Book picks similar to
An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco


christmas
picture-books
children-s-books
christmas-books

The Big Snow


Berta Hader - 1948
    They gather food and look for warm, snug places in the ground, trees, caves or thickets, where they can find protection against the icy winds.It might have been hard for the birds and animals of the hillside to survive when the Big Snow came if their good friends, who lived in the little stone house, had not remembered to put food out for them.Here, in many beautiful pictures, the Haders show how winter comes to the woodland as the busy animals make their preparations.

Song and Dance Man


Karen Ackerman - 1988
    in full color. "In this affectionate story, three children follow their grandfather up to the attic, where he pulls out his old bowler hat, gold-tipped cane, and his tap shoes. Grandpa once danced on the vaudeville stage, and as he glides across the floor, the children can see what it was like to be a song and dance man. Gammell captures all the story's inherent joie de vivre with color pencil renderings that leap off the pages. Bespectacled, enthusiastic Grandpa clearly exudes the message that you're only as old as you feel, but the children respond--as will readers--to the nostalgia of the moment. Utterly original."--(starred) Booklist.

The Broken Ornament


Tony DiTerlizzi - 2018
    More. More. More! So, when Jack breaks a dusty old ornament, he’s not sure why his mom is so upset. They can always get more ornaments, so what’s the big deal? Turns out the ornament was an heirloom, precious for more reasons than one. And Jack has a lot to learn about the true meaning Christmas. A fairy emerges from the shattered ornament. She has the power to make the most magical Christmasy things happen. Suddenly trees are sprouting, reindeer are flying, and snowmen are snowball fighting. All of it is so perfect, or it would be if she could fix Mom’s ornament. But she can’t. So it’s up to Jack to make some Christmas magic of his own.

The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll


Patricia C. McKissack - 2007
    That's because it's the Depression and Nella's family is poor. Even so, Nella's hoping that this year she and her two sisters will get a beautiful Baby Betty doll.On Christmas morning, the girls are beside themselves with excitement! There is Baby Betty, in all her eyelash-fluttering magnificence. "Mine!" Nella shouts, and claims the doll for herself. But soon she discovers that Baby Betty isn't nearly as much fun as her sisters. Would it be more fun to share this very best gift with them after all?

Our Favorite Day of the Year


A.E. Ali - 2020
    He’s not used to being away from home and he doesn’t know any of the other kids in his class. And when he meets classmates Moisés, Mo, and Kevin, Musa isn’t sure they’ll have much in common. But over the course of the year, the four boys learn more about each other, the holidays they celebrate, their favorite foods, and what they like about school. The more they share with each other, the closer they become, until Musa can’t imagine any better friends. In this charming story of friendship and celebrating differences, young readers can discover how entering a new friendship with an open mind and sharing parts of yourself brings people together. And the calendar of holidays at the end of the book will delight children as they identify special events they can celebrate with friends throughout the year.

What Do You Do with an Idea?


Kobi Yamada - 2014
    As the child's confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens. This is a story for anyone, at any age, who's ever had an idea that seemed a little too big, too odd, too difficult. It's a story to inspire you to welcome that idea, to give it some space to grow, and to see what happens next. Because your idea isn't going anywhere. In fact, it's just getting started.

The Biggest Snowman Ever


Steven Kroll - 2005
    But building a huge snowman alone is hard! They work and work, but their snowmen just aren't big enough. Soon they have an idea. As the day of the contest approaches, Clayton and Desmond join forces to build the biggest snowman ever.

The Spirit of Christmas


Nancy Tillman - 2009
    But the best gift of all-the most magical gift of the season-is when we spend Christmas with those we love.Once again, this New York Times-bestselling author and artist has created a special, beautiful book that families will want to share year after year. (And readers will want to look for the Spirit of Christmas image that Nancy Tillman has hidden on every page!)

