Book picks similar to
I'm In Charge! by Jeanne Willis


picture-books
picture-book
animals
storytime

Don't Worry, Little Crab


Chris Haughton - 2019
    Today they’re going for a dip in the big ocean. “This is going to be so great,” says Little Crab, splish-splashing and squelch-squelching along, all the way to the very edge. Then comes a first glance down at the waves. WHOOSH! Maybe it’s better if they don’t go in? With vivid colors, bold shapes, and his trademark visual humor, Chris Haughton shows that sometimes a gentle “don’t worry, I’m here” can keep tentative little crabs sidestepping ahead — and help them discover the brilliant worlds that await when they take the plunge.

Honey


David Ezra Stein - 2018
    The world around him is waking up, too, and he soon remembers all the other things he loves, like warm grass, berries, and rain. He's almost content, until, one day, he hears a welcome buzzing sound . . . and finally it is time for Bear to delight in the thing he relishes above all others--and it is as warm, golden, sweet, and good as he remembered.

Big Bad Bunny


Franny Billingsley - 2008
     Just look at her name: Baby Boo-Boo. She's no baby! The word drives her wild in a big, bad way. And here's Mama Mouse calling, always calling after her, "Baby! Where are you, Baby?" It's humiliating. Mice (and other small persons) will understand what Big Bad Boo-Boo does. It's quite naughty.

The Rock from the Sky


Jon Klassen - 2021
    He likes it so much that he asks his friend Armadillo to come over and stand in it, too. But now that Armadillo is standing in that spot, he has a bad feeling about it . . .Here comes The Rock from the Sky, a meditation on the workings of friendship, fate, shared futuristic visions, and that funny feeling you get that there's something off somewhere, but you just can't put your finger on it.

"Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"


Patricia Thomas - 1971
    Knowing the havoc it will cause, all the animals try to prevent the elephant from sneezing.

Bears on Chairs


Shirley Parenteau - 2009
    Four happy bearson four small chairs.Four chairs. Four adorable bears. All is well until Big Brown Bear shows up -- what a stare! -- and wants a seat. Can these clever bears put their heads together (among other things) and make space for one more? With endearing, expressive illustrations and a sustained rhyme in every line, here is a cozy tale that makes it clear there is room for all.

The Box Turtle


Vanessa Roeder - 2020
    Terrance loves his box. It keeps him dry on soggy days, safe from snooping strangers, and is big enough to cozy up with a friend. But when another turtle points out that Terrance's shell is, well, weird, he begins to wonder whether there might be a better shell out there...Eventually, and through much trial and error, Terrance learns that there's nothing wrong with being different--especially when it comes to being yourself.

While We Can't Hug: Mini Gift Edition


Eoin McLaughlin - 2020
    They wanted to give each other a great, big hug. But they weren't allowed to touch. "Don't worry," said Owl. "There are lots of ways to show someone you love them." So the two friends wave to each other, blow kisses, sing songs, dance around and write letters. And even though they can't hug and they can't touch, they both know that they are loved.A gorgeous, uplifting, inspiring picture book that makes social distancing fun!

Camping Day!


Patricia Lakin - 2009
    They get lost on their way to the campsite, get attacked by a swarm of bees, get all mixed up while trying to assemble their tent, and then get so frightened by nighttime shadows that their campout is in danger of fizzing out. But all ends well, as it always does for this happygo- lucky crew. This is a breezy summer story that?s ?ideally pitched for prereaders or brand-new ones? (as Booklist said of its predecessor, Rainy Day!).

Life


Cynthia Rylant - 2017
    Through the eyes of the world’s animals—including elephants, monkeys, whales, and more—Cynthia Rylant offers a moving meditation on finding beauty around us every day and finding strength in adversity. Brendan Wenzel’s stunning landscapes and engaging creatures make this an inspiring and intriguing gift for readers of all ages.

Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg


Lori Mortensen - 2013
    The chase that follows—with page-turn surprises—makes for a hilarious shaggy-dog story involving fleas, a hog, bribery, cats, deception, and a mule. The rhyming stanzas are pitch-perfect, Texas-style, and plumb near cry out to be read aloud. Austin’s expressive acrylic and colored-pencil caricatures of Cowpoke Clyde and his menagerie are priceless. A storytime shoo-in!

Nobody Hugs a Cactus


Carter Goodrich - 2019
    He sits in a pot in a window that faces the empty desert, which is just how he likes it. So, when all manner of creatures—from tumbleweed to lizard to owl—come to disturb his peace, Hank is annoyed.He doesn’t like noise, he doesn’t like rowdiness, and definitely does not like hugs.But the thing is, no one is offering one. Who would want to hug a plant so mean? Hank is beginning to discover that being alone can be, well, lonely.So he comes up with a plan to get the one thing he thought he would never need: a hug from a friend.

Moose, Goose, and Mouse


Mordicai Gerstein - 2021
    . . BONK! . . . the train hits a tree near the sea, where they find the sunny, funny house of their dreams.A story about finding the perfect home is accompanied by rhyming and alliterative text.

Wild About Books


Judy Sierra - 2004
    She finds the perfect book for every animal--tall books for giraffes, tiny ones for crickets. "She even found waterproof books for the otter, who never went swimming without Harry Potter." In no time at all, Molly has them "forsaking their niches, their nests, and their nooks," going "wild, simply wild, about wonderful books." Judy Sierra's funny animal tale coupled with Marc Brown's lush, fanciful paintings will have the same effect on young Homo sapiens. Altogether, it's more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

Rude Cakes


Rowboat Watkins - 2015
    Mixing hilarious text and pictures, Rowboat Watkins, a former Sendak fellow, has cooked up a laugh-out- loud story that can also be served up as a delectable discussion starter about manners or bullying, as it sweetly reminds us all that even the rudest cake can learn to change its ways.