The Wump World


Bill Peet - 1970
    The Pollutians invade the Wump World and turn the green meadows into a concrete jungle.

And Then It's Spring


Julie Fogliano - 2012
    They dig, they plant, they play, they wait . . . and wait . . . until at last, the brown becomes a more hopeful shade of brown, a sign that spring may finally be on its way. Julie Fogliano's tender story of anticipation is brought to life by the distinctive illustrations Erin E. Stead, recipient of the 2011 Caldecott Medal.

There Is a Tribe of Kids


Lane Smith - 2016
    . .he trails a colony of penguins, undulates in a smack of jellyfish,clasps hands with a constellation of stars, naps for a night in a bed of clams,and follows a trail of shells, home to his tribe of friends.If Lane Smith's Caldecott Honor Book Grandpa Green was an homage to aging and the end of life, There Is a Tribe of Kids is a meditation on childhood and life's beginning. Smith's vibrant sponge-paint illustrations and use of unusual collective nouns such as smack and unkindness bring the book to life. Whimsical, expressive, and perfectly paced, this story plays with language as much as it embodies imagination.

I'll Love You Till the Cows Come Home


Kathryn Cristaldi - 2018
    For fans of Guess How Much I Love You—only funnier!This book extends the saying, “I’ll love you till the cows come home” to the humorous extreme. Along the way there are yaks in cadillacs, sheep setting sail, frogs on big-wheeled bikes, and more, in this great read-aloud.I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home is filled with warm, funny art and rhythmic, romping text, perfect for curling up with your little one at the end of the day...or anytime you want to express your love.

The Third Gift


Linda Sue Park - 2011
    Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park has taken the brief biblical references to the three as the starting point for a new story. In it we meet a boy who is learning his father’s trade; a man who gathers resin from certain trees; a merchant in the marketplace; and three strangers in brightly colored robes who are shopping for a gift for a baby. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline with exquisite paintings, this simple, moving tale of ordinary people involved in an extraordinary event brings new resonance to the well-known gift list of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Includes an author’s note.

All Things Bright and Beautiful


Cecil Frances Alexander - 1987
    All things bright and beautiful; all creatures great and small; all things wise and wonderful, the incredible Ashley Bryan illustrates them all!

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves


Julia Rawlinson - 2006
    But then winter comes, and with it a wonderful surprise. Do you know what it is? Join Fletcher and find out. . . .Fletcher the fox is concerned about nature and wants to understand the changing of the seasons. Young readers will share the feelings of wonder and empathy as they curl up with a parent or gather in circle time to enjoy this beautiful picture book.

EIEIO: How Old MacDonald Got His Farm (with a Little Help from a Hen)


Judy Sierra - 2014
    He just had a yard — a yard he didn’t want to mow. But under the direction of the wise (and ecologically sensitive) Little Red Hen, Mac learns to look at the environment in a very different way, and whole new worlds start to bloom with the help of some mud, garbage, horse poop, and worms! Judy Sierra’s spirited verse, paired with Matthew Myers’s exuberant illustrations, yields a fresh take on a children’s classic, complete with raised-bed gardens and an organic farmers’ market—making this a perfect story for armchair gardeners and devoted locavores of all sizes.

Miss Maple's Seeds


Eliza Wheeler - 2013
    She takes them on field trips to explore places to grow. In her cozy maple tree house, she nurtures them; keeping them safe and warm until it's time for them to find roots of their own, and grow into the magnificent plants they’re destined to become.Eliza Wheeler’s luminous paintings feature gorgeous landscapes, lush foliage and charming details. Her tender story celebrates the potential found in each seed—since even the grandest tree and most brilliant flower had to grow from the smallest of seeds.Celebrate every season with Miss Maple, from Earth Day to graduations to harvest festivals.

