Book Finder

Joyce is 15-years old with all the recognizable ups and downs of adolescence. She finally comes to terms with herself and others when she finds expression through dance though not the ballet she thought she wanted.

Who is the Wild Waiyuuzee peeping out from the bush? Can she escape Shemama the Catcher? Readers will soon figure out that it is a child and her mother playing an imaginative game before the child’s hair is plaited. Rhythmic language and energetic illustrations create a warm book to be shared over and over.

With bottle caps on the bottom of their shoes, two brothers have a tap dancing contest on the sidewalk. Animated, rhythmic language, filled with onomatopoeia is complemented by cartoon illustrations showing New Orleans and the warm relationship between the boys.

Readjusting to life in Brooklyn is tough after One Crazy Summer with their mother in California. Delphine and her sisters not only have to deal with their strict grandmother, their uncle has just returned from Vietnam a changed man, and their father has a new love interest. The 1960s come alive in this memorable novel sure to be embraced by those who know Delphine and her family as well as those just meeting them for the first time.

Eleven year old Delphine and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, leave their native Brooklyn to visit their long-estranged mother in California. Cecile not warm towards her daughters, seemingly concentrating only on her poetry. Delphine narrates the first of three books which is set in Oakland, 1968. While on their own, the girls learn about the Black Panthers, how political movements impact individuals, and even how to reconnect with Cecile.

Clayton Byrd adores his grandfather, loves the jazz Cool Papa plays with the other bluesmen in the park; Clayton wants to be musician, too. But when Cool Papa Byrd dies suddenly, Clayton is overcome with grief. His mother who has never resolved her own childhood remains at arm’s length though his father attempts to reach the boy. Clayton tries to join the park bluesmen but instead finds a different kind of music with a gang of street kids in the New York subway. Likeable characters populate this fast-paced novel.

Photographs and factual information combine with comical illustrations and lighthearted (though accurate) asides about a range of creatures. Some are familiar, others are not, but all are fascinating and expand the concept of what makes a monster – including humans! 

Parallel stories of two girls who lived in different times converge at a place called Thornhill. One is told only in ominous black/white illustrations, the other in a text narrative. The result is an evocative, often downright spooky novel (likely to appeal to fans of Brian Selznick’s Hugo Cabret et al).

Atop a hill in an abandoned field was a dilapidated house near a haunted pomegranate tree guarded by a fierce witch. Attempts by village children to snitch a tasty fruit were unsuccessful until Halloween night when a kind old lady replaced the witch. This fast-paced story unfolds in rich, rhyming language accompanied by evocative illustrations.

Remember “the middle of Fall, when the leaves have already turned” and the air is chilly, apples and pumpkins are ready to pick. Soon, the leaves will be gone and the sky will change again, filled with snowflakes. Lyrical language and richly hued paintings evoke the season and the changes that accompany it.

Spooky, traditional tales retold are presented again with new and mysterious illustrations (reminiscent of Edward Gorey). These stories, drawn from folklore, successfully create a deliciously eerie feeling while remaining perfectly safe. Sources for the tales are included in an afterward by the reteller. 

Lyrical language and handsome color photographs combine to present a portrait of the changes that occur in autumn. Different seeds dance in the wind or twirl to the ground while animals find shelter, hibernate or migrate. Autumn is also a season of celebrations which lead to the “shortest day of the year, and winter…” 

From A to Z, all things Halloween are presented. Beginning with apple (bobbing) all the way to zombie, children will enjoy familiar (and some not so) sights and creatures associated with the autumn celebration each complemented and extended with child-like illustrations  

Feathered friends Goose, Duck, and Thistle become a super hero, a ghost, and a swamp monster for trick or treating. Though each enjoys Halloween, they must muster up the courage to confront their fears in this gentle, relatable, and ultimately satisfying story.

Jasper Rabbit (first introduced in Creepy Carrots) chooses the neon green underwear rather than the plain white ones. At night, the creepy pair of underwear glows eerily and is downright difficult to discard. But once they’re gone, Jasper decides that he was too hasty. This humorous tale puts a funny spin on what frightens people. 

In this introduction to Halloween for the young, a child and parents choose a pumpkin, carve it, make a costume and then go trick or treating. Patricelli’s signature child is initially fearful of the costumed creatures gathering treats but comes to appreciate it by the end. Humorous illustrations and brief text are ideal to share with first time trick or treaters.

Join these silly rabbits for a little monkey business at the zoo. The Dumb Bunnies may make a mess (or many) in this 4th book in the series. Filled with word play, intentional misspellings, allusions galore, funny signs, and slapstick humor.

Another exciting adventure with the humble rodent Ricky and his huge mechanical robot pal. The evil Victor Von Vulture and his army of Voodoo Vultures from Venus are about to take over planet Earth. Only the super-smart tricks of Ricky and his Mighty Robot can send the bad guys packing for home.

For Captain Underpants fans and newcomers to the series: a boxed collection of the first three books in hardcover and full color. Meet George and Harold, two fourth graders with BIG imaginations. The only thing they enjoy more than playing practical jokes is creating their own comic books about a silly superhero named Captain Underpants. But nothing can prepare them for what happens when their comic-book character comes to life!

Dog Man, the newest hero from the creator of Captain Underpants, hasn’t always been a paws-itive addition to the police force. This time, Petey the cat’s dragged in a tiny bit of trouble — a double in the form of a super-cute kitten. Dog Man will have to work twice as hard to bust these furballs and remain top dog!

George and Harold (from Captain Underpants) have created a new hero who digs into deception, claws after crooks, and rolls over robbers. When Greg the police dog and his cop companion are injured on the job, a life-saving surgery changes the course of history, and Dog Man is born. With the head of a dog and the body of a human, this heroic hound has a real nose for justice.

Faster than a speeding waistband, more powerful than boxer shorts, it’s the first illustrated chapter book about Captain Underpants, America’s funniest superhero! (In Spanish)

Gargoyles can be cold and frightening looking to many. In this richly illustrated picture book, angels befriend a group of gargoyles and bring them to life — revealing the warm and loving nature of these creatures.

Meet Ook and Gluk, the stars of this funny graphic novel from George Beard and Harold Hutchins, the best friends of Captain Underpants. It’s 500,001 BC, and Ook and Gluk’s hometown of Caveland, Ohio, is under attack by an evil corporation from the future. When they are pulled through a time portal to 2222, they discover a future world that’s even more devastated than their own. Now all they have to do is travel back in time 502,223 years and save the day!