Extraordinary Jane


Hannah E. Harrison - 2014
    She isn't strong, graceful, or brave like her family. When she tries to be those things, Jane just doesn't feel like herself, but she also doesn't feel special. Is she really meant for this kind of life? Her Ringmaster thinks so, but not for the reasons Jane believes. Ordinary can be extraordinary!

A Visitor for Bear


Bonny Becker - 2008
    He even has a sign. So when a mouse taps on his door one day, Bear tells him to leave. But when Bear goes to the cupboard to get a bowl, there is the mouse -- small and gray and bright-eyed. In this slapstick tale that begs to be read aloud, all Bear wants is to eat his breakfast in peace, but the mouse -- who keeps popping up in the most unexpected places -- just won't go away!

What Do You Do with a Problem?


Kobi Yamada - 2016
    The longer the problem is avoided, the bigger it seems to get. But when the child finally musters up the courage to face it, the problem turns out to be something quite different than it appeared.This is a story for anyone, at any age, who has ever had a problem that they wished would go away. It's a story to inspire you to look closely at that problem and to find out why it's here. Because you might discover something amazing about your problem… and yourself.What are problems for? They challenge us, shape us, push us, and help us to discover just how strong and brave and capable we really are. Even though we don't always want them, problems have a way of bringing unexpected gifts.So, what will you do with your problem? Now that's up to you.

My Cat Looks Like My Dad


Thao Lam - 2019
    Both have orange hair, love milk, start their days with stretches, appreciate a good nap, and are brave (some of the time). The narrator is more like Mom, with wild hair, blue eyes, and a love of dancing.A surprising twist at the end reveals the narrator's unexpected identity, also hinted at with clues in the art throughout the book. Warmth and whimsy in the illustrations add a playful balance to the story's deeper message about the love that makes a family a unit, no matter how unusual it may look from the outside.

The Boss Baby


Marla Frazee - 2010
    But when his demands aren’t getting proper responses, he has to go to new lengths to achieve the attention he deserves.

The Darkest Dark


Chris Hadfield - 2016
    Only one problem—at night, Chris doesn't feel so brave. He's afraid of the dark.But when he watches the groundbreaking moon landing on TV, he realizes that space is the darkest dark there is—and the dark is beautiful and exciting, especially when you have big dreams to keep you company.

A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love


Michelle Edwards - 2016
    Mrs. Goldman always knits hats for everyone in the neighborhood, and Sophia, who thinks knitting is too hard, helps by making the pom-poms. But now winter is here, and Mrs. Goldman herself doesn’t have a hat—she’s too busy making hats for everyone else! It’s up to Sophia to buckle down and knit a hat for Mrs. Goldman. But try as Sophia might, the hat turns out lumpy, the stitches aren’t even, and there are holes where there shouldn’t be holes. Sophia is devastated until she gets an idea that will make Mrs. Goldman’s hat the most wonderful of all. Readers both young and old will relate to Sophia’s frustrations, as well as her delight in making something special for someone she loves.A knitting pattern is included in the back of the book.

