Book Finder

Three little dragons in a far-off cave are having a hard time falling asleep. It’s the Good Knight to the rescue, with glasses of water, bedtime stories and songs, and goodnight kisses to lull the beasts to sleep.

Harry, a soft plush elephant, is ready for bed, but he just can’t sleep! He reads and wiggles and worries, but sleep won’t come. But once Harry is reassured by his friends, Lulu and Ted, the plush toys are all able to cozily snuggle down for a good night’s sleep.

The youngster prepares for sleep, bidding goodnight to the room and all objects in it, including the moon and the old lady who whispers “hush.” Sleep comes softly in this cozy classic.

Fingers creeping, creeping or snowflakes falling delight young children – especially when told in rhyme and dramatized with a caring adult. Familiar and less familiar ditties with directions for hand movement are presented in engaging illustration as well as rhymes.

George Ancona’s colorful photographs capture the spirit, movement, and form of basic finger spelling used by the deaf and often learned by hearing children as well.

Exuberant language and jaunty illustrations seem to jump off the pages to celebrate “girlpie” hair, soft and billowy. With encouraging individuality, these girls love and accept themselves just the way they are.

Readers learn of Mexican migrant workers’ difficult lives in this photo-documentary. Despite backbreaking labor in poor conditions, the workers take pride in what they do and struggle to help their families get ahead.

A little boy travels around the world to find his missing cat. As he encounters other felines, he exclaims, “This is not my cat!” That is, until his very own is located.

A head by itself can’t do much – until he meets arms, body, and legs. Together they discover how delicious life can be. Bold colors and broad forms help create the humor in this engaging creation story from the author’s Dan tribe of Liberia.

Annie and Jack travel back in time to the first Olympic games to retrieve a lost story, in this Magic Tree House story. There they learn a lot about what girls were — and were not — permitted to do in Ancient Greece.

Short rhyming text contrasts with illustrations of huge dinosaurs who are ailing with sniffles and coughs. Of course, the dinosaurs (with their names tucked into each page) are being helped by a caring but seemingly small adult in this companion to How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?

Ten sleepy dinosaurs get ready for bed in this celebration of funny, endearing, and naughty bedtime behavior. Young children will laugh out loud as they recognize themselves in this larger than life silliness.

After the soldiers come, Papa tells his family that they must leave everything behind and set sail for America. The journey across the Caribbean is dangerous and long, and our narrator and his little sister keep asking — just how many days is it to America? Prolific children’s author Eve Bunting, herself an immigrant from Ireland, shares the story of a new generation of pilgrims who are willing to risk their lives to look for freedom in America.

While everyone has a nose, toes, and hair, no one has them just alike — and so a girl with bouncy red ponytails celebrates her uniqueness, the “incredible me!” Engaging child-like drawings romp across the pages with rhythmic, rhyming text.

Vulture is sick and tired of Jabuti’s trickery. He gets his revenge when he flies the tortoise high in the air, then drops him, breaking his shell. But Jabuti puts himself together and comes out on top — with the help of the birds of the rainforest. How those birds got their colorful plumage is vividly explained in this brilliantly colored and well-told tale.

When their mother leaves, 11 year old Journey can’t believe she won’t return. But he and his older sister must deal with this loss, each in his or her own way. The rich story is told in Journey’s voice and sure to be appreciated by a wide range of readers.

Dr. Seuss could have come up with the names of these lip-smacking delights! Frozen Bananoids, Soap Bubbles Supreme – the recipes may have peculiar names, but they are familiar to and enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Arthur and the other kids in Mr. Ratburn’s class take a field trip to a Middle Ages fair where there’s competitions and games from the period. Arthur and the others vie with students from another school to uphold their honor in this longer chapter book, which is just as satisfying as the Arthur picture books.

Children will delight in Kitten’s mistake. They know that what she thinks is a bowl of milk is really the moon’s reflection. Mostly black and white (and shades of gray) illustration expressively depict Kitten. Children enjoy the visual and verbal patterns throughout. (2005 Caldecott Medal Winner)

Arthur’s little sister, Dora Winifred (better known as D.W.) can hardly wait until she can write her entire name to get her very own library card. Once she does, however, D.W. worries so much about possibly damaging the book she borrowed that she cannot enjoy it. Arthur helps her understand that she can use and enjoy library books safely. Also available in Spanish.

Little Rat really doesn’t want to start the lessons her parents have arranged; she’s afraid of sailing! But with the help of an amiable instructor, Little Rat overcomes her fear and learns not only to sail, but to enjoy it as well.

This collection of creative activities involve science, art, cooking, and more. Concocting these concoctions will provide hours of ooey, gooey fun.