Book picks similar to
Mr. Yowder and the Steamboat by Glen Rounds


picture-books
2nd-grade
gloucester-point
new-york

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas


Tim Burton - 1993
    He's in charge of making Halloweenland the coolest creepy place around. But when Jack suddenly grows bored with tricks and treats, he goes searching for new ways to celebrate...and he finds them in Christmas Town! Christmas, Jack decides, is just what Halloweenland -- and the world -- needs! He sets out to take over the role of Santa. But can anything good come of a tall and lanky skeleton dressed up as everyone's favorite jolly old elf? Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the Walt Disney Company's most successful franchises, with a huge cult following and a loyal and growing fan base. This beautiful reissue of the book first released in 1993 is a surefire Halloween, Christmas, and year-round hit! The Nightmare Before Christmas is the first book that Tim Burton has written and illustrated.

Martha Blah Blah


Susan Meddaugh - 1996
    Fortunately her nose still works, and she follows it to the source of the mystery.

The Great Pet Escape


Victoria Jamieson - 2016
    Flugelhorn Elementary School want OUT . . . and GW (short for George Washington), the deceptively cute hamster in the second-grade classroom, is just the guy to lead the way. But when he finally escapes and goes to find his former partners in crime, Barry and Biter, he finds that they actually LIKE being class pets. Impossible!Just as GW gets Barry and Biter to agree to leave with him, a mouse named Harriet and her many Mouse Minions get in their way. What follows is class-pet chaos!

I Am Lucille Ball


Brad Meltzer - 2015
    “Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography—for his own kids, and for yours. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Lucille Ball could make any situation funny. By making people around the world laugh, she proved that humor can take on anything.This engaging series is the perfect way to bring American history to life for young children, providing them with the right role models, supplementing Common Core learning in the classroom, and best of all, inspiring them to strive and dream.

Lulu and the Brontosaurus


Judith Viorst - 2010
    Lulu isn't particularly impressed with the snake, tiger, and bear she encounters, but then she finds him--a beautiful, long-necked, graceful brontosaurus. Mr. B completely agrees with Lulu that having a pet would be a wonderful thing, and Lulu thinks she's gotten her birthday wish at last. Until she realizes that Mr. Brontosaurus thinks that "she" would make an ideal pet for "him!"How will Lulu ever get out of this sticky situation without throwing a fit (Mr. B does not respond well to those), or using force (Mr. B is much too tall to bonk on the head with her suitcase), or smushing her pickle sandwich? Beloved children's author Judith Viorst and Caldecott-winning illustrator Lane Smith offer a fresh and funny tale with several surprise endings!

Sydney and Taylor Explore the Whole Wide World


Jacqueline Davies - 2021
    Charming full-color illustrations and a laugh-out-loud story make this chapter book perfect for fans of the Mercy Watson and Owl Diaries series.Sydney is a skunk and Taylor is a hedgehog, but no matter how odd the pairing may seem, their friendship comes naturally. They live happily in their cozy burrow . . . until the day Taylor gets his Big Idea to go see the Whole Wide World. From mountains taller than a hundred hedgehogs, valleys wider than a thousand skunks, to the dangers that lie in the human world, Sydney and Taylor wanted to see it all. With a map and a dream, they bravely set off, soon discovering that the world is much bigger than they realized . . .

Rabbit's Bad Habits


Julian Gough - 2016
    If she can't sleep, then at least she can make a snowman. Rabbit has never made a snowman, but he definitely wants to make one that's better than Bear's. But with an avalanche and a hungry wolf heading his way, Rabbit soon realises that it might be nice to have a friend on your side.A tale of friendship, gravity, and just a little bit of poo.

Old Rock (Is Not Boring)


Deb Pilutti - 2020
    Spotted Beetle, Tall Pine, and Hummingbird think just sitting there must be boring, but they are in for a wonderful surprise. Fabulous tales of adventurous travel, exotic scenery, entertaining neighbors, and more from Old Rock's life prove it has been anything but boring.Great storytellers come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and Old Rock's stories are sure to inspire questions that lead to wonderful conversations about the past and the natural world.

Lost in the Library


Josh Funk - 2018
    The city is about to awake, and the lions absolutely must be in their places before the sun rises. Now, Fortitude must abandon his own post to find his best friend in the Library’s labyrinthine halls.

The Princess in Black


Shannon Hale - 2014
    . . Brring! Brring! The monster alarm! A big blue monster is threatening the goats! Stopping monsters is no job for dainty Princess Magnolia. But luckily Princess Magnolia has a secret —she’s also the Princess in Black, and stopping monsters is the perfect job for her! Can the princess sneak away, transform into her alter ego, and defeat the monster before the nosy duchess discovers her secret? From award-winning writing team of Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrator LeUyen Pham, here is the first in a humorous and action-packed chapter book series for young readers who like their princesses not only prim and perfect, but also dressed in black.

Armadillo Rodeo


Jan Brett - 1995
    Follow that armadillo! Bo leaves his mother and three brothers behind and takes off for a two-stepping, bronco-bucking adventure. Jan Brett turns her considerable talents toward the Texas countryside in this amusing story of an armadillo on his own.

Goodnight Farm Animals


Sharlene Alexander - 2012
    Seuss, P.D. Eastman, and Sandra Boynton, your child will fall in love with "Goodnight Farm Animals."This is a fun twist on the classic story, "Goodnight Moon." As the sun sets on the farm, it is time for the animals to say goodnight. With beautiful illustrations and fun rhyming text, this book will surely be a favorite.

17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore


Jenny Offill - 2004
    For example, in the morning, gluing her brother's bunny slippers to the floor sounds like a good plan. But now she's not allowed to use glue anymore. And what about when she shows Joey Whipple her underpants--they're only underpants, right? Turns out she's not allowed to do that again, either. And isn't broccoli the perfect gift for any brother? It's just too bad her parents don't think so. But she has the last laugh in this humerous picture book about not-so-great behavior. And don't miss the companion book to "17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore: ""11 Experiments that Failed," a zany exploration of the scientific method by everyone's favorite troublemaking protagonist.

Oh No!: Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World


Mac Barnett - 2010
    It's even worse when it's your fault.

Stuck Together


Brian "Smitty" Smith - 2020
    So when a no-good strawberry dares him to roll all the way off the farm, he swears he can do it—eazy me-zee!But along the way, a powerful thunderstorm strikes and bounces Pea off course...and right into two unlikely new buds: a bee named Bee who thinks she knows it all, and a bird named Jay who can’t figure out how to fly.On their own they may not look like much, but if this trio can stick together, they just might help Pea find his way back home!