What if two seals play with a beached ball but a third seal isn’t invited to join them? What happens if the other two seals play in the water but the third one doesn’t? But in the third “what if” scenario, things turn out well for all! This seemingly simple saga is sure to require multiple readings — and generate lots of discussion.
What If?
Geraldine is a princess, a fairy princess with a crown and lots of sparkle. Her life as a fairy princess is filled with ballet (where she sparkles a lot), school, and with friends. Muted illustrations and an innocent narration combine to present a loving family whose child is indeed a very fairy princess.
The Very Fairy Princess
Lyrical text and handsome illustrations combine to present information about pandas and their habitat. A bit of additional information is included on each page and at the end of the book.
Tracks of a Panda
Turtle and Tiger became friends only after they argued and fought over who saw one Spring flower first. When they both wind up in a field of flowers, they realize how silly they have been and together they return to their pond. This original tale is told in a storyteller’s cadence complemented by rich, textured illustrations.
Tiger and Turtle
Every day, Amos McGee goes to his job at the City Zoo where he’s attentive to each of his animal friends’ special needs. One day, however, Amos doesn’t feel well and must miss work and so his friends visit to take care of him. Gentle, expressive illustrations expand this touching tale. (2011 Caldecott Medal Winner)
A Sick Day for Amos McGee
The small, scaly pangolin may be an unusual animal, but children are likely to empathize with the way he is fearful of new and different things. He rolls into a ball — and finds another pangolin ball peeking at him. An author’s note provides a bit of information about real pangolins and where to find out more about them.
Roly Poly Pangolin
As a little girl helps her mother in their garden, she imagines a fantastic garden of her own in which all of the rabbits are made of chocolate and the jelly beans grow. Strong line and rich colors combine with the child-like musings for a satisfying story.
My Garden
Miss Brooks, the librarian at the narrator’s school, brings books alive by dressing up for reading circle. But the narrator still doesn’t find books intriguing like Miss Brooks — that is until she finds one filled with all of the gross things she enjoys; she’s discovered Shrek! Cartoon-like illustrations present the eccentric but lovable characters in this playful tale.
Miss Brooks Loves Books! (And I Don’t!)
Jane’s yellow plastic duck, Love-a-Duck, was a happy duck who went on an unexpected adventure. It began when Love-a-Duck accidentally fell out of the bathroom window — saw real ducks, met a fish, and more — but made it home in time for Jane’s bath. The large format is ideal for the colorful illustrations and onomatopoeic language.
Love-a-Duck
When Mother Rabbit tells Little Rabbit he could only go to the circus once his playroom has been cleaned, he sneaks out to join the circus telling the ringmaster that he’s got the Meanest Mother on Earth. Children and adults will recognize the satisfying conclusion — and perhaps see themselves in this story.
Little Rabbit and the Meanest Mother on Earth
A child describes his affinity for all types of bugs — from those that are “spiky spiny,” the ones that “hop and fly and crawl” and even scary, “hang-from-ceiling bugs!” Large, textured illustrations are humorous to complement and extend the animated alliterative language.
I Love Bugs
A mutt tells reveals a “doggy allegory” and how he went from “the saddest and the baddest” to being a hip hop dog. Jazzy language swirls around and with fresh, loose art to create a sense of music in many forms. While rappers may just call it ‘freestyle,’ this zippy book is howling good fun.
Hip Hop Dog
Two friends, a brown rabbit and a blue bird, play together until winter looms and the bird must migrate south. Rabbit counts the winter months until the bird returns and the forever friends are reunited. Stylized illustrations evoke the seasons and combine with lyrical language in this story of friendship.
Forever Friends
No matter how much her mother fusses or how long it gets, Ella Kazoo will not brush her hair! That is until her hair starts to take over — literally. The conclusion is both simple and satisfying as Ella Kazoo’s tresses are trimmed. Comic illustrations and a rhyming text make a lighthearted tale.
Ella Kazoo Will Not Brush Her Hair
Jacob learns a great deal from his favorite television baker, Chef Monty. And he puts those skills to great use just in time for his parents’ anniversary making dessert — a peach pie — the celebration’s first course. Jacob’s good humor and problem solving skills (with a little help from his sister) make for sweet reading.
Easy as Pie
Their city adventure begins when the four big chickens follow a bag of feed into the farmer’s truck — and off they go! Lively language and comic illustrations combine to create a rowdy fowl adventure which ends happily back in the farmer’s truck heading home.
Big Chickens Go to Town
Gregory draws Sandy the Lion in the sand on the beach day he and his dad share one summer. Gregory’s father tells the child not to go into the water and not to leave Sandy — but Sandy’s tail is a long one, allowing Gregory to safely discover fascinating beach creatures. Realistic, textured illustrations evoke the place and ideally complement the evocative text.
A Beach Tail
When Goose and Bear are joined by Fox, Bear feels left out. It is up to Goose to mediate and find a way for old and new friends to play together — which they happily do! With straightforward language and charming illustrations, Goose and Bear are back for another everyday adventure familiar to many children.
What About Bear?
When the day is over, a young rabbit cuddles with a parent to let the dreams begin. Soft illustrations combine with a calm, rhythmic, rhyming text to quiet young ones who share the tranquil appreciation of nature and nighttime as they drift off to a cozy sleep.
Sweet Dreams Lullaby
Round faced children watch animals prepare for bedtime in this soothing tale in a newly illustrated edition of an earlier book by Margaret Wise Brown. The alphabet is used as the device to countdown from A to children who “…zip into bed,/not another peep/go to sleep!”
Sleepy ABC
From morning to nighttime, a small kitten explores a farm. At the end of the day, a tired young cat returns home to rest, sleep, and dream. A simple, rhythmic staccato text and textured collage illustrations are used to convey the pleasure in everyday adventures.
Kitten’s Spring
A little girl asks about her mother’s activities, from feeding and sheering the sheep to knitting a warm sweater. Patterned, rhythmic language with gentle rhymes and winning illustrations provide a satisfying glimpse of farm life and a warm mother/daughter relationship.
Feeding the Sheep
Fathers often have special names for their children. Each nickname is a fitting one, giving a hint as to what characterizes the young one and his parent. The human dad calls his child Doodlebug, while a snail’s father calls it “Goo-and-Go.” Soft illustrations convey affection and playfulness between parents and children.
Daddy Calls Me Doodlebug
Andy Shane has only two goals. One was to have the best decorated bike in the Home Sweet Home parade and the other is to be a hero. Both seem unlikely — but when the unexpected happens, ordinary boys become heroes. Andy and his friends are likeable and the action believable in this easier to read novel.