My Friend Maggie


Hannah E. Harrison - 2016
    Paula thinks Maggie is the best—until mean girl Veronica says otherwise. Suddenly, Paula starts to notice that Maggie is big and clumsy, and her clothes are sort of snuggish. Rather than sticking up for Maggie, Paula ignores her old friend and plays with Veronica instead. Luckily, when Veronica turns on Paula, Maggie’s true colors shine through.      This moving friendship story has all the heart and emotion of The Giving Tree and Kevin Henkes's Chrysanthemum. The gorgeous artwork and important message make this a book to treasure. It’s truly a classic in the making.

How Do You Hug a Porcupine?


Laurie Isop - 2011
    The third book in the General Mills Spoonful of Stories series! Can you imagine hugging a porcupine? Sure, it's easy to picture hugging a bunny or even a billy goat, but where would you begin to try to hug a porcupine? After seeing all his friends hug their favorite animals, one brave boy works up the courage to hug a porcupine, but the porcupine isn't so sure he wants to be hugged! The latest contest winner Laurie Isop and illustrator Gwen Millward aren't afraid to ask the pointed questions!

Diamond in the Snow


Jonathan Emmett - 2006
    It must be a diamond! As Mole rushes to show his new treasure to his friends, it keeps changing shape in his hands. Could the diamond be magic? In a snowy, shimmering sequel to BRINGING DOWN THE MOON and NO PLACE LIKE HOME, the lovable Mole and his loyal friends Hedgehog, Squirrel, and Rabbit are back, finding magic in the most unexpected places.

Bunny Built


Michael Slack - 2018
    His toolbox had everything and industrious bunny could ever need. Everything, that is, except carrots. But then LaRue stumbles onto a special seed. With proper tending, this seed quickly grows into an ENORMOUS CARROT! What's a bunny to do with so much carrot? In a stroke of construction genius (and generosity), LaRue has the answer. This clever story celebrates just what it means to be a friend.Christy Ottaviano Books

Thanks for Thanksgiving


Julie Markes - 2004
    But what is most important is being able to share them with family!Julie Markes reminds kids and adults alike about the little details that make each day enjoyable, while Doris Barrette's beautiful and striking illustrations bring her thoughtful words to life.

The Thing about Bees: A Love Letter


Shabazz Larkin - 2019
    They fly in your face and prance on your food." And yet... without bees, we might not have strawberries for shortcakes or avocados for tacos! A Norman Rockwell-inspired Sunday in the park, a love poem from a father to his two sons, and a tribute to the bees that pollinate the foods we love to eat. Children are introduced to different kinds of bees, "how not to get stung," and how the things we fear are often things we don't fully understand.

Baby Bear Counts One


Ashley Wolff - 2013
    Baby Bear is back in this cozy, counting-themed companion to the celebrated Baby Bear Sees Blue.Fall has arrived in Baby Bear's forest, and the woods are teeming with animals busily preparing for winter.How many animals?Count along from one to ten with Baby Bear as he and Mama hustle home to their cozy den; just in time for the season's first snowfall.

Bear Is Not Tired


Ciara Gavin - 2016
    . . .   Bear and his duck family do everything together. That is, until winter arrives. Bear is supposed to hibernate this time of year, but he doesn’t want to miss out on any of the fun. But can Bear really stay awake all winter long? Gentle humor and endearing illustrations bring a delightful twist to a bedtime routine that children and their parents will easily recognize.

I'm a Manatee


John Lithgow - 2003
    From time to time, I dream that,I'm a manatee,Undulating,underneath,the sea.A little boy dreams of becoming a manatee, and what a dream it is! With his new gigan-atee manatee proportions, he sets off on an underwater adventure with his manatee friends.Join John Lithgow and Ard Hoyt on this silly aquatic escapade, then sing along with John, who performs "I'm a Manatee" on the enclosed CD.

Storm


Sam Usher - 2018
    There's just one problem: they have to find the kite! Their search brings up many wonderful memories of previous adventures together, and when they finally make it outside, their adventure really takes off!

Nugget and Fang: Friends Forever--or Snack Time?


Tammi Sauer - 2013
    There Nugget learns that minnows are supposed to be afraid of sharks! To regain Nugget’s trust, Fang takes desperate (and hilarious) measures. But it’s not until his big sharp teeth save the entire school that minnows learn this shark is no foe. Fantastically stylized artwork adds even more humor to this undersea story of unlikely friendship.

This Is MY Room!: (No Tigers Allowed)


Jennifer Richard Jacobson - 2019
    She doesn’t care what her big sister Margaret says, she’s NOT afraid and she WON’T be back to the bedroom they used to share.There’s just one problem though—there are intruders in her new room! A lion, a bear, and a very persistent tiger seem to think this is THEIR room, not Jojo’s. Is Margaret right? Is Jojo not quite ready to spend the night on her own? Or can Jojo find a way to show that trespassing tiger just who’s boss in HER room?

Norman: One Amazing Goldfish


Kelly Bennett - 2020
    But when Norman is finally on stage, he freezes up and hides behind his plant. Poor Norman! Luckily, his owner plays a familiar song on the tuba, helping Norman to relax and show the crowd how amazing he really is. The popular stars of Not Norman return in a warm and wryly funny new story about being there for your fishy friend when he needs you most.

Eenie, Meenie, Halloweenie


Susan Eaddy - 2020
    Good thing she has a dress-up trunk full of different costume ideas!Eenie meenie Halloweenie, kitty, bat, or snake? Perhaps a bear? I might just wear a costume that I make!It’s Halloween eve, and a little girl has a dress-up trunk full of different costume ideas! Orange tights and Daddy’s tux can transform her into a penguin—or she could be an elephant, with pillowcases for her ears and a sock for her nose! What costume will she choose?Eenie Meenie Halloweenie is a celebration of the ingenuity of an adorable girl creating fun costumes from everyday materials. Readers will be inspired to do the same!This jacketed hardcover picture book is perfect for the not-so-spooky storytime.“'Eenie meenie Halloweenie'—so many choices. That’s what the kid in this bouncy rhyming charmer faces. These rhymed musings about what to be on Halloween will give readers/listeners dress-up ideas that they may never have considered—and present simple, inexpensive homemade ways to achieve those ends with items easily found around the house." (Kirkus starred review) "In springy rhymed verse, Eaddy captures her heroine’s inventive vision as she explores costume options while her inanimate menagerie patiently looks on. She gives multiple options a whirl, sourcing domestic props: 'Or what about an elephant?/ I could be one of those.// With pillowcases for my ears,/ a sock could be my nose.' Rendered digitally, pictures by Fleming give the wide-eyed, ginger-haired protagonist ample personality and energy, and imbue her toy animals with a winsome homespun quality." (Publishers Weekly)

Hedgehugs and the Hattiepillar


Steve Wilson - 2015
    It's spring! And everything is colorful—rainbows in the sky and flowers blossoming on trees. When Horace and Hattie Hedgehog see a caterpillar become a butterfly and take flight, they decide to try a transformation of their own. When these two best friends put their minds to solving a problem, nothing can stand in their way!