![Dad's First Day](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1619634732.jpg?itok=FTI9vQqh)
Oliver calms his nervous dad on the first day of school in this humorous turn-around tale. Children will see themselves — and perhaps a parent — in this lighthearted saga sure to cause chuckles beyond the start of school.
Dad’s First Day
![Birdie's First Day of School](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0316407453.jpg?itok=tNrqzCVN)
Fashion conscious Birdie has heard lots of negative things about school and so is quite nervous about her first day. But while she still misses her mom and Monster, her dog, she is thrilled to find that school is actually quite wonderful.
Birdie’s First Day of School
![Ally-saurus and the First Day of School](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1454911794.jpg?itok=xlYoMPLh)
Ally, a great dinosaur aficionado, has first day jitters — but then so do the other imaginative kids in kindergarten. They come together and learn they actually have a great deal in common, including ways to create new adventures.
Ally-saurus and the First Day of School
![Good Night, Firefly](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1627792228.jpg?itok=7Enr1aOL)
Nina is afraid of the dark, doubly so when her nightlight goes out. But the light of fireflies brightens her solitary play until she releases the firefly back into the evening. Dark-hued illustrations use fine line, white space, and touches of red to enhance the drama of a very satisfying bedtime book.
Good Night, Firefly
![I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0316241318.jpg?itok=BlJj6iR6)
An assigned pen pal correspondence between an American girl and a boy from Zimbabwe that started in grade school becomes a cultural exchange and a lifelong friendship. Sophisticated readers will appreciate the contrast between the cultures and how friendship can span great distances.
I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives
![Pool](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1452142947.jpg?itok=sSTGfcV0)
A boy with a swim cap and goggles stands at the edge of a colorless pool which is soon invaded by plump adults. Nonetheless, he takes the dive and finds friendship, fantastic adventure, and amazing color beneath the surface. This wordless picture book is just right to spark imaginations and original stories as you make them up anew with each reading.
Pool
![Poems in the Attic](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1620140276.jpg?itok=VOwhzFSj)
A girl discovers her family’s history, sharing some of her mother’s childhood experiences by reading what her mother wrote as a child. A series of short poems and handsome illustrations juxtapose past to present: “Memories can be like sandcastles/the waves wash away./My mama glued her memories with words so they would last forever.” As the family history unfolds, the connection between generations becomes clear in this engaging and very timely book.
Poems in the Attic
![Red: A Crayon's Story](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0062252070.jpg?itok=V1ub1XhI)
Red is misunderstood. He’s a red crayon with a label that says blue so he can’t draw a strawberry or even a stoplight. But when Red learns that he’s really blue, well, he regains his self-confidence. Child-like drawings combine with precise collages for a memorable and humorous take on expectations, labels, and self-confidence.
Red: A Crayon’s Story
![Last Stop on Market Street](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0399257748.jpg?itok=DQEiVoxP)
A slightly grumpy CJ asks his grandma why they have to take a bus across town every Sunday after church. Her answers are playful, wise, and effective; CJ admits he’s glad they came to see their friends at the soup kitchen where they serve. Bright, stylized illustrations and rich, well-paced language presents a warm relationship and a diverse urban locale. (2016 Newbery Medal Winner)
Last Stop on Market Street
![Stormy Night](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0802737803.jpg?itok=sS2ATTHy)
Although the booming storm frightens Bear, the cub tries different things by himself and with his parents, until the weather passes. Reassuringly, each kiss, snuggle, or song lets him feel better.
Stormy Night
![My Pen](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1423103718.jpg?itok=vSF3Elxo)
A boy in a fedora uses his pen to travel, grow, “make giants of old men/who have seen better days” (an homage to his late father, Walter Dean Myers), and visit places real and imagined. Black and white line drawings and sophisticated, poetic language effectively convey the power of art and imagination and are sure to spark conversation.
My Pen
![Completely Clementine](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1423123581.jpg?itok=EI7KLaSe)
Clementine hates change. And there’s a lot of change about to happen: summer is approaching and the end of third grade means goodbye to her beloved teacher, Mr. D’Matz. Plus her family expects a new baby. Like other books in the series, this seventh and final one is sure to cause laughter as Clementine works to come out successfully on the other side of change.
Completely Clementine
![Tacky the Penguin](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0395562333.jpg?itok=9ESqBda_)
Tacky is an odd bird, very unlike his friends and colleagues. But it is Tacky’s peculiarities that save he and his friends from hungry predators. Humor is created by offbeat illustrations of Tacky’s behavior and clever language.
