Book picks similar to
Clever Tortoise by Francesca Martin


picture-books
children-s-books
traditional-literature
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Dinorella: A Prehistoric Fairytale


Pamela Duncan Edwards - 1997
    In this story, loosely based on that of Cinderella but featuring dinosaurs, the duke falls in love with Dinorella when she rescues him from the dreaded deinonychus at the Dinosaur Dance.

I Do Not Like Stories


Andrew Larsen - 2020
    Not stories about waking up in the morning, or people in space, or fish in the sea, or planes, or trains, or boring old buildings. We see the boy’s experiences play out over the course of his day. The one thing this contrarian boy loves is his cat—whose day is depicted through graphic panels in a funny, parallel side narrative. The cheerful cat searches for the boy all day, chasing anything yellow, the colour of the boy’s bright backpack, and causing mess and mayhem throughout the city. In the end, the boy concedes he might like a story—if it’s the right one (do you know any stories about a cat?). Art in a muted palette is accented with pops of yellow in this charming book about how the stories we tell ourselves have the power to shape our days. The visual details support literacy skills, add humor, and are sure to engage young readers—even those who are sure they don’t like stories.

Rain Player


David Wisniewski - 1991
    Mayan art and architecture were the inspiration for the spectacular cut-paper artwork.

Skelly & Femur


Jimmy Pickering - 2009
    Skelly is missing her buttons. Her dog, Femur, is missing his bone. The ghosts are missing their dishes. Where could they all be? And who took them? The answer will surprise and delight readers of all ages. This gently scary sequel will be a favorite for Halloween and year-round.

The Story of Mrs. Lovewright and Purrless Her Cat


Lore Segal - 1985
    Zelinsky and author Lore Segal that tells the hilarious story of a finicky feline and his frustrated owner. Full color.

The Rooster Crows: A Book of American Rhymes and Jingles


Maud Petersham - 1945
    "The rooster crows and away he goes", pictured on the jacket, is only one of these well-known nursery rhymes, counting-out games, skipping-rope songs, finger games, and other jingles beloved by American children for generations. They come from collections all over America, so you may find some that are new as well as your own favorites. "Mother, may I go out to swim", "Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear", "Roses are red, violets are blue", all are here, each one charmingly illustrated to make this an outstanding picture book. An American Mother Goose for every child's library.

Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia


Jeanette Winter - 2010
    What to do? Then he comes up with the perfect solution—a traveling library! He buys two donkeys—Alfa and Beto—and travels with them throughout the land, bringing books and reading to the children in faraway villages. Beautiful!Complete with an author's note about the real man on whom this story is based.

Fiona's Luck


Teresa Bateman - 2007
    "Children will delight in the cunning way that Fiona triumphs over the leprechaun king, as well as in the rhythmic language of this well-told tale." - Kirkus Reviews

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.

Cinderella


Anthea Bell - 1812
    The smoothly told story contains the familiar details and a happy ending in which Cinderella forgives her stepfamily." - The Horn Book Club -"This satisfying tale never grows old. Koopman's illustrations are jewel-toned and Cinderella herself is attractive as a person and figure." - Yellow Brick Road -

Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship


Isabella Hatkoff - 2006
    When Owen was stranded after the Dec 2004 tsunami, villagers in Kenya worked tirelessly to rescue him. Then, to everyone's amazement, the orphan hippo and the elderly tortoise adopted each other. Now they are inseparable, swimming, eating, and playing together. Adorable photos e-mailed from friend to friend quickly made them worldwide celebrities. Here is a joyous reminder that in times of trouble, friendship is stronger than the differences that too often pull us apart.

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.

Beware of the Bears!


Alan MacDonald - 1998
    Mommy Bear, Daddy Bear, and Baby Bear are furious when they see the mess Goldilocks left. So they visit her cottage while she's out and wreak havoc everywhere. But when Goldilocks arrives back at the cottage, the Bear family realizes they've made an awful mistake.

Fairly Fairy Tales


Esmé Raji Codell - 2011
    Gifted writer and educator Esme Raji Codell has writtten a book that incorporates fractured fairy tales with this kind of parent-child interplay to create a pitch-perfect combination of bedtime read-aloud and fairytales that will delight children and parents!

Everywhere, Wonder


Matthew Swanson - 2017
    From a lost balloon to an endless road, there are stories to discover, to dream about, and to share.Everywhere, Wonder explores the wonder in the world, while encouraging young minds to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary, and creatively share their stories with others.“Open your eyes and open your window and let your story out into the world. It is a little gift from you to me.”