What Makes a Rainbow?


Betty Schwartz - 2000
    The last page is sure to delight with all the colors of the rainbow. What a fun way to learn colors!

Alphabatics


Suse MacDonald - 1986
    But did you know that if you turn an A upside down and round the point out a little, it becomes an ark? B is for balloon. But did you know that if you blow it up really big, the hole in the middle floats away like a balloon? In this wonderfully creative alphabet book, letters are pulled, twisted, reversed, and curled until they become part of what they represent. F becomes a fish, and Y becomes a yak! Young readers will be fascinated with the way the letters evolve into the final creation. They'll never look at the alphabet the same way again!

Let’s Play!


Hervé Tullet - 2016
    Thus begins a spectacular ride of color, motion, shape, and imagination, filled with the artistry and delight that we know and love so well from Press Here and Mix It Up! But on this journey, prepare to leap headlong into a completely new dimension: emotion. Connecting not only to the mind but also to the heart, this dot expresses an extraordinary sense of humor, fear, joy, and more as it pushes, lurches, wiggles, and slides its way through—and even off!—the pages of this glorious companion to Press Here and Mix It Up!

Vegetables in Underwear


Jared Chapman - 2015
    The unexpectedness of vegetables in their unmentionables is enough to draw giggles, but the pride with which the “big kid” attire is flaunted in front of the baby carrots in diapers will tickle readers of all ages. With rhyming text that begs to be chanted aloud and art that looks good enough to eat, this vibrant story will encourage preschoolers to celebrate having left those diapers behind!

Little Penguins


Cynthia Rylant - 2016
      Snowflakes? Many snowflakes. Winter is coming. So begins this ever-so-simple story. As the snow starts to fall, the excited penguins pull out scarves, mittens, heavy socks, and boots, and Mama helps them bundle up. But when it’s time to go out, one timid penguin decides to stay home. Filled with waddling baby penguins, playful text, and delightful illustrations, this book feels like a young picture-book classic in the making.From the Hardcover edition.

My Heart Is Like a Zoo


Michael Hall - 2009
    Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick says, "Starting with one simple shape, Michael Hall shows us a nearly infinite number of ways to make a menagerie of love."This award-winning picture book is a must-have for every young reader, who will learn that a heart can be hopeful, silly, happy, rugged, snappy, or lonely. A heart holds every different feeling, and author-artist Michael Hall captures each one with his bold, graphic artwork. An ideal springboard for conversations about emotions, and for introducing concepts, math, and art projects in the classroom and at home. School Library Journal called it an "outstanding choice for one-on-one sharing."

I Love You, Blue Kangaroo!


Emma Chichester Clark - 1998
    When Blue Kangaroo feels misplaced by Lily's new toys, he wonders if she would even notice if he were gone? A heartwarming and comforting tale of sibling rivalry, loyalty, and lasting love, I Love You Blue Kangaroo is a Child Magazine Best Kids' Book of the Year.

Black on White


Tana Hoban - 1993
    It’s never too early to read together!From the eminent photographer and acclaimed book creator Tana Hoban, this bestselling large format board book features bold black-and-white high-contrast images to engage babies and very young children.Tana Hoban’s board books have sold more than a million copies and are beloved by teachers, librarians, parents, and readers. A perfect gift for new parents and babies.Before they are able to clearly see colors, babies respond to the strong contrast between black and white, which makes this the perfect first book for young, developing brains. Experiencing bold black-and-white contrast helps stimulate development in the retina and the optic nerve.About Black on White and White on Black, Publishers Weekly said, “Hoban’s compositions are so supple and her layouts so well balanced that she casts kind of a spell . . . magical.”

Sleepyheads


Sandra J. Howatt - 2014
    The sun has set, and sleepyheads all across the land are tucked into their cozy beds.Rabbit is snoozing in the weeds, and Duck is snuggled in the reeds.Bear is nestled in his cave, and Otter is rocking on a wave.But there's one little sleepyhead who's not in his bed.Where, oh where, could he be?This sweet, snuggly, and silly bedtime book with irresistible illustrations is sure to prepare little ones for a cozy night's sleep.

The Everything Book


Denise Fleming - 2000
    But, without a doubt, the gorgeous illustrations are the real star of the show, created by Denise Fleming by pouring colored cotton fiber through hand-cut stencils. Readers and art appreciators of all ages will want to surround themselves with the delicious, ripe colors. Whether she's writing about traffic lights ("We all must obey them / Even the Queen"), a robin's nest, or the colors of fruit, Fleming imbues her subjects with vivid hues and exquisite shapes. Children will pore over the loosely organized book; the sparse structure allows readers to create their own stories, lingering over Summer, for example (with "summer" as its only text), to count the flies, spy the squirrel, and admire the pair of sunflowers. Readers can practice the alphabet, count crocodile eggs and ladybugs, make faces, learn about shapes, and play with kitchen "toys": cups, pans, spoons, bags. Towards the end of the book, the theme becomes nighttime-sleepytime, with verses about winking blinking fireflies and bunnies and chicks getting ready for bed. Children will love the big, color-drenched pictures and simple words. Grownups will want to frame the art and hang it all over their house. Fleming's In the Small, Small Pond was a Caldecott Honor Book. (Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter

Smile, Pout-Pout Fish


Deborah Diesen - 2014
    No need to be worried! No need to be sad! Toddlers will love swimming along with the Pout-Pout Fish as he turns little frowns into big smiles. Debbie Diesen and Dan Hanna's much loved Pout-Pout Fish comes flippering and swishing into the hearts and minds of very young children with this compact and comic new tale sure to delight.

Put Me in the Zoo


Robert Lopshire - 1960
    Spot, a polka-dot leopard who can change colors and even juggle his own spots, tries to convince two children that he is special enough to be exhibited in the zoo.

You Are Light


Aaron Becker - 2019
    Now hold the page up to the light and enjoy the transformation as the colors in those circles glow. In an elegant, sparely narrated ode to the phenomenon of light, Aaron Becker follows as light reflects off the earth to warm our faces, draws up the sea to make the rain, feeds all the things that grow, and helps to create all the brilliant wonders of the world, including ourselves.

Oh No, George!


Chris Haughton - 2012
    And his owner, Harry, has all the best hopes that George will be a well-behaved dog when he leaves him alone for the day. But when George spies a delicious cake sitting on the kitchen table, his resolve starts to waver. You see, George loves cake. . . . Uh-oh. What to do now? It’s so hard to be a good dog when there are cats to chase and flowers to dig up! What ever will Harry say when he gets back? Chris Haughton’s fetchingly funny story and vibrant, retro illustrations are sure to lure dog lovers of all ages — and anyone who has ever met a temptation too good to resist.

Go! Go! Go! Stop!


Charise Mericle Harper - 2014
    Little Green helps them do their jobs with gusto. Until . . . there is a little too much gusto. They can go, go, go . . . but how will they stop?This bright, fun book with a bold package captures the endless energy of little boys and the timeless appeal of trucks and machines--both for building and knocking down. Plus, it has an underlying message about working together to get things done.