The Story of Ferdinand


Munro Leaf - 1936
    All the other bulls would run and jump and butt their heads together. But Ferdinand would rather sit and smell the flowers. And he does just that, until the day a bumblebee and some men from the Madrid bullfights give gentle Ferdinand a chance to be the most ferocious star of the corrida—and the most unexpected comic hero. This cherished hardcover is perfect for those who love Ferdinand, and those who have yet to meet him.

Llama Llama Home with Mama


Anna Dewdney - 2011
    Back to bed, no school today for Llama Llama! Instead, he's home with Mama. By lunchtime, though, he's beginning to feel a tiny bit better. But now someone else has the sneezes . . . Mama! And who will help her feel better? Why, Llama Llama, of course! Anna Dewdney's fun-to-read rhymes are sure to help children and their parents get through those under-the-weather days.

The Mysterious Tadpole


Steven Kellogg - 1977
    But it soon becomes clear that this "tadpole" is not turning into an ordinary frog! It'll take a little help from friends and a lot of ingenuity to feed and shelter this unusual, ever-growing pet. The Mysterious Tadpole, with its giddy mix of fantasy, adventure, and high humor, is one of Steven Kellogg's most popular books. It was an ALA Notable, an IRA-CBC Children's Choice, and won the Irma Simonton Black Award. For its anniversary, Steven has reworked aspects of the story and has created entirely new artwork in the bright, bold colors that weren't reproducible twenty-five years ago. He discusses why he wanted to revise the book in a lively author's note.

The Gift of Nothing


Patrick McDonnell - 2005
    He wonders what he can buy the dog who has everything and decides that the answer, of course, is nothing. This simple story features characters from the Mutts comic strips and is the first book for children.

Two Mice


Sergio Ruzzier - 2015
    . . and the adventure begins. In gorgeously illustrated spreads and two-word phrases, this picture book takes two mice through their exciting and eventful day. Funny, lively, and easy to follow, the book offers the youngest readers the chance to count from one to three and back again. Sergio Ruzzier's illustrations display his signature quirky, colorful, and slightly surreal view of characters and settings, and the text is a minimalist gem. It's a perfect book to share one-on-one with a young child and a lovely lead-up to bedtime.

Who's That Knocking on Christmas Eve?


Jan Brett - 2002
    But this year, the trolls are in for a surprise: a boy and his pet ice bear on their way to Oslo have come in from the cold. And once the ice bear is finished with the trolls, you can bet they won't come knocking next Christmas Eve!Once again, Jan Brett creates an original Christmas story full of warmth and magic. Featuring beautiful borders, intricate illustrations, and a stunning display of the Northern Lights, Who's That Knocking on Christmas Eve? will rightfully take its place among Jan's Christmas favorites with the whole family.

Five Minutes' Peace


Jill Murphy - 1986
    Large wants is five minutes' peace from her energetic children, but chaos follows her all the way from the kitchen to the bath and back again.

Snowy Day (Curious George)


Rotem Moscovich - 2007
    George is surprised to wake up and find snow outside! But it's hard for a little monkey to walk in such deep snow. Thankfully, his friends teach him all about snow and the different ways to play in it, and he uses his new skills to rescue a farmer’s stranded pig! The animated series Curious George is available to watch on Peacock, NBC Universal’s streaming platform.

Mouse Tales


Arnold Lobel - 1972
    When Papa's seven little mouse boys ask for a bedtime story, Papa does even better than that—he tells seven stories, one for each boy!This Level Two I Can Read is geared toward kids who read on their own but still need a little help.This sweet bedtime tale is from Arnold Lobel, the beloved author and illustrator of the Newbery Honor and Caldecott Honor award-winning Frog and Toad books.

Hello, My Name is Octicorn


Kevin Diller - 2013
    And isn’t that everyone? This is a self-published success story from debut authors Justin Lowe and Kevin Diller. Octicorn is half octopus, half unicorn, half confused . . . which sometimes makes it hard to fit in.But maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories


Alvin Schwartz - 1984
    Creak...Crash...BOO!Shivering skeletons, ghostly pirates, chattering corpses, and haunted graveyards...all to chill your bones! Share these seven spine-tingling stories in a dark, dark room.

Verdi


Janell Cannon - 1997
    He likes his bright yellow skin and sporty stripes. Besides, all the green snakes he meets are lazy, boring, and rude. When Verdi finds a pale green stripe stretching along his whole body, he tries every trick he can think of to get rid of it--and ends up in a heap of trouble. Despite his efforts, Verdi turns green, but to his delight, he discovers that being green doesn’t mean he has to stop being himself. “Cannon is on a roll, her gift for creating memorable characters and scenes on glorious display in this tale of a feisty python hatchling.”--Publishers Weekly

Wacky Wednesday


Theo LeSieg - 1974
    in full color. A baffled youngster awakens one morning to findeverything's out of place, but no one seems to notice! Beginning readers willhave fun discovering all the wacky things wrong on each page while sharpeningtheir ability to observe, as well as to read.

Curious George Learns the Alphabet


H.A. Rey - 1963
    Rey, Curious George has progressed from learning to wash dishes, clean windows, and ride a bike to learning his letters—with time out for fun, food, football, mischief, and a surprise at the end!

50 Below Zero


Robert Munsch - 1986
    All night long, Jason gets woken up by strange noises that lead him to find his dad in the most unexpected places—from on top of the refrigerator to the freezing cold woods outside his house. In order to finally get a good night’s sleep, Jason musters up all of his resources and comes up with a most unexpected solution—tying his dad’s toe to the bathroom doorknob to keep him in place.