Petra


Marianna Coppo - 2016
    . . until a dog fetches her for its owner, and she is tossed into a bird's nest. A mountain? No, Petra is now an egg! An egg of the world in a world of possibility. Until she's flung into a pond, and becomes an amazing island . . . and, eventually, a little girl's pet rock. What will she be tomorrow? Who knows? But she's a rock, and this is how she rolls!

Mela and the Elephant


Dow Phumiruk - 2018
    She encounters a crocodile, a leopard, and some monkeys, offering each a prize return for helping her find her way home but the animals snatch up their rewards without helping Mela back to her village. Just when she's about to give up, an elephant shows Mela that kindness is its own reward. This new fable is told with authentic Thai customs and includes an author's note with more Thai traditions and language.Recognized in The 50 Best Multicultural Picture Books of 2018

Harold and the Purple Crayon


Crockett Johnson - 1955
    Adventure goes hand in hand with imagination to create this charming classic story.

Shark vs. Train


Chris Barton - 2010
    Train! WHO WILL WIN?!If you think Superman vs. Batman would be an exciting matchup, wait until you see Shark vs. Train. In this hilarious and wacky picture book, Shark and Train egg each other on for one competition after another, including burping, bowling, Ping Pong, piano playing, pie eating, and many more! Who do YOU think will win, Shark or Train?

The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School


Laura Murray - 2011
    But he's a smart cookie and heads out to find them. He'll run, slide, skip, and (after a mishap with a soccer ball) limp as fast as he can because: I can catch them! I'm their Gingerbread Man!With help from the gym teacher, the nurse, the art teacher and even the principal, the Gingerbread Man does find his class, and he's assured they'll never leave him behind again.Teachers often use the Gingerbread Man story to introduce new students to the geography and staff of schools, and this fresh, funny twist on the original can be used all year long. Includes a poster with fun activities!

Pokko and the Drum


Matthew Forsythe - 2019
    When Pokko takes the drum deep into the forest it is so quiet, so very quiet that Pokko decides to play. And before she knows it she is joined by a band of animals —first the raccoon, then the rabbit, then the wolf—and soon the entire forest is following her. Will Pokko hear her father’s voice when he calls her home? Pokko and the Drum is a story about art, persistence, and a family of frogs living in a mushroom.

Ah Ha!


Jeff Mack - 2013
    (AAHH.) But wait—there are other creatures at the pond as well. (AH HA!) And some of them are out to get Frog. (AHHH!) Not to worry, Frog gets the last laugh. (HA HA!) Using only two letters, along with many brightly colored and lively illustrations, Jeff Mack brings his hallmark humor to this rollicking book that will leave young readers guessing, laughing, and on the edge of their seats.

Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door


Adam Rubin - 2011
    But now that it's spring and his beloved birds are back, nothing can spoil his good mood--until a cat named Muffins arrives next door. Muffins terrifies the birds and interrupts Fookwire's painting. He even gives the squirrels wet willies! How can this bully be stopped? Someone had better come up with a plan.It's brains versus brawn in this hilarious picture book, and the results surprise everyone. Except, perhaps, those darn squirrels.

Bear Has a Story to Tell


Philip C. Stead - 2012
    But first, Bear had a story to tell...Bear found his friend Mouse, but Mouse was busy gathering seeds and didn't have time to listen to a story. Then Bear saw his friend Duck, but Duck was getting ready to fly south. What about his friend Toad? He was busy looking for a warm place to sleep. By the time Bear was through helping his friends get ready for winter, would anyone still be awake to hear his story?This endearing story of friendship and patience is a worthy companion to Philip and Erin Stead's last collaboration, A Sick Day for Amos McGee, winner of the 2011 Caldecott Medal.Bear Has a Story to Tell is a Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2012. This title has Common Core connections.

The Great Kapok Tree


Lynne Cherry - 1990
    One day, a man exhausts himself trying to chop down a giant kapok tree. While he sleeps, the forest’s residents, including a child from the Yanomamo tribe, whisper in his ear about the importance of trees and how "all living things depend on one another" . . . and it works. Cherry’s lovingly rendered colored pencil and watercolor drawings of all the "wondrous and rare animals" evoke the lush rain forests, as well as stunning world maps bordered by tree porcupines, emerald tree boas, and dozens more fascinating creatures.Awards: IRA Teacher’s Choice (1991), ABA’s Pick of the Lists, Reading Rainbow Review Book, NSTA-CBC Outstanding Trade Book for Children

The Story of Little Black Sambo


Helen Bannerman - 1899
    First written in 1899, the story has become a childhood classic and the authorized American edition with the original drawings by the author has sold hundreds of thousands of copies. Little Black Sambo is a book that speaks the common language of all nations, and has added more to the joy of little children than perhaps any other story. They love to hear it again and again; to read it to themselves; to act it out in their play.

Crow Call


Lois Lowry - 2009
    Dad has been away at WWII for longer than she can remember, and they begin their journey of reconnection through a hunting shirt, cherry pie, tender conversation, and the crow call. This allegorical story shows how, like the birds gathering above, the relationship between the girl and her father is graced with the chance to fly.

Stone Soup


Ann McGovern - 1971
    As the pot of water boils with the stone in it, he urges her to add more and more ingredients until the soup is a feast "fit for a king".

The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse


Mac Barnett - 2017
    This is a story about a mouse, and how he got swallowed up by a wolf, and who he met down in its belly, and what happened after that.

Bravest Dog Ever: Story of Balto


Natalie Standiford - 1989
    Dozens of children in Nome become sick with diphtheria. Without antitoxin serum, they will perish - and the closest supply is 650 miles away! The only way to get the serum to Nome is by sled, but can the dogs deliver it in time? Heading bravely into a brutal blizzard, Balto leads the race for life.Illus. in full color.