Book Finder

There are two sides to everything, including animals. Creatures like black cats, vampire bats, Tasmanian devils, and a host of other animals often have bad reputations — but there is another side! Explore both in an an open format with humorous illustrations. A glossary is included.

Can rescue dog, McTavish, help his Peachy family with vacation plans? His human family needs his guidance and patience — again. Whether revisiting the Peachys (Good Dog, McTavish (opens in a new window)) or meeting them for the first time, this charming, recognizable family is sure to charm readers of all ages.

Can Iggy Peck use his architectural prowess to help Ada Twist’s Aunt Bernice from losing the house she inherited? Iggy, Ada, and the other Questioneers come together to solve the mystery of the missing antiques and acquire a bit of history along the way in this latest story in the Questioneers series.

Not everyone aspires to be a champion rock climber like Ashima. Her skill and passion grow with practice and study. The athlete’s story is likely to provide inspiration for all those who aim for greatness in any field. Color illustrations capture the climber’s determination.

Fox and Rabbit, unlikely friends with very different personalities, visit a fair, go to the beach, start a garden, and more in five stories. Charming and gently humorous, this is the first in a new, engaging graphic novel series.

The life of Aesop, a Greek enslaved person who wove memorable stories, begins this handsome volume followed by well-known and lesser-known fables. Mixed media illustrations are expressive, creating a sense of time and place while retaining universality. An afterword by the author expands on what is known (and not known) about Aesop.

Is the object that Brain finds an eyeball or is it an egg, as Chick says? Can Chick — or anyone — convince him otherwise? Silliness abounds in image and word in this graphic novel by the creator of Newbery Honor winning El Deafo (opens in a new window).

Philip Freelon’s dream became reality when his team was commissioned to design the National Museum of African American History and Culture which opened in the nation’s capital in 2016. Beginning with his childhood, this realistically illustrated biography provides an afterword by the architect and additional resources.

Earth is presented as a large brown-skinned girl who awakens “from a winter nap” listens to farmers tapping the earth and birds singing. She guides a baby zebra, tends prairies, and more until she sleeps, “To fly up again in the warm bright sun of spring!” Clever use of flaps and die-cuts hold surprises and delights in the richly colored, dynamic illustrations and lyrical language, creating a stunning appreciation of Earth.

As the day begins, “All is quiet. Or is it?” If you listen closely, the sounds of the day emerge. From dawn darkness, the day gradually lightens in the subtle illustrations that depict city and country, inviting readers to “fill the world with your song.”

Readers know from the title page that the dog will not give up the spotlight. The dog is really a scruffy mutt who creates chaos and lots laughter as it peeks onto pages with other animals. Expressive animals appear on uncluttered colored backgrounds until the surprise conclusion.

While visiting the beach, the narrator declares that she will build a sandcastle — one with turrets and more. Build she does, which attracts royal visitors who become disenchanted with their sandy food. Imagination reigns in the detailed illustrations, until a wave allows the girl to begin anew.

Lenny is an artist who plans to compose a symphony. His mind is blank until he listens to sounds around him. As the sun rises, Lenny returns home full of notes, music, and life. Lightly lined illustrations and lots of lively language present the music of Paris.

A girl and her family visit their little blue cottage by the bay every summer as she grows. Lyrical language and gentle illustrations expressively depict time passing until the girl, now grown, returns with her own family, implicitly diverse and intergenerational.

Apis Mellifera, the worker honeybee, does a lot during its short life. Poetic language and highly detailed illustrations provide an up-close look at the bee, its hive, and expansive travels, cleverly seen in a double gatefold. Backmatter and further reading conclude this stunning book.

A father gently awakens his child to begin their day outdoors. As they leave home, the scenery changes, becoming more tranquil and natural where they begin their hike. At the end of the day, they head home. The joy of an outdoor afternoon and the pleasure of an outing with dad are elegantly conveyed with few words. 

From the window in his favela, the narrator shares what he sees: neighbors working, playing, the changing weather, and more. Based on the author’s experience growing up in Brazil, everyday experiences are illustrated in a colorful, naïve, folk style. 

It’s dark in the lighthouse home; everything is quiet, until it is not! Everyone in the large, extended family gets into the silliness — even the dog — until everyone falls asleep. Lively rhythmic language combines with energetic illustrations for a fun book to read and share.

The wind sweeps away the umbrella that elephant uses to shelter himself and other small animals from rain. The same wind carries the umbrella away from other animals until it winds up back where it started. Engaging illustrations and simple narration create a folktale-like story.

Twins Erin and Ellis are good at many things, especially looking for trouble. They look everywhere and finally find their cat, Trouble! The surprise ending creates a minor mystery as the children creatively search for Trouble through simple illustrations and a straightforward text.

Very Big Crab reassures Little Crab when they leave their tiny tidal pool for the large sea. Few details are needed as illustrations swirl expressively across pages as the pair makes their way to the joys that they find in the ocean.

Everyone has seen a housefly and many other familiar insects in this collection of short, lighthearted poems. Illustrations are humorous, adding verve and humor to the poems.

A small white dog and his human dad move in with a cat and a large dog and their human mom. Though the transition is tough, they make it — until a “Waaah!” joins the family. Understated, comical, and relatable, this experience is presented with expressive illustration and limited language.

Travel the world through the lens of a photographer while exploring basic concepts. Interesting enhancements to some images create an unusual, sophisticated way of seeing opposites.