Book Finder

This episode details the time when Benjamin Franklin was in France and how he explained the mysterious cures proffered by Dr. Franz Mesmer. The light touch in a format reminiscent of a graphic novel makes the snippet of history accessible and appealing. Source notes complete the book.

The author/illustrator’s look back at his early years started in Drawing from Memory (2011) continues here. Allen doesn’t really fit in at his father’s friend’s Southern California military academy.  Leaving it was the start of a journey toward finding the artist within. Told through a variety of artistic pieces and styles and a highly person narration, readers will empathize and ache with this Caldecott winning artist. 

Since his grandparents disappeared on an iceberg, Archer’s mother won’t let the well-mannered boy out of the museum-like house. Still, he finds unique adventures and companionship in this fast-paced, charming, witty and well written novel presented in a handsomely illustrated format.

Kids will giggle as they count all the animals that have frightened the monkeys off the pages. Full of fun reader interactions and keeps readers guessing until the very last page!

When a skunk first appears in the tuxedoed man’s doorway, it’s a strange but possibly harmless occurrence. But then the man finds the skunk following him, and the unlikely pair embark on an increasingly frantic chase through the city, from the streets to the opera house to the fairground. What does the skunk want? It’s not clear ― but soon the man has bought a new house in a new neighborhood to escape the little creature’s attention, only to find himself missing something …

Sam and Dave are on a mission. A mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find … nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all. Attentive readers will be rewarded with a rare treasure in this witty story of looking for the extraordinary — and finding it in a manner you’d never expect.

When a new family moves into his home and Leo the Ghost’s efforts to welcome them are misunderstood, Leo decides it is time to leave and see the world. That is how he meets Jane, a kid with a tremendous imagination and an open position for a worthy knight. That is how Leo and Jane become friends. And that is when their adventures begin. (Goodreads)

Travel the world without leaving your living room. Much more than an ordinary atlas, this book of maps is a visual feast for readers of all ages, with lavishly drawn illustrations. It features not only borders, cities, rivers, and peaks, but also places of historical and cultural interest, eminent personalities, iconic animals and plants, cultural events, and many more fascinating facts associated with every region of our planet.

Follow the crow along a stream and a long and winding road, with other animals and landmarks along the way. At the close of each journey is a small map. Each map is joined together to show the wider world and how the different parts connect.

You live in your home…but where is your home? It’s in your neighborhood…but where is your neighborhood? It’s in your town, which is in your state, which is in North America, which is on the planet Earth, which is in the solar system, which is in a galaxy of stars called the Milky Way.

Have you ever wondered what a badland is? What about a gulch? Do you wonder what an isthmus is? Or a seamount? What about the difference between a plateau and a plain, or a knob and a knoll? The sixty-three entries from A to Z describe the earth’s features — its physical geography — from the highest mountain peak to the deepest ocean trench, in clear, concise terms. Each entry is beautifully illustrated in full color.

“The city lights/ up at night./ Going./Glowing./ Yellow/ Bright!” A family sets out for a nighttime jaunt to a street fair, against city skies that deepen from blue twilight to midnight blue, and a city skyline of clock tower, highrises, warehouses. Pictures of the crowded fair lose the family in a sea of puppet shows, magicians, musicians and clowns in a panorama that is magical and timeless. A quiet tucking in as the family comes home brings the city back to the present and familiar.

A sister and brother walk over the hill to spend Sunday afternoon with their French-speaking grandmother. Licking spoons, milking the cow, shaking cream into butter, and setting the table are all part of the fun. Meanwhile Grammy, seemingly without effort, produces a wonderful feast for all. When their parents come to pick them up, the children look forward to the following Sunday gathering.

Night settles over a town and families and neighbors get ready for bed by saying goodnight — everyone except for a wide-awake cat on the rooftop who wants someone to play with.

A retelling of 10 fables by Aesop including “The Fox and the Crow,” “The Crow and the Water Jug,” and “The Lion and the Mouse.”

Sam the zookeeper has the job of feeding the animals every day at three o’clock. Could Sam have forgotten to feed Elephant, the other zoo animals wonder. Follow Sam on his rounds — with bananas for the monkeys, red berries for the bear, a fish for the seal (“Deliciously good!” barks Seal).

This lively picture book shows that friends can have differences and disappointments without becoming enemies. Best friends and neighbors Debbie and Tina are alike in many ways, and the warm, lively, ink-and-watercolor pictures show them having lots of fun together: dressing up, cycling, watching a spooky movie at a sleepover, and more.

For babies and toddlers, each moment is full of wonder and discovery. This delightful collection of original poems celebrates the everyday things that enthrall little ones, such as playing peekaboo, banging pots and pans, splashing at bath time, and cuddling at bedtime. Full of contagious rhythm and rhyme, this inviting picture book introduces young children to the sound of poetry.

Different woodpeckers swoop, slam, tap, click, and grow throughout the seasons. They are introduced in handsome collage illustrations and a rhythmic text which uses alliteration and onomatopoeia to bring the birds alive. Additional details and identification is included at the conclusion.

Fourteen critters are presented here through well-placed photographs and fascinating factoids. From small (“the female tarantula lays 500 to 1000 eggs in a silken sac…”) to tall (“a giraffe’s tongue is black”), to up in the air (the hummingbird) or down in the water (a seahorse), this book is fun and informative.

A poetic, playful look at an orangutan family in the wild takes as they dance their way through the trees of the rainforest. A poetic form called the “tanka” combines with animated illustrations for a jaunty glimpse of these appealing primates.

The octopus is not only intelligent, it can be remarkably adaptable able to change color, shape and even skin texture. This fascinating overview is illustrated with attractive watercolors and includes additional detail in back matter. For older readers (ages 9 to 12), The Octopus Scientists (opens in a new window) by Sy Montgomery with photographs by Keith Ellenbogen follows octopus scientist, Jennifer Mathers, and her international team as they learn about and try to better understand this clever creature.