The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden


Kevin DeYoung - 2015
    They were the happiest people on the planet.True, they were the only people on the planet, but they were still terrifically happy.Unfortunately, things didn’t stay happy and wonderful for long . . .The Bible is full of exciting stories that fill children with awe and wonder. But kids need to know how all those classic stories connect to Scripture’s overarching message about God’s glorious plan to redeem his rebellious people.In The Biggest Story, Kevin DeYoung—a best-selling author and father of six—leads kids and parents alike on an exciting journey through the Bible, connecting the dots from the garden of Eden to Christ's death on the cross to the new heaven and new earth.With powerful illustrations by award-winning artist Don Clark, this imaginative retelling of the Bible’s core message—how the Snake Crusher brings us back to the garden—will draw children into the biblical story, teaching them that God's promises are even bigger and better than we think. Ages 5-8 (read to me)Ages 8-11 (read to myself)

On Noah's Ark


Jan Brett - 2003
    As the floodwaters rise, she helps take the animals onto the ark and get them settled down. But it's not easy when giraffes are sleeping next to pandas and lions are curled up with turkeys. Finally the gentle rocking of the ark lulls them all to sleep until the waters recede and Grandpa Noah, his family, and all the animals leave the ark.This simple telling, combined with extraordinary illustrations of every animal imaginable, makes On Noah's Ark perfect for young and old.

A Color of His Own


Leo Lionni - 1975
    Pigs are pink. Only the chameleon has no color of his own. He is purple like the heather, yellow like a lemon, even black and orange striped like a tiger! Then one day a chameleon has an idea to remain one color forever by staying on the greenest leaf he can find. But in the autumn, the leaf changes from green to yellow to red . . . and so does the chameleon. When another chameleon suggests they travel together, he learns that companionship is more important than having a color of his own. No matter where he goes with his new friend, they will always be alike.

I'll Follow the Moon


Stephanie Lisa Tara - 2005
    Slowly, slowly, with a tap, click, crack, the baby turtle embarks upon a mysterious nighttime journey. Gentle, tender verse and enchanting illustrations carry this tranquil tale from sand to sea.

The Moon Shines Down


Margaret Wise Brown - 2008
    This soon-to-be classic allows a whole new generation of children to discover, cherish, and enjoy the artistry of this beloved author.Never before published, "The Moon Shines Down" on children all over the world from right next door to across the sea, from where a Dutch boy dreams and cowbells ring to across the sea in the Far, Far East, through the familiar prayer:I see the MoonAnd the Moon sees me.God bless the Moon,And God bless me.Margaret Wise Brown (1910 1952) was a pioneer of children s literature, choosing to write the stories that children wanted to hear rather than those that grown-ups wanted to tell. She is best known for her now classic "Good Night Moon" and "Runaway Bunny," which remain among the world s best-selling children s books.Margaret was a prolific writer, and, at the peak of her career, she had over 100 books in print. Her untimely death left numerous manuscripts and ideas behind in various stages of completion. After a time, these were tucked away in a cedar trunk and largely forgotten. It is from this forgotten trunk that "The Moon Shines Down" was rescued.Illustrator Linda Bleck began her artistic career as a child, drawing on rolls of old blueprint paper supplied by her architect father. Later, she helped her mother, a freelance illustrator for Hallmark, paint in the details of her intricate drawings. Linda s work has appeared in "The NewYorker," "Time Magazine," and the" Wall Street Journal." She is also the writer and illustrator of the Pepper the Dog series, which won the National Parenting Publication Award.Linda and her family now live in southern Wisconsin . . . where the moon shines down on them, one and all.The Story Behind the Lost Manuscript . . ."The Moon Shines Down"from MARGARET WISE BROWN,the Author of "Goodnight Moon""The Moon Shines Down "is being published for the first time 56 years after the death of the beloved children s author Margaret Wise Brown.Amazingly, this unpublished manuscript lay incomplete and forgotten in a cedar trunk in a Vermont barn. When it was discovered, the onionskin paper had yellowed and the paperclips that held the pages together had rusted. Children s book publisher, Laura Minchew, a longtime fan of Brown, took on the challenge to complete the work.Based on the New England Sampler prayer, God Bless the Moon and God Bless Me, this soon-to-be bedtime classic is a prayer for God s blessing on all the world s children."

Paul Writes {a Letter}


Chris Raschka - 2018
    Each sumptuous page distills the main themes of Paul’s epistles into approachable, appealing language. Chris Raschka expertly depicts Paul’s sincerity and compassion, sadness and pain, giving readers a true sense of who Paul really was. Paul Writes (a Letter) celebrates how one of the most beloved biblical figures changed the world through the written word.