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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.

Young readers will understand what Owl doesn’t in each of five short chapters. The episodic tales and lighthearted illustrations are sure to engage newly independent readers.

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.

This picture book is a small glimpse, from A to Z, of some of the sights and sounds of the Michif language and its speakers. The language of the Métis, Michif is a combination of French and Cree with a trace of other regional languages. Once spoken by thousands of people across the prairies of Canada and the northern United States, Michif is now so little spoken that it might disappear within a generation. This alphabet book is part of a resurgence to celebrate and preserve the traditions of the Métis people.

Malcolm the rat narrates his adventures in Mr. Binney’s fifth-grade class. At night, the school comes alive with the Midnight Academy, a secret society of classroom pets that protects the school. When the leader (an iguana named Aggy) goes missing, Malcolm sets out to find Aggy to ensure her safety and to clear his name.

Dickens’s England comes to life from the perspective of an alley cat.

Additional verses are added to the familiar ditty and illustrated in the artist’s signature naïve style. The little star sparkles, flickers, shimmers, and glistens around the whole world watched by animal parents and their young in different settings ending with a human baby and mother.

One snowboy all alone begins the count to 10 then reverses to count down to where it started. Computer-generated art is colorful with patterned, wintery icons and images. The sound of language and the interesting visuals make the counting — and the book — satisfying.

Colorful mice are shown skating when the outline of a cat appears on the ice. The cat with a hat winds up joining the skating party.  Limited vocabulary is enhanced by vibrant illustrations that together create mild tension to move the tale to its sunny conclusion.

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.

When Bear looked at the sky and smelled the air, he ran to get his friend Mole. Together they make and fly a kite. A sudden storm tears the kite away from them but disappointment turns to satisfaction in this affably illustrated story told with repetition and onomatopoeia.

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.

Ducks don daring socks for their weekly Duck Sock Hop. Colorful, textured illustrations of ducks in top hats and amazing socks dance through the pages, an effective accompaniment to the alliterative, animated rhymes.

Lillian, Tilly, and William J. start their energetic adventure when “They choose a spot. They spot some ewes.” The homophones and silliness continue until the exhausted cats relax with a good book. Boldly shaped, colorful illustrations illuminate the animated, rhythmic language.

Stunning animal photographs are presented from Antelope to Zebra. The Jouberts share their expertise, insight and information along with the photographs in this attractive book that can be shared at different levels.

The narrator, a very small fish, snitches a much larger fish’s hat and hides out where he thinks no one can see him. The wordless conclusion is humorous and satisfying in this stylized, expressively illustrated book sure to generate conversations among readers. (2013 Caldecott Medal Winner)

Lyrical language combines with luminous illustrations to detail the life cycle of a male seahorse from small fry (the term for babies) to father. Surprisingly, seahorses change color with the surroundings and males carry the eggs. An author’s note provides additional information.

Oliver is a curious child with lots of questions and a penchant for exploration. During quiet time at home, Oliver builds a contraption to find out if there’s a monster in the tub drain. His imaginative jaunt is presented with droll, naïve drawings, filled with Oliver’s child-like ideas.

Molly told Olive a secret which Olive promised not to tell anyone. Secrets have a way of bubbling out though and so Molly’s secret comes back to her. This familiar dilemma is humorously presented with cartoon illustrations and short text with an unexpected conclusion.

Ribbit-oops! Frog falls into a deep hole, followed by other animals who try to help. Oh, no! Stalked by a hungry tiger, saved by a gentle elephant the drama of the story is enhanced by richly hued illustrations and lots of playful patterns of sounds and language sure to be repeated.

When a downcast magpie is given a single marble by a mouse, it starts its accumulation of many more things until its nest crashes to the ground. Magpie and mouse determine that more isn’t necessarily best. Their tale is told with few words but lush, detailed, and expressive illustrations.

A polar bear journeys from one exotic setting to another winding up with a friend looking at the stars. The bear’s expedition is revealed without words, using soft-lined, expressive, whimsical illustrations.

Readers are invited into the ocean to see some of its colorful inhabitants from A to Z. Arresting, textured collage illustrations enhance the rhyming couplets that move through the alphabet. Additional brief information about each creature concludes this attractive and informative book.

The arrogant wolf’s self-confidence is bolstered by his encounters with family characters from fairy tales, until he meets a small dragon whose father has taught the tiny lizard a very impressive skill. Comic illustrations and understated text create a very funny and satisfying tale.