Book Finder

A mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong. The up-and-down journey that reminds them of what’s best about Saturdays: precious time together.

Can rescue dog, McTavish, help his Peachy family with vacation plans? His human family needs his guidance and patience — again. Whether revisiting the Peachys (Good Dog, McTavish (opens in a new window)) or meeting them for the first time, this charming, recognizable family is sure to charm readers of all ages.

A girl and her family visit their little blue cottage by the bay every summer as she grows. Lyrical language and gentle illustrations expressively depict time passing until the girl, now grown, returns with her own family, implicitly diverse and intergenerational.

A father gently awakens his child to begin their day outdoors. As they leave home, the scenery changes, becoming more tranquil and natural where they begin their hike. At the end of the day, they head home. The joy of an outdoor afternoon and the pleasure of an outing with dad are elegantly conveyed with few words. 

It’s dark in the lighthouse home; everything is quiet, until it is not! Everyone in the large, extended family gets into the silliness — even the dog — until everyone falls asleep. Lively rhythmic language combines with energetic illustrations for a fun book to read and share.

Twins Erin and Ellis are good at many things, especially looking for trouble. They look everywhere and finally find their cat, Trouble! The surprise ending creates a minor mystery as the children creatively search for Trouble through simple illustrations and a straightforward text.

A small white dog and his human dad move in with a cat and a large dog and their human mom. Though the transition is tough, they make it — until a “Waaah!” joins the family. Understated, comical, and relatable, this experience is presented with expressive illustration and limited language.

Harris is a “very small hare with very big feet.” His grandfather helps him realize that those big, strong feet will carry Harris around the world and back. Elegant illustrations use different perspectives to show the distance the younger and older hares travel as Harris gains confidence.

In this winter fable about where snow comes from, Little Snow, who wears snowflake pajamas, gets a new featherbed for the long, cold winter nights. But Mommy says this bed is for sleeping, not jumping, but when she leaves the room, he jumps and jumps on his bed … until one day it rips, sending feathers flying. A page turn reveals that his feathers are snowflakes, falling on a nghttime city block.

Jingwen feels more like he’s on Mars than in Australia when he, his younger brother Yanghao, and their mother relocate from China. English is a breeze for Yanghao but a struggle for Jingwen who hears it as just gibberish. Line and wash illustrations cleverly depict the language confusion as well as the brothers’ plausible relationship. Even with serious issues present (the boys’ father has died; their mother works long hours) this remarkable book is witty, engaging, and entirely credible.

Her mother disappeared when Matilda “Tilly” Pages was just a baby. Since then she has lived with her grandparents in their London bookstore, Pages & Co. At the start of the midterm break, Tilly discovers a special talent: she is a bookwanderer which allows her to meet characters from her favorite books like Anne (of Green Gables) and Alice (in Wonderland). In this riveting, well-told tale, other characters from classics come alive. The conclusion is satisfying while pointing to forthcoming stories.

Twelve-year-old Lucy lives with her father in Rockport, Massachusetts. Her mother, a marine biologist, died several years earlier. Lucy and her best friend and neighbor with a passion for science are making a field guide about marine animals: Fred writes; Lucy draws. Loss, grief, and healing are deftly handled in this memorable, striking novel in which community, art, science, and love intersect.

When the gong rings at the gompa, Tsering takes off for home knowing that hot, hearty, spicy thukpa awaits him. He invites others as he meets along the mountainous path. When the power goes out, Abi worries she won’t be able to see to complete the thukpa. But Tsering is accustomed to the dark as he’s blind. Alliterative, onomatopoeic language complements the childlike illustrations. Information about thukpa and a recipe are included.

In spite of his canine mother’s assurances, a puppy is mistreated by people and winds up at a shelter. A boy named Patrick and his mother spend the summer — and beyond — at his grandfather’s home. How the dog who lost his bark and a boy with no friends and parents who are separating help each other heal is tenderly told and gently illustrated in this short, moving novel.

When the younger brother describes his sister, she’s pictured as a rhinoceros, a boring, bossy bully. Flip the book over, and it’s the sister who sees her brother as a noisy, annoying monkey. They come together to realize that maybe two kids in “the family isn’t so bad.” But then with a “Waaaa,” a third sibling arrives! This humorous look at sibling dynamics is sure to resonate.

Join the narrator’s rhyming examination of his house, including things one doesn’t always see. For instance, in the room where the family bakes, “we sing into spoons and get covered in cake!” Each room holds special pleasure. A double gatefold opens up an entire block of houses, concluding “… our house is something like yours!”

Ben got the best birthday present of all when he walked into his classroom that day. Until then, after being teased at school, Ben hid his love for colorful fingernails, only painting them on weekends. His friend Margarita and Ben’s parents had always been supportive, but now everyone would share Ben’s joy. Line and wash illustrations complement this unique way of accepting differences. 

What is fry bread? It’s food, shape, sound, art, history, and more — so much more. It is an American Indian tradition shared by a member of the Mekusukey Seminoles. A varied group of children and elders are depicted contributing to the recipe as the text describes its complex role in American history. Additional information is appended to create a book that can be used in both simple and complex ways.

The story begins before a family with two parents, one child in a stroller, and a lively older boy reach the steps of the museum. The boy acquires a flying toy that leads first to misunderstanding but ultimately friendship. Few words are needed as the detailed, expressive line and wash illustrations convey action and emotion to bring the tale full circle to its satisfying conclusion.

Hally, the Tosis family dog, suffers from a very big problem: she has terrible breath. This, of course, is a major issue for the family and the Tosis’ entire community, until Hally saves the day! She thwarts serial burglars with her daunting exhalation. The silly and (sort of) gross humor first published in 1994 is available again.

Astrid tells her father that she wants to be an astronaut, and is not deterred when her father asks her if she can eat food from a package and go round and round the earth in a spaceship. When her mother gets home, Astrid, embraced by both parents, proclaims,“I want to be an astronaut just like you [her mother].” Uncluttered illustrations simply but effectively depict Astrid’s loving family.

Several generations of a family prepare for a meal together. Told in the cadence of a familiar rhyme, each member — from the youngest to the oldest — contributes to the celebratory occasion. Bright, childlike illustrations capture the fun and food for a festive meal shared “around the table that Grandad built.”

From a lap to sit on to “this earth we ride on…” people and animals are grateful for the everyday things they see and experience. Idealized illustrations complement the text to focus on simple, commonplace pleasures.