Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg


Lori Mortensen - 2013
    The chase that follows—with page-turn surprises—makes for a hilarious shaggy-dog story involving fleas, a hog, bribery, cats, deception, and a mule. The rhyming stanzas are pitch-perfect, Texas-style, and plumb near cry out to be read aloud. Austin’s expressive acrylic and colored-pencil caricatures of Cowpoke Clyde and his menagerie are priceless. A storytime shoo-in!

Everybunny Count!


Ellie Sandall - 2018
     Ready or not, here we come! The search for fox has just begun. Everybunny count to ONE! Bunnies play hide-and-seek and count together in this bright, colorful picture book that explores the natural world and celebrates friendship and one of the most beloved early childhood games. But that’s not all. There’s a special surprise awaiting the bunnies when they take a peek inside fox’s den!

What Pet Should I Get?


Dr. Seuss - 2015
    Seuss! This never-ever-before-seen picture book by Dr. Seuss about making up one’s mind is the literary equivalent of buried treasure! What happens when a brother and sister visit a pet store to pick a pet? Naturally, they can’t choose just one! The tale captures a classic childhood moment — choosing a pet — and uses it to illuminate a life lesson: that it is hard to make up your mind, but sometimes you just have to do it! Told in Dr. Seuss’s signature rhyming style, this is a must-have for Seuss fans and book collectors, and a perfect choice for the holidays, birthdays, and happy occasions of all kinds. An Editor’s Note at the end discusses Dr. Seuss’s creative process, his interest in animals, and Seussian creatures throughout his work.

Dirt Cheap


Mark Hoffmann - 2020
    All she knows is that she wants a new soccer ball that costs $24.95. The fastest way to that $24.95 is going into sales, but what to sell?All her belongings? Not much of a market for those.Birdie needs something that she has in abundance and that everyone needs. So when she sees everyone in her neighborhood working on their yards, she realizes she's hit pay dirt. Literally!Soon Birdie is raking in the dough, with profits of all varieties: quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies, even dollar bills! Now she can buy that soccer ball, but does her business plan have any holes?

Sleep Train


Jonathan London - 2018
    Ten sleepy cars going clickety-clack, reads the refrain. But as the boy counts cars and gets sleepier and sleepier, his room looks more and more like one of the train cars from his book--the sleeping car, of course!Rhythmically told by the author of the Froggy books, Sleep Train is also stunning to look at. 3D illustrator, Lauren Eldridge, has sculpted an entire train full of intricate details. Part bedtime story, part counting book, part children's fantasy, Sleep Train is a magical ride to dreamland.

Grandma Z


Daniel Gray-Barnett - 2018
    Life may never be the same again!This glorious debut from Daniel Gray-Barnett is filled with wonder, imagination, and a wild, magical spirit that will thrill young and old.

Beach Day!


Patricia Lakin - 2004
    It's the perfect day for the beach. And once they've put on their swimsuits and packed a picnic lunch, they're off! But with Sam, Pam, Will and Jill, nothing is as easy as it seems. Will they actually make it to the beach?

Tap Tap Bang Bang


Emma Garcia - 2010
    What fun!It’s tool time for children as they delight in bright and colorful chisels, clamps, drills, pliers, and mallets at work. What could they be making? Kids will love finding out—and joining in with the sound effects in this action-packed book.Perfect for sharing with little builders!

A Piglet Named Mercy


Kate DiCamillo - 2019
    Watson and Mrs. Watson live ordinary lives. Sometimes their lives feel a bit too ordinary. Sometimes they wish something different would happen. And one day it does, when someone unpredictable finds her way to their front door. In a delightful origin story for the star of the Mercy Watson series, a tiny piglet brings love (and chaos) to Deckawoo Drive — and the Watsons’ lives will never be the same.

Rory the Dinosaur: Me and My Dad


Liz Climo - 2015
    He loves spending time with his dad, but today he wants to go on his own adventure and explore his island home. He can't wait to tell his dad all about the things he can do all by himself, from crossing rivers to finding shelter from the rain. Little does Rory know, his father is never far behind. There's nothing Rory's dad won't do for his intrepid son--he'll even let him think he's made the journey all by himself.Comic artist Liz Climo celebrates the bond between father and child with her adorable, deceptively simple illustrations and her timeless story of a child's quest for independence.

The Not-So-Faraway Adventure


Andrew Larsen - 2016
    He had been everywhere. He kept an old trunk packed with the pictures, postcards, maps and menus that he had collected on his adventures. Someday, Theo wants to be an explorer, too. For now, it's Poppa's birthday, and Theo has planned a special trip to the beach with him to celebrate. They plot out their course on a map they've drawn and then take the streetcar to the local beach, where they stroll in the sand, hunt for stones and slurp gazpacho at the beachside restaurant. It's a perfect day, and Theo is so happy to have given Poppa just the right gift. But best of all, Theo has also had her first lesson in being an explorer: you don't have to travel far from home to have an adventure! In this heartwarming picture book, popular author Andrew Larsen has created a rich story that captures the magic of turning an ordinary day into an adventure. The closeness between Theo and Poppa is touching, and offers a terrific opportunity for classroom discussions about family relationships. The emphasis on discovering the world right outside your door is a wonderful springboard for projects in which children can do the same in their own communities. With subtle and imaginative details in the cityscape, the beach and Poppa's home, Irene Luxbacher's fresh and expressive illustrations add depth to the story. The endearing Poppa and Theo also star in The Imaginary Garden, written and illustrated by the same creators.

Ray


Marianna Coppo - 2020
    In that closet lives Ray, who is a light bulb. Ray spends most of his time in darkness, which is pretty boring if you don't know how to fill it. So boring that Ray usually slips into a dreamless sleep . . .Everything changes one day when Ray is migrated into a portable lantern and taken on the trip of a lifetime. He wakes up in a much larger closet (the outside), surrounded by incredible things - too many to count! Everything is super big, and Ray has never felt so small. And in the morning, Ray makes an incredible discovery which will change his life forever.Meet Ray, a charming new character from the imaginative mind of Marianna Coppo, the creator of Petra!

A Greyhound, a Groundhog


Emily Jenkins - 2017
    With very spare, incredibly lively language, this is an entertaining read-aloud, with two amazing and oh-so-adorable characters at its heart. When a greyhound meets a groundhog, wordplay and crazy antics ensue. The two animals, much like kids, work themselves into a frenzy as they whirl around and around one another. ("Around, round hound. Around, greyhound.") The pace picks up ("Around and around and astound and astound"), until they ultimately wear themselves out. Jenkins s masterful text is deceptively simple. NPR on "Toys Meet Snow" by Emily Jenkins Appelhans, whose career up to now has been in animated films such as "Coraline, " is a revelation. "Booklist, " Starred, on "Sparky!, " illustrated by Chris Appelhans Appelhans makes an auspicious picture book debut with strikingly beautiful watercolor and pencil illustrations. His style, reminiscent of Jon Klassen s, incorporates a muted color palette, but with a slightly softer, rounder quality, while also weaving in visual deadpan humor. "The Horn Book""

Mouse Mess


Linnea Asplind Riley - 1997
    From cookies and crackers to olives, cheese, and sticky jam, MOUSE joyfully munches his way through the kitchen and makes a big MESS!

Nothing Can Frighten a Bear


Elizabeth Dale - 2016
    The bears set out to make sure there aren’t any monsters but, as they vanish one by one, it looks like Daddy Bear might not be so brave after all!