Book picks similar to
Go Home, River by James Magdanz


historical-fiction
rivers
childrens
picture-book

Titanicat


Marty Crisp - 2008
    As part of his duties Jim is in charge of the ship's cat, a beautiful tortoiseshell that also appears happy to be on board. He calls the cat by the ship's construction number, 4-0-1, certain that she will bring him good luck. And he's delighted when 4-0-1 shortly gives birth to a litter of kittens. But once the ship's trial runs are completed and it's ready to launch to sea, Jim notices that 4-0-1 is nowhere to be found. He's got to find her--the Titanic can't cast off without her lucky cat. Jim is faced with a decision that will affect the rest of his life.

The Crippled Lamb


Max Lucado - 1994
    This touching tale helps kids see that even if they're different, God has a unique plan for their lives.

The Best Place in the World


Petr Horáček - 2019
    His friends all say it is. The rabbits love to run and play together in the fields, the birds love to sing to Hare from high up in the trees, and Bear loves the bees and the honey they share with everyone. But Hare still isn’t certain, so he sets off to explore the world and find out for himself. He discovers green fields, gushing rivers, and starlit deserts. His friends would surely love these places, too, but they’re all back in the meadow without him . . . which leads Hare to realize something important. In a gorgeously written and illustrated story, Petr Horácek masters a tender new tone and delivers a thoughtful meditation on what makes a home.

The House of Grass and Sky


Mary Lyn Ray - 2021
    This house—an old one hunkered in the deep grass below a wide country sky—is a waiting house. Once it was full of laughter and song. The sounds of life rang within its walls. Now it stands quiet and still. The house has sheltered many families over the years and remembers them fondly, especially the children. New families arrive to look, but none stay. Perhaps the house, too, now belongs to the Long Ago and Used to Be? Or will the “right” family move in to honor its past and build new memories? Wistful and nostalgic, Mary Lyn Ray’s poetic text, combined with glowing, pastoral illustrations by E. B. Goodale that capture the lonely house’s unique character, create a quietly affecting hymn to hope and surprise that will enchant readers of all ages.

No Kimchi for Me!


Aram Kim - 2017
    So her brothers call her a baby and refuse to play with her.Yoomi is determined to eat kimchi. She tries to disguise it by eating it on a cookie, on pizza, and in ice cream. But that doesn't work. Then Grandma shows Yoomi how to make kimchi pancakes. This story about family, food, and a six-year-old "coming of age" has universal themes, and at the same time celebrates Korean culture. A kimchi pancake recipe and other back matter are included.A Junior Library Guild SelectionBank Street College's Best Children's Book of the Year (2018)A Baker's Dozen Award: The Best Children's Books for Family Literacy by the Pennsylvania Center for the Book (2018)

Camp Panda: Helping Cubs Return to the Wild


Catherine Thimmesh - 2018
    But within the past forty years, more than fifty percent of the panda’s already shrinking habitat has been destroyed by humans, leaving the beautiful and beloved giant panda vulnerable to extinction. Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds—poaching, habitat destruction, pollution, human overpopulation, and global climate change—the panda is making a comeback. How? By humans teaching baby pandas how to be wild and stay wild.

The Song of Hiawatha


Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - 1855
    Once there, they've stayed to hear about the young brave with the magic moccasins, who talks with animals and uses his supernatural gifts to bring peace and enlightenment to his people. This 1855 masterpiece combines romance and idealism in an idyllic natural setting.

Mice Skating


Annie Silvestro - 2017
    . . even if it’s cold outside! For most field mice, winter means burrowing down and snuggling in. But not for Lucy! She loves snow crunching under her paws and wearing a fluffy wool hat. And most of all, Lucy loves to skate, and she’s just ACHING to show off her new skill with her friends. After all, a winter wonderland is twice as nice when you have friends to enjoy it with. But the other mice just don’t understand—and after a disastrous indoor snowball fight, it looks as if they never will. Can Lucy find a way to make the other mice come out and “mice skate” too?With intricately detailed illustrations as cozy as a fireplace in December (and a cup of cocoa, too), this funny punny warmhearted love song to winter—and to one brave, bold, and generous mouse—will have kids bundling up for some cold-weather fun of their own.

The Happy Egg


Ruth Krauss - 1949
    All it can do is be sat on. But when the time is just right: "Pop!"—out it comes. And then a little bird can do almost anything!With the same insightful simplicity of their classic The Carrot Seed, Ruth Krauss and Crockett Johnson celebrate the promise and confidence of little birds (and young children) everywhere.

The Kite that Bridged Two Nations: Homan Walsh and the First Niagara Suspension Bridge


Alexis O'Neill - 2013
    Walsh, an ordinary boy born in Ireland and raised in Niagara Falls, NY. In 1848, Homan entered a kite-flying contest. The winner's kite string would span Niagara Falls and bridge the United States and Canada. Despite biting cold and strong winds and against tremendous odds, Homan Walsh won the contest, earning him a place in history. His success also lead to the building of the first suspension bridge across the Falls, linking the two neighboring countries. Author Alexis O'Neill and illustrator Terry Widener worked closely with experts on both sides of the Falls, and the book includes author's note, timeline, bibliography and further resources.

The Cottingley Fairies


Ana Sender - 2019
    Without expecting it, many people paid attention—including renowned writer and spiritualist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This is the story, narrated by Elsie herself, of the true events that led to the Cottingley Fairies becoming a international phenomenon.

Building Zaha: The Story of Architect Zaha Hadid


Victoria Tentler-Krylov - 2020
    Zaha knew from a young age that she wanted to be an architect. She set goals for herself and followed them against all odds. A woman in a man's world, and a person of color in a white field, Zaha was met with resistance at every turn. When critics called her a diva and claimed her ideas were unbuildable, she didn't let their judgments stop her from setting goals and achieving them one by one, finding innovative ways to build projects that became famous the world over. She persisted, she followed her dreams, and she succeeded.

The Trial of Cardigan Jones


Tim Egan - 2004
    When Mrs. Brown’s fresh apple pie goes missing, witnesses come forward to place Cardigan at the scene of the crime. Finding himself on trial, Cardigan insists to judge and jury that he didn’t take the pie — he just wanted to smell it. No one believes him. But despite his assurances, he can’t explain what happened to the pie, either . . . or can he?

Hello Kitty, Hello Love!


Roger La Borde - 2003
    Hello Kitty considers all of the gifts that David would love: butterflies, singing birds or even a rainbow But how do you wrap a rainbow, and don't birds and butterflies enjoy being free? What gift will Hello Kitty find to express her special love for David? A perfect Valentine's Day or back-to-school gift, this rosy-red imaginative story will appeal to children. Even teens will relate to Helly Kitty's crush on dreamboat Daniel

Miss Rumphius


Barbara Cooney - 1982
    The countless lupines that bloom along the coast of Maine are the legacy of the real Miss Rumphius, the Lupine Lady, who scattered lupine seeds everywhere she went. Miss Rumphius received the American Book Award in the year of publication.To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of two-time Caldecott winner Barbara Cooney's best-loved book, the illustrations have been reoriginated, going back to the original art to ensure state-of-the-art reproduction of Cooney's exquisite artwork. The art for Miss Rumphius has a permanent home in the Bowdoin College Museum of Art.