Book Finder

When a child realizes the small spider she finds in her room may be just as frightened of her as she is of it, rather than stomp it, she carefully moves it. Even the youngest spider-saver (or phobic) will appreciate the textured collage illustrations while building empathy.

At this very moment, “a small mouse wakes up in the early morning sun”, a ripe plum that a worm will eat for tea, and more in this soothing look at one moment in time. Gentle text is complemented by evocative illustrations from various perspectives for a memorable, calming book.

Although he loves stories, Aaron has trouble reading but has been an artist his whole life. With the help of Miss Greer, his astute 2nd grade teacher, Aaron’s gifts are realized and he gets help with reading. The rhyming text and illustrations call to mind the creators’ other collaborations and are equally captivating.

A skyscraper is built from the ground up, surprising readers when the finished building pop-ups (literally!). The last image shows the boy who is satisfied after completing his tabletop structure. Real and imagined combine in the sturdy format sure to inform and delight.

The smallest lemur in the troop is reassured by parents, siblings, grandparents, and all the lemurs that he is loved in this gently rhyming tale. Expressive illustrations combine with a surprisingly informative text to reassure family bonds as well as lemur habits.

The simple question is addressed as flaps twice unfold to reveal different animals with their parents. Sturdy pages support lush illustrations which conclude when baby elephant is found — with mommy, of course!

Groups of animals are introduced ranging from a party of jays to a camp of bats. With a turn of the page, a sprightly, detailed illustration interprets the word literally on double page spreads. The result is a humorous but informative look at words, their various meanings, all while building vocabulary.

The child narrator asks practical questions about what kind of pet would be just right. Comfortable with a very quiet pet, the child chooses a turtle. Though not for the very youngest, childlike illustrations and gentle queries are sure to engage and start discussion.

Young readers can feed animals in these clever books. As sturdy pages turn, a pop-up mouth (or beak) opens just the right size for the “food” attached (by ribbons) stored at the back. Children will enjoy feeding the critters and may learn a thing or so along the way. Also in the series: Hungry Animals (opens in a new window).

A house has windows, doors, etc. through day and night and seasons. However, it only becomes a home when a family arrives. A series of simple, straightforward questions combine with sunny, simple, elegant illustrations sure to engage even the youngest.

Cheerful animal homes are depicted in bold shapes and bright colors accompanied by simple rhyme. A sturdy disc in a durable track on each page encourages readers to trace the outline of the home. Jolly animals are similarly presented in 5 Wild Animals (opens in a new window) .

Baby Izzie’s middle-of-the-night awakening starts a chain reaction that wakes up everyone in the red brick apartment building. This cozy cumulative tale is filled with alliteration and onomatopoeia and illustrated in richly hued, textured collage illustrations.

Comical, colorful critters from one to 12 are illustrated. Cardinal numbers in both word and symbol are presented on sturdy double pages. Equally humorous are Animal Colors (opens in a new window) which looks at color while Animal ABC (opens in a new window) provides a bit of animal information along with the alphabet. 

Stones look like birds. And birds look like stones. Imagine a day in the boyhood of Japanese American artist, Isamu Noguchi. 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. 

Young readers travel across the globe to see all the treats that await Santa on Christmas Eve. Head to the Philippines, where children leave out puto seko cookies and ginger tea for Santa; jet to Russia for a honey-spice cookie; then set out for Malawi for a sweet potato cookie! When you’ve returned home, the journey’s still not over — you’ll find recipes for children to bake some of Santa’s cookies for themselves.  

It’s almost time for Christmas, and Maria is traveling with her mother and younger brother, Juan, to visit their grandmother on the border of California and Mexico. For the few minutes they can share together along the fence, Maria and her brother plan to exchange stories and Christmas gifts with the grandmother they haven’t seen in years. 

How does an artist make a sculpture or a painting? What tools do they use? What happens to the artwork next? This fun, inside look at the life of an artwork shows the journey of two artists’ work from studio to exhibition. Stopping along the way we meet colorful characters — curators, photographers, shippers, museum visitors, and more.

Dedicated to the work of contemporary Black artists from around the world, this engaging book introduces young readers to twenty-six contemporary artists from Africa and of the African diaspora, working in everything from painting, sculpture, and drawing to ceramics, installation art, and sound art.

Lines of bikes are miles long, shining, half a million strong. Rumbling, grumbling, engines roar. Peace signs. High fives. Spirits soar. Every Memorial Day in Washington, DC, more than a million veterans and their supporters gather for the Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom, a demonstration that pays tribute to the men and women of the US armed forces. 

When American soldiers entered World War I, Moina Belle Michael, a schoolteacher from Georgia, knew she had to act. Some of the soldiers were her students and friends. Almost single-handedly, Moina worked to establish the red poppy as the symbol to honor and remember soldiers. And she devoted the rest of her life to making sure the symbol would last forever. Thanks to her hard work, that symbol remains strong today. 

One fine day, two friends — a rabbit and a frog — set out to explore their small town, interacting with a host of animal companions along the way. Each step of their journey gives them something more to be thankful for, including their mittens and scarves, the rain and snow, their family members, and the food on their table. A Thanksgiving story that encourages acts of kindness all year round.

It’s the fourth Thursday of November, and the members of Fright Club are cooking up something spooky … a Thanksgiving feast! But when Vlad’s family arrives unexpectedly, they put their own spin on each of the dishes. Can this monster-filled family come together to save their feast and celebrate what the holiday is truly about?

On a glorious fall day, three woodland friends enjoy a bike ride followed by a trip to a bountiful farmer’s market. Described in gently rhyming prose, the friends indulge in more traditional activities including picking apples and making pie, playing in leaf piles, and harvesting the garden. The bountiful harvest inspires them to plan a meal together.

What do you know about the thanksgiving feast at Plimoth? What if you lived when the English colonists and the Wampanoag people shared a feast at Plimoth? What would you have eaten? What was the true story of the feast that we now know as the first Thanksgiving and how did it become a national holiday? From the If You Lived series, the book explores both sides of this historical event.