Book picks similar to
As Real As It Gets by Amanda Barton


adoption
books-for-cannon
childrens-books
picture-books

Our Subway Baby


Peter Mercurio - 2020
    Some are adopted. This is the story of how one baby found his family in the New York City subway."So begins the true story of Kevin and how he found his Daddy Danny and Papa Pete. Written in a direct address to his son, Pete's moving and emotional text tells how his partner, Danny, found a baby tucked away in the corner of a subway station on his way home from work one day. Pete and Danny ended up adopting the baby together. Although neither of them had prepared for the prospect of parenthood, they are reminded, "Where there is love, anything is possible."

June Peters, You Will Change The World One Day


Alika Turner - 2015
    Through this book, children will learn that at any age they can make a difference in the world around them. June, is a natural-born giver always putting the needs of others before her own. This book is thought-provoking and exciting, parents and children will both enjoy reading it.

Hattie Peck: The Journey Home


Emma Levey - 2017
    However, she cannot make any of her own. No worries—Hattie has collected eggs from all over the world, hatched them, and raised her blended family of cockatoos, storks, owls, anything from an egg—even reptiles.But now it’s time. They all need to leave her big loving nest. So off the flock goes, on their biggest—and saddest—adventure. Even though, in her heart, Hattie knows it’s best.A poignant story about family and differences, making hard decisions, letting go and inclusion. It’s not all sad, though, due to a nice twist ending as in the first book.Bright colorful and lively illustrations and lots of information about egg-bearing animals round out the story.

Dog Rules


Jef Czekaj - 2016
    . . and chirping—but mostly laughing out loud. A companion to the popular Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj.Two dogs must teach their new puppy to be a good dog.The puppy has to learn to growl . . . but it keeps tweeting.Roll over . . . but it eats worms. . . .Will this puppy ever learn the Dog Rules?

The Red Kayak


John R. Weber - 2006
    Fortunately, he meets Nick Dietrich, the waterfront director, who helps him overcome his fears and eventually have enough confidence to pass his swimming test and learn to kayak. Jordan's first relationship with Nick is that of hero-worship. When Jordan helps Nick rescue two of Jordan's friends from the lake at night, Jordan's hero-worship turns into a deep friendship. Later, Nick takes Jordan on his first whitewater kayak trip in northern Wisconsin on the Wolf River. Jordan discovers that it's much harder to kayak on a moving river than on a lake and he is terrified of the rushing water. Early in the trip, Nick is seriously injured in an accident that Jordan thinks he caused. Since Nick can no longer paddle, Jordan must overcome his fears of the water and paddle by himself almost twenty miles to the take-out point to get help to rescue Nick. After Nick is rescued, Jordan must confront his guilt and somehow maintain his friendship with Nick.

The Sea Chest


Toni Buzzeo - 2002
    Living sheltered on a lighthouse island with only her parents for company, Maita always longed for a sibling-longed not to be the only child the ragged island knew. And then one icy night, howling winds blew wave after wave against the shore, and from that fearsome storm came a sea chest-a gift that would change Maita's life forever. From a beguiling Maine legend, newcomer Toni Buzzeo has fashioned this exquisitely lyrical, intimate tale, illustrated in vibrant oil paintings by Mary GrandPre. Together they have created a book of classic beauty and resonance.

Quackenstein Hatches a Family


Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen - 2010
    All the animals in the zoo have friends and family to play with and love. All of them, that is, except Quackenstein. Lonely and bitter in his ramshackle corner, he decides to adopt an egg. He cares for it diligently, waiting until the moment when it will hatch a baby duck of his own. On a dark and stormy night, the egg hatches, Quackenstein cackles, and lightning strikes, but wait—what’s this? That baby’s not a duck! What will he do? Where can he hide? And will Quackenstein ever find someone (or something) to cuddle? Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen’s clever rhyming text is perfectly paired with cute and spooky art from Brian T. Jones."Jones gleefully uses every cliché in the book, from lurid lettering and backgrounds to effective use of silhouettes and shadows. Bardhan-Quallen, too, takes advantage of horror-movie tropes, but she also mixes in some instruction in the form of cumulative nouns for animals. The surprise twist at the end happily resolves Quack’s fatherless state." -Kirkus Reviews

Pup and Bear


Kate Banks - 2017
     You are not my mother, said the wolf pup. I am not your mother, said the polar bear, but I can cuddle you and keep you safe.Here is a picture book that celebrates differences and promotes kindness, sure to resonate with the many fans of the beloved classic, Mama Do You Love Me? During the ice melt that follows an Arctic winter, a wolf cub finds himself spinning out to sea on a sheet of ice. He awakes lost and alone to an unfamiliar smell: a polar bear. And while the polar bear is not the wolf's mother, she takes him on her back to her den, where she feeds him, keeps him warm, and does everything a mother would do. Time passes, the cub grows into a wolf, and soon it's time for him to venture out into the wide world alone. Years later, the now grown wolf comes upon a tiny lost polar bear cub--and the cycle begins again. With poetic prose this beautiful picture book about the love and kindness of a stranger is sure to touch a deep chord, particularly with parents and children who have found each other in unexpected ways.

