How to Put Your Parents to Bed


Mylisa Larsen - 2016
    And you're not even tired. You want to stay up and have all sorts of fun adventures! But take a look at your parents. They're really tired. They're exhausted. But they just won't go to bed! Help them put down the cell phones, turn off the TV, stop cleaning the dishes, and go to bed! You might be small, but you can handle this task. Follow the instructions in this book and you'll have them snoring in no time.Debut author Mylisa Larsen teams up with Babette Cole, author-illustrator of Princess Smartypants and Dr. Dog, to present a bedtime story like you've never seen before!

Grumpy Monkey


Suzanne Lang - 2018
    His friends can’t understand it—how can he be in a bad mood when it’s SUCH a beautiful day? They encourage him not to hunch, to smile, and to do things that make THEM happy. But Jim can’t take all the advice…and has a BIT of a meltdown. Could it be that he just needs a day to feel grumpy?Suzanne and Max Lang bring hilarity and levity to this very important lesson. This picture book is an excellent case study in the dangers of putting on a happy face and demonstrates to kids that they are allowed to feel their feelings (though they should be careful of hurting others in the process!).

Oh No, George!


Chris Haughton - 2012
    And his owner, Harry, has all the best hopes that George will be a well-behaved dog when he leaves him alone for the day. But when George spies a delicious cake sitting on the kitchen table, his resolve starts to waver. You see, George loves cake. . . . Uh-oh. What to do now? It’s so hard to be a good dog when there are cats to chase and flowers to dig up! What ever will Harry say when he gets back? Chris Haughton’s fetchingly funny story and vibrant, retro illustrations are sure to lure dog lovers of all ages — and anyone who has ever met a temptation too good to resist.

Pokko and the Drum


Matthew Forsythe - 2019
    When Pokko takes the drum deep into the forest it is so quiet, so very quiet that Pokko decides to play. And before she knows it she is joined by a band of animals —first the raccoon, then the rabbit, then the wolf—and soon the entire forest is following her. Will Pokko hear her father’s voice when he calls her home? Pokko and the Drum is a story about art, persistence, and a family of frogs living in a mushroom.

Mustache Baby


Bridget Heos - 2013
    They are reassured when he nobly saves the day in imaginary-play sessions as a cowboy or cop and his mustache looks good-guy great. But as time passes, their worst fears are confirmed when little Billy’s mustache starts to curl up at the ends in a suspiciously villainous fashion. Sure enough, “Billy’s disreputable mustache led him into a life of dreadful crime.” Plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor and cartoonish illustrations make this the perfect baby-shower gift for a mustachioed father-to-be.

Negative Cat


Sophie Blackall - 2021
    But Max the cat isn't quite what the family expected. He shuns the toy mouse, couldn't care less about the hand-knitted sweater, and spends most of his time facing the wall. One by one, the family gives up on Max, but the boy loves his negative cat so much, he'll do anything to keep him. Even the thing he dreads most: practicing his reading. Which, as it turns out, makes everything positive!

Thunder Boy Jr.


Sherman Alexie - 2016
    Thunder Boy Jr. wants a normal name...one that's all his own. Dad is known as big Thunder, but little thunder doesn't want to share a name. He wants a name that celebrates something cool he's done like Touch the Clouds, Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth, or Full of Wonder. But just when Little Thunder thinks all hope is lost, dad picks the best name...Lightning! Their love will be loud and bright, and together they will light up the sky.

Surfer Chick


Kristy Dempsey - 2012
    A legend in surfing, Chick’s dad ruled the Roost. Chick’s dream was to learn every move he produced.”So begins the story of a little chick and her dad who take to the beach so she can finally learn how to surf. At first Chick’s mood is foul as she struggles through some gnarly waters, but soon she is catching waves on her own board and even doing righteous tricks, just like her rad dad!Filled with cool surf lingo, this sweet rhyming picture book is perfect for summer at the beach and for celebrating the love between a father and a daughter. Praise for Surfer Chick STARRED REVIEWS“A most expressive chicken makes a splash in this winning title about learning to surf. Dempsey keeps her groovy, rhyming text tight to create a raplike beat that colorfully describes a young chick’s adventures tackling the waves. A guaranteed ‘Cowabunga!’”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review "This is a sweet, spunky story about perseverance and gaining confidence. Acrylic paint and colored pencil with a hot press watercolor make the sunsets dynamic and bright. Totally awesome!" —School Library Journal, starred review “Rollicking, righteous fun.” –People magazine AWARD: HONORS winner: 2012 National Parenting Publications Book Awards

