Monsters You Should Know


Emma SanCartier - 2018
    Illustrator Emma SanCartier captures the bizarre and hilarious elements of 17 monsters from around the world in a light, tongue-in-cheek tone, from the Japanese dream-eater Baku and the Persian carnivorous unicorn Shadhavar to the Eastern-European Shurale, a literal tickle monster. Packaged in a textured three-piece case and illustrated in lush watercolor, Monsters You Should Know is a perfect primer for the many strange, frightening, and compelling things that go bump in the night.

Paul Bunyan, a Tall Tale


Steven Kellogg - 1984
    Who was the largest baby ever born in the state of Maine? Who dug the Great Lakes? Who gouged out the Grand Canyon? Why, Paul Bunyan, of course, America's finest, fastest, funniest lumberman and favorite tall-tale hero.

Bread and Jam for Frances


Russell Hoban - 1964
    In this memorable story, Frances decides that bread and jam are all she wants to eat, and her understanding parents grant her wish'at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacktime. Can there ever be too much bread and jam?

How to Read a Story


Kate Messner - 2015
    (A good one.)Step Two: Find a reading buddy. (Someone nice.)Step Three: Find a reading spot. (Couches are cozy.)Now: Begin.Accomplished storytellers Kate Messner and Mark Siegel chronicle the process of becoming a reader: from pulling a book off the shelf and finding someone with whom to share a story, to reading aloud, predicting what will happen, and—finally—coming to The End. This picture book playfully and movingly illustrates the idea that the reader who discovers the love of reading finds, at the end, the beginning.

Clifford’s Birthday Party


Norman Bridwell - 1988
    With Scholastic Book and Cassette children can read the book, listen to the story, and play along with lovable Clifford. Emily Elizabeth, Clifford's owner, narrates the story on one side, and the other side features imaginative, educational activities.

The Reluctant Dragon


Kenneth Grahame - 1898
    When the town-folk send for St. George to slay the dragon, the boy needs to come up with a clever plan to save his friend and convince the townsfolk to accept him. This story first appeared as a chapter in Grahame's Dream Days and was first published as a separate book by Holiday House in 1938 with illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard.

Russell the Sheep


Rob Scotton - 2005
    until, at last, he falls asleep.

The Unofficial Guide to Crafting the World of Harry Potter: 30 Magical Crafts for Witches and Wizards—from Pencil Wands to House Colors Tie-Dye Shirts


Jamie Harrington - 2016
    With a little Hogwarts creativity and the step-by-step guidance of this spellbinding book, you'll be able to transfigurate simple supplies and things around the house into everything from Remembrall Rings to Butterbeer Lip Balm to Nargles for your front lawn. You'll be as busy as Mrs. Weasley knitting her Christmas sweaters as you dive into dozens of Potterific projects. Relive the excitement of Harry's adventures with these genius crafts. Drop some homemade Pgymy Puff Bath Fizzies into the tub and pretend you're Moaning Myrtle. Keep memories of the Quidditch pitch close with your very own Golden Snitch Necklace. Or show off the Sorting Hat's selection with a House Colors Tie-Dye Shirt. Accio, crafting supplies--it's time for some wonderful wizardly fun!