What's the Worst that Could Happen?


Yewande Daniel-Ayoade - 2020
    But Kayla could only imagine the worst-case scenarios as she tried to make friends at her new school. Will Kayla overcome her fear of rejection? Or will an overactive imagination get in the way?'What's the Worst that Could Happen?' tackles the subject of social anxiety in children with a deft, yet gentle hand. Children with social anxiety will find Kayla very relatable. Adults that struggled with shyness as children will also see themselves reflected in this book.

Super Team: With Audio Recording (PJ Masks)


Maggie Testa - 2016
    Gekko learns that teamwork can make a strong hero even stronger! After the story, kids will love the three punch-out masks of Catboy, Owlette, and Gekko that they can use to have their own heroic adventures! PJ Masks © Frog Box / Entertainment One UK Limited / Walt Disney EMEA Productions Limited 2014

I Want a Dog


Jon Agee - 2019
    But do they have a puppy? The girl with her wagon is ready to adopt a dog—not an aardvark, lizard, or goose! Can the shelter manager help her to find her perfect pet?

The Rainbabies


Laura Krauss Melmed - 1992
    . . In the magic of a moonshower, a childless couple finds a dozen tiny babies in a meadow. Written in classic folktale tradition, illustrated with astonishing paintings, The Rainbabies is woven from magic and moonbeams.

Toby


Hazel Mitchell - 2016
    But their chosen dog, Toby, is having a tough time adjusting to his new life outside the shelter—howling all night, hiding fearfully from his new humans, forgetting where to go to the bathroom, and chasing a ball through the flower bed. The boy has promised to train his new companion, and he’s trying his best, but Dad is starting to get exasperated. Will Toby ever feel comfortable with his new family and settle into his forever home, or will Dad decide he’s not the right dog for them after all?

A Treasure's Trove: A Fairy Tale about Real Treasure for Parents and Children of All Ages


Michael Stadther - 2004
    The forest creatures combine forces with Zac, the handsome woodcarver, Ana, his beautiful half-elf, half-human wife and their timid, chubby, winged doth, Pook to save the creatures and restore the dying forest. --Concealed in the pages of this wonderful, classically-written story, are the clues to twelve very real and very valuable treasures that are hidden around the continental United States -treasures similar to the crystallized Forest Creatures in the story -beautiful jewels worth over $1,000,000! --To find one of these fabulous jewels, decipher the clues in this story and go to an exact location to find a gold token. The gold token will give you the information you need to get your jewel. --The tokens are hidden around the continental United States at twelve separate locations. They are all easily accessible. The tokens are not buried but are cleverly hidden. Nothing should be disturbed in any way to find them. You wont need any special tools or knowledge for the hunt and you wont have to dig, pry, or move anything. Anyone who can read can discover the exact location of each treasure -just the way one of the characters does in the story. --This classically-styled story is enjoyable and meaningful for children and adults; it is all about family values, love and cooperation, loyalty and friendship, and its characters are fun. Parents will find themselves reading the story over and over to children at bedtime as they remind them not to be afraid of the dark. A Treasures Trove will be talked about for years to come. -A Treasures Trove teaches children the importance of saving the forests and working together to accomplish their goals.

All in a Day's Work: One Woman's Story from the Front Line of Child Protection


Becky Hope - 2011
    Among the stories is the remarkable transformation of nine year old Sarah, who comes into Becky’s life when she is beaten half to death by her mother’s violent boyfriend. Then there’s Liam, a tall and gangly young teen who has cut himself off from the world after being thrown out of home by his drug-addicted mother when he was just ten years old. Becky also tells the story of Jade and Jasmine, toddler twins who had been locked in a freezing, bare room for weeks on end, with just one filthy blanket to share. Sometimes these children are so vulnerable it becomes a situation of life and death, and Becky has been there and taken them to a place of safety. Although some of the stories are at times heartbreaking, Becky’s determination that no child should be forgotten makes this remarkable book an unforgettable and inspiring read.