Tacky the Penguin
![Llama Llama Mad at Mama](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0670062405.jpg?itok=82l0ES-z)
Little Llama Llama has a major meltdown when he tires of shopping with Mama in the shop-o-rama. But Mama Llama is smart and figures out how do end the llama drama. The rhyming text shares not only a common experience but a great deal of llama wisdom all told with good humor and rhyme.
Llama Llama Mad at Mama
![Been to Yesterdays: Poems of a Life](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/1563978083.jpg?itok=joV_EdZa)
Readers will recognize the emotional impact of one year in the writer’s life, a year of change, growth, pain and joy. It is presented in economical but powerful poems.
Been to Yesterdays: Poems of a Life
![Sweep Up the Sun](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0763669040.jpg?itok=PTCh-MQa)
The poem encourages readers to “Spread your feathers,/sweep up the sun,/ride the wind and explore.” When combined with stunning photographs of birds, many in motion, the natural world comes into crisp focus for a unique, lyrical exploration of North American birds.
Sweep Up the Sun
![The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0316199982.jpg?itok=R_y28grk)
This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and-at long last-is given his special name: Beekle. (2015 Caldecott Medal Winner)
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend
![The Crossover](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0544107713.jpg?itok=gjcllSMT)
The Bell twins are stars on the basketball court and comrades in life. While there are some differences — Josh shaves his head and Jordan loves his locks — both twins adhere to the Bell basketball rules: In this game of life, your family is the court, and the ball is your heart. When life intervenes in the form of a new girl, the balance shifts and growing apart proves painful. Alexander eloquently mashes up concrete poetry, hip-hop, a love of jazz, and a thriving family bond. The effect is poetry in motion. It is a rare verse novel that is fundamentally poetic rather than using this writing trend as a device. There is also a quirky vocabulary element that adds a fun intellectual note to the narrative. This may be just the right book for those hard-to-match youth who live for sports or music or both. (2015 Newbery Medal Winner)
The Crossover
![A Day with No Crayons](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0873589106.jpg?itok=qob0GMw0)
Her mom takes the crayons away when Liza uses the wall as her canvas, but she discovers a world of color anyway.
A Day with No Crayons
![Oh Dear Geoffrey!](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0763666599.jpg?itok=nk6CFwHR)
Geoffrey is tall and clumsy and downright awkward. He slips and slides, scaring the meerkats. At the watering hole, his splashing and sploshing only makes mud, not friends. But his height comes in handy to help a troop of monkeys. Lively language and textured illustrations present a humorous tale of self-acceptance and developing friendship.
Oh Dear Geoffrey!
![It's an Orange Aardvark!](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0062252062.jpg?itok=vYOiMnFP)
“Goodness! Gracious! Yikes!” exclaim a timid group of carpenter ants as they peer out of holes made by one brave insect, viewing a rainbow of color. What they discover instead of an ant-eating, ketchup-carrying, orange aardvark with pack of green geckos will delight young readers as they see the vivid colors through die cuts and bold shapes in this satisfying, humorous tale.
It’s an Orange Aardvark!
![Charlie Bumpers vs. the Really Nice Gnome](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/156145740X.jpg?itok=7ZDniEs7)
Much to his horror, Charlie is assigned to perform as the Nice Gnome in “The Sorcerer’s Castle,” his 4th grade class play. Even though he perfected the laugh of the Evil Sorcerer, as the Gnome, Charlie saves the day — and the performance — in this laugh-out-loud funny story. Told through Charlie’s narration, readers will surely see themselves in these likeable characters.
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Really Nice Gnome
![Stella's Starliner](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0763614955.jpg?itok=kqlabotC)
Stella loves her silver starliner — a mobile home — until she’s teased about living in a trailer. When other kids think her home is gorgeous, Stella comes to appreciate what they see and feels pride, actually like a “squillionaire!” Signature illustrations effectively convey Stella’s rollercoaster emotions and the ultimate comfort of friends, family and home.
Stella’s Starliner
![I'm Brave!](/sites/default/files/styles/book_cover_mobile_1x/public/book/0062203185.jpg?itok=taLbslhF)
Just like his counterpart the garbage truck from I Stink (opens in a new window) (Harper), this very confident and informative fire truck enjoys showing off all of his parts. Firefighter and truck aficionados will appreciate the overview of working trucks and firefighting.