The Owl and the Pussycat


Edward Lear - 1871
    Full color.

Two Dogs on a Trike


Gabi Snyder - 2020
    Vehicle-obsessed readers will love seeing all the modes of transportation that the pups use—until the family cat decides to round them all up to go back home.Gabi Snyder’s charming text and Robin Rosenthal’s delightful illustrations are a surefire combination in this winning picture book.

Demolition


Sally Sutton - 2012
    Crush the stone. Chip and grind and munch. Make new concrete from the old. Whirr! Churr! Crunch!From the huge crane with a swinging ball (crack! ) to the toothy jaws that ram the walls (thwock! ), this rambunctious demolition, reverberating with sound words, is guaranteed to have small kids rapt. Bright spreads showcase the gargantuan machines in all their glory, and a pictorial glossary explains what each one can do.

Trucker and Train


Hannah Stark - 2019
    The other vehicles swerve and shake as Trucker blasts past, expecting them to follow along in awe. Then Trucker meets the louder, stronger, and kinder Train. He sees how the other vehicles gleam and swoon when Train is around. And he wonders, Why don’t they ever gleam at me? Trucker just wants Train to go away . . . until a broken railroad crossing signal changes everything. Can Trucker use his size and strength for the good of his fellow vehicles before it’s too late? Perfect for fans of Little Blue Truck and Loren Long’s Otis stories, Trucker and Train is a classic in the making.

Mummy Cat


Marcus Ewert - 2015
    . . Mummy Cat prowls his pyramid home, longing for his beloved owner. As he roams the tomb, lavish murals above his head display scenes of the cat with his young Egyptian queen, creating a story-within-a-story about the events of centuries past. Hidden hieroglyphs deepen the tale and are explained in an informative author’s note.         Marcus Ewert and Lisa Brown’s smart, beautiful book is a marvel of sophisticated simplicity, infinitely engaging to examine in detail, and complete with a sweetly surprising plot twist sure to delight young cat-lovers and budding Egyptologists alike.

The Midnight Library


Kazuno Kohara - 2013
    When we are fast asleep in bed, the Midnight Library opens its doors to all the night-time animals. Inside the library the little librarian and her three assistant owls help each and every animal find the perfect book. But tonight is a very busy one...

I Saw an Ant on the Railroad Track


Joshua Prince - 2006
    There they meet a hungry little ant and the gentle giant of a switchman who cares for him.

Silverlicious


Victoria Kann - 2010
    only to hear from Cupid, the Easter Bunny, and a Christmas elf instead. It is not until the Tooth Fairy finally responds—and works some magic—that Pinkalicious discovers where sweetness really comes from.

Blueberry Girl


Neil Gaiman - 2009
    . .A much-loved baby grows into a young woman: brave, adventurous, and lucky. Exploring, traveling, bathed in sunshine, surrounded by the wonders of the world. What every new parent or parent-to-be dreams of for her child, what every girl dreams of for herself.Let me go places that we've never been, trust and delight in her youth.Nationally bestselling author Neil Gaiman wrote Blueberry Girl for a friend who was about to become the mother of a little girl. Here, he and beloved illustrator Charles Vess turn this deeply personal wish for a new daughter into a book that celebrates the glory of growing up: a perfect gift for girls embarking on all the journeys of life, for their parents, and for everyone who loves them.Give her all these and a little bit more, gifts for a blueberry girl.

Go to Sleep, Little Farm


Mary Lyn Ray - 2014
    Nighttime blankets a little farm. An owl who-hoots. A bear curls up in a log. A mother fox calls her pups home to the den. But animals aren't the only ones preparing to rest.      In the tradition of Margaret Wise Brown, with classically styled picture book illustrations and fresh, childlike imagery, this poetic bedtime book, as peaceful as it is warm, will wrap young ones in the comforts of routine. All is well, it reminds them. Now is the time for dreams.

Rosie Goes to Preschool


Karen Katz - 2015
    Rosie introduces the reader to her cubby, her teacher, her reading circle, her music class, her lunch table, and more.   With gentle, reassuring language and Katz’s signature bold, bright, and sweet artwork, Rosie Goes to Preschool will surely be a hit among the legions of children who have grown up reading Katz’s books. Now that these big boys and girls are ready to take their first big steps into school, Karen Katz is here to help.

Tomorrow I'll Be Kind


Jessica Hische - 2020
    This uplifting and positive book encourages kids to promise that tomorrow, they will be grateful, helpful, and kind.Tomorrow I'll be everything I strive to be each dayAnd even when it's difficultI'll work to find a way.Immerse yourself in the beautifully hand-lettered words of widsom, hope, and positivity alongside adorable illustrations of love and caring. This book is a reminder to all readers, young and old, that the smallest kind gesture can make the biggest difference in the world--we just have to remember to be kind to one another.Praise for Tomorrow I'll Be Kind"As an introduction to personality characteristics, beneficial behaviors, and social-emotional skills, this is a solid choice, and fans of the previous volume are likely to embrace this one as well. 'I'll dream of all the good that comes / when we all just do our best, ' the text explains--a sentiment that's hard to rebut. Gently encourages empathy, compassion, and consideration." -- Kirkus Reviews"A welcome call to tenderness." -- PW ReviewsPraise for Tomorrow I'll Be Brave"Jessica Hische, one of the great designers and typographers, now shows herself equally adept at creating gorgeous and immersive images for young readers. This is a joyous burst of color."--Dave Eggers, author of Her Right Foot

Du Iz Tak?


Carson Ellis - 2016
    When the plant grows taller and sprouts leaves, some young beetles arrive to gander, and soon—with the help of a pill bug named Icky—they wrangle a ladder and build a tree fort. But this is the wild world, after all, and something horrible is waiting to swoop down—booby voobeck!—only to be carried off in turn. Su! With exquisitely detailed illustrations and tragicomic flair, Carson Ellis invites readers to imagine the dramatic possibilities to be found in even the humblest backyard. Su!

The Frog and Toad Treasury: Frog and Toad are Friends/Frog and Toad Together/Frog and Toad All Year


Arnold Lobel - 1987
    Not much really happens in these stories. The illustrations are beautiful but rather small. The eponymous friends carry on their friendship through mild misunderstandings and misadventures, always ready to forgive each other and forget. These gentle stories are among my favorite kids' books. I have fond memories of Frog and Toad from my childhood, and I never tire of re-reading them to my 4-year-old daughter. She seems to like them, too.

Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball


Vicki Churchill - 2001
    Or sticking out his pink tongue--and pulling funny faces (now that can be fun)! And maybe he'll jump just as high as he can, and see how much noise he will make when he lands. But when the day ends and the sun starts to fall...he goes back home to mama and curls into a ball. Good night! Soft-toned illustrations portray an endearing little wombat and the warm and friendly world around him--and every page is filled with charming details that stand up to repeat viewings: cute mice, rabbits and turtles peering from behind tall grass, marching pigeons, and a menagerie of other adorable animals. The images, along with the lyrically rhyming text, combine to make a sweet-spirited bedtime story to ease young ones to sleep.