Book picks similar to
What Are You Doing, Benny? by Cary Fagan


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A Tale of Two Mommies


Vanita Oelschlager - 2011
    One boy asks another boy about having two mommies. A young girl listening in asks some questions too. True to a child’s curiosity, practical questions follow. “Which mom is there when you want to go fishing? / Which mom helps out when Kitty goes missing?” To which he answers: “Mommy helps when I want to go fishing. / Both Mommies help when Kitty goes missing.” A Tale of Two Mommies is intended for 4-8 year olds. This book lets us look inside one non-traditional family, a same sex couple and their son. As the children talk, it’s clear this boy lives in a nurturing environment where the biggest issues are the everyday challenges of growing up.

Boot & Shoe


Marla Frazee - 2012
    They eat out of the same bowl, pee on the same tree, and sleep in the same bed. But they spend their days apart - Boot on the back porch because he's a back porch kind of dog, and Shoe on the front porch because he's a front porch kind of dog. This is exactly perfect for them. But then a crazy neighborhood squirrel arrives . . . and everything goes topsy-turvy!Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee brings her signature wit, tenderness, and hilarious illustrations to this tale of an irresistible puppy pair.

Frankenbunny


Jill Esbaum - 2017
    Brave is easy near Papa. But can Spencer the Bunny learn to be brave ALL the time—even when his big brothers try their best to scare him?   Spencer the Bunny’s big brothers ALWAYS frighten him with scary monster stories. And the most terrifying beast of all is Frankenbunny, with his crusty fangs, flashing red eyes, and ginormous paws. But when Spencer discovers that his brothers made the whole thing up, he hatches a plan to turn the tables on them and conquer his own fears . . . forever. Any child who has ever worried about a monster in the closet or felt scared in the dark will love this humorous story about learning to be brave.

A Family for Louie


Alexandra Thompson - 2020
    He's a dog of very fine taste. He knows every chef in town, and each day he wanders the city, visiting his favorite restaurants. It's a good life, except... Louie is all on his own. What Louie wants more than anything is a family.But try as he might, Louie can't seem to find a family that's right for him. At the beach, he meets a little boy and his mother... but they're eating green jello salad and sardine sandwiches (Louie's least favorite foods!). At his favorite sushi restaurant, Louie spies a father and daughter with an open seat at their table... but their cat chases him away. At the park, he meets a nice family having a yummy barbecue, but when they invite him to play frisbee... Louie just can't keep up. Where-oh-where will Louie find a just-right family of his very own?

King Baby


Kate Beaton - 2016
    But he also has many demands, and when his faithful subjects let him down, King Baby himself must take royal action!

Chu's Day


Neil Gaiman - 2013
    Chu is a little panda with a big sneeze.When Chu sneezes, bad things happen.In dusty library, diner pepper, circus tent, Will Chu sneeze today?

Little Babymouse and the Christmas Cupcakes


Jennifer L. Holm - 2016
    . . all about cupcakes! (Typical.)   Thank goodness Babymouse ate all of the Christmas cookies her mom made for Santa. Now she can make him something he really wants—CUPCAKES! But wait . . . what’s that rumbling in the other room? OH NO! A DRAGON!!!!! Can Sir Babymouse defeat her fiery foe and save Christmas?! Or at least save a cupcake or two? Maybe not. . . . Jennifer and Matthew Holm bring us Babymouse’s very first full-color adventure! With signature Babymouse humor, comic book–style panels, and oodles of pink-frosted cupcakes, new readers and devoted fans alike will find plenty to love.

Anthony and the Gargoyle


Jo Ellen Bogart - 2021
    He doesn’t see the little face peering out from the closet. Later, he discovers the newly hatched creature and they become friends. Anthony asks his mother about the rock, and she shows him a photo album of a trip to Paris. Anthony sees that his friend resembles the gargoyles at Notre-Dame cathedral. Back in his room, he shows the photos to the baby gargoyle who looks at them with longing.News arrives that Anthony’s great aunt is in hospital. The family travel to Paris to visit, and Anthony secretly brings the baby gargoyle. When the family have a chance to climb Notre-Dame’s tower, Anthony and his friend wander from one gargoyle to the next … until the baby gargoyle sees one that looks just like him.A bittersweet story of true friendship and letting go.

