The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark


Jill Tomlinson - 1968
    This is the story of how, with the help of some kind people, he discovers how wonderful the dark can be.

Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse


Chris Riddell - 2013
    She lives in Ghastly-Gorm Hall with her father, Lord Goth, lots of servants and at least half a dozen ghosts, but she hasn't got any friends to explore her enormous, creepy house with.Then, one night, everything changes when Ada meets a ghostly mouse called Ishmael. Together they set out to solve the mystery of the strange happenings at Ghastly-Gorm Hall, and get a lot more than they bargained for...

Skippyjon Jones and the Big Bones


Judy Schachner - 2007
    When a T-Mex threatens the pack, it's El Skippito, the great sword fighter, to the rescue. With yips and yowls, he drives the big baddie away, so all the dino-dudes can rattle their bones another day. This fourth entry in a series that "Kirkus Reviews" called ?ay caramba, mucho fun, ? will win even more fans for the Siamese cat with oversize ears and an imagination to match.

The Egyptian Cinderella


Shirley Climo - 1989
    The beauty of the language is set off to perfection by Heller's arresting illustrations. A stunning combination of fluent prose and exquisitely wrought illustrations that makes] a winner for story hours, as well as a useful resource for the study of Cinderella through the ages." -- SLJ. Notable 1989 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)

Llama Llama Mad at Mama


Anna Dewdney - 2007
    Lots of aisles. Long lines. Mama is too busy to notice that Llama Llama is getting m-a-d! And before he knows it, he's having a full-out tantrum! Mama quickly calms him down, but she also realizes that they need to make shopping more fun for both of them. Parents and children are sure to recognize themselves in this fun-to-read follow-up to the popular Llama Llama Red Pajama.Watch a Video

Little Pea


Amy Krouse Rosenthal - 2005
    She is the author of Encyclopedia of Our Ordinary Life. This is her first children's book"Picky eaters will enjoy the subtle humor of this topsy-turvy tale." — School Library JournalFans of Little Oink, Little Hoot, and Duck! Rabbit! will enjoy the sweet musings of Little Pea and his loving family adventures.• Great family read-aloud book • Books for kids ages 2-4• Books for preschool and up

The New Kid on the Block


Jack Prelutsky - 1984
    “The illustrations bring the frivolity to a fever pitch.”—School Library Journal.Open this book to any page to begin your exploration. Here are poems about things that you may never have thought about before. You'll be introduced to jellyfish stew, a bouncing mouse, a ridiculous dog, and a boneless chicken.You'll learn why you shouldn't argue with a shark, eat a dinosaur, or have an alligator for a pet. You'll meet the world's worst singer and the greatest video game player in history. You'll even find an invitation to a dragon's birthday party....This playful collection is a wonderful introduction to the pleasures of poetry and word play from a master of the genre, Jack Prelutsky.“It’s the author’s joyous sense of the absurd that propels the reader from page to page.”—Horn Book (starred review)

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy


Lynley Dodd - 1983
    All is uneventful until they meet Scarface Claw, the toughest tom in town, and run for home. The story is told by a brilliant, cumulative rhyming text and terrific pictures.

Pokko and the Drum


Matthew Forsythe - 2019
    When Pokko takes the drum deep into the forest it is so quiet, so very quiet that Pokko decides to play. And before she knows it she is joined by a band of animals —first the raccoon, then the rabbit, then the wolf—and soon the entire forest is following her. Will Pokko hear her father’s voice when he calls her home? Pokko and the Drum is a story about art, persistence, and a family of frogs living in a mushroom.

D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths


Ingri d'Aulaire - 1967
    Children meet Bragi, the god of poetry, and the famous Valkyrie maidens, among other gods, goddesses, heroes, and giants. Illustrations throughout depict the wondrous other world of Norse folklore and its fantastical Northern landscape.

Crow Call


Lois Lowry - 2009
    Dad has been away at WWII for longer than she can remember, and they begin their journey of reconnection through a hunting shirt, cherry pie, tender conversation, and the crow call. This allegorical story shows how, like the birds gathering above, the relationship between the girl and her father is graced with the chance to fly.

Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep


Eleanor Farjeon - 1937
    By the time she’s seven, the tireless girl can even outskip the fairies and is rewarded with a gift of rare and lasting value. Can she use it many years later to save the children’s fabled skipping grounds from a greedy, factory-building lord? Charlotte Voake’s exuberant art pairs with Eleanor Farjeon’s unforgettable tale for a match made in picture-book heaven.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Jennifer Jones Won't Leave Me Alone


Frieda Wishinsky - 1995
    He's embarrassed by the love poems, the terms of endearment, the cute little red heart stickers, and especially the laughter and snickers from his classmates. He wishes that Jennifer Jones would just move away. And one day, she does! There's no more sickening stickers, no more silly poems--and no more fun. Does he actually miss Jennifer Jones?

Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888


Ernest Lawrence Thayer - 1888
    Its author would rather have seen it forgotten. Instead, Ernest Thayer's poem has taken a well-deserved place as an enduring icon of Americana. Christopher Bing's magnificent version of this immortal ballad of the flailing 19th-century baseball star is rendered as though it had been newly discovered in a hundred-year-old scrapbook. Bing seamlessly weaves real and trompe l'oeil reproductions of artifacts-period baseball cards, tickets, advertisements, and a host of other memorabilia into the narrative to present a rich and multifaceted panorama of a bygone era. A book to be pored over by children, treasured by aficionados of the sport-and given as a gift to all ages: a tragi-comic celebration of heroism and of a golden era of sport.

Crispin: The Pig Who Had It All


Ted Dewan - 2000
    Crispin is the pig who has it all. And each Christmas he gets even more. But his toys always break or become boring. This year Santa has left Crispin a mysterious box that promises to be the "very best thing in the whole wide world." What could it possibly be?