Pup and Bear


Kate Banks - 2017
     You are not my mother, said the wolf pup. I am not your mother, said the polar bear, but I can cuddle you and keep you safe.Here is a picture book that celebrates differences and promotes kindness, sure to resonate with the many fans of the beloved classic, Mama Do You Love Me? During the ice melt that follows an Arctic winter, a wolf cub finds himself spinning out to sea on a sheet of ice. He awakes lost and alone to an unfamiliar smell: a polar bear. And while the polar bear is not the wolf's mother, she takes him on her back to her den, where she feeds him, keeps him warm, and does everything a mother would do. Time passes, the cub grows into a wolf, and soon it's time for him to venture out into the wide world alone. Years later, the now grown wolf comes upon a tiny lost polar bear cub--and the cycle begins again. With poetic prose this beautiful picture book about the love and kindness of a stranger is sure to touch a deep chord, particularly with parents and children who have found each other in unexpected ways.

Red: A Crayon's Story


Michael Hall - 2015
    Red will appeal to fans of Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle, and The Day the Crayons Quit, and makes a great gift for readers of any age!Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let's draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can't be red, no matter how hard he tries! Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He's blue! This funny, heartwarming, colorful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone!

The House on East 88th Street


Bernard Waber - 1962
    The first book in the Lyle series, this tells the story of how the Primms found Lyle the crocodile in the bathtub of their new home.

Prince & Knight


Daniel Haack - 2018
    His parents took him on a search for a bride. They travelled the land far and wide, but the prince was looking for something different in a partner…

Katie Loves the Kittens


John Himmelman - 2008
    She loves them so much!But Katie's enthusiasm frightens the kitties, and she's sad when they run away from her. Don't they know that she just wants to play?Katie Loves the Kittens is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Kitten and the Night Watchman


John Sullivan - 2018
     All night he is alone. Every hour he makes his rounds. He sees the stars twinkling. He hears the sounds of the night: ki-DEE ki-DEE ki-DEE shhhhheeeeeEEEERRRROOOOooooommmmmm Woof! Woof! Woof! Meeeoooow. When he is joined by a stray kitten, the night suddenly seems different. Has the kitten found a new home? Kitten and the Night Watchman is inspired by the true story of author John Sullivan meeting a stray cat while working as a night watchman. The cat, Beebe, was John’s companion for seventeen years.

Sterling, Best Dog Ever


Aidan Cassie - 2018
    But no home has ever wanted him. So when Sterling sees a sign on the side of the Butlery Cutlery Company advertising free "shipping to homes around the world," he is determined to become the most terrific fork ever! For what home doesn't need flatware?Sterling is delivered on time and undamaged to the Gilbert family's front door. He is not, however, what they ordered. . . . But he may be exactly what they need. Here is a humorous, heart-tugging picture book about finding a family who wants you just as you are.

Lucky Ducklings


Eva Moore - 2013
    They follow safely behind her as they leave their pond, waddle through the park, and stop in the little sunlit town's parking lot for yummy breakfast. But one by one, Mama's little ducklings get separated when they disappear into the slats of the town's storm drain. How three firemen and a pickup truck rush to their rescue makes for a vivid and exciting drama that children will return to over and over again. Award-winning artist Nancy Carpenter and veteran author Eva Moore have created a delightful new classic with an inspiring environmental message.

Octopus Alone


Divya Srinivasan - 2013
    From her cozy cave, she can see clown fish, and sea turtles, and little butterflies swimming by. She especially loves watching the seahorses having fun, wiggling and twirling. Sometimes she will play with them, but occasionally Octopus just wants to be alone, somewhere quiet, and not so busy. So one day, she swims far, far beyond the reef and finds another cozy cave, only here she is perfectly, wonderfully alone. It is exactly what she wanted . . . until she’s ready to go back home to be with her friends.As she did in Little Owl's Night, Divya Srinivasan shows children a wonderful part of the natural world in a very warm-hearted way.

A Couch for Llama


Leah Gilbert - 2018
    Llama is confused at first--this new thing doesn't talk, taste good, or budge one bit. How does Llama learn to love the new couch?And how will the Lagos resolve this most unusual dilemma?

Wild


Emily Hughes - 2013
    She is unashamedly, irrefutably, irrepressibly wild. That is, until she is snared by some very strange animals that look oddly like her, but they don't talk right, eat right, or play correctly. She's puzzled by their behavior and their insistence on living in these strange concrete structures: there's no green here, no animals, no trees, no rivers. Now she lives in the comfort of civilization. But will civilization get comfortable with her?In her debut picture book, Hughes brings an uncanny humor to her painterly illustrations. Her work is awash with color, atmosphere, and a stunning visual splendor that will enchant children while indulging their wilder tendencies. Wild is a twenty-first-century answer to Maurice Sendak's children's classic—it has the same inventiveness, groundbreaking art, and unmissable quirkiness.Emily Hughes is a talented young illustrator. Her book Nana Shaped Like a Banana won second prize in the 2012 Macmillan Children's Book Awards.

The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family


Ibtihaj Muhammad - 2019
    It’s the start of a brand new year and, best of all, it’s her older sister Asiya’s first day of hijab–a hijab of beautiful blue fabric, like the ocean waving to the sky. But not everyone sees hijab as beautiful, and in the face of hurtful, confusing words, Faizah will find new ways to be strong.Paired with Hatem Aly’s beautiful, whimsical art, Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad and Morris Award finalist S.K. Ali bring readers an uplifting, universal story of new experiences, the unbreakable bond between siblings, and of being proud of who you are.

The Party: and Other Stories


Sergio Ruzzier - 2018
    But Fox and Chick are always friends.

Hi, Koo!


Jon J. Muth - 2014
    Caldecott Honoree and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author/artist Jon J Muth takes a fresh and exciting new look at the four seasons!Eating warm cookieson a cold dayis easywater catchesevery thrown stoneskip skip splashWith a featherlight touch and disarming charm, Jon J Muth--and his delightful little panda bear, Koo--challenge readers to stretch their minds and imaginations with twenty-six haikus about the four seasons.

Over the Shop


JonArno Lawson - 2021
    But taking over the quarters above their store will mean major renovations for the new occupants, and none of the potential renters can envision the possibilities of the space—until one special couple shows up. With their ingenuity, the little girl’s big heart, and heaps of hard work, the desperate fixer-upper begins to change in lovely and surprising ways. In this bustling wordless picture book, JonArno Lawson’s touching story and Qin Leng’s gentle illustrations capture all angles of the building’s transformation, as well as the evolving perspectives of the girl and her grandparent. A warm and subtly nuanced tale, Over the Shop throws open the doors to what it means to accept people for who they are and to fill your home with love and joy.