The Monster That Stole My Underwear


Kate Clary - 2014
    Good for new chapter readers. Someone has been stealing Adam's underwear. He knows exactly who- a blue, furry monster! The monster then begins stealing other things. Adam knows the monster must be stopped. But how do you trap a monster that can appear and disappear in an instant? It doesn't quite end how Adam thinks it will!

Crazy Hair


Neil Gaiman - 2009
    Crazy Hair is a fantastically fun tale written by New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman and illustrated by the astoundingly talented Dave McKean, the award-winning team behind The Wolves in the Walls.In Crazy Hair, Bonnie makes a friend who has hair so wild there's even a jungle inside of it! Bonnie ventures through the crazy hair, but she may need more than a comb to tame her friend's insane mane.

Art Lab for Kids: 52 Creative Adventures in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Paper, and Mixed Media-For Budding Artists of All Ages


Susan Schwake - 2012
    This step-by-step book offers 52 fun and creative art projects set into weekly lessons, beginning with drawing, moving through painting and printmaking, and then building to paper collage and mixed media. Each lesson features and relates to the work and style of a contemporary artist and their unique style. The labs can be used as singular projects or to build up to a year of hands-on fine art experiences. Grouped by medium, the labs are set up loosely to build skills upon the previous ones; however, you can begin anywhere. Have fun exploring:drawing by creating a whimsical scene on a handmade crayon scratchboard.painting by using watercolors and salt to create a textured landscape.printmaking by using lemons, celery, mushrooms, and other produce to make colorful prints.paper by creating an expressive self-portrait using pieces of colored tissue paper.mixed media by making insects from patterned contact paper and watercolor pencils.Color photos illustrate how different people using the same lesson will yield different results, exemplifying the way the lesson brings out each artist’s personal style. Art Lab for Kids is the perfect book for creative families, friends, and community groups and works as lesson plans for both experienced and new art teachers. The popular Lab for Kids series features a growing list of books that share hands-on activities and projects on a wide host of topics, including art, astronomy, clay, geology, math, and even how to create your own circus—all authored by established experts in their fields. Each lab contains a complete materials list, clear step-by-step photographs of the process, as well as finished samples. The labs can be used as singular projects or as part of a yearlong curriculum of experiential learning. The activities are open-ended, designed to be explored over and over, often with different results. Geared toward being taught or guided by adults, they are enriching for a range of ages and skill levels. Gain firsthand knowledge on your favorite topic with Lab for Kids.

The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip


George Saunders - 2000
    In the seaside village of Frip live three families: the Romos, the Ronsens, and a little girl named Capable and her father. The economy of Frip is based solely on goat’s milk, and this is a problem because the village is plagued by gappers: bright orange, many-eyed creatures the size of softballs that love to attach themselves to goats. When a gapper gets near a goat, it lets out a high-pitched shriek of joy that puts the goats off giving milk, which means that every few hours the children of Frip have to go outside, brush the gappers off their goats, and toss them into the sea. The gappers have always been everyone’s problem, until one day they get a little smarter, and instead of spreading out, they gang up: on Capable’s goats. Free at last of the tyranny of the gappers, will her neighbors rally to help her? Or will they turn their backs, forcing Capable to bear the misfortune alone? Featuring fifty-two haunting and hilarious illustrations by Lane Smith and a brilliant story by George Saunders that explores universal themes of community and kindness, The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip is a rich and resonant story for those that have all and those that have not.

Days of Dreams and Laughter: The Story Girl and Other Tales


L.M. Montgomery - 1990
    Includes The Story Girl and The Golden Road, both featuring the charming Sara Stanley and Kilmeny of the Orchard, one of Montgomery's most romantic and emotional works. Black-and-white illustrations. 6" x 9".

The Iridescence of Birds: A Book About Henri Matisse


Patricia MacLachlan - 2014
    If you were a boy named Henri Matisse who lived in a dreary town in northern France, what would your life be like? Would it be full of color and art? Full of lines and dancing figures?Find out in this beautiful, unusual picture book about one of the world's most famous and influential artists by acclaimed author and Newbery Medal-winning Patricia MacLachlan and innovative illustrator Hadley Hooper.A Neal Porter Book

The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems


Paul B. Janeczko - 2019
    Janeczko and Richard Jones invite you to enjoy an assortment of poems that inform and inspire.Today I walked outside and spied a hedgehog on the hill. When she and I met eye to eye, she raised up straight and still. Be they practical (how to mix a pancake or how to bird-watch) or fanciful (how to scare monsters or how to be a snowflake), the poems in this book boast a flair and joy that you won't find in any instruction manual. Poets from Kwame Alexander to Pat Mora to Allan Wolf share the way to play hard, to love nature, and to be grateful. Soft, evocative illustrations will encourage readers to look at the world with an eye to its countless possibilities.

