Book picks similar to
The Woods by Rob Hodgson


picture-books
children
picture-book
animals

The Golden Glow


Benjamin Flouw - 2017
    Fox meets Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever in this stylish picture book about a quest for a rare and mysterious plant.Fox loves nature. There's nothing he enjoys more than reading about and picking flowers. One evening he comes across a rare specimen in his old botany book -- the golden glow, a plant from the Wellhidden family, found only in the mountains . . . a plant that has yet to be described. Fascinated, Fox decides to set off on a quest in search of the mysterious Golden Glow. He packs his knapsack, a map, a compass, a flashlight, a sleeping bag and other items for his hike. Along the way Fox observes many different kinds of trees and plants. He also encounters woodland friends who help him make it to the summit of the mountain. But when Fox eventually stumbles upon the object of his quest, he makes a surprising decision.With spreads of educational content interspersed throughout, The Golden Glow is a charming story that details the simple pleasures of a nature hike and celebrates observing the beauty of nature.

This Is a Taco!


Andrew Cangelose - 2018
    . . "Hey, I may be a squirrel, but my name is Taco! And I don't eat nuts and tree bark—blech—I prefer tacos!" The natural predator of squirrels is . . . "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who is writing this book? I do not like where this is going." This hilarious send-up of a children's nature primer teaches kids that the most important story is the one you write yourself.

Bug in a Vacuum


Mélanie Watt - 2015
    where its entire life changes with the switch of a button. Sucked into the void of a vacuum bag, this one little bug moves through denial, bargaining, anger, despair and eventually acceptance -- the five stages of grief -- as it comes to terms with its fate. Will there be a light at the end of the tunnel? Will there be dust bunnies in the void? A funny, suspenseful and poignant look at the travails of a bug trapped in a vacuum.

Rupert's Snowman


Phillipa Warden - 2020
    Sledging, building snowmen, making snow angels and having snowball fights. But wait! What is this? Why is Rupert racing back up the hill? Join him and his mummy as they are forced to embark on a Snowy Adventure Rescue...

Shh! We Have a Plan


Chris Haughton - 2014
    Four friends, three big and one little, are out for a walk. Suddenly, they spot it—a beautiful bird perched high in a tree! They simply MUST have it and—SHH!—they have a PLAN. So they tip-toe, tip-toe very slowly, nets poised—"Ready one ... ready two ... ready three ... GO!" But, at the turn of the page, we find a ridiculous bunch of very tangled characters and a blissfully oblivious bird, flying away.

A Boy and a House


Maja Kastelic - 2015
    Before continuing up the stairway, the boy picks up one of several discarded drawings that litter the floor.Another open door awaits. Again, the boy follows the cat, this time into an apartment filled with books and toys. No one is there, but a table set for tea testifies to the fact that someone has been there recently. More drawings are scattered throughout, which the boy picks up one by one. With his pile of sketches in hand, he continues up several more staircases until he reaches an attic where a wonderful surprise awaits him.The stunning illustrations in this wordless book invite the reader into a mysterious world that evokes the beauty of the past. Drawn by the light radiating from every open doorway, the boy lets his curiosity take him on an amazing journey of discovery, which young readers can elaborate with their own versions of the story.

If We Were Gone: Imagining the World Without People


John Coy - 2020
    . . we need these elements to live in this world. But does the world need us? And what would happen to the world if humans were gone? This is the premise of a thought-provoking picture book from John Coy. His insightful text explores how nature would reclaim the planet, accompanied by Natalie Capannelli's gorgeous watercolor illustrations. Back matter gives further context and discusses what kids (and all of us) can do to truly help our planet.

Wish


Chris Saunders - 2019
    Rabbit has never had a wish before but one day he gets not one, but three! He asks his friends what they would do if they had a wish to get ideas. He hears their ideas, but what does he want?

Lion Lessons


Jon Agee - 2016
      There are seven steps to becoming a proper lion, including Looking Fierce, Roaring, Prowling Around, and Pouncing. Our young hero, a rather meek and scrawny human boy, does his best to learn the necessary skills during his training with a master instructor (who just happens to be a real lion). After a grueling set of lessons, the boy discovers that that the final step—Looking Out for Your Friends—is the most important of all. That’s how any kid can earn his lion diploma (not to mention the affection of every cat in town).

