Book Finder

Chubby-cheeked toddlers come in colorful carriers with their families to stand, crawl and more in a parade of babies! Sweet, diverse children celebrate the day and its activities in simple words and soft, appealing illustration.

Bright colors and simple patterns on sturdy pages present simple images of familiar farm animals, enhanced by textured paper. On the opposite side of each page is a pattern that incorporates the animal.

Whether or not the primates introduced from 1 to 10 are familiar, readers are sure to appreciate meeting them in arresting portraits. A self-portrait of the illustrator other humans are accompanied by concluding text: “All primates. All one family. All my family … and yours!”

Who’s hiding? Lift the flap to find out! Sturdy pages and flaps combine with simply shaped, brightly colored illustrations for a playful game even for the youngest child.

Fast and sluggish, over and under, in and out as well as other concepts are simply demonstrated by a cheerful, quick duck and a comical, slow snail in companion board books. Also see Quick Duck (opens in a new window) by the same author.

Carefully placed holes create eyes for different creatures, real and imaginary, in a series of questions and answers. Young readers are sure to respond aloud as they finger the die-cuts.

An old game is again fresh as each die-cut lets reader spy with their little eye a farm animal of a specific color that begins with a specific letter. A page turn reveals the entire animal and the sounds it makes.

Travel by air begins with one sign for the airport, all the way up to 33,000 feet in the air, ending with one happy meeting. Stylized illustrations and simple text me present what can be seen from start to finish.

Works by many artists uniquely depict people from many parts of the world. No words are needed to view varied portraits, in many styles from many places all of which are identified.

Dinosaurs of many colors zoom, splash, chug, and more in different kinds of vehicle in order to get to a special birthday celebration for the smallest dinosaur in this lively, fresh adventure.

Count colorful butterflies in natural settings in this small, sturdy, attractively illustrated concept book. Each of the colorful ten butterflies is identified by name on the back cover.

Stripes are found in nature in a variety of flora and fauna in many habitats. From exotic to domestic, revel in observing stripes in carefully crafted illustrations and lyrical text. Additional information and a playful call to match animal with stripe ends this handsome volume.

There are many kinds of sounds. Use this book as a jumping off point for loud sounds, onomatopoeic sounds, or use The Quiet Book (Houghton) for the opposite of loud. These books might also inspire a word wall for emotions (e.g., how does this kind of quiet/loud make you feel?).

Jaunty rhymes (that just may be ‘sing-able’) are likely to lead to wordplay (literally) as one follows the animal cast play with berries of all kinds.

Clean lines of both upper and lower case letters combine with colorful fruits and vegetables for a unique way to think about - and even eat through the alphabet.

Just outside a baby’s window there is a world of activity and goings-on. Stylized illustrations in bold black and white line with text in green are just right to share with very young children, perhaps to encourage conversation and observation.

Little Tug isn’t the tallest, fastest or biggest boat in the harbor but he is able to push, pull and guide each of his larger friends to safety. And they respond with affection. Little Tug’s day is presented in simple language and carefully crafted, expressive illustrations.

Short, rhyming verse combines with outdoor scenes as a boy and his dad share a camping trip. Their day is presented from fishing to cooking their dinner, until the boy — with “Nodding head/Time for bed” — is carried into their tent by his dad.

Fluid verse and detailed, bordered illustrations present the water homes of a range of fish. Those interested in finding out more about the individual creatures presented may want to locate Stockdale’s informational picture book (opens in a new window) with the same title.

Readers learn about what dancers wear as Bea and her friend, Sam, prepare for their ballet class. In the class of chubby preschoolers, they share the joys and humor along with other young dancers through simple language and crisply lined illustrations that capture the experience.

A cheerful, much loved baby hears everyday sounds when at play, on a walk outdoors, and in the car. Even the youngest child will enjoy sharing this sweet, simple book with an adult.

Join the parade and count from one to ten in Spanish and in English. Numbers and a one-sentence description of the ceramic figures in regional dress from Oaxaca, Mexico are presented in both languages, punctuated by lively folk art figures.

Biscuit, a small yellow puppy, is grateful for many things. He appreciates his little girl, their daily walks, and more. Straightforward illustrations and the clear-cut narrative presented on sturdy pages is just right to share with younger children.

Cynthia Weill’s book of Mexican folk art teaches kids about opposites in Spanish and English! These whimsical little animals from Oaxaca, carved and painted by hand, make learning about opposites fun. Up and down, tall and short, left and right — all inside a beautiful book.