You Are Home with Me


Sarah Asper-Smith - 2019
    A tufted puffin digs out a burrow to shelter its young on a cliff near the sea. A lynx makes a shelter under a fallen tree to snuggle with its kitten. Young children will learn all about these animals and more, as each spread also includes a short piece of nonfiction about each creature.Lovingly illustrated and lyrically written, this is the second children's book written and illustrated by the husband-and-wife artist and author team Mitchell Watley and Sarah Asper-Smith.

Corduroy


Don Freeman - 1968
    When all the shoppers have gone home for the night, Corduroy climbs down from the shelf to look for his missing button. It's a brave new world! He accidentally gets on an elevator that he thinks must be a mountain and sees the furniture section that he thinks must be a palace. He tries to pull a button off the mattress, but he ends up falling off the bed and knocking over a lamp. The night watchman hears the crash, finds Corduroy, and puts him back on the shelf downstairs. The next morning, he finds that it's his lucky day! A little girl buys him with money she saved in her piggy bank and takes him home to her room. Corduroy decides that this must be home and that Lisa must be his friend. Youngsters will never get tired of this toy-comes-alive tale with a happy ending, so you may also want to seek out Dan Freeman's next creation, A Pocket for Corduroy. (Ages 3 to 8)

Your Alien


Tammi Sauer - 2015
       When a little boy meets a stranded alien child, the two instantly strike up a fabulous friendship. They go to school, explore the neighborhood, and have lots of fun. But at bedtime, the alien suddenly grows very, very sad. Can the boy figure out what his new buddy needs most of all? This funny, heartwarming story proves that friends and family are the most important things in the universe . . . no matter who or where you are.An NPR Best Book of 2015

Bedtime for Frances


Russell Hoban - 1960
    And then there are tigers and giants and ominous cracks in the ceiling to keep her up. Will Frances ever go to sleep?

Naughty Mabel


Nathan Lane - 2015
    Mabel is many things: sassy, classy (and sometimes a bit gassy!), but especially...naughty! Mabel's always getting herself into trouble and with style like hers, can you really blame her? When Naughty Mabel's parents throw a party and try to leave her out of the fun, of course she must take matters into her own perfectly pedicured paws. As the hilarity ensues, Mabel and her parents learn that through thick and thin, naughty or nice, they will always be a family, just as they are.

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo


Jill Twiss - 2018
    Meet Marlon Bundo, a lonely bunny who lives with his Grampa, Mike Pence - the Vice President of the United States. But on this Very Special Day, Marlon's life is about to change forever... With its message of tolerance and advocacy, this charming children's book explores issues of same sex marriage and democracy. Sweet, funny, and beautifully illustrated, this book is dedicated to every bunny who has ever felt different. 100% of Last Week Tonight's proceeds will be donated to The Trevor Project and AIDS United.

Little Oink


Amy Krouse Rosenthal - 2009
    Little Oink is a neat little fellow. Clean, clean, clean, that's all he wants to do. But Mama and Papa won't have it! They say in order to be a proper pig, he has to learn to make a proper mess. "Don't come out until your room is a pigsty," says Papa Pig. "I won't have any child of mine going out looking so neat and clean. It's just not acceptable," says Mama Pig. Readers who hate to clean up will love this humorous twist on a universal dilemma.

Boot & Shoe


Marla Frazee - 2012
    They eat out of the same bowl, pee on the same tree, and sleep in the same bed. But they spend their days apart - Boot on the back porch because he's a back porch kind of dog, and Shoe on the front porch because he's a front porch kind of dog. This is exactly perfect for them. But then a crazy neighborhood squirrel arrives . . . and everything goes topsy-turvy!Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee brings her signature wit, tenderness, and hilarious illustrations to this tale of an irresistible puppy pair.

How Did That Mouse Get In Our House


Reid Kaplan - 2020
    But How?The farm animals watch as he scampers across the barnyard. But look out for the cat! Can our little friend make it all the way to the house?Join along in the fun, and find out how that mouse got in our house!

The Perfect Nest


Catherine Friend - 2007
    Jack the cat is building the perfect nest. It' s bound to attract the perfect chicken, who will lay the perfect egg, which will make the perfect omelet. And sure enough, a chicken shows up ( Caramba ), but so do a duck ( Sacre bleu ) and a goose ( Great balls of fire ). Feathers get ruffled -- and Jack gets much more than breakfast -- in a funny tale rich in detail with a sweet final twist.

Hello, Goodbye, and a Very Little Lie


Christianne C. Jones - 2010
    Larry lies about practically everything until he meets a girl who outsmarts him.

Here Comes the Easter Cat


Deborah Underwood - 2014
    So he decides to take over: He dons his sparkly suit, jumps on his Harley, and roars off into the night. But it turns out delivering Easter eggs is hard work. And it doesn't leave much time for naps (of which Cat has taken five--no, seven). So when a pooped-out Easter Bunny shows up, and with a treat for Cat, what will Cat do? His surprise solution will be stylish, smart, and even--yes--kind.

The Spindlers


Lauren Oliver - 2012
    Perfect for fans of the author’s other middle grade novels: Liesl & Po and the Curiosity House series.Looking across the breakfast table one morning, twelve-year-old Liza feels dread wash over her. Although her younger brother, Patrick, appears the same, Liza knows that he is actually quite different. She is certain that the spindlers—evil, spiderlike beings—came during the night and stole his soul. And Liza is also certain that she is the only one who can rescue him.Armed with little more than her wits and a huge talking rat for a guide, Liza descends into the dark and ominous underground to save Patrick's soul. Her quest is far from easy: she must brave tree-snakes, the Court of Stones, and shape-shifting scawgs before facing her greatest challenge in the spindlers' lair, where more than just Patrick's soul is at stake.

Dr. Coo and the Pigeon Protest


Sarah Hampson - 2018
    Archibald Coo, an erudite big-city pigeon, is tired of the way people treat him and the other pigeons. They're always being shooed and swatted, and they're never admired the way the other birds are. As Dr. Coo tells his pigeon friends: ?It wasn't always this way.? In ancient times, pigeons were known to accompany the gods. They brought news of the Olympic Games to all of ancient Greece. And more recently, they delivered messages and medicine to soldiers on battlefields. They were heroes! Surely, Dr. Coo reasons, pigeons can find a way to earn the admiration of people once again. And he's got just the bold plan to do it. Award-winning journalist Sarah Hampson's picture book debut is a celebration of the diversity inherent in a big city and a lesson on how looking for the good in others is the best way to get along with them. Through her activist pigeons, she offers a child-friendly example of how to affect change, and shows how cooperation and compromise are the keys for diverse groups to harmoniously coexist --- a topical subject. With soft lines and a warm palette, Kass Reich's illustrations bring a fresh pigeon's-eye perspective to New York's inhabitants and cityscapes. This book could be used to spark classroom discussions on respecting differences, working out disagreements, or stepping up to counter injustice, all important subjects for the budding self-awareness and personal development of young children. It also aligns with character education lessons on self-respect, initiative and inclusiveness.

Ladybug Girl and Bingo


David Soman - 2012
    He keeps trying to explore on his own, and Lulu's family reminds her to keep a tight hold on Bingo's leash so he doesn't get lost. "Ladybug Girl would never let that happen!" declares Lulu. But during an imagination game, Lulu drops Bingo's leash for just a second and he runs off into the forest. This is a job for Ladybug Girl!This outdoorsy addition to the spirited Ladybug Girl series is perfect for dog and nature lovers, and offers a gentle lesson about responsibility.