When a Dragon Moves In


Jodi Moore - 2011
    Right away, a dragon moves in. The boy decides to befriend his dragon and they spend time roaming the shore, flying a kite, braving the waves, defying bullies, and roasting marshmallows—all while Dad is busy sunbathing and Mom is engrossed in her book. Unfortunately, no one believes the boy when he tries to share the news of this magnificent creature. That’s when the mischief begins, and the dragon becomes a force to be reckoned with. While adults will recognize the naughty antics as a ploy for attention, children will dissolve into giggles as the dragon devours every last sandwich, blows bubbles in the lemonade, and leaves claw prints in the brownies. Maybe the dragon really is running amok on the beach, or maybe it’s a little boy’s imagination that is running wild.

Good Morning to Me!


Lita Judge - 2015
    Rise and shine—ready or not!It’s a sleepy morning in the cottage, but Beatrix the parrot is wide AWAKE…and she can’t wait to start the day with her friends.

The Doghouse


Jan Thomas - 2008
    . . THE DOGHOUSE. Who will risk a run-in with scary Dog to get it back? Hysterical high anxiety ensues as Mouse volunteers each animal to do the dirty work—but you’ll never believe what’s really going on in the doghouse!     With Jan Thomas’s fun, fresh art and priceless animal expressions, this timeless tale of fear and friendship will have readers howling.

Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes


Kimberly Dean - 2016
    But some of the cupcakes have gone missing! Who could have taken them?In this picture book adventure by New York Times bestselling authors James and Kimberly Dean, Pete and the gang solve the mystery of the missing cupcakes and learn that it’s cool to be kind.The Pete the Cat fun never stops—watch the groovin’ video online!

Bubba the Bulldog Tries to Smile


Bree Clausen - 2013
    When his best friend Ryan breaks his leg, Bubba tries to cheer him up. After getting into some mischief around the house, Bubba learns that every time he accidentally smiles, Ryan smiles too. In his efforts to smile, Bubba has to conquer his worst fear by facing the BROOM. In the end, Bubba finds out he had the ability to smile INSIDE him all along.

The Day I Became a Bird


Ingrid Chabbert - 2015
    Sylvia sits in front of him at school, and he's so in love with her, she's all he can see. But sadly, Sylvia doesn't see him. In fact, it seems the only thing Sylvia has eyes for is birds. “There are birds on her pants and dresses. She wears bird barrettes in her hair. She draws birds on her notebooks and folders. And when she speaks, her voice sounds like birdsong.” So in a bold attempt to get Sylvia's attention, the boy decides to go to school dressed up as a bird. He endures the stares and giggles of his classmates, and a great deal of discomfort, but the boy doesn't care. Because when it comes to love, sometimes you have no choice but to follow your heart and spread your wings.In this sweetly funny picture book, Ingrid Chabbert perfectly captures the emotional essence of a child's first love. The boy's voice as narrator is realistic and endearing as he engagingly and honestly shares the wonder of his experience. With imagination and gentle humor, Guridi uses spare lines in mostly black and white drawings to tenderly express the poignant heart of the story. This book offers a terrific exploration of young children's self-discovery and self-expression, as well as the early development of social skills. It makes a wonderful read-aloud to launch a classroom discussion about relationships and feelings.

Garcia & Colette Go Exploring


Hannah Barnaby - 2017
    Garcia loves everything about space (Stars! Planets!)- and Colette is obsessed with the sea (Waves! Fish!).Staying home is not an option, so they each get busy. Garcia builds a rocket ship that's snazzy and silver. Colette's shiny submarine is perfect for deep-sea dives. And they wish each other well on their travels.It turns out the Milky Way really is amazing and the ocean floor is truly spectacular, but Garcia and Colette both realize they left something very important back home.Exploring your favorite place can be terrific, but maybe the company is more important than the destination.

Ribbit!


Rodrigo Folgueira - 2012
    Sitting contentedly on a rock in the middle of their pond, the pig opens his mouth and says: RIBBIT! The frogs are bewildered at first, and then a bit annoyed—"What did that little pig just say?", "Does he think he's a frog?", "Is he making fun of us?" Soon the pig draws the attention of all the nearby animals; everyone is curious to know what he wants! After much guessing (and shouting) and a visit to the wise old beetle, the animals realize that perhaps the pig was not there to mock them afterall—maybe he just wanted to make new friends!  But is it too late?  This is a warm, funny, and beautifully illustrated story of friendship, with boisterous RIBBIT!s throughout—perfect for reading aloud.

Pocket Poems


Bobbi Katz - 2004
    This lively collection is packed with kid-friendly “pocket-size” poems, most of them eight lines or less, by such well-known poets as Eve Merriam, Jack Prelutsky, and the anthologist herself, Bobbi Katz. The easy- to-memorize, pint-size poems reflect many different facets of children’s lives and are embellished with witty, winning art by the beloved Marylin Hafner, making a package that will be welcomed by children and their teachers.

This Moose Belongs to Me


Oliver Jeffers - 2012
    He hadn't always owned a moose. The moose came to him a while ago and he knew, just KNEW, that it was meant to be his. He thought he would call him Marcel. Most of the time Marcel is very obedient, abiding by the many rules of How to Be a Good Pet. But imagine Wilfred's surprise when one dark day, while deep in the woods, someone else claims the moose as their own...

The Smartest Giant in Town


Julia Donaldson - 2002
    With smart trousers, a smart shirt, stripy tie and shiny shoes, George is a new giant.But on his way home, he meets various animals who desperately need his help ... and his clothes!"My absolute favourite of this year's picture books ... Julia Thompson and Axel Scheffler are a combination made in heaven." - The Independent on Sunday"Who could resist?" - The Sunday Times

Ugly Fish


Kara LaReau - 2006
    And that means the wimpy little fish who keep showing up in his tank have got to go. But then one day someone bigger and uglier and maybe even meaner arrives . . . and suddenly Ugly Fish isn't feeling quite so confident anymore. From Kara LaReau, author of the Rocko and Spanky series, here is an irreverent and terrifically funny book about a bully who at last gets his comeuppance.

The Very Fluffy Kitty, Papillon


A.N. Kang - 2016
    So fluffy that he's lighter than air! His owner tries to weigh him down, but Papillon just wants to fly. One particularly sunny day, he floats right out the window! Exploring the wide world is exhilarating, but it's also a little scary. Will his new friend, a bird, be able to help him find his way home?Whimsical art and airy text come together seamlessly in this delightful debut by A. N. Kang.

Bruno, the Standing Cat


Nadine Robert - 2017
    It is very odd. Bruno likes to chew bubble gum, play house, and skateboard—and refuses to engage in any catlike behavior. But Peter likes Bruno, and so they become friends and do everything they can think of together.Jean Jullien (illustrator of the picture-book version of John Lennon’s song “Imagine”) is an emerging picture-book creator who works in a signature thick black line and bold, flat color. His quirky, subversive humor is childlike at its core, and kids will delight in his light and irreverent approach.

Chick 'n' Pug


Jennifer Sattler - 2010
    Pug lives for, well, sleep. In Chick's eyes, however, Pug can do no wrong. In fact, he is WONDERPUG! But with danger around every corner and a hero who's a little low on energy, it may be up to Chick to save the day and earn the prized role of sidechick (er, sidekick . . .) From an exceptional new talent, this is a funny, heartwarming story of misplaced hero worship as well as the beginning of a beautiful friendship.