Book picks similar to
Three Boys and a Helicopter by Nan Hayden Agle


church-2
early-elementary
juvenile
sally-s-books

Saving Winslow


Sharon Creech - 2018
    So when his father brings home a sickly newborn mini donkey, he's determined to save him. He names him Winslow. Taking care of him helps Louie feel closer to his brother, Gus, who is far, far away in the army.Everyone worries that Winslow won't survive, especially Louie’s quirky new friend, Nora, who has experienced loss of her own. But as Louie's bond with Winslow grows, surprising and life-altering events prove that this fragile donkey is stronger than anyone could have imagined.Written in the spirit of Creech favorites Moo and Love That Dog, this standout tale about love and friendship and letting go will tug at the heartstrings.

Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!


Jennifer E. Morris - 2019
    He won't sing, catch, or even jump! But when a scary situation brings Flubby and his owner together, they realize they really do need each other--and that makes Flubby a good pet after all.

The Bookstore Cat


Cylin Busby - 2020
    . . b ossy . . . c uddly cat.He is everything from i ntelligent and l oyal to n aughty and v ocal! But most of all, the bookstore cat is a well-loved (and well-read) kitty. Follow his funny antics from A to Z through a day in his bustling, book-filled shop.The Bookstore Cat is based on a Victorian parlor game, The Minister’s Cat, in which players try to think of adjectives to describe the cat in alphabetical order. Readers can extend the fun of the book by playing their own version of the game.

Builder Brothers: Big Plans


Jonathan Scott - 2018
    Will they build a treehouse? A castle? A catapult? They have a whole lot of big ideas, but no one thinks they can do any of them!The twins brainstorm, scribble, and tinker until they have the perfect big plan. They’ll save every last penny, sketch out some designs, and make a whole lot of noise—builders aren’t known for being quiet—because they know that little kids can do big things.But what will Drew and Jonathan do when their big plans don’t go the way they’d hoped? Find out in this heartwarming new story from everyone’s favorite twins.And the book comes complete with an original do-it-yourself building project that parents and kids can tackle together at home. Everyone knows that every big plan starts with a dream!

Even Superheroes Have Bad Days


Shelly Becker - 2016
    . . . . . they COULD super-tantrum, they COULD but they DON'T, because REAL Superheroes just WOULDN'T—they WON'T! All kids have trouble getting a grip on their emotions, sometimes—even young superheroes! But what do they do when they’re having a bad day? Colorful action-packed illustrations and a dynamite rhyming text reveal the many ways superheroes (and ordinary children, too) can resist the super-temptation to cause a scene when they’re sad, mad, frustrated, lonely, or afraid. From burning off steam on a bike or a hike, to helping others, this energetic picture book has plenty of fun ideas to help kids cope when they’re feeling overwhelmed.

After Eli


Rebecca Rupp - 2012
    When Daniel Anderson’s older brother dies, he wonders which category Eli’s death falls into. In an attempt to understand, Danny creates a Book of the Dead — an old binder that he fills with details about dead people, how they died, and, most important, for what purpose. Time passes, and eventually Daniel is prompted to look up from his notebook of death and questions to make new friends and be swept into their imaginings. With gentle humor and genuine emotion, Rebecca Rupp examines the questions that arise following a profound loss and the moments that start life rolling again.

Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite!


Ashley Spires - 2021
    He's sure he belongs in the category of bugs with superpower-like abilities. No, he can't carry 50 times his weight, like ants. No, he's not able to spray paralyzing venom, like some termites. No, he can't release a bad smell to repel predators, like stink bugs. What june beetles are known for is chasing porch lights and flailing their legs in the air --- does that count? Hmm ... Maybe Burt will just have to accept the truth. June beetles don't have any special abilities. But when some other bugs find themselves in perilous trouble that even their superpowers can't get them out of, Burt suddenly realizes there is one thing that he can do to save his friends --- and it's something that only a june beetle can do!Bestselling author-illustrator Ashley Spires's signature mix of slapstick and dry humor is front and center in this winning story that highlights how being special is as much about character as it is about abilities. Full of simply drawn panels prominently featuring the ever-plucky Burt, it's a perfect pick for emerging readers and young fans of comics. Burt's positive attitude toward himself and others offers many opportunities for character education lessons on caring, positive thinking and initiative. Snuck into the pages are facts about bugs and their traits, making this a fun choice for a science unit on the characteristics of living things.

