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Play by Ann Morris


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Grace and Box


Kim Howard - 2021
    Box delivered a refrigerator earlier in the week and by the end of it, Grace and Box had already been to space, gone camping, and explored the depths of the sea together.But on Sunday, Grace notices something's wrong with her buddy. Box has some rips and crumples that Band-Aids, ice packs, and rest on the couch can't seem to heal. Grace certainly doesn't want these adventures to end, so she is determined to fix Box so that they can continue their play together!A universal friendship (child and box) has come alive in this imaginative and humorous picture book. The depths of friendships run deep with children, even if they're just boxes to us!

Birds


Kevin Henkes - 2009
    A board book edition of the critically acclaimed picture book from the award-winning husband-and-wife team of Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek. An ALA Notable Book.Birds “will resonate with the youngest children,” said School Library Journal. With a fine eye for detail, a girl observes and describes birds—their sizes, their colors, their shapes, the way they move and appear and disappear, and how they are most like her. She imagines what it would be like if clouds looked like birds, or if she could ask the birds questions. Though she can’t fly, the girl can do one thing birds do—she can sing. Vibrant and lively paintings accompany a text pitched precisely to preschoolers in this husband-and-wife collaboration. This board book edition offers a fresh perspective and a new point of view to very young children. Booklist said, “Together, the words and pictures create a book that will enchant preschool audiences again and again.”

A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi


James Yang - 2021
    Wandering through an outdoor market, through the forest, and then by the ocean, Isamu sees things through the eyes of a young artist . . .but also in a way that many children will relate. Stones look like birds. And birds look like stones.

Higher! Higher!


Leslie Patricelli - 2009
    One swing. An obliging dad. The inevitable plea to go "Higher! Higher!" Add Leslie Patricelli’s wildly expressive illustrations, and an everyday pastime reaches new heights of humor and whimsy. How high can it go? Higher than a giraffe? Taller than a mountain? Is Earth the final frontier? The creator of a popular series of board books rises to the occasion with an ingenious picture book of very few words that expresses the giddy glee of being pushed in a swing.

Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race


Megan Madison - 2021
    Research shows that talking about issues like race and gender from the age of two not only helps children understand what they see, but also increases self-awareness, self-esteem, and allows them to recognize and confront things that are unfair, like discrimination and prejudice.This first book in the series begins the conversation on race, with a supportive approach that considers both the child and the adult. Stunning art accompanies the simple and interactive text, and the backmatter offers additional resources and ideas for extending this discussion.

The Nowhere Box


Sam Zuppardi - 2013
    Try as he might, there’s just no hiding from them. George has had enough! So he commandeers an empty washing machine box and goes to the one place his brothers can’t follow: Nowhere. Nowhere is amazing! It’s magnificent! It’s also, however, free of pirates and dragons and . . . well, anyone at all. From exciting new talent Sam Zuppardi comes an all-too-relatable story of an older brother who knows when he needs his space — and when he needs his siblings — played out in charmingly offbeat illustrations.

I Am a Baby


Kathryn Madeline Allen - 2016
    From the author of the critically acclaimed A Kiss Means I Love You and Show Me Happy comes a delightful approach to visual learning.

The Evil Princess vs. the Brave Knight


Jennifer L. Holm - 2019
    Sort of.Meet the Evil Princess and the Brave Knight. She casts terrible spells, while he fights dragons. He rescues cats in distress, while she makes mischief. No wonder there isn't much peace in this kingdom! But is the Evil Princess really so evil? And is the Brave Knight truly as chivalrous as he seems? Children and parents will laugh at seeing familiar family dynamics play out in this charming and imaginative new story.

Chocolate Me!


Taye Diggs - 2011
    His skin is darker, his hair curlier. He tells his mother he wishes he could be more like everyone else. And she helps him to see how beautiful he really, truly is.For years before they both achieved acclaim in their respective professions, good friends Taye Diggs and Shane W. Evans wanted to collaborate on Chocolate Me!, a book based on experiences of feeling different and trying to fit in as kids. Now, both men are fathers and see more than ever the need for a picture book that encourages all people, especially kids, to love themselves.

The Five Forms


Barbara McClintock - 2017
    . . but is shocked to find that doing so conjures real animals right into her home! The chaos escalates as she releases a leopard, a snake, and a dragon, each creature larger and more destructive than the last. It is only once she manages the fifth and final form that things return to normal. But will she be able to clean up the mess she’s created before her mother returns home?A New York City Public Library Notable Best Book for Kids

Press Here


Hervé Tullet - 2010
    Great for toddlers, preschoolers, and early readers to learn about cause and effect in a simple and engaging way.Harness the power of imagination and interactivity: Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this surprising book instructs the reader to press the dots, shake the pages, tilt the book, and who knows what will happen next! Children and adults alike will giggle with delight as the dots multiply, change direction, and grow in size! Especially remarkable because the adventure in Press Here occurs on the flat surface of the simple, printed page, this unique picture book about the power of imagination and interactivity will provide read-aloud fun for all ages!Books for kids ages 4-8

Here Are My Hands


Bill Martin Jr. - 1987
    The rhyming text and bold illustrations do more than name the eyes, ears, nose, and toes. By featuring children of many different backgrounds, the book quietly celebrates the commonality of people around the world.

You Are New


Lucy Knisley - 2019
    From napping to crying, cuddling to playing, this book introduces the world with humor, honesty, and unmitigated sweetness. Award-winning author and artist Lucy Knisley celebrates the joys of having—and being!—a baby in this timeless celebration of new beginnings and the transformative power of love.

Picture a Tree


Barbara Reid - 2013
    Picture a tree - what do you see?From bare branches tracing the sky to an explosion of colour, a place for adventure or a friend to shelter us from the sun - a tree can be so many things.With lyrical text and her signature Plasticine magic, Barbara Reid captures these majestic beings: in all weather, in every season, growing and changing, interacting with the people and animals around them.Picture a tree - now, look again!

Blocks


Irene Dickson - 2016
    They both build with their blocks, until Benji takes one of Ruby’s red blocks and, in the tussle that follows, all the blocks CRASH to the floor. But now Benji has blue and red blocks, and Ruby has red and blue blocks, and together they build and build . . . until Guy comes with his green blocks!