Book Finder

One. Only one. The story of our planet, our universe, our responsibility for earth’s treasures, begins, and ends with one. Follow a child as they go from small to universal then back again in this handsomely illustrated, empowering look at caring for our planet.

Alphonso loves to fish, attracting them with his wormlike tongue. But can the alligator snapping turtle eat the school of fish who have gathered to joyfully share the meal? Information about amazing alligator snapping turtles concludes this humorous tale of an empathetic creature.

Though most donkeys would find it difficult, Hakim manages to knit a sweater for his friend Daisy who lives atop the mountain. Fog makes everything and everyone that Hakim meets on his journey appear monstrous, but are things always as they appear? Cartoonlike illustrations reveal the humorous truth of mountain trail travel.

Look up! Can you see the gold and black butterflies migrating to warmer climes? The rhyming narration and colorful illustrations with die cuts effectively focus readers on monarchs. A brief note discusses the monarchs’ travel.

On a Saturday walk with her parents, Lizzy gets a cloud she named Milo. But sometimes even the most agreeable pet cloud can grow too large. How Lizzy amends the information on cloud care is sure to resonate with readers of all ages. Soft lines and careful use of color are effective in this imaginative tale.

A child wonders as she wanders on the beach while visiting grandparents. Lush, textured illustrations echo and expand the child’s musings on a glorious day. Husband and wife creators capture this joy-filled experience.  

When the family takes a short vacation, Granny comes to stay to care for the family cat. Granny loses her glasses and accidentally lets a mischievous racoon inside and the indoor cat out. Animated chaos follows Granny’s mistaken identity for a comedy of errors starring one clever racoon.

An’s grandmother’s memory is fading. Her grandfather thinks that a special fruit will help her remember. When the special gấc rice is made, An’s grandmother recalls their wedding wish — the title of the book. Lush illustrations tenderly depict the Vietnamese family and their love for each other. A recipe is included.

Gigi can’t wait for her mother’s father, her grandfather, to arrive from Japan to live with them. But Ojiisan isn’t at all what the biracial girl expected. How grandfather and granddaughter learn about the other is affirming and heartwarming in this easier to read tale.

A young boy enjoys the open field throughout the seasons. Lyrical language and textured watercolors bring into focus the unfettered joy of nature in a “…field [that] would not, could not/be bought! or belong/to anyone./Even Emile.”

Arnold was always a seafaring elephant. Luckily, he found a small island when his boat sank. With his built-in trumpet, he called for help. Help arrives and together, animals combine efforts to make a distinctive island and create unusual friendships in this unique nautical tall tale.

Ralph, a dog, led a quiet life until a nearby egg hatched. The duckling saw Ralph and knew he was his dad. Life was no longer quiet but filled with cuddles and chaos just as the duck’s life was with its puppy horde. Comical illustrations depict the pleasures of a huge, blended family.

Mary loved rainy days because it was then that she would discover her treasures: fossils. Her life and work unfold in straightforward text and simple illustrations. Backmatter further details her life and what it takes to become a paleontologist. 

Have you ever wondered what people don’t see at the seashore? Could it be ballet? Perhaps a performance by talented crabs. Share a performance through the gently rhyming text and detailed, finely lined, gently colored illustrations. A glossary of ballet terms (for kids and crabs) is included.

What can people learn from dogs? How to BE in the moment from waking to bedtime and through the seasons! Charming collage illustrations and straightforward text encourage readers to smell, taste, feel, and see with canine simplicity. 

Different trucks of different colors in different places doing different things are presented in appealing, staccato language and animated illustrations. Only the final pages reveal that these are a child’s toys as they honk! and vroom! off the page.

Rosa and her friends not only enjoy the rain, but they also study it! Simple experiments and childlike illustrations invite readers (and their grownups) to do the same as do others in the series (such as Rosa Explores Life Cycles(opens in a new window))

Sturdy, split pages encourage children to play and laugh as new critters are created. Young readers will want to count everything from smiles to whiskers with each turn of a whole or half page.  

Amid 99 small illustrations of various objects ranging from airplanes to cakes to potatoes, readers are asked to find the one that is different. Even older readers will find the search for the outlier fun and challenging. Happily, for adults, there is a key on the final spread.

Everyday objects and activities come together to help build a young child’s vocabulary in this sturdy, large format book. Familiar scenes are presented in simple illustrations with labeled photographs on a different colored background to extend language and present a search-and-find activity.

The sun is up and so is the baby along with the dog, the teddy and finally, mama and papa. When the moon is up, everyone is sleepy except for the baby; that is until the baby falls asleep. Families with young children will appreciate the humor and the simple, playful illustrations.

Count along with the families as they make dumplings from their own culture and share them as a community. The rhyming tale can be shared on several levels with children of various ages, from the youngest to cooks who want to try their hand at the recipes included.

Drip, a drop of water, travels over earth and air to introduce young readers to the water cycle. Simple illustrations with a die-cut add interest while complementing the simple text.  

Each bird makes its own sound as the day begins. Bold, colorful images and straightforward language encourage joining the bird song from chirps to warbles.