Augustus and His Smile


Catherine Rayner - 2001
    And he had lost his smile. So he did a huge tigery stretch and set off to find it. Stunning illustrations celebrate the beauty of the world and the simple happiness it brings us when we open our eyes to it. An imaginative book for children who love to explore the world around them.

Me, Too!


Annika Dunklee - 2015
    "They're the same age ? They like the same colors ? They like doing the same things ? They can both speak another language. Okay, so Annie made hers up, but she is pretty sure it still counts." Annie and Lillemor like each other so much they play together every day. But then Lilianne, a new girl from France, arrives. Annie can't stand that Lillemor has become friends with Lilianne, and that Lilianne seems to have more things in common with Lillemor than Annie does -- even their names, which both begin with "Lil"! Has Annie lost her best friend forever?

Bear and Wolf


Daniel Salmieri - 2018
    Bear and Wolf become unlikely companions one winter’s evening when they discover each other out walking in the falling snow.

Daisy


Jessixa Bagley - 2021
    She knows they're special - and soon she meets a friend who knows it too.Daisies seem so simple on the surface, but when you look closely you see their hidden beauty.That's what Daisy the warthog's mom always says, and it's the reason she got her name. But when Daisy goes to school, she doesn't feel like her name. The other kids, Rose, Violet, and Petunia, make fun of her and call her Thistle.Daisy spends a lot of time with her head down, but she doesn't need her classmates to have fun. When she looks at the forest floor, she starts to find all sorts of treasures, beautiful things that were once special and have since been forgotten. The other kids might make fun of her pastime, but it turns out she's not the only one who appreciates the hidden beauty of forgotten things when she meets a like-minded new friend.With vibrant, sun-dappled art, this is a book for any kid who has trouble fitting in and marches to the beat of their own drum, from the acclaimed author and creator of Boats for Papa, Laundry Day, and Henry and Bea.A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Yes & No


Elisha Cooper - 2021
    It's time to wake up!Join a cat and puppy pair through their day—the ups of being fed and romping through grass, and the downs of days that are too short and things that don't go as planned—as they realize that sometimes the very best thing that can happen is just being together.

Too Many Moose


Lisa Bakos - 2016
    If one moose is this marvelous, then more moose must be even better! Pretty soon, Martha has more moose than she can handle in this playful pet story.

Things to Do with Dad


Sam Zuppardi - 2017
    At first content to let Dad cross things off his list, the boy in the story soon realizes that the whole day will be spent on chores unless he can come up with a solution. In his singularly expressive, kid-friendly style, author-illustrator Sam Zuppardi crafts a colorful celebration of the fun that can be had with just a little imagination and a trusty green crayon.

Not Norman: A Goldfish Story


Kelly Bennett - 2005
    He wanted a different kind of pet — one that could run and catch, or chase string and climb trees, a soft furry pet to sleep on his bed at night. Definitely not Norman. But when he tries to trade Norman for a "good pet," things don’t go as he planned. Could it be that Norman is a better pet than he thought? With wry humor and lighthearted affection, author Kelly Bennett and illustrator Noah Z. Jones tell an unexpected — and positively fishy — tale about finding the good in something you didn’t knowyou wanted.

Hello, Goodbye, and a Very Little Lie


Christianne C. Jones - 2010
    Larry lies about practically everything until he meets a girl who outsmarts him.

Winter Dance


Marion Dane Bauer - 2017
    But what should the fox do? Each animal advises the fox that its own plan is best, but the fox thinks otherwise—yet it's not until he meets a golden-eyed friend that he finds the perfect way to celebrate the snowfall. Stunning illustrations by the new talent Richard Jones are the perfect complement to the Newbery Honor winner Marion Dane Bauer's lyrical and playful homage to the natural world.

Little Beauty


Anthony Browne - 2008
    He appears to have everything he needs, but one day he signs that he is sad and needs a friend. His keepers bring him a tiny cat called Beauty and the two of them become inseparable.

Lala's Words: A Story of Planting Kindness


Gracey Zhang - 2021
    "Hello, hello, friends!" she whispers. Lala waters the plants every day, but it is her kind words that make them sway and nod. Lala's wild nature and quiet compassion enchant in this evergreen story about the power of kind words and the magic of being loved for who you are.

What Does the Fox Say?


Ylvis - 2013
    Cat goes meow. Bird goes tweet and mouse goes squeak. But what does the fox say?The lyrics of Ylvis's YouTube sensation 'The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)' meet Svein Nyhus's playful illustrations in this irresistibly entertaining read-aloud picture book.

Furthermore


Tahereh Mafi - 2016
    But she will have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is Oliver whose own magic is based in lies and deceit. Alice must first find herself—and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.

Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas


Natasha Yim - 2014
    She eats up the littlest panda’s rice porridge, breaks his rocking chair, and rumples all the blankets on his futon. When Goldy takes responsibility for her actions, she makes a new friend (and a whole plate of turnip cakes!) just in time for Chinese New Year.