Annika's Secret Wish


Beverly Lewis - 1999
    Evie's roots contribute to the authenticity and warmth with which she narrates the story, including additional thoughts and feelings from Annika's own perspective suggested by the artwork on each page. Music and sound effects will pique the imaginations of young and old alike This picture book with CD makes a cherished gift for families with children of all ages and will be enjoyed long after the Christmas season. The audio format is a great tool for early readers.

Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.


Doreen Rappaport - 2001
    Martin Luther King Jr. An extraordinary picture-book biography, Martin's Big Words consists of Rappaport's own words interwoven with quotes from Dr. King...all powerfully brought to life by Collier's striking, glorious art. Rappaport's spare, gripping text and Collier's distinctive collage-and-watercolor illustrations depict King's life journey with reverence and dignity -- beginning with his childhood experience of seeing "White Only" signs throughout his hometown, presenting his efforts as a civil rights crusader, and ending abruptly with his assassination. The front cover of the book immediately conveys King's power and spiritual strength, consisting entirely of a lifelike portrait of him -- the title and the author's and illustrator's names are relegated to the back cover. As Collier says in his illustrator's note, he "tried to push [the imagery] to an emotional level that allows the reader to bring his or her own experience to it, without actually losing the intensity or the intention of the story." His technique is utterly effective. By using simple, direct language -- much of it King's -- the text offers young readers an accessible yet profound introduction to King's legacy. It explains that as a child, he listened to his minister father's "big words" and vowed to inspire others with such words when he grew up. The book's final sentence: "His big words are alive for us today," testifies to King's success -- and to the timeless importance of this great leader's ideals. As further inspiration for interested readers, Martin's Big Words includes a list of significant dates as well as a bibliography of resources for them to explore. (Jamie Levine)

Humphrey's First Christmas


Carol Heyer - 2007
    We have all heard the story of the three wise men, who brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. But what about the camels who carried them? Here is the imaginative story of Humphrey the camel and his long, cold journey to Bethlehem. In addition to an engaging text and gorgeous, whimsical artwork, this story reminds readers of the importance of Christmas and the true meaning of gift-giving.

Imogene's Antlers


David Small - 1985
    Imogene, the cook, and the kitchen maid, however, make the best of things, finding unusual uses for Imogene's new horns. Meanwhile, the problem appears to be solved when Imogene awakes the next morning antler-free. But the family (and the reader) are in for a surprise when Imogene comes down to breakfast.

The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving: The True Meaning of Christmas


Jan Berenstain - 2010
    Join Brother and Sister Bear at the Christmas Eve pageant as they witness the very first Christmas, and make an important discovery about giving and receiving, a valuable lesson at Christmas and year around.  The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving—part of the popular series Living Lights—is perfect for: Early readers ages 4-8 Reading out loud at home or in a classroom Sparking conversations about the joy of giving to others  Developing an attitude of gratitude  The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving: Features the hand-drawn artwork of the Berenstain family Continues in the much-loved footsteps of Stan and Jan Berenstain Is part of one of the bestselling children’s book series ever created, with more than 250 unique books published and nearly 300 million books sold to date    Look for additional inspirational children’s picture books in the Berenstain Bears Living Lights™ series.

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes


Mark Pett - 2011
    Meet Beatrice Bottomwell: a nine-year-old girl who has never (not once!) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, Beatrice holds the record of perfection in her hometown, where she is known as The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes. Life for Beatrice is sailing along pretty smoothly until she does the unthinkableshe makes her first mistake. And in a very public way!

Morris's Disappearing Bag


Rosemary Wells - 1975
    He was there to open his present--a teddy bear--and to watch his older sisters and brother open their gifts. His siblings went off to play with each other's new toys, but nobody wanted to play with Morris's bear. So Morris found something new to play with--a disappearing bag. He jumped right in and became invisible! Now he has something everybody wants to try. But they have to find him first. This warm and humorous story proves that sometimes the littlest bunny gets the last laugh.* "Irresistible . . . The author-artist does some wonderful things with Morris's cars and eyes, expressing exactly the sentiments of a put-out preschool rabbit."--Booklist, starred review