The Leaf Thief


Alice Hemming - 2020
    Squirrel is so cross. Yesterday there were loads of beautiful leaves on his tree, but today? Today some are missing and Squirrel is convinced that someone has stolen them... there's a leaf thief on the loose! Join Squirrel on a mission to find the culprit, and meet so many fun animals on the way, while you find out how the world takes on different colours as the months pass by. A laugh-out-loud book about the changing seasons, with extra information in the back for especially curious minds Perfect as a companion reader to children learning about seasons in school A brilliant picture book that explores feelings, moods and times where we feel out of control

The Big Tidy-Up


Norah Smaridge - 2008
    Free to let her room go, Jennifer turns a blind eye to the fustiness, the dustiness, and the spider’s webby empire up in the corner! Finally, one day, she can stand her own mess no longer, and gets to work— on the big tidy-up!

Secret of the Emerald Star


Phyllis A. Whitney - 1964
    Devery, whose whole world is Staten Island, strangers are not people: they are Jews or Catholics or Cubans or whatever is unlike herself, and therefore very strange indeed. All of which is rather ironic, of course, since the children of the neighborhood look upon the provincial, autocratic old woman herself as a witch.How well the label fits, thirteen-year-old Robin Ward is in a better position than most to know. She and her family are newcomers to secluded, fading Catalpa Court. From the window of her third-floor bedroom she commands a perfect view of the balconies and turrets of the house next door-can see everything that happens within the shrouded grounds of the big, forbidding Devery place.None of that first weird scene seems real. Round and round on the front lawn turns a girl in a white dress, her arms out wide as if she were flying, her voice making the tuneless, high-pitched sound of an insect. Suddenly the white-haired mistress of the house, dressed in clothes of another era, rushes toward the girl, grasps her angrily by the arm and virtually drags her away.A famous sculptor also living in Catalpa Court is willing to teach a limited number of talented beginners. Robin's eagerness to qualify becomes inextricably involved not only with the strange girl and her grim "jailer" but with the fate of a valuable pin made of emeralds and a diamond and shaped like a star. Mystery and menace progressively deepen with Mrs. Devery's behavior amid the ruins of an old house and her association with a short, fat man whose white moon face, bald head, and habit of sucking lemon drops add chills to each sinister moment he appears. Completely unmysterious is the point dramatized by this excellent and exciting book that prejudices about people can only harm the prejudiced.

Plume


Isabelle Simler - 2017
    But lurking in the background of every page is a cat, who also seems very interested in the birds. With its funny illustrations and engaging concepts, this clever counting book will invite readers to linger over every page.

Jamberry


Bruce Degen - 1982
    The fun wordplay and bright paintings with lots of details for young readers to explore make Jamberry a perennial favorite, and this board book edition is a great stocking stuffer.A small boy and a big friendly bear embark on a berry-picking extravaganza, looking for blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Their fun adventure comes to a razzamatazz finale under a starberry sky.From author-illustrator Bruce Degen, Jamberry is perfect for sharing. "With delightful, rich illustrations and zany wordplay, Jamberry is a must have book for any family with young children," according to Children's Books Guide.HatberryShoeberryIn my canoeberryUnder the bridgeAnd over the damLooking for berries...Berries for jam!

Frog is Frightened


Max Velthuijs - 1994
    Strange noises in the night frighten Frog and his animal friends.

Tal: His Marvelous Adventures with Noom-Zor-Noom


Paul Fenimore Cooper - 1929
    His companions were the wise old man Noom-Zor-Noom and the talking donkey Millitinkle.

