Dear Mr. Blueberry


Simon James - 1996
    Blueberry, I love whales very much and I think I saw one in my pond today. Please send me some information on whales." It's vacation time, so Emily has to write to her teacher to help when she discovers a blue whale living in her pond. Mr. Blueberry answers that she must be mistaken, because whales live in the ocean, not in ponds. Throughout the summer, Emily and Mr. Blueberry exchange letters, until Emily has a happy surprise to share with her teacher. In the process, Emily learns a lot about whales. And Mr. Blueberry leans even more about imagination, faith, and love.

Bear Has a Story to Tell


Philip C. Stead - 2012
    But first, Bear had a story to tell...Bear found his friend Mouse, but Mouse was busy gathering seeds and didn't have time to listen to a story. Then Bear saw his friend Duck, but Duck was getting ready to fly south. What about his friend Toad? He was busy looking for a warm place to sleep. By the time Bear was through helping his friends get ready for winter, would anyone still be awake to hear his story?This endearing story of friendship and patience is a worthy companion to Philip and Erin Stead's last collaboration, A Sick Day for Amos McGee, winner of the 2011 Caldecott Medal.Bear Has a Story to Tell is a Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2012. This title has Common Core connections.

A House Is a House for Me


Mary Ann Hoberman - 1978
    The poem engages in flights of fancy - what about a husk being a house for an ear of corn, or a throat being a house for a hum? "And once you get started in thinking this way,/ It seems that whatever you see/ Is either a house or it lives in a house,/ And a house is a house for me!" whimsical drawings color the imaginative text.

Nightsong


Ari Berk - 2012
    It’s an adventure, but how will he find his way? And how will he find his way home? As the young bat discovers, navigating the world around him is easy as long as he uses his good sense.This beautiful and touching coming-of-age story, with mesmerizing artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long and lyrical text from Ari Berk, conveys a heartwarming and universal message: No matter how far away you go, you can always find your way home.

Llama Llama Mad at Mama


Anna Dewdney - 2007
    Lots of aisles. Long lines. Mama is too busy to notice that Llama Llama is getting m-a-d! And before he knows it, he's having a full-out tantrum! Mama quickly calms him down, but she also realizes that they need to make shopping more fun for both of them. Parents and children are sure to recognize themselves in this fun-to-read follow-up to the popular Llama Llama Red Pajama.Watch a Video

City Dog, Country Frog


Mo Willems - 2010
    “You’ll do,” Frog says, and together they play Country Frog games. In summer, they meet again and play City Dog games. Through the seasons, whenever City Dog visits the country he runs straight for Country Frog’s rock. In winter, things change for City Dog and Country Frog. Come spring, friendship blooms again, a little different this time.Mo Willems’ spare, poignant text and Jon J. Muth’s expressive watercolors team up to tell a story that will resonate with readers of all ages.

A Friend for Einstein, the Smallest Stallion


Charlie Cantrell - 2011
    He was a miniature minature horse. Too small to run with the herd, Einstein had to look outside his world of horses to find the perfect playmate. Featuring full-color photographs of the spirited little stallion and a series of adorable creatures, this inspiring story about finding a true friend will bring joy to nature lovers of all ages.A portion of the authors' proceeds will be donated to the ASPCA's Equine Fund.

Diary of a Wombat


Jackie French - 2002
    Their favorite activities are eating, sleeping, and digging holes. Here, in the words of one unusually articulate wombat, is the tongue-in-cheek account of a busy week; eating, sleeping, digging holes . . . and training its new neighbors, a family of humans, to produce treats on demand. This entertaining book, with its brief, humorous text and hilarious illustrations, will endear the wombat to young children, who may recognize in the determined furry creature some qualities that they share.

Science Verse


Jon Scieszka - 2004
    / 'Cause whether his or hers amoeba, / They too feel like you and meba.What if a boring lesson about the food chain becomes a sing-along about predators and prey? A twinkle-twinkle little star transforms into a twinkle-less, sunshine-eating-and rhyming Black Hole? What if amoebas, combustion, metamorphosis, viruses, the creation of the universe are all irresistible, laugh-out-loud poetry? Well, you're thinking in science verse, that's what. And if you can't stop the rhymes ... the atomic joke is on you. Only the amazing talents of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the team who created Math Curse, could make science so much fun.

Water Dance


Thomas Locker - 1997
    Travel with author-illustrator Thomas Locker and follow our planet's most precious resource--water--on its daily journey through our world.

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.

Everybody Needs a Rock


Byrd Baylor - 1974
    Everybody needs a rock -- at least that's the way this particular rock hound feels about it in presenting her own highly individualistic rules for finding just the right rock for you.

A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars


Seth Fishman - 2017
    Can you imagine that many of anything?The playful illustrations from New York Times–bestselling artist Isabel Greenberg and the friendly, straightforward voice of author Seth Fishman illuminate some of the biggest numbers in the universe—a hundred billion trillion stars—and the smallest—one unique and special YOU. Here is a book for story time, for science time, for math time, for bedtime, and all the times in between.Perfect for curious children, classrooms eager for STEM content, and readers who have devoured Ada Twist, Scientist and How Much Is a Million?

Butterfly Park


Elly MacKay - 2015
    But when she opens the gate, there are no butterflies. Determined to lure the butterflies in, the girl inspires her entire town to help her. And with their combined efforts, soon the butterflies -- and the girl -- feel right at home. Elly MacKay's luminous paper-cut illustrations and enchanting story encourage community, friendship, and wonderment in the beauty of everyday life. Free poster on reverse side of book jacket.

Glow: Animals with Their Own Night-Lights


W.H. Beck - 2015
    In this fun and fascinating nonfiction picture book, join world-renowned photographers and biologists on their close encounters with the curious creatures that make their own light. Author’s note and bibliography included.