Andrew Drew and Drew


Barney Saltzberg - 2012
    The story literally unfolds step-by-step as readers are invited to follow Andrew through flaps and gatefolds. After sharpening his drawing implement on the first page, Andrew challenges the boundaries of each spread by beginning with a line that leads . . . and leads . . . to unexpected finishes. Staircases become dinosaurs, kites become rockets, and even the most unassuming squiggle morphs into a giant chicken! This lighthearted depiction of artistic inspiration is sure to engage doodlers of all ages. Praise for Andrew Drew and Drew "Any question of reality versus representation is the gentlest kind, utterly unobtrusive...Joyful imagination, plain and simple." —Kirkus Reviews "The magic comes from the accompanying artwork, which follows the eponymous boy and his adventures in drawing... Like a certain boy with a purple crayon, Andrew knows that drawing offers limitless possibilities, and readers will, too." —Publishers Weekly "In this humorous and heartfelt portrait of a young artist, Andrew models by example the ebb and flow of the creative process." —Shelf-Awareness "Each page in this cleverly-designed book is filled with a line, a loop, even a stair step that Andrew has doodled on the paper, and the beginnings of his drawings often lead to something that even the artist himself doesn’t expect." —Reading Today Online "The text is spare, with only a few words per page, letting the products of the boy’s imagination and readers’ anticipation of them shine as the focus of the book. Never has white space seemed so inviting." —School Library Journal "Children of all ages—especially those with an interest in drawing—will love exploring the pages of Andrew Drew and Drew. Along the way, they just might absorb some of the book’s message about the power of art and the joy of creating it." —BookPage AWARDS: GOLD - 2012 National Parenting Publications Book Awards RECOMMENDED - 2012 Parents' Choice Awards, Picture Books Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens - 2013 Capitol Choices

Help! We Need a Title!


Hervé Tullet - 2013
    I think they’re looking for a story! The characters are still only sketches, there’s a setting and a few ideas about colour, but who can they turn to for the story? It’s not long until they go after the author and disturb him in the middle of his work...

Palazzo Inverso


D.B. Johnson - 2010
    But by turning the plans a bit each day, he finds a way to alter them, turning the master’s creation onto its head!  Discover what mystery and excitement a small change of perspective has brought to the Palazzo.In this M.C. Escher-inspired masterpiece, D.B. Johnson pushes the picture book form to new extremes. With its continuous narrative and illustrations that can viewed upside down, readers can turn the book over on page thirty two and read all the way back to page one. Enter the Palazzo Inverso...and see if you can find your way out.

Lift


Minh Lê - 2020
    When Iris's elevator button-pushing is disrupted by a new member of the family, she's pretty put out.That is, until the sudden appearance of a mysterious new button opens up entire realms of possibility, places where she can escape and explore on her own.This is a story that will lift your spirits and expand your imagination, by the award-winning creators of Drawn Together.

Mossy


Jan Brett - 2012
    Carolina, a biologist,  takes her to live in her Edwardian museum. Visitors flock to see Mossy, but it is Dr. Carolina's niece, Tory, who notices how sad Mossy is living in a viewing pavilion. She misses the outdoors and her friend, Scoot. Dr. Carolina finds a way to keep the spirit of Mossy alive at the museum.... Then she and Tory take Mossy home, where Scoot is waiting for her. Jan Brett fans will pore over the colorful paintings of Lilypad Pond and lush borders displaying wildflowers, ferns, butterflies and birds in contrast to elegant spreads of the museum filled with visitors in stylish Edwardian dress and exquisite borders of shells, rocks, crystals and birds' eggs.MOSSY gives readers a fascinating look at nature in the wild and on display in a natural history museum.

It's Christmas, David!


David Shannon - 2010
    Always in the background, we know Santa Claus is watching, soon to decide if David deserves a shiny new fire truck or a lump of coal under the tree. From playing with delicate ornaments to standing in an endlessly long line for Santa, here are common Christmas activities--but with David's naughty trimmings. A surefire hit that is destined to be an annual classic.

The Mermaid and the Shoe


K.G. Campbell - 2014
    Some might call them mermaids. Each one, it seemed, was more remarkable than the last. Except Minnow.The only remarkable thing about Minnow was the questions she asked. So many questions! "Where do bubbles go?" "Why don't crabs have fins?" "What lies beyond the kingdom?"When a curious and beautiful new object drifts into her life, Minnow can't imagine what it might be for, but she's certain it must have a purpose. So she follows her questions into the unknown, all the way to another, wondrous world. There she makes several remarkable discoveries...

Pete the Cat: The Wheels on the Bus


James Dean - 2013
    Fans of Pete the Cat will love singing along with Pete in this groovy rendition of this favorite children's song.