The Carpenter


Bruna Barros - 2017
    . . "A young boy abandons his beloved electronics when an old-fashioned yellow-jointed tape measure causes his imagination to run wild, in The Carpenter, a wordless expression of the simple joys found in exploration and creative play. Brazilian illustrator Bruna Barros uses basic yet bold contrasting colors, and lines that showcase the transformation of a carpenter's shop into a veritable ocean of wonder, giving Harold and his purple crayon a run for his money." --Foreword ReviewsThis special book shares its story without a single word. Bruna Barros' beautiful, creative illustrations will capture children's imaginations, showing readers that even the simplest, most common objects can start a wonderful adventure. This book also offers opportunities to foster discussions and spontaneous story telling.After studying fashion design and interior design in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Bruna Barros switched directions to focus on art. She spent two years at the Academy of Fine Arts of Venice, working closely with children, while she earned a degree in Graphic Arts. She has illustrated eight children's books.

If I Found a Wistful Unicorn: A Gift of Love


Ann Ashford - 1978
    Through thoughtful and fanciful questions Ashford explores what we risk when we ask for love and what special rewards may be waiting for us in return. Subdued watercolor illustrations perfectly capture the book's gentle tone and important message. The perfect book for any occasion when a gift of love is needed.

Leven Thumps- The Complete Series


Obert Skye - 2009
    It is a place that allows mankind the power to hope and imagine and, most important, to dream. Leven Thumps, once an ordinary fourteen-year-old boy from Oklahoma, has a special gift that he is unaware of-a gift that could save the dreams of all mankind. Join Leven and his friends from Foo as they embark on an unFOOgettable journey!

One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale


Demi - 1997
    A reward of one grain of rice doubles day by day into millions of grains of rice when a selfish raja is outwitted by a clever village girl.

Manduka


Luis Fernandes - 1982
    So he decides to pretend to be a wise astrologer, and get people to respect him. His plan works beyond his wildest dreams. Now Manduka finds himself in a different kind of fix,people are actually expecting him to make accurate predictions.Worse, the king himself is asking Manduka's prophecies! The story of Manduka is taken from the Kathasaritsagar, the eleventh century Sanskrit classic by Somadeva.

Molly and Mae


Danny Parker - 2016
    There are happy moments, boring moments and exciting moments. There is anger and loneliness, and there is forgiveness, and the thread of friendship runs through everything, like rail tracks through the countryside. Brilliantly rendered by Danny Parker and Freya Blackwood, Molly and Mae is a portrait of the most delightful and emotionally rich train journey imaginable.

Kim/Kimi


Hadley Irwin - 1987
    Half the time she is Kim Andrews, living in her all-white Iowa community-the other half she is Kimi Yogushi, searching for her true identity. She must find out more about her Japanese-American father, who died before she was born, and his family, if there is any. Perhaps then she can solve her inner conflict.

Tales by Trees: The Carpenter


Iiro Küttner - 2014
    He knows immediately what he needs to build. But the challenge that he faces has serious consequences on his life and the people he loves. "It was said that in his hands wood ceased to be wood. In his hands it turned to gold, to beautiful dreams and works of philosophy." - The Carpenter The Carpenter is a self-contained story within the Tales by Trees series. It is a one hour read, but a lifetime experience. Tales by Trees is a series of illustrated fairy tales for grown-ups. The exceptionally illustrated stories combine fantasy, nature, wisdom, wonder and folklore into an inspiring reading experience. The Authors: Iiro Küttner is an award-winning screenwriter, playwright and author currently serving as the professor of screenwriting at the Aalto University in Helsinki. Ville Tietäväinen is an award-winning graphic novelist and visual artist. His works have been published internationally. “Each reading is like peeling an onion, always uncovering new thoughts or revelations about life.” / Värikäs päivä “Within the framework of a fairy tale, Küttner writes a story with multiple interpretations, a philosophical lesson and a riddle about the nature of humanity.” / Etelä-Suomen Sanomat “The Carpenter is a melancholy but wise story, which makes the reader ponder what is ultimately important.” / Anna magazine “Küttner’s narration shows old-fashioned restraint and unrestrained beauty, as does the whole of Tietäväinen’s graphic design.” / Parnasso