May I Bring a Friend?


Beatrice Schenk de Regniers - 1964
    He accepts, with one question: “May I bring a friend?” “Any friend of our friend is welcome here,” says the King. But their guest’s friend turns out to be someone they never expected! Beatrice Schenk de Regniers’s rhythmic text and the fantastical, jewellike artwork of Beni Montresor have made this book a favorite for more than twenty-five years.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs


Judi Barrett - 1978
    But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagued by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the people feared for their lives. Something had to be done, and in a hurry.

Tikki Tikki Tembo


Arlene Mosel - 1968
    Arlene Mosel and Blair Lent's classic re-creation of an ancient Chinese folktale has hooked legions of children, teachers, and parents, who return, generation after generation, to learn about the danger of having such an honorable name as Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo.

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!

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales


Jon Scieszka - 1992
    A revisionist storyteller provides his mad, hilarious versions of children's favorite tales in this collection that includes "Little Red Running Shorts", "The Princess and the Bowling Ball", "Cinderumpelstilskin", and others.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast


Ellen Titlebaum - 2002
    The complete retelling of favorite Disney movies in a true read-aloud style.

Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent


Bill Peet - 1975
    The kindly sea serpent almost succumbs to peer pressure, but learns at last to be himself.

The X-Files: Earth Children are Weird


Jason Rekulak - 2017
    But the night is full of strange sounds, lights, and shadows. Surely there’s a rational, scientific explanation for everything . . . or is there? With beautiful illustrations of pint-sized Dana and Fox, this humorous and not-scary-at-all story will introduce the cult TV show to an entire new generation of fans.

Little Blue Truck


Alice Schertle - 2008
    A muddy country road is no match for this little pick up--that is, until he gets stuck while pushing a dump truck out of the muck. Luckily, Blue has made a pack of farm animal friends along his route. And they're willing to whatever it takes to get their pal back on the road. Filled with truck sounds and animals noises, here is a rollicking homage to the power of friendship and the rewards of helping others.

Rules of Summer


Shaun Tan - 2013
    Each spread tells of an event and the lesson learned. By turns, these events become darker and more sinister as the boys push their games further and further.

Cranberry Thanksgiving


Wende Devlin - 1971
    The cooking was done and her famous cranberry bread was cooling on the wooden board. Every year Grandmother invited a guest for dinner and allowed Maggie to do the same. "Ask someone poor or lonely," she always said.She wasn't happy upon learning that Maggie had invited the unsavory Mr. Whiskers to dinner. Would her secret cranberry bread recipe be safe with him in the house?After a long absence this delightful 1971 classic is back and so is the secret recipe for Grandmother's Famous Cranberry Bread!

The Scarecrow


Beth Ferry - 2019
    But when a small, scared crow falls from midair, Scarecrow does the strangest thing. . . .Bestselling author Beth Ferry and the widely acclaimed Fan Brothers present this tender and affectionate tale that reminds us of the comforting power of friendship and the joy of helping others.

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel


Virginia Lee Burton - 1938
    Since it was first published in 1939, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel has delighted generations of children. Mike and his trusty steam shovel, Mary Anne, dig deep canals for boats to travel through, cut mountain passes for trains, and hollow out cellars for city skyscrapers -- the very symbol of industrial America. But with progress come new machines, and soon the inseparable duo are out of work. Mike believes that Mary Anne can dig as much in a day as one hundred men can dig in a week, and the two have one last chance to prove it and save Mary Anne from the scrap heap. What happens next in the small town of Popperville is a testament to their friendship, and to old-fashioned hard work and ingenuity.

Crow Boy


Taro Yashima - 1955
    Pictures and text of moving and harmonious simplicity". - Saturday Review.

The Crows of Pearblossom


Aldous Huxley - 1944
    and Mrs. Crow, who live in a cottonwood tree. The hungry Rattlesnake that lives at the bottom of the tree has a nasty habit of stealing Mrs. Crow's eggs before they can hatch, so Mr. Crow and his wise friend, Old Man Owl, devise a sneaky plan to trick him. This funny story of cleverness triumphing over greed, similar in tone and wit to the work of A. A. Milne, shows a new side of a great writer.