The World Needs More Purple People


Kristen Bell - 2020
    I mean, really great! Because purple people always ask really great questions. They bring their family, friends, and communities together, and they speak up for what’s right. They are kind and hardworking, and they love to laugh (especially at Grandpa’s funny noises)! A purple person is an everyday superhero! How do you become one? That’s the fun part! Penny Purple will lead you through the steps. Get ready to be silly, exercise your curiosity, use your voice, and be inspired.Kristen Bell and Benjamin Hart have created a hilarious and joyous read-aloud that offers a wonderful message about embracing the things that bring us together as humans. This book will inspire a whole generation to paint the world purple!

Evelyn del Rey Is Moving Away


Meg Medina - 2020
    . . and the sofa that we bounce on to get to the moon.Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela's best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today--not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it's time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special. The tenderness of Meg Medina's beautifully written story about friendship and change is balanced by Sonia Sánchez's colorful and vibrant depictions of the girls' urban neighborhood.

Under My Hijab


Hena Khan - 2019
    Aunty pins hers up with a beautiful brooch. Jenna puts it under a sun hat when she hikes. Zara styles hers to match her outfit. As a young girl observes six very different women in her life who each wear the hijab in a unique way, she also dreams of the rich possibilities of her own future, and how she will express her own personality through her hijab. Written in sprightly rhyme and illustrated by a talented newcomer, Under My Hijab honors the diverse lives of contemporary Muslim women and girls, their love for each other, and their pride in their culture and faith.

David Gets in Trouble


David Shannon - 2002
    . . 'NO! It's not my fault! I didn't mean to! It was an accident!'" Whatever the situation, David's got a good excuse. And no matter what he's done "wrong," it's never really his fault. Soon, though, David realizes that making excuses makes him feel bad, and saying he's sorry makes him feel better. Once again, David Shannon entertains us with young David's mischievous antics and a lighthearted story that's sure to leave kids (and parents) laughing.

Two Homes


Claire Masurel - 2001
    . . . Simple, yet profoundly satisfying. - BOOKLIST (starred review)At Mommy’s house, Alex has a soft chair. At Daddy’s house, Alex has a rocking chair. In each home, Alex also has a special bedroom and lots of friends to play with. But whether Alex is with Mommy or with Daddy, one thing always stays the same - Alex is loved. The gently reassuring text focuses on what is gained rather than what is lost when parents divorce, while the sensitive illustrations, depicting two unique homes in all their small details, firmly establish Alex’s place in both of them. TWO HOMES will help children - and parents - embrace even the most difficult of changes with an open and optimistic heart.

Blue


Laura Vaccaro Seeger - 2018
    How many shades of blue are there?There’s the soft blue of a baby’s cherished blanket, the ocean blue of a romp in the waves, the chilly blue of a cold winter’s walk in the snow, and the true blue of the bond that exists between children and animals.In this simple, sumptuously illustrated companion to Caldecott Honor Book Green, award-winning artist Laura Vaccaro Seeger turns her attention to the ways in which color evokes emotion, and in doing so tells the story of one special and enduring friendship.

The Sneetches and Other Stories


Dr. Seuss - 1961
    / The Plain-Belly Sneetches / Had none upon thars." This collection of four of Dr. Seuss's most winning stories begins with that unforgettable tale of the unfortunate Sneetches, bamboozled by one Sylvester McMonkey McBean ("the Fix-it-up Chappie"), who teaches them that pointless prejudice can be costly.THE ZAXFollowing the Sneetches, a South-Going Zax and a North-Going Zax seem determined to butt heads on the prairie of Prax.TOO MANY DAVESThen there's the tongue-twisting story of Mrs. McCave--you know, the one who had 23 sons and named them all Dave. (She realizes that she'd be far less confused had she given them different names, like Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face or Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate.)WHAT WAS I SCARED OF?A slightly spooky adventure involving a pair of haunted trousers--"What was I scared of?"--closes out the collection. Sneetches and Other Stories is Seuss at his best, with distinctively wacky illustrations and ingeniously weird prose. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

My Brother Charlie


Holly Robinson Peete - 2010
    He's good at so many things — swimming, playing the piano, running fast. And Charlie has a special way with animals, especially their dog, Harriett. But sometimes Charlie gets very quiet. His words get locked inside him, and he seems far away. Then, when Callie and Charlie start to play, Charlie is back to laughing, holding hands, having fun. Charlie is like any other boy — except he has autism.In this story, told from a sister's point of view, we meet a family whose oldest son teaches them important lessons about togetherness, hope, tolerance, and love.

No Jumping on the Bed


Tedd Arnold - 1987
    Higher and higher he bounces gleefully, until his hair brushes the ceiling. But when he lands back on the bed--thump, creak, crack--it crashes right through the floor! Suddenly Walter finds himself visiting all the downstairs neighbors in his apartment building in a most unusual way!"Hip, hip, hooray for this delightful urban fantasy, a comic morality tale that explores the consequences of ignoring that age-old 'momilie, ' 'If I've told you once I've told you a million times, no jumping on the bed!'"--School Library Journal

And Tango Makes Three


Justin Richardson - 2005
    But Tango's family is not like any of the others. This illustrated children's book fictionalizes the true story of two male penguins who became partners and raised a penguin chick in the Central Park Zoo.

I Dream of Popo


Livia Blackburne - 2021
    She misses her popo every day, but even if their visits are fleeting, their love is ever true and strong.

Cece Loves Science


Kimberly Derting - 2018
    can lead to a lot of fun and adventure.”

Pete's a Pizza


William Steig - 1998
    Next, some oil is generously applied. (It's really water.) And then some tomatoes. (They're really checkers.) When the dough gets tickled, it laughs like crazy.

How to Find Gold


Viviane Schwarz - 2016
    In fact it’s dangerous and difficult. It requires planning. First, Crocodile and Anna practice their secret-keeping faces. Then Anna lifts Crocodile up, to be sure she’s strong enough to carry gold. Together, they draw the whole world, with an X to mark the spot. Now Anna fetches the boat, and off they sail. What will they discover?

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story


Kevin Noble Maillard - 2019
    Fry bread is food.It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.Fry bread is time.It brings families together for meals and new memories.Fry bread is nation.It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.Fry bread is us.It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.