Yellow Ball


Molly Bang - 1991
    Throw. Uh-oh. The yellow ball is forgotten at the edge of the water. Little by little, so no one notices, the ball floats out to sea. All alone, it travels above the fish and below the gulls, and drifts into a storm. Tossed by waves all through the night, it sails ashore next day to a hug and a home. Molly Bang's luminous pastels and gentle, rhythmic text tell a story that is both exciting and reassuring. Together, pictures and text are at once a lyrical adventure and an invitation to beach lovers and ocean gazers to journey far from shore and explore the wide-open sea. This well-loved classic returns in a 25th Anniversary Edition which will continue to delight children for another twenty-five years.

The Big Green Pocketbook


Candice Ransom - 1993
    ‘Studded with inventive imagery.… A playful and most suitable setting for this winsome story with its timeless theme.’—Publishers Weekly. ‘ Bond’s cheerful illlustrations show a lively youngster exploring and enjoying the world around her.’—SLJ. 1993 "Pick of the Lists" (ABA)

If Jesus Came to My House


Joan Gale Thomas - 1941
    It offers the "golden rule" in concepts easily grasped by small children and indirectly suggests some ways to carry them out.

Angus Lost


Marjorie Flack - 1932
    Find them he does, but will Angus make it back home?

The Little Rabbit


Judy Dunn - 1980
    "The warm, cuddly world of a real rabbit family is introduced to young readers in enchanting photographs."--Children's Books of the Year, Child Study Assn.

The ABC Bunny


Wanda Gág - 1933
    Every letter in the alphabet is represented in Bunny's journey, through what he eats (Greens), to whom he meets (Insects, Jay, Kitten, Lizard), and then a little sleep (Nap), to Tripping back to town, right side Up and Up-side-down." The creation of The ABC Bunny was a Gag family affair, with sister Flavia composing the "ABC Song," included in this faithful edition; brother Howard penning the lettering; and Wanda writing and illustrating the story.

Roxaboxen


Alice McLerran - 1991
    There across the road, it looked like any rocky hill—nothing but sand and rocks, and some old wooden boxes. But it was a special place. And all children needed to go there was a long stick and a soaring imagination.“A celebration of the transforming magic of the imagination. An original.” —ALA Booklist

Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?


Nancy White Carlstrom - 1986
    At lunchtime, celery crunch and sprouts in a bunch, and juice from a pear and rice in his hair. And at night, his pjs with feet and face on the seat, and sleep in his eyes and stars in the skies, as he dreams of the fun he'll have tomorrow. In lilting verse and exuberant paintings, the first of Nancy White Carlstrom's and Bruce Degen's celebrated Jesse Bear books creates a special day not only for Jesse Bear, but for young children everywhere.

Three Names


Patricia MacLachlan - 1991
    A child's great-grandfather reminisces about the times he and his dog Three Names went to school on prairie roads in a wagon pulled by horses.

Play with Me


Marie Hall Ets - 1955
    A little girl goes to the meadow to play, but each animal she tries to catch runs away from her—until she sits still by the pond, and they all come back.

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World


Marjorie Priceman - 1994
    in full color. An apple pie is easy to make...if the market is open. But if the market is closed, the world becomes your grocery store. This deliciously silly recipe for apple pie takes readers around the globe to gather ingredients. First hop a steamboat to Italy for the finest semolina wheat. Then hitch a ride to England and hijack a cow for the freshest possible milk. And, oh yes! Don't forget to go apple picking in Vermont! A simple recipe for apple pie is included.

Mr. Gumpy's Motor Car


John Burningham - 1973
    Gumpy decides to go for a ride in his bright-red car, everyone wants to come along -- a rabbit, a cat, a dog, a sheep, chickens, a calf, a goat, and a boy and girl. "All right," says Mr. Gumpy. "But it will be a squash." So they all squash in and, for a while, chug along happily. Then it starts to rain, and the car becomes stuck in the mud. Who will help Mr. Gumpy push the car out? "Not me," says each passenger. In the end, however, they all have to help, and a wonderful time is had by all.John Burningham, twice winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal for his outstanding illustrations, has written a simple story of delightfully understated humor and illustrated it in his most enchanting style.

The Bee Tree


Patricia Polacco - 1993
    Half the town joins the exciting chase, but it's not until everyone returns home that Mary Ellen makes a discovery of her own: Sometimes, even the sweetest of things must be worked for.* Polacco has created another charming picture book featuring a child learning from a grandparent in an idyllic pastoral setting . . . Both the writing and artwork are fresh and inviting. --School Library Journal, starred reviewThe newest gem from Polacco's treasure chest of family stories extols the virtue of reading--and of taking a study break . . . Like Mary Ellen, readers will emerge refreshed from this respite, ready to seek out new adventures. --Publishers Weekly Young readers will savor this. --The Horn Book

Prayer for a Child


Rachel Field - 1944
    Though it was written for one little girl, the prayer is for all boys and girls, and it carries a universal appeal for all ages and races.

The Carrot Seed


Ruth Krauss - 1945
    But when you are very young, there are some things that you just know, and the little boy knows that one day a carrot will come up. So he waters his seed, and pulls the weeds, and he waits...This beautifully simple classic teaches the patience and technique of planting a seed and helping it grow. First published in 1945 and never out-of-print, the timeless combination of Ruth Krauss's simple text and Crockett Johnson's eloquent illustrations creates a triumphant and deeply satisfying story for readers of all ages.The sturdy board book pages make this edition of the beloved story perfect for babies and toddlers.