A dandelion on the playground grows and grows, captivating children who appreciate its beauty. Not so the adults who rip the flower from the ground, dismaying the students. But dandelions are resilient and so are children in this oversized, slightly subversive tale.
The Weedflower
Human error led to creative solutions as the Webb Space Telescope was designed and tested — leading to amazing “eyes in the skies.” More than 20,000 people contributed to its success and are introduced through photographs and illuminating text. The author is an engineer who once worked at NASA.
Unlocking the Universe: The Cosmic Discoveries of the Webb Space Telescope
A mouth is for eating of course, but animals use them for so much more! Discover how some use them for climbing and for storing food and what differentiates similar mouths. Dramatic illustrations and informative inserts create a fact-packed, accessible book. Back matter includes a glossary and additional resources.
Open Wide! Jaw-Dropping Mouths of the Animal World
A small dwarf rabbit named Mishka helps an Afghan family who have been relocated to the Netherlands find home and a sense of permanence. Based on Elman’s experience, this touching family story is enhanced by delicate, textured illustrations.
Mishka
Magnolia thought that her summer would be boring until she meets Iris Lam, new to the city. Together, Iris and Magnolia venture to reunite lost socks with their owners. Along the way, they meet fascinating, quirky people in this charming, humorous novel illustrated with black-and-white line drawings.
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All
Words matter but sometimes silence is stronger. That’s why in 1917, a man of words and author of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (known as the Black National Anthem) organized a silent march down New York City’s Fifth Avenue. Over 10,000 adults and children participated. Additional information and the words to Johnson’s poem concluded this handsome volume.
Let Us March On! James Weldon Johnson and the Silent Protest Parade
Isabel Beane is a quiet girl who lives with five siblings in a home with hubbub, hullabaloo, and “too muchness.” At school, Isabel feels anxious in class when a new girl behaves unkindly. Find out how Isabel learns to speak up for herself in this accessibly told novel. Resources about autism and anxiety are included.
Invisible Isabel
Sissy’s younger brother nicknamed Chooch (Cherokee for boy or son) is more trouble than help until he helps Sissy feel better after she has a meltdown. Illustrations capture a specific culture in this universal family story. Backmatter provides additional information about the art and language.
Chooch Helped
Follow an arctic tern as it grows from egg to migrating bird. In another book from the same Start Small, Think Big series, Little Brown Nut (opens in a new window), watch a small nut grow into a huge tree with a little help from the agoutis. Each book unfolds in text and illustration that can be shared at different levels. Both titles include a large, informative foldout.
Small Speckled Egg
Reluctantly, a child dons itchy winter clothes to accompany her mother to see ice sculptures being created. While there, she loses her beloved toy horse. Magic occurs when they return that evening to see the ice figures at night and the narrator’s horse is found.
A Little Like Magic
Goat and Bunny form a friendship when they discover they both enjoy the same coffee. As the friends do many things together but differently, they know that “it is okay.” Whimsical, detailed illustrations complement the well-told tale.
It Is Okay
Hank is not only a silly goose, but he’s also rude and downright obnoxious, making his friends miserable. Until they don’t want to deal with him anymore. Lonely Hank becomes a more considerate goose who changes his ways (or does he?) in this slyly funny tale.
Hank Goes Honk
Eddy is lonely as he swims — until one day not one, but two friends appear just outside of the fishbowl. The friends’ identity is revealed when Eddy excitedly jumps out the bowl. Tension is high until a true friendship becomes evident.
A Friend for Eddy
A single word begins each short poem on opposing page, describing an animal and contrasting attributes: a cautious groundhog appears with the reckless squirrel, a patient spider with a restless blowfly, a playful dolphin with the dignified sperm whale, and more in each of the bold, bouncily illustrated pairings in this handsome volume.
Fast Cheetah, Slow Tortoise: Poems of Animal Opposites
The countdown to the change in season begins with one red fox “stalking winter” to 12 excited children “happily meeting spring.” Bold scratchboard illustrations evoke the frozen Alaskan landscape, inspired by the author’s time in Fairbanks.
Counting Winter
A lonely child saves his beloved woods in this magical, highly imaginative tale. Follow the unfolding tale told entirely through gorgeous illustrations.
The Boy and the Elephant
Evocative illustrations and lyrical language follow a young Cherokee child as she cheerfully moves from an urban area to a home where there’s “room to run.”
Being Home
Bear loses his round red glasses and thinks he may have left them at his friend Giraffe’s house. On the walk over, Bear sees an elephant, a crocodile, a flamingo, a deer, and even a spotted snake that turns out to be Giraffe. Bear’s glasses are perched on his head, as Giraffe and readers realize. Understated humor is presented in bold shapes and language.
Bear’s Lost Glasses
Even as a chip, the robot knew he was different which was a problem until he stumbled upon an art museum where he found his passion. Wry humor and a bit of wisdom are conveyed in illustration and understated text.
ARTificial Intelligence
Dogs help people in many ways. Guess what jobs the dogs presented in color photographs and simple rhymes perform — including being a best friend.
When Dogs Work
Share photos of cheerful babies wearing familiar clothing from hats to pajamas in this small, sturdy book, just right for reading on a lap.
What Is Baby Wearing?
After a busy day, animal families snuggle up just like children and their parents in this cozy illustrated and gently rhyming board book.
We Hug Night Night
Dogs and cats talk without words! Childlike illustrations and straightforward language describe myriad moods to bring meaning to the familiar ways pets communicate. In the same series: Cat Chat: How Cats Tell Us How They Feel (opens in a new window).
Puppy Talk: How Dogs Tell Us How They Feel
Leo and Dad go out to meet Nana G for lunch at a restaurant. Leo’s toy seahorse joins them, giving young children something extra to see on each page.