![Becoming a Good Creature](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0358252105.jpg?itok=US7IHEvI)
The author started learning about animals by observing her dog as a child. Her respect and affinity for animals grew as she did, turning into a career as a writer and chronicler of animals and their behavior. Gently illustrated, the author shares thoughtful tidbits which is sure to lead readers to her other books.
Becoming a Good Creature
![Diverse group of kids holding a colorful parachute](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/2023-04/you-matter_0.jpeg?itok=Q3IoBzUd)
Detailed, almost delicate illustrations of a diverse cast of characters affirm the joy in differences, all because each and every one matters. The illustrator’s signature style is worth multiple examinations.
You Matter
![When I Draw a Panda](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1481451480.jpg?itok=VF3gVfpN)
A child celebrates her creativity and individuality as she creates a panda on a large blackboard. Soon Panda steps off the board and joins in the creation of art. Illustration incorporate the pair’s chalk drawings and combine with a conversational text for a playful look at the creative process.
When I Draw a Panda
![Ways to Say I Love You](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/071125737X.jpg?itok=7R6k5fBa)
All creatures whether furry, slithery, or feathered, show affection. Lush illustration and rhythmic, gently rhyming verse combine to demonstrate just how it’s done. A bit of factual information about animals is included.
Ways to Say I Love You
![This Old Dog](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1646140109.jpg?itok=sI7AWn0_)
A dog remembers earlier days when things were slower, before a baby arrived. But as the child grows, the dog discovers that an old dog and a toddler share a great deal in common, including rolling down a hill and playing in leaves. The warm relationship between an old canine and a young child is warmly presented in illustration and straightforward text.
This Old Dog
![Swing](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0062866176.jpg?itok=-FNDImRB)
Several colorful letters are together on a playground. Because they are different (one is too round, another comes from the wrong side of the alphabet), they learn to come together in a very satisfying way. Bold graphic design and limited text create a memorable and easy-to-digest story of acceptance.
Swing
![The Suitcase](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0358329604.jpg?itok=2Gfzt4iU)
Three animals ask the strange creature who drags a large suitcase into their midst what it contains. As he rests, they are humbled by what they learn. This accessible story, simply illustrated, is gently told and sure to evoke a range of emotions in readers — including the importance of treating newcomers with kindness.
The Suitcase
![Robobaby](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0544987314.jpg?itok=C8b2T8dM)
A family of mechanical parts greets its newest member, baby Flange. Intricate illustrations and a lot of humor (especially for savvy readers) reminds us that a new child is always a happy event.
Robobaby
![Our Little Kitchen](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1419746553.jpg?itok=3oLLESCo)
Energetic illustrations capture the cheerful and productive frenzy in a community kitchen as a diverse group comes together to prepare a meal. The tale is told in rhyming text which is enhanced by conversation bubbles from the team working together.
Our Little Kitchen
![One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1338359975.jpg?itok=jIKNsuv9)
No words are needed as a tree is transformed into a paper bag and begins its own journey from lunch bag to seedling carrier. Shown through illustrations that are punctuated with small splashes of color several stories are presented without words to inspire telling and sharing — and maybe a bit of environmental awareness.
One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey
![Louis](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1328498069.jpg?itok=WlsUmyAB)
Children may see themselves and how they treat a favorite toy in this book. Narrated by a slightly grumpy and overly handled teddy bear named Louis, expressive illustrations and understated humor may make children think about how they treat their toys that love them, nonetheless.
Louis
![Joy](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1536209341.jpg?itok=8sr1HP26)
A kitten’s play is temporarily halted with a bump and thump down some stairs. The comforting mother, however, makes sure all is well and soon the animated play begins again. Jaunty illustrations and alliterative language create a memorable play day.
Joy
![""](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/2023-06/heart-mi-familia.jpg?itok=XFUFxG2I)
In the young narrator’s home, “two worlds become one.” Her family is “a mix of dos cultures…”, one Spanish speaking, the other English. Together the family joyfully prepares to celebrate a birthday. Colorful, child-like illustrations and a straightforward narration present a bicultural family.