A Nest Is Noisy


Dianna Hutts Aston - 2015
    From tiny bee hummingbird nests to orangutan nests high in the rainforest canopy, an incredible variety of nests are showcased here in all their splendor. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, this carefully researched book introduces children to a captivating array of nest facts and will spark the imaginations of children whether in a classroom reading circle or on a parent's lap.

Puppy Pickup Day: The Little Labradoodle (Book 1)


April M. Cox - 2018
    "A fun, beautifully illustrated, and heartfelt animal tale." -- Kirkus ReviewFormer Disney illustrator captures the emotions of the characters perfectly. Preschoolers will love the colorful illustrations and adventure while the simple rhyme will build confidence for early readers. Could this new family love a clumsy pup, whose legs had trouble keeping up; who needed help after too many falls, failed at tug and couldn t catch balls? Underlying themes of perseverance, courage, and acceptance of self and others from this magical story. The book is well suited for those who love illustrations from Disney, the fun rhyming of Dr. Seuss and silly antics of Curious George. About the Illustrator Len Smith has spent his entire career in children s entertainment, from Hanna-Barbera studio to Disney Feature and TV animation to Mattel Toys. Len designed Toontown in the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit and designed the main characters for the Disney Afternoon series Talespin and Bonkers . He also worked on the four-time Emmy winning series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and was very proud to do the illustration for The Little Labradoodle: Puppy Pickup Day . Ages: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Grade: Preschool, 1, 2,3,4

The Complete Alice & the Hunting of the Snark


Lewis Carroll - 1987
    

My Monsterpiece


Amalia Hoffman - 2021
    A green tongue, pointy horns, sharp teeth, and terrible claws are sure to make everyone scream!But what happens when rather than running away in a fright, they smile, laugh, and absolutely LOVE the monsters?Join the frustrated artist on this hilariously hair-raising journey where the scary and not scary meet and mingle, embarking on an adventure that reveals that overcoming fear and prejudice can lead to a wonderful friendship.With hand-drawn cutout illustrations, incorporating materials that kids actually use while making art, and a perfect mix of shivers and giggles, this bold, energetic picture book celebrates the power of a child’s imagination and appeals to a child’s love of the scary and the fun. This unique monster story touches on stereotyping and the fear of what is different in a way that young readers will relate to. It demonstrates that it’s possible to overcome bias, and helps children understand that acceptance and diversity make our lives far more colorful and enjoyable.

The Blue Songbird


Vern Kousky - 2017
    But whenever she tries, she cannot get the tune right. Her mother encourages her to leave home and find a song that only she can sing. With courage and tenacity, she travels the world, seeking advice from a crane, an owl, and a mean-looking crow, and other birds, hoping they will lead her to her special song.

The Ship's Cat


Richard Adams - 1977
    After attacking a lone Spanish ship, the Alcestis is defeated by Spanish reinforcements and its crew taken as captives to the Panamanian port of Chagres. The ship's cat is initially imprisoned, but the gaoler's daughter takes pity on him and has him released to serve in the gaoler's kitchen. After the gaoler and his companions become drunk celebrating Saint Philip's Day, the ship's cat steals the keys to the gaol and releases his shipmates. Together, they steal a ship from the harbor and sail for home, pursued by their erstwhile captors. Their pursuers are frightened off by the sudden appearance of Sir Francis Drake (outward bound on his global circumnavigation of 1577). After Drake departs, the ship's cat reveals that he has discovered a hoard of treasure in the ship's hold. The crew sail home to England, where they are greeted as heroes and the cat is knighted by Queen Elizabeth I.

Those Darn Squirrels!


Adam Rubin - 2008
    He'll build some birdfeeders and fill them with yummy seeds and berries. That way, the wild birds he loves so much will stick around for the winter--instead of flying south. But there are other hungry creatures in the forest, and the have plans, too...Those darn squirrels!

Wild Symphony


Dan Brown - 2020
    Each has a special secret to share.Along the way, you might spot the surprises Maestro Mouse has left for you- a hiding buzzy bee, jumbled letters that spell out clues, and even a coded message to solve!Children and adults can enjoy this picture book as a traditional read-along, or can choose to listen to original musical compositions as they read--one for each animal--with a free interactive smartphone app, which uses augmented reality to play the appropriate song for each page when a phone's camera is held over it.