Book Finder
Use our Book Finder tool to create your own customized list of fiction and nonfiction books. Search through more than 5,000 books on Reading Rockets — by author, illustrator, age, reading level, genre, format, and topic.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Naughty lowercase letters climb the coconut tree but when little Z gets to the top, they all go BOOM to the bottom. After a rescue by grown-up letters (all uppercase), it all seems to start again. Humor, crisp illustration and rhythm make this alphabetic adventure a classic.
A Day's Work
When his grandfather arrives from Mexico, Francisco helps him find work as a gardener even though he is really a carpenter. When they mistakenly pull all the plants but leave the weeds, Abuelo, upset at Francisco's lie, refuses to accept payment until the job is done correctly.
Tomie dePaola's Mother Goose
Original illustrations define and enhance a selection of over 200 mostly familiar nursery rhymes. Open format and gentle colors in a large format make this a wonderful book to share with young children.
Wake-up Kisses
Nocturnal animals wake up as everyone else goes to sleep. Illustrations show their nighttime activities illuminated by moonlight while the gently rhyming text creates a soothing rhythm. Filled with movement, all of which starts with wake-up kisses, this is a comfortable and comforting story to be shared at bedtime.
Blueberries For Sal
Sal and her mother set off in search of blueberries for the winter at the same time as a mother bear and her cub. A quiet comedy of errors ensues when the young ones wonder off and absentmindedly trail the wrong mothers.
Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?
A day in the life of a special little bear is vividly presented in an exuberant rhyming text and warm, full-color illustrations, in the first volume, in the popular series featuring the irrepressible Jesse Bear.
Llama Llama Mad at Mama
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.
There Was an Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe
Meet a grand old woman who lives in a shoe with lots and lots of children. She also makes stew for the diverse cast of kids (and animals), mends their clothes, and fixes broken furniture! A well-known rhyme becomes new again in bright illustration and fresh verse.
Little Excavator
Little Excavator, better known as Little E, wants to help the big construction equipment transform a vacant lot. Rhymes and onomatopoeia accompany the expressive illustrations of heavy-duty equipment, for a satisfying tale of growing up.
The Scrambled States of America
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.
