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.

The Catawampus Cat


Jason Carter Eaton - 2017
    catawampus (cat-a-wam-pus) n. 1. Diagonal or at an angle. 2. Askew, awry.The catawampus cat walks with a slant. And his skewed point of view has everyone in town looking at everything with fresh eyes. Even Bushy Brows Billiam who never notices anything, including what time class is over, spots the catawampus cat, and now he's a star student! And when the town librarian sees the catawampus cat, she pulls the "wrong" book from the shelf, sending her into a life of adventure. The catawampus cat is in town and everything is about to change.

Kitty's Cuddles


Jane Cabrera - 2007
    How does Big Bear cuddle? Safe and fluffy. Kitty is trying out all different kinds of cuddles, but which is his favorite? The soft, warm snuggle of his baby brother. Full color.

My Cat Looks Like My Dad


Thao Lam - 2019
    Both have orange hair, love milk, start their days with stretches, appreciate a good nap, and are brave (some of the time). The narrator is more like Mom, with wild hair, blue eyes, and a love of dancing.A surprising twist at the end reveals the narrator's unexpected identity, also hinted at with clues in the art throughout the book. Warmth and whimsy in the illustrations add a playful balance to the story's deeper message about the love that makes a family a unit, no matter how unusual it may look from the outside.

Lola Gets a Cat


Anna McQuinn - 2016
    So Lola does her homework. At the library she finds books about cats and pet care and she and Mommy learn as much as they can. She pretends her stuffed kitty is real and practices taking care of it. When the time comes, Lola is allowed to pick out her new friend at an animal shelter. With patience and care, her kitten settles in at home.Lola is a book-loving favorite, and this delightful story is a new treasure in the series."This sweet story of first-time pet ownership is sure to appeal to young animal lovers of all kinds and especially to feline fanciers"--Kirkus Reviews "A solid introduction to pet ownership, probably best shared one-on-one"--School Library Journal

Cats Are a Liquid


Rebecca Donnelly - 2019
    Inspired by an Ig Nobel Prize–winning investigation of how cats behave like liquids, it introduces some of the physical properties of liquids—they adapt to fit a container, they flow like fluids—and is just pure fun. Like its inspiration, it makes you laugh, then think. Back matter includes a brief introduction to the different physical states: solid, liquid, gas.

Red Cat, Blue Cat


Jenni Desmond - 2012
    And so, it turns out, do some cats. Kids will relate to how hard it is for each cat to try to be like the other. They'll also love the true-to-life way that, after the fur stops flying, an unexpected change occurs, making both cats happy to be just exactly who they are.

We Don't Eat Our Classmates


Ryan T. Higgins - 2018
    But it’s hard to make human friends when they’re so darn delicious! That is, until Penelope gets a taste of her own medicine and finds she may not be at the top of the food chain after all... Readers will gobble up this hilarious new story from award-winning author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins.

How to Be a T. Rex


Ryan North - 2018
    That's why Sal is not going to be a teacher or doctor or lawyer when she grows up. She is going to grow up to be an awesome Tyrannosaurus Rex. Her brother thinks it's impossible, but Sal sure shows him! And in the beginning, being a T. Rex is AWESOME. But did you know that it's kind of hard to make friends when you are a super-giant, super-loud, super-stompy dinosaur? If only there were a way for Sal to be 100% awesome, 100% of the time...Eisner Award-winning writer Ryan North makes his picture book debut with this bright, bold, and quirky story about finding--and taming--the beast within.

Stack the Cats


Susie Ghahremani - 2017
    Two cats play. Three cats stack! Cats of all shapes and sizes scamper, stretch and yawn across the pages of this adorable counting book. And every now and then, they find themselves in the purrfect fluffy stack!

Thankful


Eileen Spinelli - 2015
    Eileen Spinelli, bestselling and award-winning children's author, charms with rhymes and whimsy in Thankful, perfect for any young reader and their family.Thankful is a heartwarming picture book that teaches children ages 4–8 to:Focus on the blessings that we tend to take for grantedAppreciate essential workers and what people in our everyday lives provide: “Like the gardener thankful for every green sprout, and the fireman, for putting the fire out.”Meant to be read aloud, Thankful features:Endearing storytelling with engaging rhyming text, making reading fun for readers young and oldWhimsical illustrations with soft colors and bold lines, perfect for any season

Katie Loves the Kittens


John Himmelman - 2008
    She loves them so much!But Katie's enthusiasm frightens the kitties, and she's sad when they run away from her. Don't they know that she just wants to play?Katie Loves the Kittens is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Felipe and Claudette


Mark Teague - 2019
    Who would ever adopt pets like them?Each adoption day, all of the pets at Mrs. Barrett's adoption shelter are sure to look their best. And each adoption day, all of the pets are adopted, except for two -- Felipe (a grumpy cat) and Claudette (a rambunctious dog). Felipe is always grumbling. He is sure they are not being adopted because of Claudette. Claudette is messy and noisy and always has food on her nose and mud on her fur. They will never find a forever home when Claudette is always making such a bad impression. But then, one of the two friends is adopted and taken to a new home. When they are apart, Felipe is no longer quite so talkative. And Claudette doesn't bark or chew or play in circles. Could Felipe and Claudette actually miss each other? The latest picture book from the bestselling author-illustrator Mark Teague, this funny story teaches kids that sometimes friends are right beside you the whole time -- and home is closer than you think.

A Cat Is Better


Linda Joy Singleton - 2017
    Find out why a cat is the purrfect pet in this fantastically funny picture book!A sparkly necklace for me?Yes, I am beautiful.Thank you very much.See how perfect I am?What makes cats better than dogs? Is it how gracefully they leap through the air? How much smarter they are than dogs? How much more musical and cleaner they are? Or is it how good they are at making you think they're all these things?Find out why cats are the purrfect pet in this fanastically funny picture book!

Pup and Bear


Kate Banks - 2017
     You are not my mother, said the wolf pup. I am not your mother, said the polar bear, but I can cuddle you and keep you safe.Here is a picture book that celebrates differences and promotes kindness, sure to resonate with the many fans of the beloved classic, Mama Do You Love Me? During the ice melt that follows an Arctic winter, a wolf cub finds himself spinning out to sea on a sheet of ice. He awakes lost and alone to an unfamiliar smell: a polar bear. And while the polar bear is not the wolf's mother, she takes him on her back to her den, where she feeds him, keeps him warm, and does everything a mother would do. Time passes, the cub grows into a wolf, and soon it's time for him to venture out into the wide world alone. Years later, the now grown wolf comes upon a tiny lost polar bear cub--and the cycle begins again. With poetic prose this beautiful picture book about the love and kindness of a stranger is sure to touch a deep chord, particularly with parents and children who have found each other in unexpected ways.