Is Your Mama a Llama?


Deborah Guarino - 1989
    Rhyming questions and answers will charm and amuse children. Full-color illustrations.

Dandy


Ame Dyckman - 2019
    When Daddy spots a solitary weed in his lawn, he's appalled (along with all of his neighborhood friends). But his daughter Sweetie has fallen in love with the beautiful flower, even going so far as to name it Charlotte. Racing against time and the mockery of his friends, Daddy has to find a way to get rid of the errant dandelion without breaking his little girl's heart.

Eating the Alphabet


Lois Ehlert - 1989
    Start eating your way through this alphabet book. Each turn of the page reveals a mouth-watering arrangement of foods: Indian corn, jalapeno, jicama, kumquat, kiwifruit and kohlrabi. Lois Ehlert's lively watercolors paired with bold easy-to-read type make for a highly appealing and accessible book for parents and children to devour. At the end of the book, Ehlert provides a detailed glossary that includes pronunciation, botanical information, the origin and history of the particular plant and occasional mythological references, with a small watercolor picture to remind the reader of what the plant looks like.

Curious George and the Bunny


H.A. Rey - 1998
    Inspired by a vignette in the classic Curious George Flies a Kite, this is a sweet story of hide-and-seek.

Homemade Love


bell hooks - 2002
    And when Girlpie makes a mistake, the love of her mother and father lets her pick up the pieces and make everything right again. Shane W. Evan's resplendent artwork teems with "homemade love," one of the tender nicknames award-winning author bell hooks gives her young heroine.

Peck, Peck, Peck


Lucy Cousins - 2013
    Yippee! He’s having so much fun that he peck-peck-pecks right through a door and has a go at everything on the other side, from the hat to the mat, the racket to the jacket, the teddy bear to a book called Jane Eyre. Children will be drawn to the young bird’s exuberance at learning a new skill — and ready to snuggle along at day’s end for a night of sweet dreams.

Owl Babies


Martin Waddell - 1992
    At last she does, and they all bounce up and down with joy, welcoming her home.

Ask Me


Bernard Waber - 2015
    With so many things to enjoy, and so many ways to ask—and talk—about them, it's a snapshot of an ordinary day in a world that's anything but. This story is a heartwarming and inviting picture book with a tenderly written story by Bernard Waber and glorious illustrations by Suzy Lee.PreS-Gr 2—A vivacious child and her father share an early autumn stroll. "Ask me what I like," she says. Dad's dutiful answer is printed in purple: "What do you like?" Energetically she answers with a list. Sometimes dad presses for details, "Geese in the sky? Or geese in the water?" She answers, "I like geese in the sky. No, in the water. I like both. Ask me what else I like," she demands, seeing something new she wants to tell him about. So they proceed through their day, celebrating the brief but precious time when children are gaining a sense of self and exploring the power that comes with it. The patience required to converse with a small person who wants to dictate every part of the interaction is sure to be familiar to parents, but the poetic text rises above the mundane and captures the beauty, energy, and innocence of these conversations and holds them up for readers to appreciate without becoming saccharine or trite. Lee's lively, colored-pencil drawings are a perfect match to the text. The line drawings are similar in style to those in Wave (2008) and Shadow (2010, both Chronicle), but Lee expands from the single-color palette she employed in those titles to a full spectrum of bright autumn colors. VERDICT A first choice for libraries, especially those looking to expand their selection of father-as-caregiver stories.—Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

No Roses for Harry!


Gene Zion - 1958
    Harry does everything he can think of to get rid of that sweater. But when it seems like he’ll never lose the sweater, an unexpected visitor helps him solve his problem…This is an irresistible story featuring a classic picture book character, especially perfect for young dog lovers and fans of Harry the Dirty Dog. Harry the Dirty Dog has been recognized by the National Education Association as an all-time top-100 children's book. It has also been welcomed by a new generation at home, as Betty White's 2020 reading of the story on StorylineOnline has been viewed more than 8 million times.For more fun with Harry the Dirty Dog, don't miss Harry by the Sea and Harry and the Lady Next Door. As Children's Books and Their Creators said about all three books: "There is a droll, seemingly effortless union of art and text in the Harry stories, a delicious mastery of everyday foolishness."

Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody


Michael Rex - 2008
    Goodnight goon. Goodnight Martians taking over the moon."It's bedtime in the cold gray tomb with a black lagoon, and two slimy claws, and a couple of jaws, and a skull and a shoe and a pot full of goo. But as a little werewolf settles down, in comes the Goon determined at all costs to run amok and not let any monster have his rest.A beloved classic gets a kind-hearted send up in this utterly monsterized parody; energetic art and a hilarious text will have kids begging to read this again and again.

Red Truck


Kersten Hamilton - 2008
    Mighty Red Truck splashes and zooms through mud and rain to rescue a stalled school bus on the side of the road, and becomes the hero of a rainy day. Eye-popping quirky illustrations and the fast-paced rhyming text will make this truck story a fast favorite.

Bear Stays Up for Christmas


Karma Wilson - 2004
    Bear stays up -- by discovering that giving is one of the best Christmas presents!How a SURPRISE visit from someone very special gives Bear and his friends a Christmas to remember makes an enchanting holiday story for young readers. With Karma Wilson's memorable text and Jane Chapman's glowing illustrations, Bear Stays Up for Christmas is a book to cherish throughout the year.

Hair Love


Matthew A. Cherry - 2019
    Cherry and New York Times bestseller Vashti Harrison.Zuri’s hair has a mind of its own. It kinks, coils, and curls every which way. Zuri knows it’s beautiful. When mommy does Zuri’s hair, she feels like a superhero. But when mommy is away, it’s up to daddy to step in! And even though daddy has a lot to learn, he LOVES his Zuri. And he’ll do anything to make her—and her hair—happy.Tender and empowering, Hair Love is an ode to loving your natural hair—and a celebration of daddies and daughters everywhere.

Tomorrow I'll Be Brave


Jessica Hische - 2018
    This uplifting and positive book encourages kids to promise that tomorrow, they will try new things, do their best, and be brave.Tomorrow I'll be all the things I tried to be today: Adventurous, Strong, Smart, Curious, Creative, Confident, & Brave.And if I wasn't one of them, I know that it's OK.Journey through a world filled with positive and beautifully hand-lettered words of widsom, inspiration, and motivation. As this book reminds readers, tomorrow is another day, full of endless opportunities--all you have to do is decide to make the day yours."Jessica Hische, one of the great designers and typographers, now shows herself equally adept at creating gorgeous and immersive images for young readers. This is a joyous burst of color."--Dave Eggers, author of Her Right Foot

There's No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System


Tish Rabe - 1999
    It’s a reading adventure that’s out of this world!