance to sail around South America, observing and collecting flora and fauna all the way. In a clear, engaging narration, Kathryn Lasky takes readers along on Darwin's journey, from his discovery of seashells on mountaintops that revealed geological changes to his observations of variations in plants and animals, suggesting that all living things are evolving over time. Matthew Trueman's striking mixed-media illustrations include actual objects found in nature, enhancing this compelling look at the man behind the bold theory that would change the way we think about the world — and ourselves.

Penny and Her Song


Kevin Henkes - 2012
    But the babies are sleeping, and Mama and Papa are worried that Penny will wake them up. Oh, but it is a good song, a really wonderful song . . . and Penny wants more than anything to sing it.What do you think will happen?

All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom


Angela Johnson - 2013
    Lewis.Through the eyes of one little girl, All Different Now tells the story of the first Juneteenth, the day freedom finally came to the last of the slaves in the South. Since then, the observance of June 19 as African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. This stunning picture book includes notes from the author and illustrator, a timeline of important dates, and a glossary of relevant terms. Told in Angela Johnson’s signature melodic style and brought to life by E.B. Lewis’s striking paintings, All Different Now is a joyous portrait of the dawn breaking on the darkest time in our nation’s history.