The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins


Barbara Kerley - 2001
    A man of pure determination, he created the first life-size models of dinosaurs! This brilliant book is a fantastic nod to the genius of one man, and a glimpse into the beginning of an important era.As a boy in England, Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins always wanted to be an artist. His passion led him to animals, and soon he was drawing and painting them with fervor. This eventually led to his true calling -- creating models of dinosaurs as they actually must have looked when they roamed the earth! With the help of scientist Richard Owen, he checked the fossil remains of dinosaurs against living animals and constructed a gigantic model. Among the first to witness his creation were Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who reacted with pure amazement.In order to impress England's leading scientists with his work, Waterhouse Hawkins staged a lavish New Year's Eve dinner party and hosted the gala inside the body of his model! He also wanted the public to learn about the dinosaurs and their history, so he built smaller models, illustrated books, and lectured on the subject. His fame spread to the United States, and he was invited to New York, where he began to create model dinosaurs for a proposed Paleozoic Museum in Central Park. However, a corrupt politician put an end to the project, and vandals later broke into Waterhouse Hawkins's workshop and destroyed his models. Though distraught, he moved on to Princeton, where he built skeletons and created paintings about life on earth in the age of the dinosaurs. Eventually, Waterhouse Hawkins returned to England and continued his work, some of which can still be seen in Crystal Palace Park.Writer Barbara Kerley and illustrator Brian Selznick have weaved a spirited account of this largely forgotten man. Plenty of textual detail, research, and a good dose of wonderment make Kerley's narrative a delightful experience. And the awesome illustrations, which combine Waterhouse Hawkins's own grandeur with Selznick's talent for the bold and the beautiful, made the pages come to life. The fusion of scientific allure and sensational images is a stroke of brilliance. This phenomenal book stands as true testament to the devotion and power of an individual -- it would have made Waterhouse Hawkins proud. (Amy Barkat)

Secrets at Sea


Richard Peck - 2011
    When the Cranston humans decide to sail away to England to find a husband for one of their daughters, the Cranston mice stow away in the name of family solidarity.     And so begins the scamper of their lives as Helena, her siblings, and their humans set sail on a life-changing voyage into the great world of titled humans . . . and titled mice, and surprise endings for all. On the eve of Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee, will our Cranston heroes squeak by, or will they go entirely overboard?

A Seed Is Sleepy


Dianna Hutts Aston - 2007
    Poetic in voice and elegant in design, the book introduces children to a fascinating array of seed and plant facts, making it a guide that is equally at home being read on a parent's lap as in a classroom reading circle.

The Essential Calvin and Hobbes: A Calvin and Hobbes Treasury


Bill Watterson - 1988
    The strip follows the richly imaginative adventures of Calvin and his trusty tiger, Hobbes. Whether a poignant look at serious family issues or a round of time-travel (with the aid of a well-labeled cardboard box), Calvin and Hobbes will astound and delight you.Beginning with the day Hobbes sprang into Calvin's tuna fish trap, the first two Calvin and Hobbes collections, Calvin and Hobbes and Something Under The Bed Is Drooling, are brought together in this treasury. Including black-and-white dailies and color Sundays, The Essential Calvin and Hobbes also features an original full-color 16-page story.

The Art of Mulan


Jeff Kurtti - 1998
    This richly illustrated volume, The Art of Mulan, reveals the story behind the making of the film and includes more than 350 stunning color and black-and-white illustrations, showcasing a variety of art produced by the many talented artists who worked on the film.Like film's heroine, the Disney artists who created Mulan made a journey of self-discovery that began with a momentous decision - to make a modern-day film adapted from an ancient Chinese source. Their efforts to remain faithful to the spirit of the original legend and the traditions of Shinese culture, while at the same time make it accessible to today's international audience, are chronicled in The Art of Mulan by the artists themselves. Their words reveal their passion while their art demonstrates the dazzling array of talent Disney committed to the making of a truly moving and spectacular film.

One Dead Spy


Nathan Hale - 2012
    In the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series, author Nathan Hale channels his namesake to present history’s roughest, toughest, and craziest stories in the graphic novel format.One Dead Spy tackles the story of Hale himself, who was an officer and spy for the American rebels during the Revolutionary War. Author Hale highlights the unusual, gruesome, and just plain unbelievable truth of historical Nathan Hale—from his early unlucky days at Yale to his later unlucky days as an officer—and America during the Revolutionary War.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs


Jon Scieszka - 1989
    You thought you knew the story of the “The Three Little Pigs”… You thought wrong. In this hysterical and clever fracture fairy tale picture book that twists point of view and perspective, young readers will finally hear the other side of the story of “The Three Little Pigs.”