The Little Engine That Could


Watty Piper - 1930
    After asking several passing trains for help over the hill, a little blue train agrees to help the stranded toys. Even though she is small, the blue train tries her best to bring the toys to the children on the other side of the hill.

Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book


Shel Silverstein - 1961
    Uncle Shelby's Abz Book

A Pocket for Corduroy


Don Freeman - 1978
    These favorite titles are ready for another generation of children to love.

I Hate School


Jeanne Willis - 2003
    "There was a fine young lady, And her name was Honor Brown.She didn't want to go to school.She hoped it would burn down."Why would she "want" to go to school, when...her teacher is a warty toad?...her friends are crooks and villains?...the principal chops your head off if you talk in class?It can't be true...or "can" it?Find out in this laugh-out-loud account of the horrors of going to school, told from the point of view of a girl with a huge imagination.

Anno's Journey


Mitsumasa Anno - 1977
    "With paintings, visual puzzles and tricks of perception, Anno introduces geography and science by focusing on children and adults at work and play, as well as on art, architecture, composers, and painters, as he conducts an imaginary tour of England . . . Lush paintings, exquisitely detailed . . . An exceptional book."--Publishers Weekly "Executed in meticulous and gently hued watercolors, this imaginative rendering will fill hours of wonderment, always with the delightful anticipation of seeking still one more amazing detail."--Booklist

1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up


Julia Eccleshare - 2009
    It is the latest in the best-selling 1001 series, and its informative reviews are the key to differentiating the "must-read" books from all the rest in the realm of children’s books. Whether you are a parent seeking to instill a love of reading in your child, an educator or counselor looking for inspiration, or a young reader with a voracious appetite, this guide to the best writing for children and young adults covers the spectrum of children’s literature. It is organized by age group—from board books to YA novels and all the gradiations in between. Each entry features evaluations by a team of international critics complete with beautifully reproduced artwork from the featured title. The beloved classics are here, but the guide also takes a global perspective and includes the increasingly diverse contributions from African American and Latino authors and illustrators—not to mention important books from around the world.

Can't You Sleep, Little Bear?


Martin Waddell - 1988
    He's frightened of the dark, the dark all around, which not even Big Bear's largest lantern can light up. Big Bear finds a way to show Little Bear that there is no need to be afraid.

Humphrey's Corner


Sally Hunter - 1999
    Humphrey and his favorite toy, Mop, are looking for a place to play. They set off to find somewhere cozy and interesting, but nothing seems quite right. Then Mommy comes to help, and Humphrey and Mop find a warm, secret place that is just perfect. "Humphrey's Corner" introduces an endearing character who will remind readers of their own favorite toddlers, and will remind toddlers of their own cozy, interesting places.

The Biggest Bear


Lynd Ward - 1952
    Johnny goes hunting for a bearskin to hang on his family's barn and returns with a small bundle of trouble.

Maisy Goes to School


Lucy Cousins - 2008
    Kids will flip for this Maisy novelty book! Now reissued in its original size, with a bold new design.From their tactile matte-and-gloss covers to the brief guidelines for parents on the back, these lift-the-flap, pull-the-tab favorites now have a whole new look -- and are sure to have instant appeal for both Maisy fans and grown-ups who love them.

Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present


Charlotte Zolotow - 1962
    Neither does her collaborator Maurice Sendak, who has illustrated so many of today's best-loved, as well as most distinguised, books for children. The heroine of their book has a problem. And at first it does not look as though Mr. Rabbit is going to be much help in solving it . For everyone knows you cannot give your mother a red roof, a yellow taxi-cab, a green caterpillar, or a blue lake for her birthday. But then all the little girl had said was that her mother liked red, yellow, green and blue -- and so Mr. Rabbit was trying.How he and the liitle girl come up with the absolutely perfect present makes a story the the youngest reader will love. And the wonderously bright full-color pictures will bring hours of pleasure to readers and lookers of all ages.

A Book of Nonsense


Edward Lear - 1846
    The owls, hen, larks, and their nests in his beard, are among the fey fauna and peculiar persons inhabiting the uniquely inspired nonsense rhymes and drawings of Lear (20th child of a London stockbroker), whose Book of Nonsense, first published in 1846, stands alone as the ultimate and most loved expression in English of freewheeling, benign, and unconstricted merriment.

The Story of Babar


Jean de Brunhoff - 1931
     In this classic that has delighted three generations of readers, Babar escapes from the hunter who killed his mother and comes to town. Here, with the help of an old friend, he will learn a lot of new things and one day, once returned to the great forest, he will be acclaimed King of the elephants! A story beautifully told accompanied by fascinating and hilarious illustrations! A must read for kids of any age!

The Shrinking of Treehorn


Florence Parry Heide - 1971
    He really was shrinking.Hilarious complications result as he becomes more minuscule by the moment. Treehorn is a bit downhearted when his teacher says, "we don't shrink in this class," and sends him to the principal. Poor Treehorn spends an unhappy day and night until he discovers a magical game that restores him to his natural size. This is a great relief to Treehorn before he notices that he is turning faintly green. . . .An ALA Notable Book

When I Get Bigger


Mercer Mayer - 1983
    Going to the store, staying up late, and having a job! What will your child envision when they get bigger?