The Legend of Sleeping Bear


Kathy-jo Wargin - 1998
    the richness of their work underscores the beauty of the legend, preserving this story for generations to come.

The Night Flower


Lara Hawthorne - 2018
    The night flower is about to bloom. This celebration transforms the quiet desert for just a short few hours into a riot of colour and sound, as mammals and insects congregate from miles away to take part in this miracle of nature. From pollinating fruit bats to burrowing owls, howling mice and reptilian monsters, explore the unusual wildlife the desert has to offer in this beautiful non-fiction picture book.

Arlo Draws an Octopus


Lori Mortensen - 2021
    His drawing has a head that looks like a hill and eight squiggly arms that look like roads. It’s an octopus disaster-piece! But just as Arlo vows to never draw an octopus again, he makes a discovery that changes his perspective about his drawing . . . and much more.

Detective LaRue: Letters from the Investigation


Mark Teague - 2004
    LaRue--goes from obedience school dropout to shrewd sleuth in this exceedingly funny sequel.As if obedience school wasn't bad enough, Ike now finds himself in jail--wrongly accused (of course!) of terrorizing the Hibbins' cats & stealing their cat treats. Once again, he pleads his case to Mrs LaRue, who's vacationing in France, but to no avail. When a string of canary burglaries stalls the Snort City Police force's investigation--and reveals their crime-solving ineptitude--Ike flees custody and takes matters into his own paws. Expect more mad-cap comedy in Ike's daring escapades (real and imagined), as well as ingenious split-screen visuals from the incomparable Mark Teague.

Creepy Castle


John S. Goodall - 1975
    A brave young mouse and his lady fair find a deserted castle, venture in, and are locked inside by the villain!

This Is the Nest That Robin Built


Denise Fleming - 2018
    The dog brings the string. The horse shares his straw. And then a surprise gatefold spread reveals how Robin knits them all together to make a safe and cozy home for her babies.

Inch by Inch


Leo Lionni - 1960
    When a hungry nightingale threatens to eat him for breakfast unless he can measure her song, the inchworm calls on his craft and skill to creatively solve the dilemma.

Angelo


David Macaulay - 2002
    As with every project, he starts his final masterpiece by clearing away the years of debris left behind by the many pigeons who nest in the nooks and crannies of Rome’s great architecture. There, among the sticks and feathers, he discovers a wounded bird. Finding no safe place to leave her, Angelo becomes the bird’s reluctant savior. As the church nears completion, Angelo begins to worry about the future of his aviary friend. “What will become of you? Where will you go . . . where will you . . . live?” he asks her. Realizing what he must do, Angelo returns to the church to add one final finishing touch. Through his artistry as a master craftsman he answers the questions about his humble friend and assures that he will not be forgotten. With his expressive illustrations, filled with detail and humor and infused with the warm, terra-cotta glow of the Mediterranean, David Macaulay will once again capture his readers’ hearts and imaginations with this poignant story of enduring friendship.

You Are Stardust


Elin Kelsey - 2011
    From its opening pages, the book suggests that we are intimately connected to the natural world; it compares the way we learn to speak to the way baby birds learn to sing, and the growth of human bodies to the growth of forests. Award-winning author Elin Kelsey — along with a number of concerned parents and educators around the world — believes children are losing touch with nature. This innovative picture book aims to reintroduce children to their innate relationship with the world around them by sharing many of the surprising ways that we are all connected to the natural world.Grounded in current science, this extraordinary picture book provides opportunities for children to use their imaginations and wonder about some big ideas. Soyeon Kim’s incredible diorama art enhances the poetic text, and her creative process is explored in full on the reverse side of the book’s jacket, which features comments from the artist. Young readers will want to pore over each page of this book, exploring the detailed artwork and pondering the message of the text, excited to find out just how connected to the Earth they really are.

And Here's to You!


David Elliott - 2002
    . . especially you! The infectious joy of David Elliott's wonderful read-aloud poem and Randy Cecil's brilliant, amusing artwork is sure to have children reciting along.

Birdsong


Julie Flett - 2019
    But when she meets an elderly woman artist who lives next door, named Agnes––her world starts to change.Katherena and Agnes share the same passions for arts and crafts, birds, and nature. But as the seasons change, can Katherna navigate the failing health of her new friend?Award-winning author and artist Julie Flett’s textured images of birds, flowers, art, and landscapes bring vibrancy and warmth to this powerful story, which highlights the fulfillment of intergenerational relationships, shared passions, and spending time outdoors with the ones we love.Includes a glossary and pronunciation guide to Cree words that appear in the text.

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer


Kelly Jones - 2015
      Twelve-year-old Sophie Brown feels like a fish out of water when she and her parents move from Los Angeles to the farm they’ve inherited from a great-uncle. But farm life gets more interesting when a cranky chicken appears and Sophie discovers the hen can move objects with the power of her little chicken brain: jam jars, the latch to her henhouse, the entire henhouse....   And then more of her great-uncle’s unusual chickens come home to roost. Determined, resourceful Sophie learns to care for her flock, earning money for chicken feed, collecting eggs. But when a respected local farmer tries to steal them, Sophie must find a way to keep them (and their superpowers) safe.   Told in letters to Sophie’s abuela, quizzes, a chicken-care correspondence course, to-do lists, and more, Unusual Chickens is a quirky, clucky classic in the making.

Lola Goes to Work: A Nine-to-Five Therapy Dog


Marcia Goldman - 2013
    Children will identify with the feisty Lola as she struggles going to school, passing tests, and finally achieving her Big Dog dream. If Lola can make it in a world of Great Danes and Labradors, so can anybody who's feeling like a runt. Teacher guide for empathy curriculum in back of book, additional material on Creston and Author website.

If You Plant a Seed


Kadir Nelson - 2015
    Kadir Nelson, acclaimed author of Baby Bear and winner of the Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Author and Illustrator Awards, presents a resonant, gently humorous story about the power of even the smallest acts and the rewards of compassion and generosity.With spare text and breathtaking oil paintings, If You Plant a Seed demonstrates not only the process of planting and growing for young children but also how a seed of kindness can bear sweet fruit.

Remy and Lulu


Kevin Hawkes - 2014
      Lulu and her master, Remy, a passionate but struggling portrait painter, wander the French countryside looking for customers. They don’t need much business —just enough for some figs and cheese to keep their bellies full—but not many people seem to appreciate Remy’s abstract style.   Before long, Lulu secretly lends a paw to Remy’s work and—voilà!—the pair are the most celebrated artists on the salon circuit. If only Remy knew why . . .   With art from both beloved children’s book illustrator Kevin Hawkes and award-winning miniatures artist Hannah Harrison, this funny and heartwarming story about friendship and creativity shows that there are many ways to be good at the same thing . . . and that a true friend is always there for you.