Book Finder

A rubber duck is among the bathtub toys washed overboard and into the ocean. After a long journey, the duck narrator is found by a child.  Inspired by actual events and vividly illustrated with textured paper cut images.

A girl meets the talkative Mr. Rabbit and together they discuss what birthday present to give her mother. Evocative illustrations have rich hues and rounded shapes that suggest a fanciful setting but with an imaginative, real-world resolution.

Over in the meadow live animals and their young – from one to 10. The predictable pattern is made memorable with intricate illustration and repetition in this ageless rendition of a familiar counting ditty.

Journey around the globe to learn some of the affectionate names children are called. The terms appear in English and the native language (with pronunciation provided) accompanied by charming illustrations that suggest cultural diversity.

The child of hardworking immigrants, the narrator tells her tale of growing up and how the family vacations at New York City’s shores inspired her affinity for art. Handsomely hued illustrations evoke family life during an earlier period in this fond family story.

The traditional tale of a poor boy who finds fame and fortune with the help of a cat is presented here in straightforward language. Limited color and boldly lined illustrations highlight the tale’s drama and satisfying conclusion.

Celebrate Presidents’ Day with some unexpected trivia. Often humorous, sometimes poignant anecdotes and political cartoons introduce U.S. Presidents as never before seen. First published in 2000 (and winner of the 2001 Caldecott Medal), the 2012 revised edition continues to delight and is current through Barack Obama. 

A celebration of Pullman porters is the focus of this new picture-book edition of Langston Hughes’ classic poem. The collage spreads, blending oil paintings and cut paper, begin with an image of a speeding train before moving on to large portraits of African American porters serving white passengers aboard a luxury train. When the passengers leave, the porters gather left-behind items — newspapers, blues and jazz albums — and toss them from the train. Carried by the wind, the words and music fall into the hands of African Americans across the country. Winner of the 2013 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. [From Booklist]

Young Nasreen has not spoken a word to anyone since her parents disappeared. In despair, her grandmother risks everything to enroll Nasreen in a secret school for girls. Will a devoted teacher, a new friend, and the worlds she discovers in books be enough to draw Nasreen out of her shell of sadness? Based on a true story from Afghanistan, this inspiring book will touch readers deeply as it affirms both the life-changing power of education and the healing power of love.

Maria looks to her grandmother to explain the rituals and traditions she observes at her first wedding. Their conversation, sprinkled with Spanish words, is carried by the evocative illustrations that depict this Zapotec Indian wedding celebration in Oaxaca, Mexico. A helpful Spanish glossary and an introduction to Zapotec culture and religion are included.

This remarkable story is based on the life of Billy Wong, a Chinese-American who travels to Europe, becomes fascinated with bullfighting, and decides to become a matador. Eventually, Billy’s determination and recognition of what makes him unique helps him realize his dream. Luminous watercolors illustrate this sensitive picture book biography.

The story of Louis Braille, the Frenchman who invented the raised-dot alphabet/code now used around the world by blind and visually impaired readers. The text traces Braille’s life from the childhood accident that caused him to lose his sight through his career at the National Institute for Blind Children in Paris. Readers can feel the alphabet and numbers from 1-10 at the back of the book.

With a light touch, readers meet Thomas Alva Edison in his world of research and development. It was Edison’s lab that led to things we take for granted today. For example, today we have all kinds of batteries but it all started with Edison’s nickel-iron storage battery. Cartoon illustrations add humor to this lighthearted but informative look at this inventor and his work.

Born in 1923 in Strasbourg, France, Marcel Mangel grew up watching silent movies. When he was 16 years old, World War II started. Marcel joined the resistance movement, heroically helped people, and changed his name to Marceau. Understated narration combines with expressive illustrations to evoke the changes in Marcel’s life while capturing his voiceless acting.