Book Finder

Warm tones are used to show one man’s effort to save a beautiful field from development. With confidence and imagination, he buys and sells the field’s pumpkins throughout the world. Readers will catch the point of this cautionary tale, and will likely feel that they, too, can make a difference.

Mr. Wright’s students soon discover that the meaning of written words is much more difficult to figure out when punctuation takes a vacation from their class. Lighthearted illustrations and a lively text combine for a playful presentation of words and their meaning.

Seven-year old Ramona tries to take charge when her dad loses his job and her mother goes back to work out of the house full-time. Readers will see themselves in the Quimby household and are sure to chuckle at Ramona’s antics. 

A child plants a tree and watches it grow and change through the seasons. Highly textured illustrations incorporate seeds and other scraps of nature with brilliantly hued paper. Ehlert tells a story while providing a guide to nature in this appealing book.

Snake terrifies children and their parents. He claims to be the “king of the road.” But with gifts from the animals, Desert Woman fashions Roadrunner to defeat Snake. In the tradition of a folktale, this original story explains why rattlesnakes have their rattle and how cooperation can save the day.

On Scranimal Island, there are many curious creatures that may seem familiar, but are really the product of the imagination. Are the critters animal, vegetable, or mineral? Only those who play with words will know for sure!

Sheila Rae taunts Louise with her peppermint stick, not wanting to share it, and uses her experience to trick her sibling. Louise eventually gets some of the candy, and Sheila Rae gets her comeuppance in a very satisfying ending. Children of all ages will see themselves in these characters, first introduced in Sheila Rae, the Brave (Greenwillow, 1987).

Ugly ogre parents make an even uglier ogre son named Shrek. Of course Shrek seeks (on the back of a donkey) and finds a bride — an ogress even uglier than he! Enjoy the rich language used in the now 20-years-old and still-funny picture book that inspired a movie adaptation.

Under the spell of a vengeful fairy, Princess Aurora sleeps for a hundred years until she is awakened by the kiss of her true love. Lush illustrations place this retelling of the familiar story in a dramatic Baroque-like setting, rich in detail and suspense.

No one except a small boy thinks the few falling snowflakes will amount to much. As the snow continues to fall, however, the dull, gray town becomes transformed into a winter wonderland, and all of its residents come out to enjoy. The wonder of it all is captured through dynamic illustrations and understated text.

Snow is magical and beautiful and sometimes even dangerous. Through both observation and experimentation, this book introduces the many aspects of snow through crisp text and appealing illustrations that are sure to engage, inform, and inspire younger children.

The whisper of snow and the jingle of dog tags set a wintery tone in this story of a boy and his friend in search of his lost dog on a snowy day. Music is everywhere in the rhythm of the language and patterns of the illustration in this unusual and memorable book.

The story of one boy’s passion for snowflakes led to a lifetime’s study. Wilson Bentley, better known as Snowflake Bentley, is presented in a fascinating picture book biography. Read just the story portion or include the factual narration which is included on each page. Illustrations evoke Snowflake’s Vermont, just the thing for a warm day.

With compassion and historical detail, the McKissacks offer a rich profile of Isabella Van Wagener. Her experiences as both slave and freed slave in New York shaped her mid-life commitment to abolition and women’s rights. At age 46, she received a call to “walk in the light of His truth.” Henceforward, her name was Sojourner Truth and, although she never learned to read or write, the six-foot tall woman became a striking, eloquent spokesperson whose wit, common sense, and candor popularized her with audiences throughout New England and the Midwest.

Scieszka and Smith set sights on creating fresh fables — short traditional tales intended to teach a moral lesson. With humorous twists and take-offs, new, different and wacky fables are presented for readers’ edification and amusement.

Do aliens come from the stars? What is that twinkling out there? How long does it take for a star’s light to reach Earth? Stunning photographs, computer-generated, and clear text present basic information about stars, sure to pique curiosity.

The American flag, known as the Stars and Stripes, is seen everywhere. In this book, lifelike paintings from different perspectives show many landscapes with the flag. Readers learn how the flag came to be the way it is known today, and an afterword dispels the myth that Betsy Ross made the first American flag.

The “chubby champion” of the title is brightly colored, larger than life and very heroic! In fact,“If Mount Fuji blows its stack, If a monster should attack, Don’t just hide inside your house! Give a call for Sumo Mouse!” Illustrations of cutout paper, placed in an almost comic book format, move this humorous parody along.

Clara is born into slavery but learns an important skill when she becomes a seamstress. Her quilting ability allows Clara to put together directions to escape north to freedom when she overhears a conversation about a route to Canada.

A hairless toddler at the beach is the star of this child-sized, sturdy book. One word accompanies each simple, colorful illustration to introduce words like swimsuit, sunscreen, and sleep as the sun goes down.

After aviator Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman is lost in a plane crash, those who knew her celebrate her life. Different voices come alive in small portraits and beautifully crafted full-page scenes as individuals tell stories in free verse to present Bessie’s unusual and heroic story. A biographical note extends the introduction to this early aviator.