Precious and the Monkeys


Alexander McCall Smith - 2010
    Here, in this delightful, enchanting tale for children, we find out just who has been stealing her schoolfriends' snacks and how the young Precious became the crafty and intuitive private investigator we all know and love!

We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes


Patrick Jennings - 2009
    I just look like one. I'm a gopher snake.One day an oily, filthy, fleshy human child crossed my path. As luck would have it, he knew the difference between a gopher snake and a rattlesnake. He has imprisoned me in a terrarium. His name is Gunnar. He calls me Crusher. He thinks I'm male. I'm not.He dropped in a dead mouse and hoped I'd eat it. I buried it. He then dropped in a live one, which he called "Breakfast." I didn't lay a coil on it.Gunnar thinks I'll be his adoring pet. He's wrong.In fact, I am planning my escape. I may take Breakfast with me.Crusher will charm readers in this entertaining, clever novel about a snake in captivity and how she turns the tables on her human captor.

War and Watermelon


Rich Wallace - 2011
    We've just landed on the moon, the Vietnam War is heating up, the Mets are beginning their famous World Series run, and Woodstock is rocking upstate New York. Down in New Jersey, twelve-year-old Brody is mostly concerned with the top ten hits on the radio and how much playing time he'll get on the football team. But when he goes along for the ride to Woodstock with his older brother and sees the mass of humanity there, he starts to wake up to the world around him-a world that could take away the brother he loves.

Unicorn Day


Diana Murray - 2019
    But when it's revealed there's an impostor in their midst, the party comes to a screeching halt...Will the unicorns welcome all and continue their fun in all its glittery glory?A clever, colorful, and over-the-top picture book about unicorns, celebrations, and most importantly, friendship.

Recess Warriors: Hero Is a Four-Letter Word


Marcus Emerson - 2017
    one playground at a time.When imaginations go wild in the schoolyard, anything can happen. Normal kids become world-saving heroes, girls become power-hungry pirates, and zombies take over the school after being infected by the dreaded epidemic—cooties! It's up to Scrap, his partner Yoshi (don't you dare call her a sidekick!), and Clinton, the baddest cowboy in the, um, badlands, to stop recess from collapsing into total apocalyptic chaos.With dynamic full-color art and nonstop action, Recess Warriors is an irresistibly fun middle-grade graphic novel from Marcus Emerson, the creator of the hit self-published series, Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja.

Frenemies in the Family: Famous Brothers and Sisters Who Butted Heads and Had Each Other's Backs


Kathleen Krull - 2018
    the next minute you don't want them breathing your air! Siblings everywhere will relate to this humorous look at famous brothers and sisters whose important bonds have shaped their accomplishments... (mostly) for the better.They blame you when they get in trouble. They seem like your parents' favorite. They are the only enemy you can't live without. Almost everyone has a juicy story about their siblings--even famous people. Meet those who got along, those who didn't, and everyone in between!* Demi Lovato and her sister* Tennis superstars Serena and Venus Williams* Walt and Roy Disney* Princes William and Harry* Stephen Colbert and his eleven older siblings * Quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning* The Jacksons (Michael, Janet, and family)* Reality TV sensations, the Gosselins * Queen Elizabeth I and the queen who history remembers as Bloody Mary* Conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker* John Wilkes Booth (the man who assassinated Abraham Lincoln) and his brother Edwin* Vincent and Theo van Gogh* Airplane inventors, the Wright brothers* The Romanovs* The Kennedys Oh, brother! This could get ugly...

The Real Thief


William Steig - 1973
    When rubies, then gold ducats, and finally the world-famous Kalikak diamond vanish from the treasure house, there is no way to account for the disappearances. Only Gawain and the King have keys!Woe and misery must be borne--by Gawain, by King Basil and the entire community, as well as by the real thief--before the goose's good name is restored. Brought to trial, Gawain escapes from his faithless friends into lonely self-exile. Now the thief, burdened by guilt, sees that the right thing must be done and determines, heroically, to do it. (Setting all this straight is no small job for one mouse, even such a mouse as Derek.)William Steig's many admirers will find in The Real Thief a book worthy of standing beside "Dominic" and" Amos and Boris."

The Case of the Missing Chalk Drawings


Richard Byrne - 2018
    The chalks are drawing flowers on the chalkboard, but someone keeps stealing their artwork! Who could the thief be? Fortunately, Sergeant Blue is on the case and determined to solve the crime.