The Heart of Mi Familia
![Bye, Penguin](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1646140214.jpg?itok=r393E-R3)
Few words are needed as a small penguin is separated from his group on an ice floe but soon delights in his changing surroundings. After traveling around the globe, the penguin returns home. Expressive illustration presents changing scenery and changing emotions.
Bye, Penguin
![Amadou’s Zoo](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1624148840.jpg?itok=bYm6aSlz)
Young Amadou’s enthusiasm for a class field trip to the zoo cannot be dampened by rules. Instead, his imaginative exploration adds color and joy for the teacher and children alike.
Amadou’s Zoo
![""](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/2023-06/all-together-quilt.jpg?itok=fVQtwvWJ)
Inspired by the Norwalk Community Quilt Project, this fictionalized account shows how a group of young and old come together to create a quilt for the library. The author/illustrator’s signature style is effective in presenting the step by step process. A final note and photograph of Peace by Piece participants concludes this uplifting book.
The All-Together Quilt
![Sun Flower Lion](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0062866109.jpg?itok=svQlrnFg)
Limited colors and simple shapes encourage young readers to see a flower, a lion, and a sun. Each two-page chapter brilliantly introduces a tale that calls on imagination and encourages reader participation.
Sun Flower Lion
![The Farm That Mac Built](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0544113020.jpg?itok=W5EP2WPH)
This rollicking barnyard show is filled with funny animals, a scarecrow host, and lots of lively language — just right for a joyous reading aloud. The repetition is sure to encourage participation as the silliness builds along with each rhyme.
The Farm That Mac Built
![Bowwow Powwow](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1681340771.jpg?itok=MRJiHmYw)
When Uncle and Windy Girl and Itchy Boy attend a powwow, Windy watches the dancers in their jingle dresses and listens to the singers. She eats tasty food and joins family and friends around the campfire. Later, Windy falls asleep under the stars. Now Uncle’s stories inspire other visions in her head: a bowwow powwow, where all the dancers are dogs. This playful story is accompanied by a companion retelling in Ojibwe.
Bowwow Powwow
![Birdsong](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1771644737.jpg?itok=3DpO8yW5)
When a young girl moves from the country to a small town, she feels lonely and out of place. But soon she meets an elderly woman next door, who shares her love of arts and crafts. Can the girl navigate the changing seasons and failing health of her new friend? Cree-Métis words (defined in a small glossary) add an intimate layer of identity to the child’s narration.
Birdsong
![The Forever Sky](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1681340984.jpg?itok=L4zRwp9p)
One night, a beautiful show of lights fills the sky. Niigaanii explains to his younger brother, Bineshiinh that the northern lights are the spirits of the relatives who have passed on, including their beloved grandmother Nooko. The boys imagine different relatives dancing, lighting up the sky with their graceful movements. There are so many stars and so many stories that the boys spend night after night making sense of patterns and wisdom in “the forever sky.”
The Forever Sky
![Nibi Emosaawdang / The Water Walker](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1772601004.jpg?itok=C7ExnawM)
Based on a true story, The Water Walker, shares the story of Josephine Mandamin, a woman who was inspired by a prophecy to protect water. The book tracks her activism around water protection and the group of Water Walkers that she formed who join her on her many walks across North America. This is a dual-language edition in English and Anishinaabemowin.
Nibi Emosaawdang / The Water Walker
![At the Mountain’s Base](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0735230609.jpg?itok=HsMiRcQ6)
A family, separated by duty and distance, waits for a loved one to return home in this lyrical picture book celebrating the bonds of a Cherokee family and the bravery of history-making women pilots. At the mountain’s base sits a cabin under an old hickory tree. And in that cabin lives a family — loving, weaving, cooking, and singing. The strength in their song sustains them as they wait for their loved one, a pilot, to return from war. The author’s note pays homage to the true history of Native American U.S. service members like WWII pilot Ola Mildred “Millie” Rexroat.
At the Mountain’s Base
![All Around Us](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1941026761.jpg?itok=1Qs_zAl8)
A girl and her grandfather contemplate circles, both physical and metaphorical, in this thought-provoking tale of family, community, and interconnection. Grandpa says circles are all around us. He points to the rainbow that rises high in the sky after a thundercloud has come. “Can you see? That’s only half of the circle. That rest of it is down below, in the earth.” They share and create family traditions in this exploration of the cycles of life and nature.