Book picks similar to
Pigs in Pajamas by Maggie Smith


picture-books
picture-book
storytime
bedtime

Sophie Johnson, Unicorn Expert


Morag Hood - 2018
    She dresses up her toys, stuffed animals, and even her baby brother as unicorns! But living with enchanted animals can be tricky business. And Sophie is so caught up in teaching others that she fails to notice the magic right under her nose. This funny and fresh picture book tells the story of a unicorn hiding in plain sight and a little girl who is totally oblivious to his presence!

Not a Stick


Antoinette Portis - 2007
    Whether it's conducting an orchestra, painting a masterpiece, or slaying a dragon—give a child a stick and let imagination take over and the magic begin.

What This Story Needs Is a Pig in a Wig


Emma J. Virjan - 2015
    . . .As a panda in a blouse, a skunk on a trunk, and more hop on board, it becomes clear that what this story really needs is a bigger boat! Join Pig on an exciting boat ride as she discovers that life is more fun with friends in this fantastic funny read-aloud with cumulative text from author-illustrator Emma J. Virján.The "What This Story Needs..." books are bright and lively and inspire giggles. "A story with echoes of Seuss and Willems," School Library Journal said in a starred review of What This Story Needs Is a Hush and a Shush.

Snappsy the Alligator


Julie Falatko - 2016
    Is Snappsy making crafty plans? Is he prowling for defenseless birds and soft, fuzzy bunnies? Is Snappsy a big, mean alligator who’s obsessed with snack foods that start with the letter P? It’s no wonder Snappsy won't invite the narrator to his party! Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) is an irreverent look at storytelling, friendship, and creative differences from a pair of rising stars in the picture book world.

Touch the Brightest Star


Christie Matheson - 2015
    Wave good-bye to the sun, gently press the firefly, make a wish on a star, rub the owls on their heads, and . . . shhhh. No two readings of this book will be the same. That along with the gentle, soothing rhythm, makes Touch the Brightest Star a bedtime winner—no matter how many times you and your child read it.

Nelly Gnu and Daddy Too


Anna Dewdney - 2014
    Drawing.Reading.Building.Painting.These are things Nelly loves to do...but they're always better with Daddy Gnu!With fun-to-read rhyme, a little silliness, and a lot of warmth, Anna Dewdney--the creator of the beloved llama llama books--tells the story of a daughter and her daddy and their wonderful day together.

Puddle Pug


Kim Norman - 2014
    But no puddle is perfect  . . .  until he finds one with three friendly piglets. But protective Mama Pig says NO PUGS and chases Percy away! Irresistibly illustrated by Keika Yamaguchi, Kim Norman's tale about a persistent pug and his pursuit of friendship in puddle paradise brims with warmth and charm.

Thank You and Good Night


Patrick McDonnell - 2015
    During a fun pajama party, three animal friends dance and play, but at last everyone is getting sleepy. Is it time for bed yet? Not before taking the time to say thank you for the day, the night, and good friends.

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight


Penny Parker Klostermann - 2015
    Now meet the old dragon who swallows pretty much an entire kingdom! Will he ever learn a little moderation?! This rollicking rhyme is full to bursting with sight gags, silly characters, and plenty of burps! Parents and kids alike will delight in Ben Mantle’s precisely funny illustrations and in Penny Parker Klostermann’s wacky rhymes.In days of yore, before a certain fly's ultimately fatal encounter with an Old Lady, there was an old dragon who felt rather peckish. "There was an old dragon who swallowed a knight. / I don't know why he swallowed the knight // It's not polite!" He follows the knight with the knight's steed ("that galloped around at a terrible speed"). Then a squire, a cook, a lady, a castle, and finally a moat are each swallowed in turn. But…"With all of that water, he started to bloat. / And that's when the dragon roared, and I quote: / ‘Okay, enough! I've had enough— / More than enough of this swallowing stuff!' " So realizing that eating all those things might have been "a tad impolite," the old dragon burps them all out in reverse except the knight (which is "ahhh…just right"). Klostermann's debut is a rollicking and warped Medieval take on the well-worn cumulative rhyme. Prolific British animator and illustrator Mantle's expressive and bright cartoon illustrations of the red, horned dragon (and the contents of his stomach) are a perfect match. The antics within the dragon's stomach—every image of the steed is accompanied by a little "clippity, clippity, clippity, clop" in teeny type—and his copious burping will leave 'em laughing. No matter how many swallowed-fly titles you own, this one belongs on your shelf too. KIrkus, May 1,2015

Tyrannosaurus Wrecks!


Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen - 2014
    But each activity is another opportunity for the over-enthusiastic Tyrannosaurus Rex to wreak havoc. Parents and young children will love the call-and-response nature of the book, and young dinosaur fans will appreciate the listing (and pronunciation guide) for a dozen different dino species. The format is extra vertical in order to accommodate T. Rex’s biggest messes. Praise for Tyrannosaurus Wrecks "Punchy writing, an equally in-your-face palette, and OHora’s characteristically brash painting style make this as much a stompalong as a readaloud." --Publishers Weekly "Along with the pleasure of pronouncing those multisyllabic dino names, young audiences may find food for thought in the behavioral dynamics on display." --Kirkus Reviews "Warmly colored with childlike bodies and emotive faces, Ohora’s dinosaurs are among the cutest you will come across in children’s books." --Booklist "The brief rhyming text, which scans well, tells a story with child appeal. There is a good balance of two-to-three word sentences with large, uncluttered illustrations, making the book a good choice for reading aloud. In their simplicity, the brightly colored pictures have the look of children’s art, but they enhance the classroom setting appropriately with interesting details." --School Library Journal "The shapely dinos, whose rough charcoal-style outlines and strong colors vividly contrast with the white or sometimes black backgrounds, are chunky and friendly in an eight-crayon-box color scheme and snazzy Peanuts-reminiscent outfits." --Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books "Together the chanting rhythm, ragged lines, and setting of an un-chaperoned dinosaur class create a satisfyingly high-energy, primal read-aloud strongly reminiscent of Bob Shea’s 'Dinosaur vs.' series." --The Horn Book Magazine

Chicken Story Time


Sandy Asher - 2016
    So it's no surprise that more children (and more chickens!) get in on the fun until there are more kids and critters than the librarian knows what to do with. Luckily, she comes up with a creative solution and manages to find little R & R for herself.Fans of Bats in the Library and Library Lion will fall in love and story time will never be the same!

One Big Pair of Underwear


Laura Gehl - 2014
    But look out—here comes a pack of twenty pigs ready to prove that sharing makes everything twice as fun! This seriously silly picture book with artwork by the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site irresistibly combines the concepts of counting and sharing.

Toad on the Road: A Cautionary Tale


Stephen Shaskan - 2017
    A perfect read-aloud!Who’s that coming down the road?Oh yikes! Oh yikes!It’s a bear on a bike.

Everyone Is Yawning


Anita Bijsterbosch - 2015
    Look. I think it is tired. All the little animals yawn. And the little kid? Does the little kid yawn too? You’ll find out as you lift-the-flaps in this surprising book.A sleepytime book filled with tired animals and friendly flaps from the author-illustrator of the Oppenheim Gold Award winner Whose Hat is That?

Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli


Barbara Jean Hicks - 2009
    They’d rather snack on tractors or a rocket ship or two, or tender trailer tidbits, or a wheely, steely stew. But boy do those trees they’re munching on look an awful lot like broccoli. Maybe vegetables aren’t so bad after all!This hilarious book will have youngsters laughing out loud and craving healthy monster snacks of their own.