What Color Is Night?


Grant Snider - 2019
    Grant Snider's beautiful debut picture book explores the wonders—and colors—of nighttime. For night is not just black and white. Ending in colors yet unseen, and a night of sweet dreams, this lilting lullaby is sure to comfort those drifting off to sleep. With luminous art as spare and glowing as the moon, and lyrical text that reads like a friend leading the way through the wilderness, What Color Is Night? is a rich and timeless look at a topic of endless fascination, and a perfect bedtime read-aloud.

How to Be a Cat


Nikki McClure - 2013
    A single word of text per spread teaches readers “how to be a cat”—how to stretch, clean, pounce, feast—while the striking paper cuts illustrate the kitten’s attempts to imitate an adult cat’s mastery of each skill. At times the kitten triumphantly succeeds, and at other times the kitten struggles, in vignettes that range from whimsical to profound. A celebration of all things feline, How to Be a Cat also tells a universal story of mastering life skills, and of the sometimes tender, sometimes stern relationship between parent and child, teacher and pupil. Cat lovers of all ages will connect to this loving portrayal of a mentor-student relationship. Praise for How to Be a Cat STARRED REVIEWS "Purrrrfect for beginning readers and little artists with an eye for fine cut-paper compositions and craftsmanship." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review "A delightful picture book in every way. Beginning with the paw-print endpapers, youngsters will know that they are in for an adventure. The simplicity and flow of page design are beautifully done as viewers follow a kitten and his mother as she teaches him basic feline behavior." —School Library Journal, starred review "McClure's cut-paper spreads can be mesmerizing." —Publishers Weekly "McClure wonderfully captures the shape and movement of the feline form, and kids will also enjoy pointing out the blue and white butterflies and the black-capped chickadee that also appear on several pages." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Perfect for cat lovers of all ages, the book helps us reconnect with memories of our own jouney of growth and learning." —Cat Fancy

Stop, Go, Yes, No!: A Story of Opposites


Mike Twohy - 2018
    The dog goes.Dog says yes! Cat… no.In the vein of Tom and Jerry, Road Runner, Bugs Bunny, and other classic cartoons, Stop, Go, Yes, No! features an adorably enthusiastic dog and a less-enthusiastic cat on a chase full of silly and exciting turns, with a heartwarming twist.Don't miss this funny picture book about opposites from celebrated New Yorker cartoonist Mike Twohy.

Anno's Counting Book


Mitsumasa Anno - 1975
    Children start to count long before they learn their ABC's, for they are constantly comparing and classifying things and events they observe around them. As they try to bring sense and order into what they observe, they are actually performing basic mathematical feats.In this book, Mitsumasa Anno, the creator of the brilliantly inventive Anno's Alphabet, invites young readers on another stimulating adventure of the imagination-this time into the world of numbers and counting. Gentle watercolor pictures show a landscape changing through the various times of day and the turning seasons, months and years, and the activities of the people and animals who come to live there. But the seemingly simple plan of the book is deceptive: look more carefully and you will see one-to-one correspondences; groups and sets; scales and tabulations; changes over time periods; and many other mathematical relationships as they occur in natural, everyday living. Just as our forebears developed our number system from observing the order of nature, the reader is subtly led to see and understand the real meaning of numbers.Look at this book and look again. Each time you do so, you will find another application of a natural mathematical concept that you had not noticed before.

Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvest of Shapes


Felicia Sanzari Chernesky - 2013
    Fall is here, with all its wonderful visual delights—not just colors, but shapes! This clever concept book follows a family on a trip to a pumpkin patch and invites children to pick out shapes from the seasonal scenery—apple bushel circles, square hay bales, diamond kites in the autumn sky! Felicia Sanzari Chernesky’s sweet verses are perfectly complemented by Susan Swan’s gorgeous collage-inspired art.

The Sleepy Little Alphabet: A Bedtime Story from Alphabet Town


Judy Sierra - 2009
    It's sleepy time in Alphabet Town. But the twenty-six little letters of the alphabet all have something they need--or want--to do before BIG-letter moms and dads tuck them in. Not since the classic Chicka Chicka Boom Boom has there been such an appealing way to teach the youngest child the ABCs while providing a one-minute goodnight story. Of course, Melissa Sweet's animated watercolor, pencil, and collage illustrations may beg for a little more time to match up all the toys with the right letters, and Judy Sierra's rollicking rhymed story will want to be heard again and again. Okay, so maybe it's a three-minute story!

Mr. Wuffles!


David Wiesner - 2013
    Wuffles doesn't care about toy mice or toy goldfish. He’s much more interested in playing with a little spaceship full of actual aliens—but the ship wasn't designed for this kind of rough treatment. Between motion sickness and damaged equipment, the aliens are in deep trouble.When the space visitors dodge the cat and take shelter behind the radiator to repair the damage, they make a host of insect friends. The result? A humorous exploration of cooperation between aliens and insects, and of the universal nature of communication involving symbols, “cave” paintings, and gestures of friendship.

Except If


Jim Averbeck - 2011
    Which may become a baby bird, except if it becomes a baby snake instead. Except if the baby snake is really truly a dinosaur! In this young, clever, and whimsical picture book in the spirit of Not a Box and First the Egg, an egg is not just an egg, but a symbol of the potential a child's imagination holds. As each image melds smoothly, but unexpectedly, into the next, readers are invited to stretch the limits of their imagination.

Dot


Patricia Intriago - 2011
    Some are happy, and some are sad. Some dots even taste yummy, while others taste bad. Graphic designer Patricia Intriago sets bold, circular shapes against a stark white background to emphasize opposite dot relationships.

Little Green Peas: A Big Book of Colors


Keith Baker - 2014
    Join the fun as they fly red kites, sail blue boats, ski down purple mountains, and more! Read along with the enclosed CD as Stanley Tucci narrates this fresh and fun exploration of color!

Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo, and FLO!


Laurel Molk - 2015
    The mission: catch a tiger by the toe.The team: brothers Eeny, Meeny, Miney,and Mo. But what about little sister Flo? Can’t she help, too?Join these mischievous mice for a rollicking twist on a familiar nursery rhyme.Just be sure to watch your toes!

Chicken and Cat


Sara Varon - 2006
    The city is exciting (and there's so much to do!) but after a while Cat pines for the country with its trees and bright colors. Chicken takes Cat on fun adventures but Cat remains blue. How can Chicken make the city a brighter and happier place for Cat to live in? When Cat gets the idea to plant a garden in an empty lot, the city blooms, and so does Chicken and Cat's friendship. With perfect doses of charm and simplicity, emerging artist Sara Varon captures the intricacies and sweetness of friendship.

Everybunny Count!


Ellie Sandall - 2018
     Ready or not, here we come! The search for fox has just begun. Everybunny count to ONE! Bunnies play hide-and-seek and count together in this bright, colorful picture book that explores the natural world and celebrates friendship and one of the most beloved early childhood games. But that’s not all. There’s a special surprise awaiting the bunnies when they take a peek inside fox’s den!

Don't Push the Button!


Bill Cotter - 2013
    Who knows what would happen?Okay, quick. No one is looking... push the button.Uh, oh.

City Shapes


Diana Murray - 2016
    And Bryan Collier's beautiful illustrations add even more layers to the cityscapes, letting readers get immersed in the hustle and bustle, culminating in a thrilling twist when the girl looks through her kaleidoscope and sees the skyline in a completely new way. A celebration of finding magic in scenes both new and familiar, City Shapes has the potential to become a classic.