It's impossible not to flip the page, and flip it again, and again, and again. A first book of motion for kids, it shows a horse in full gallop and a turtle swimming up the page. A dog runs, a cat springs, an eagle soars, and a butterfly flutters. Created by Rufus Butler Seder, an inventor, artist, and filmmaker fascinated by antique optical toys, Scanimation is a state-of-the-art six-phase animation process that combines the "persistence of vision" principle with a striped acetate overlay to give the illusion of movement. It harkens back to the old magical days of the kinetoscope, and the effect is astonishing, like a Muybridge photo series springing into action—or, in terms kids can relate to, like a video without a screen. Complementing the art is a delightful rhyming text full of simple questions and fun, nonsense replies: Can you gallop like a horse? giddyup-a-loo! Can you strut like a rooster? cock-a-doodle-doo!Every child who opens the book will be amazed—and so will every parent.

    . . There's a big whale in the water and it's not budging! The boy tries everything to get the whale to leave. Nothing seems to work. Not fetch. Not tag. Not even offering his allowance. What's a boy to do? Luckily, he comes up with the perfect solution: he decides to chill out on a spray of water over the whale's spout. This colorful whale of a tale from the talented Joyce Wan is sure to inspire giggles from little guppies!

    Hands can catchand hands can throw.Hands can do much more, of course - wave hello and goodbye, play peekaboo, touch things, clap, even tie a shoe. For the very young, hands are a never-ending source of discovery and a means of mastery in an ever-unfolding world. With singsong rhythm, simple design, and alluring color photos of toddlers, HANDS CAN invites the littlest readers to discover the many things hands can do.

    Would Wolf and his pup “kiss and then HOWL”? Would Bear and her cub “kiss and then GROWL”? But what about Sloth and her baby? They move soooo slooowwwww . . . they’re sure to be kissing from early evening until long after everyone else is fast asleep!With its whimsical art and playful rhymed verse, this affectionate picture book is bound to become a bedtime favorite.

    Mighty Red Truck splashes and zooms through mud and rain to rescue a stalled school bus on the side of the road, and becomes the hero of a rainy day. Eye-popping quirky illustrations and the fast-paced rhyming text will make this truck story a fast favorite.

                                                                                                                                                           By the end of a busy day, little knees are tired from crawling, little arms are tired from stretching—even little lips are tired from blowing kisses. But with the help of gentle verse, and art as sweet as a bedtime lullaby, tired little eyes will quickly give way to sleep.Shhh . . .

    Some cuddles are warm. Some are playful. And some can even be very, very prickly! Sweet, simple text and bright, bold, beautiful art combine in this enchanting picture book, perfect for family sharing.

    From pale skin to sunburned skin, dirty to clean, long hair to short hair (to long again), Jullien masterfully builds anticipation and a satisfying resolution with each pairing. Striking the perfect balance of predictability and unexpectedness, this book will leave readers in wonder as they flip back and forth.

    So much so that he decided to catch one of his very own. But how? Waiting for them to grow tired from being up in the sky all night doesn't work. Climbing to the top of the tallest tree? No, not tall enough. The boy has a rocket ship . . . but it is made of paper and doesn't fly well at all. Finally, just when the boy is ready to give up, he learns that sometimes things aren't where, or what, we expect them to be. First-time author/illustrator Oliver Jeffers offers a simple, childlike tale of reaching for the stars, and emerging with a friend.

    In the snowis a big pile ofdelicious seed.Look!Who is coming to eat it?Can you spot them all?When the pile of seedgets smaller and smallerand day turns to duskand it getscolder and colder,who will bring new seed for the hungry animals?Look closely!Who is coming nowin the snow?

    And what does she discover? A wow-worthy symphony of colors—from red butterflies to orange flowers, from white clouds to green leaves.This boisterous and bright book is the perfect read-aloud to savor with curious little owls everywhere who are exploring the world of colors for the first time.

    . . but maybe this giant squid with a giant touch of hubris doesn't really care? First-time author-illustrator Kevin Sherry is sure to garner fans of all sizes for his perfect-for-preschool read-aloud with simple text, bold and delightful collage art, and a lovable squid whose spirit just cannot be crushed.Choking Hazard - Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.