Book Finder

Though Herb enjoys reading, he doesn’t appreciate how important it is to treat books with care. Then he falls asleep and finds himself in a book of fairy tales that he has changed. Readers who are familiar with the standard tales will delight in this fresh, funny, and fractured book.

Molly, the bookmobile librarian, finds a new batch of readers and writers when she accidentally drives into the zoo. “In a flash, every beast in the zoo was stampeding/To learn all about this new something called reading.” Lively and appealing illustrations show the fun Molly and the animals have as they build the Zoobrary. Also available in Spanish.

Amelia Bedelia takes her orders quite literally. She wonders why she’s asked to dust the furniture when it really should be “undusted,” or why it’s important to find the proper clothes to “dress the chicken.” Readers will chuckle as they figure out the correct way for the bumbling maid to carry out her work.

Rather than sleep, Baby wants to dance the polka, the cha cha – any and everything – exhausting the poor parents! After lots of activity, Ma and Pa finally tuck in the tuckered out baby. Rhyming text and flaps that lift on sturdy pages make a memorable book to share at bedtime and beyond.

Knock-knock. Who’s there? Lift the flap and find out in this silly, pun-filled look at school and everything from lockers to spelling bees. Comic illustrations incorporate both flaps and cut-outs to create a satisfying format.

When Ruby sends out invitations to a party, Max sends out his own which are delivered to Grandma. Children are encouraged to participate by lifting the flaps in this sturdy, colorful book. They’ll try to figure out the meaning of Max’s messages and may even be inspired to write their own letters in this latest Max and Ruby jaunt.

Ike LaRue, famous correspondent (introduced in Dear Mrs. LaRue) known by readers as a four-legged letter writer with a flair for exaggeration now turns to solving the mysterious disappearance of neighborhood cats.

As a child doodles and draws, she plays with lively language and creates all that she’s illustrated. Which comes first, the doodles or the words? Well, it’s a tantalizing tangle to untwist tongues and identify illustrations.

The ducks and goose start the animals’ frenzied flight when they see a mostly hidden animal and exclaim, “A coyote’s on the loose!” Colorful, comic illustrations culminate in a house in a rain storm where the “coyote” turns out to be a small white rabbit.

Duck has lost the keys to his big red truck. While he looks for them, readers lift the flap to see that Frog is hiding them, leading Duck to the car where the keys are hidden in plain sight! Frog’s joke is sure to please the youngest reader as they predict where the keys will turn up next.

Knock-knock jokes – many of them real groaners, all of them sure to generate chortles – are arranged in alphabetical order. Knock-knock. Who’s there? Amen. Amen who? Amen in hot water again! Or try Boo. Boo who? Well, you don’t have to cry about it! An index is included to help you find the perfect joke for any occasion.

Who would have thought that fruits and vegetables could express a cornucopia of emotions? The expressive produce are labeled with the fellings they are showing. Readers of all ages can identify with this clever book and will gain the words to use when presented with stressful situations.

Joey is out of control. He knows it, his mom knows it, and the school knows it. Nothing seems to remedy his behavior until Joey runs away from a class field trip, hurts a classmate, and is sent to a special education program. There, his medications are regulated and Joey achieves a level of control.

Something peculiar is going on in the village of Mud Flat today. Mr. Duffy has disappeared in a puff of green smoke, and Brian woke up with his head on backward. Doris is greeted by a singing tree, and poor Lila sniffs a rose that promptly squirts her in the eye. What is this strange brand of spring fever?

The essence of animals is evoked in rich language and the short form of haiku poems in this engaging book. Coupled with breathtaking and well composed illustrations, the poems are dramatically placed on double page spreads.

Old Turtle’s friends discover that the doorbell doesn’t work when they come to visit him, and so they begin with knock-knocks: who’s there? Annie. Annie who? Annie body home? The wraparound story is used as a platform for a bunch of jokes, sure to please.

Owen’s neighbor thinks that Owen is getting too old to take Fuzzy, his beloved yellow blanket, to kindergarten. With a snip, however, Owen’s inspired mom comes up with a creative solution for all.

Geronimo Stilton narrates his cheesy saga of a reputation run amok. In this installment of the heavily illustrated, pun-filled series, the writer-detective-mouse must protect his reputation from an unscrupulous imposter.

Pippi, an amazingly strong child, can pick up the house in which she lives alone in the middle of town. Her extraordinary adventures continue to delight and amaze children, just as Pippi did for the author’s own daughter.

Where do frogs sit? On toadstools. What happened when the frog left his car in a no parking zone? It was toaded, of course! Jewel-toned, semi-abstract paintings illustrated this pun-filled book all about amphibious friends.

A large, slightly frumpy family travels to visit their equally large and frumpy relatives to share food, conversation, and a good time, proving that there’s always room for one more! The relatives’ visit is humorously chronicled in the lively illustrations and understated text of this Caldecott Honor book.

Dorothy may have thought there’s no place like home when she clicked her ruby slippers, but the wanderlust of her native state is what starts all the trouble here. Kansas is bored and gets best friend Nebraska to help stir things up. Soon they’re throwing a potluck party for all the states and everyone delights in the idea of seeing another part of the country. Readers will unwittingly learn more than they would ever have thought while poring over the witty remarks exchanged over state lines.

What does the Stupid family do when the kids come home with poor grades on their report cards? Why they celebrate with a costume party and invite their relatives, of course! Anyone who has ever had a bad day will appreciate the silly humor and dumb jokes in this comic picture book.

Once upon a time three pigs built three houses, out of straw, sticks, and bricks. Along came a wolf, who huffed and puffed… So, you think you know the rest? Think again. With David Wiesner at the helm, it’s never safe to assume too much. When the wolf approaches the first house, for example, and blows it in, he somehow manages to blow the pig right out of the story frame, and the perplexed expression on the wolf’s face as he looks in vain for his ham dinner is priceless. One by one, the pigs exit the fairy tale’s border and set off on an adventure of their own. (2002 Caldecott Medal Winner)