There Is a Tribe of Kids


Lane Smith - 2016
    . .he trails a colony of penguins, undulates in a smack of jellyfish,clasps hands with a constellation of stars, naps for a night in a bed of clams,and follows a trail of shells, home to his tribe of friends.If Lane Smith's Caldecott Honor Book Grandpa Green was an homage to aging and the end of life, There Is a Tribe of Kids is a meditation on childhood and life's beginning. Smith's vibrant sponge-paint illustrations and use of unusual collective nouns such as smack and unkindness bring the book to life. Whimsical, expressive, and perfectly paced, this story plays with language as much as it embodies imagination.

I Need My Monster


Amanda Noll - 2009
    One night, when Ethan checks under his bed for his monster, Gabe, he finds a note from him instead: "Gone fishing. Back in a week." Ethan knows that without Gabe’s familiar nightly scares he doesn't stand a chance of getting to sleep, so Ethan interviews potential substitutes to see if they've got the right equipment for the job—pointy teeth, sharp claws, and a long tail—but none of them proves scary enough for Ethan. When Gabe returns sooner than expected from his fishing trip, Ethan is thrilled. It turns out that Gabe didn't enjoy fishing because the fish scared too easily.

The Trouble with Time Travel


Stephen W. Martin - 2019
    Big trouble. Max has accidentally smashed an heirloom vase: the only treasure her great-great-great-great-great-great-grandma managed to save when her houseboat sank 234 years ago. Max can come clean—or, she can build a time machine! If she travels to the past and smashes the vase then, there will be nothing for her to break in the future. Brilliant!In the time machine—surprisingly easy to construct—Max and Boomer bump around to the past and the future, tangle the string of time, and crash into the ancestral houseboat, promptly sinking it. And in the past, the vase remains intact. Disheartened, Max and Boomer return to the moment just before their adventure began, to warn themselves NOT to build a time machine. Duly warned, Max tosses a Frisbee for Boomer, directly in the direction of the vase…

The Grandma Book


Todd Parr - 2006
    Featuring Todd Parr's signature colorful and kid-friendly illustrations, The Grandma Book portrays the different ways grandmothers show their grandchildren love, from offering advice and babysitting to making things and giving lots of kisses.

"Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," said the Sloth


Eric Carle - 2002
    That's the way the sloth moves. Slowly, it eats and then, slowly, it falls asleep. "What strange kind of creature is this?" the other animals wonder, "Why doesn't it run or fly or play or hunt like the rest of us?" "Why are you so slow??" the howler monkey inquires. But the sloth doesn't answer any questions until the jaguar asks, "Why are you so lazy??" Anyone who has ever felt too busy will appreciate the sloth's peaceful lifestyle and realize that it's okay to take time to enjoy life. Eric Carle's dazzling collage illustrations introduce readers to the exotic beauty of the Amazon rain forest and the many unusual animals living there.

Bunnies on the Bus


Philip Ardagh - 2019
    They finally reach the station, but where are they hopping off to now? Uh-oh . . . Acclaimed author Philip Ardagh’s rhyming, high-energy text and “Bunnies on the bus!” refrain is ideal for library or classroom read-alouds, and Ben Mantle’s colorful illustrations are chock-full of zany details perfect for repeat reads.

Leap Back Home to Me


Lauren Thompson - 2011
    But luckily, his mama is always there to catch him when he comes home. As the leaps get bigger, the frog gets braver—and before he knows it, he’s soaring out to the moon and beyond! Brought to life with touching text from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Thompson and vibrant watercolor illustrations from Matthew Cordell, this loveable little frog will hurdle his way into your heart. Come leap along, and see what it’s like to shoot for the stars...and always have a landing pad ready to catch you.

Whose Mouse Are You?


Robert Kraus - 1970
    In their very first collaboration, Robert Kraus and Jose Aruego give charm and validity to one of childhood’s more difficult experiences. Tender and catchy, Robert Kraus’s rhyming text, combined with Jose Aruego’s large, vibrantly clever illustrations, makes for a storytime classic.

Frog on a Log?


Kes Gray - 2014
    Cats sit on mats, hares sit on chairs, mules sit on stools, gophers sit on sofas, and frogs sit on logs."Each animal's designated seat rhymes with that animal's name. "It's not about being comfortable," explains the cat. "It's about doing the right thing."The frog does not want to sit on a log. Doing his best to find an alternative place to sit, the frog asks the cat a litany of questions. For every answer the cat has, the frog has another question--until the frog finds out what dogs sit on!Peppered with catchy rhymes, Frog on a Log? shows young readers that every animal has a special place to sit. With rhymes that are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's beginner books, Frog on a Log? is a fun, educational read-aloud story that helps teach phonics!

Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You Book


Richard Scarry - 1973
    From how to behave at school, to sharing, to important safety rules - and featuring bright and fun illustrations - young children will gain an understanding of the right ways to behave in a variety of situations. Now includes a sticker sheet!

The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man


Michael Chabon - 2011
    . . . Can you guess what it is?

How to Hide a Lion


Helen Stephens - 2012
    Luckily, there are lots of good places to hide a lion—behind the shower curtain, in your bed, and even up a tree. But can Iris hide her lion forever?With Helen Stephens's timeless art and elegant text, readers will fall in love with Iris and her lion.

Henry Finds His Word


Lindsay Ward - 2014
    Watching Henry hit this developmental milestone is a treat, and new moms will melt when they find out what Henry's first word is.

The Darkest Dark


Chris Hadfield - 2016
    Only one problem—at night, Chris doesn't feel so brave. He's afraid of the dark.But when he watches the groundbreaking moon landing on TV, he realizes that space is the darkest dark there is—and the dark is beautiful and exciting, especially when you have big dreams to keep you company.

Glamourpuss


Sarah Weeks - 2015
    And she knows how to strike a pose.Glamourpuss loves being the center of attention. So when an unwelcome guest (a dog, no less!) steals the spotlight with some tasteless bow-wowing and undignified tail-wagging, Glamourpuss worries that she's going to fall out of fashion. Is there room for only one superstar in this mansion? When Glamourpuss makes her most majestic move to find out, the result is pure purrfection.