Shelter


Céline Claire - 2017
    All the animal families, safe in their homes, are worried. They wonder, “What are they doing there? What do they want?” So, as the pair knocks at the door of one home after another asking for shelter, all the animals turn them away, leaving them to fend for themselves. But then an accident suddenly forces the fox family out into the snow and the wind, and the foxes find they must ask these outsiders for help. Will they find it in their hearts to give it?Céline Claire's heartwarming picture book story delivers a timeless and timely message about the importance of kindness and generosity. With simple and evocative language, it explores how even small gestures can make a big difference to the strangers or outsiders in a community. Artist Qin Leng uses a warm, soft palette in her ink and watercolor illustrations creating a charming and inviting visual narrative that is perfect for young children. This book provides a wonderful opportunity for discussions about being welcoming and helping others in need, including how children can put this into practice by reaching out to the “new kid” or the one who seems different. It also works well for character education lessons on kindness, caring and empathy.

This Is a Dog Book!


Judith Henderson - 2021
    I'm a dog.” To get into this dog book, a bunny attempts to prove to some skeptical dogs that he's one of them. Does he like to run and catch a ball? Of course. Can he use his puppy-dog eyes to get himself out of trouble? Absolutely. Does he smell dog doo-doos? Umm . . . can he get back to that one later? As the bunny answers a succession of questions that run the gamut of a dog's essential qualities, he does his best to demonstrate his dog credentials. Of course, in the end, a bunny is a bunny, not a dog. The real question is, does it have to matter?Written entirely in dialogue, this playful picture book story highlights Judith Henderson's signature mix of dry and silly humor. On the surface, this is a giggle-inducing crowd-pleaser. But in ultimately deciding that it's what's on the inside that really counts, the deeper character education messages of kindness and inclusiveness give the book lots of heart. Julien Chung's simple yet high-energy drawings of mostly thick black lines with splashes of red are a perfect complement to the snappy text and manage to convey a world of emotion. There are excellent lessons here on identity, community and belonging. This story would be great fun for children to act out.

This Moose Belongs to Me


Oliver Jeffers - 2012
    He hadn't always owned a moose. The moose came to him a while ago and he knew, just KNEW, that it was meant to be his. He thought he would call him Marcel. Most of the time Marcel is very obedient, abiding by the many rules of How to Be a Good Pet. But imagine Wilfred's surprise when one dark day, while deep in the woods, someone else claims the moose as their own...

A Very Late Story


Marianna Coppo - 2018
    This cleverly self-aware, interactive picture book, loosely based on Waiting For Godot, introduces a charming cast of characters illustrated in Marianna Coppo’s quirky and delicate style. Young readers will learn that instead of waiting around for stories to happen, they should go out into the world and create their own! Perfect for fans of The Monster at the End of this Book and The Book with No Pictures.

The Rock from the Sky


Jon Klassen - 2021
    He likes it so much that he asks his friend Armadillo to come over and stand in it, too. But now that Armadillo is standing in that spot, he has a bad feeling about it . . .Here comes The Rock from the Sky, a meditation on the workings of friendship, fate, shared futuristic visions, and that funny feeling you get that there's something off somewhere, but you just can't put your finger on it.

How to Give Your Cat a Bath: In Five Easy Steps


Nicola Winstanley - 2019
    The perfect read-aloud for fans of Snappsy the Alligator and Interrupting Chicken.Step one: fill the bathStep two: put the cat in the bathStep three: put shampoo on the catStep four: rinse the catStep five: dry the catSeems simple, right? One problem: the cat has no intention of doing ANY of these things! Watch as the steps keep changing, the cat keeps escaping, the girl keeps eating cookies and the mess keeps escalating. Soon it's not just the cat who needs a bath--it's the whole house!This spoof on an instruction manual features an increasingly bewildered human, a nonchalant cat and a know-it-all narrator . . . who really doesn't know it all. How DO you give a cat a bath? Read on to find out!