The Big Bed


Bunmi Laditan - 2018
    A twist on the classic parental struggle of not letting kids sleep in their bed.

Elephants Do Not Belong in Trees


Russ Willms - 2021
    It's not natural. It makes other animals uncomfortable. This is the story of Larry, an elephant who wanted to live in a tree. This is a story about being the new kid and being a little bit different (okay, A LOT different). A story about acceptance and making friends. When Larry decides he wants to live in the big bushy tree in the middle of the wide-open field, the current residents, Bird, Squirrel and Monkey, are not very welcoming. They throw nuts at him and peck at his head; they tell him to leave and are downright rude. But Larry persists--why can't he live in the tree? When his new home is threatened by something much bigger than all the animals combined, Larry shows everyone that he cares just as much about the tree as they do.

Second Banana


Blair Thornburgh - 2020
    Millet’s class are putting on their annual nutrition pageant. Every kid plays a food. Every kid gets a line. It is a big deal. But this year, there aren’t quite enough parts for everybody. So the class is cast: Fish, Cheese, Broccoli, Blueberry, Banana, and . . . Second Banana. Second Banana feels rotten. She wants to be the ONLY banana!In this deliciously original school story, Blair Thornburgh and Kate Berube recognize the dreadful disappointment that a casting list can cause—as well as the power of friendship, creative thinking, and a good attitude to turn a rotten situation into one that’s quite ap-peel-ing. Showtime!

Maximillian Villainous


Margaret Chiu Greanias - 2018
    His famous family pulls pranks on the likes of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, and Max spends his time undoing them. So when he brings home a bunny to be his sidekick, Max's disapproving mother hatches a plan. She challenges Max and the bunny to become a devious duo; otherwise . . . the bunny hops. If they want to stay together, Max and the bunny have no choice but to go against their nature. They blunder into villainy with comical effect until Max discovers that embracing his good heart may just be the key to pulling off the most devious deed of all and winning his family's acceptance.Delightfully fun and irreverent, Maximillian Villainous is an empowering story about embracing one's true self and finding acceptance. Up and coming illustrator Lesley Breen Withrow brings the characters to life with bold and colorful illustrations in a style reminiscent of Richard Scarry.

Lost and Found Ducklings


Valeri Gorbachev - 2018
    Everyone must help! Moose will try to call Mama and Papa Duck with his earth-shattering bellow. Moooo! Wolf will use her piercing howl. Awooo! and Bear his Grrr! What finally attracts Mama and Papa, though, are the sweet peep-peeps of their little ones. A story about cooperation, community, and noisy fun! Hooooot!Ink and watercolor paintings are masterful, charming, and joyful.Perfect for fans of Moo, Baa, La La La!

Peanut and Fifi Have a Ball


Randall de Sève - 2013
    Peanut has a new ball and her big sister, Fifi, wants to play with it. Peanut doesn't want to share, so Fifi tries to entice her with the many different imaginary games they could play with the ball--they could tell fortunes, or have a bakery, or let a seal balance the ball on its nose! Peanut is NOT convinced, until Fifi comes up with a spectacular imaginary adventure that Peanut can't refuse: a trip to space! But is it too late for her to join the game?  Illustrated in bold graphics and bright colors by an illustrator Maurice Sendak calls "an artist with a superb eye for line and composition," here's a story where the older sibling doesn't always have the upper hand.

Apple Cake: A Gratitude


Dawn Casey - 2019
    / Thank you, flower, / Thank you, bee. / Thank you, rain, / Thank you, sun. / Thank you, farmers, / every one. In this simple rhyming story from the author of Held in Love, a child says thank you for the gifts nature provides, from hazelnuts in the hedge to apples from the tree, eggs from the hens to milk from the cow. Eventually, the family has enough ingredients to make something special…a delicious apple cake! With captivating illustrations that brim with emotion, this sweet picture book encourages children to be grateful for the world around them—the perfect read for Thanksgiving. A recipe for apple cake at the end allows you and your child to share in the joyful gratitude.