Bedtime Bonnet


Nancy Redd - 2020
    This joyous and loving celebration of family is the first-ever picture book to highlight Black nighttime hair traditions--and is perfect for every little girl who knows what it's like to lose her bonnet just before bedtime. In my family, when the sun goes down, our hair goes up!My brother slips a durag over his locs.Sis swirls her hair in a wrap around her head.Daddy covers his black waves with a cap.Mama gathers her corkscrew curls in a scarf.I always wear a bonnet over my braids, but tonight I can't find it anywhere!Bedtime Bonnet gives readers a heartwarming peek into quintessential Black nighttime hair traditions and celebrates the love between all the members of this close-knit, multi-generational family.Perfect for readers of Hair Love and Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

Everybody Sleeps (But Not Fred)


Josh Schneider - 2015
    But not Fred. He has far too much to do!Armed with plenty of imagination, this determined little boy resists bedtime with adventurous flair. Drowsy animals of all stripes look on in disbelief as he just keeps going and going and going, until...Could it be that, after so much activity, even Fred needs to rest? Shhh. Close the book softly, and please let Fred sleep.

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors


Drew Daywalt - 2017
    Now read the legend of how it all began . . .Long ago, in an ancient and distant realm called the Kingdom of Backyard, there lived a warrior named ROCK.Meanwhile in the Empire of Mom’s Home Office, a second great warrior sought the glory of battle. And his name was PAPER.At the same time, in the Kitchen Realm, in the tiny village of Junk Drawer, lived a third warrior. They called her SCISSORS.These three were the strongest, smartest, and fastest in all the land. Time and again they beat the most fearsome opponents they could find: an apricot, a computer printer—even frozen, breaded, dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets! But when the warriors finally meet each other, the most epic round of battles begins . . . and never ends. That is why, to this day, children around the world honor these worthy adversaries by playing ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS!

The Day I Lost My Superpowers


Michaël Escoffier - 2013
    A part of this magic is that with just a little imagination, we all might be found to possess true superpowers!This isn't the first or last book where a child delightedly discovers her own superpowers. But it may be just about the driest, funniest, and sweetest, where the discovery is handled with humor and charm.One of the book's true pleasures is that it's a girl who discovers her own extraordinary abilities, and when her powers fail, as they must, she discovers them in her mom. All of which leads to a lovely intimacy between the two.

The Troublemaker


Lauren Castillo - 2014
    He is well satisfied with the results—until his own stuffed animal disappears. Could it be that he is not the only troublemaker around . . . ?     A case of sibling rivalry is neatly resolved with the “assistance” of a hilarious raccoon in Lauren Castillo’s warm, simple text and gorgeous classic illustrations.

Pinkalicious


Victoria Kann - 2006
    This 10th anniversary edition of Pinkalicious features a special sticker and a glittery jacket just for the occasion.Pinkalicious loves all things pink. From fairy dresses to cotton candy to bubblegum. Most importantly she loves eating pink cupcakes. Mommy and Daddy warn her not to eat too many, but Pinkalicious can’t help herself. They’re just too good! But when Pinkalicious eats one too many, she turns pink herself! What will she do?Pinkalicious is the first picture book starring Pinkalicious and her family. She stars in five more picture books—Purplicious, Goldilicious, Silverlicious, Emeraldalicious, and Aqualicious—as well as I Can Reads, doodle books, and more!

What's Your Favorite Animal?


Eric Carle - 2014
    Some like little white dogs or big black cats or hoppy brown bunnies best. Others prefer squishy snails or tall giraffes or sleek black panthers. With beautiful illustrations and charming personal stories, 14 children's book artists share their favorite animals and why they love them.