Book picks similar to
The Boy Who Cried Wolf by B.G. Hennessy


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Stick and Stone


Beth Ferry - 2015
    But when Stick gets stuck, can Stone return the favor? With simple rhyming text, subtle messages of kindness and compassion, and Tom Lichtenheld’s signature charm, this delightful story about making and helping friends will enchant readers young and old because it’s never too early—or too late—to stick up for your friends.Don't miss further adventures with Stick and Stone in Stick and Stone: Best Friends Forever.

The Day the Crayons Quit


Drew Daywalt - 2013
    But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: We quit!Beige is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown. Blue needs a break from coloring all that water, while Pink just wants to be used. Green has no complaints, but Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking to each other. What is Duncan to do? Debut author Drew Daywalt and New York Times bestseller Oliver Jeffers create a colorful solution in this playful, imaginative story that will have children laughing and playing with their crayons in a whole new way.

Miss Nelson Is Missing!


Harry Allard - 1977
    Spitballs stuck to the ceiling. Paper planes whizzing through the air. They were the worst-behaved class in the whole school.So begins this quirky classic, first published in 1977 and still relevant today as a lighthearted reminder to show our appreciation to those we value. The students don’t proffer a shred of respect for their good-natured teacher Miss Nelson, but when the witchy substitute Miss Viola Swamp appears on the scene, they start to regret their own wicked ways. James Marshall’s scritchy, cartoonish full-color ink and wash illustrations are hilarious. A back-to-school perennial!

The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma


Diane Fox - 2014
    What's her special power?"Cat says, "She doesn't have any special powers. It's not that kind of a story."And then the fun ensues!The zany, fun back-and-forth of Dog and Cat celebrates the joy of reading -- and questioning. Young children will cheer Dog's persistent questions as well as Cat's dedication to keep telling the story.

Dragons Love Tacos


Adam Rubin - 2012
    They love chicken tacos, beef tacos, great big tacos, and teeny tiny tacos. So if you want to lure a bunch of dragons to your party, you should definitely serve tacos. Buckets and buckets of tacos. Unfortunately, where there are tacos, there is also salsa. And if a dragon accidentally eats spicy salsa . . . oh, boy. You're in red-hot trouble.The award-winning team behind Those Darn Squirrels! has created an unforgettable, laugh-until-salsa-comes-out-of-your-nose tale of new friends and the perfect snack.

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild


Peter Brown - 2013
    So he decides to go wild. But does he go too far? There is a time and place for everything...even going wild.

Little Blue and Little Yellow


Leo Lionni - 1959
    One day, they can't find one another. When they finally meet, they are overjoyed. They hug until they become green. But where did little blue and little yellow go? Are they lost?

Stone Soup


Heather Forest - 1998
    To their surprise, villager after villager refuses to share, each one closing the door with a bang. As they sit to rest beside a well, one of the travelers observes that if the townspeople have no food to share, they must be "in greater need than we are." With that, the travelers demonstrate their special recipe for a magical soup, using a stone as a starter. All they need is a carrot, which a young girl volunteers. Not to be outdone, another villager contributes a potato, and the soup grows as others bring corn, celery, and other vegetables and seasonings. In this cumulative retelling of an ancient and widely circulated legend, author Heather Forest shows us that when each person makes a small contribution, "the collective impact can be huge." Susan Gaber's paintings portray the optimism and timelessness of a story that celebrates teamwork and generosity. This story about community teaches readers the importance of sharing, generosity and vegetables!Winner of Parents' Choice Award & Bank Street College: Best Children's Books of the Year

Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter


Diane Stanley - 1997
    She had to spin straw into gold. And who should show up to help her but an odd little man named Rumpelstiltskin.According to tradition, the gold-bedazzled king and the miller's daughter are wed. But wait just a minute! This king is definitely not husband material, and there's someone else who is -- a hardworking guy who's supportive and nice looking, and who really comes through in a pinch.Why not marry Rumpelstiltskin?In Diane Stanley's merry rethinking of the traditional tale, Rumpelstiltskin and the miller's daughter are wed...and then sixteen years later their only daughter is stuck in the same dilemma: She's been locked in a room full of straw to spin for a greedy king! She could call for help from her father, but this fairy-tale heroine has some canny plans of her own.How Rumpelstiltskin's daughter sets things to rights in the troubled kingdom, while achieving a unique place for herself, makes for a wise and witty tale of kindness and cleverness rewarded. Diane Stanley's wickedly funny text and zesty illustrations put a delightful new spin on a classic fairy tale.Rumpelstiltskin's daughter may not be able to spin straw into gold, but she is more than a match for a monarch whose greed has blighted an entire kingdom.2000-2001 Georgia's Picture Storybook Award & Georgia's Children's Book Award Masterlist01-02 Land of Enchantment Book Award Masterlist (Gr. 3-6) 99-00 Children's Book Award

Interrupting Chicken


David Ezra Stein - 2010
    It's time for the little red chicken's bedtime story—and a reminder from Papa to try not to interrupt. But the chicken can't help herself! Whether the tale is "Hansel and Gretel" or "Little Red Riding Hood" or even "Chicken Little," she jumps into the story to save its hapless characters from doing some dangerous or silly thing. Now it's the little red chicken's turn to tell a story, but will her yawning papa make it to the end without his own kind of interrupting? Energetically illustrated with glowing colors—and offering humorous story-within-a-story views—this all-too-familiar tale is sure to amuse (and hold the attention of) spirited little chicks.

American Tall Tales


Mary Pope Osborne - 1991
      Here are Paul Bunyan, that king-sized lumberjack who could fell “ten white pines with a single swing”; John Henry, with his mighty hammer; Mose, old New York’s biggest, bravest fireman; Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind, who could “outgrin, outsnort, outrun, outlift, outsneeze, outsleep, outlie any varmint”; and other uniquely American characters, together in one superb collection.   In the tradition of the original nineteenth-century storytellers, Mary Pope Osborne compiles, edits, and adds her own two cents’ worth—and also supplies fascinating historical headnotes. Michael McCurdy’s robust colored wood engravings recall an earlier time, perfectly capturing all the vitality of the men and women who carved a new country out of the North American wilderness.

The Gigantic Turnip


Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy - 1910
    One fine spring morning, they decide that it is time to sow the vegetables. Throughout the summer the seeds turn into ripe, juicy vegetables and the time comes for them to harvest their crop. Soon there is just one turnip left at the end of the row. It looks very big -- in fact, it looks gigantic!This hilarious retelling features simple vocabulary and has lots of repetition. It is perfect for reading aloud and will soon have young readers joining in. Niamh Sharkey's quirky illustrations also provide plenty of counting practice for small children.

Saint George and the Dragon


Margaret Hodges - 1984
    George and the Dragon commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the Caldecott Award-winning picture book. Hodges retells an exciting segment from Spenser's The Faerie Queene, in which the Red Cross Knight slays a dreadful dragon that has been terrorizing the countryside for years, bringing peace and joy back to the land. Featuring a fresh new cover design - with artwork that highlights the dragon adventure within - and distinctive embossed gold Caldecott Award sticker, this is the perfect way to introduce the classic tale to a whole new generation of readers.

Interstellar Cinderella


Deborah Underwood - 2015
    With a little help from her fairy godrobot, Cinderella is going to the ball--but when the prince's ship has mechanical trouble, someone will have to zoom to the rescue! Readers will thank their lucky stars for this irrepressible fairy tale retelling, its independent heroine, and its stellar happy ending.

Bubba, the Cowboy Prince: A Fractured Texas Fale


Helen Ketteman - 1997
    Bubba never complains, though. He's a real cowboy - tough as leather (and cute as a cow's ear).When Miz Lurleen, the purtiest rancher in Texas, decides to throw a ball to find herself a real feller, Bubba has to stay at home. "You smell more like the cattle than the cattle do," laugh Dwayne and Milton. But with the help of Bubba's fairy godcow, and a little Texas magic, Miz Lurleen finds the cowboy prince she's always dreamed of.With its western brand of language and humor, this Texas retelling of the Cinderella story will really rope in readers.