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Playful illustrations in brilliant colors depict charming, expressive, almost childlike but recognizable animals. Numerals accompanied by one word on each sturdy, double-page spread encourage counting from 1 belly (on a teddy bear) to an alligator’s 10 teeth. An endnote offers concrete ideas for adults to encourage counting beyond the pages of this engaging book.

Split pages encourage young readers to look carefully at the cheerful illustrations with bold lines and simple forms. As night approaches, a page turns to reveal no one is hiding and soon, almost everyone sleeps!

A snowy landscape: “Brrr… Invierno. Winter.” But winter turns to spring, then summer, followed by autumn, and finally a new year. Single words in both English and Spanish combine with gentle illustrations to present children and families throughout the seasons.

Explore colors in crisp photographs and brief language. Blocks of different hues show color variations and accompany a picture and a brief descriptor (e.g., a photo of a frog combines with “Green hops.”). Turn the page and other images complement the lyrical text for a very satisfying introduction to colors in the real world.

Simple concepts are presented in straightforward language in both Spanish and English. On each sturdy double page is a crisp illustration that uses simple line and flat form. The result is a precise, highly accessible look at the basic concepts of near and far. You may also want to share Lejos / Far(opens in a new window).

The science behind sound and vision is presented in accessible illustration and straightforward text. The language used includes sophisticated terms (e.g., cochlea, vibration) which will likely familiarize younger children and their adults with the science vocabulary. You may also enjoy Baby Loves the Five Senses: Sight(opens in a new window).

The places where animals live are specifically named and presented in illustration. Turn the page and the animal is placed in a very human setting (e.g., otters’ resting place is a “couch”) to allow children to glimpse the dual meaning of (generally) familiar words.

A multicultural story about what it means to be all-American. Lauren and her best friend, Tara, have always done absolutely everything together. So when they try out for the school play, Lauren, who loves to sing, wonders if maybe, just maybe, she will be the star instead of Tara this time. But when the show is cast, Lauren lands in the ensemble, while Tara scores the lead role. Their teacher explains: Lauren just doesn’t look the part of the all-American girl. What audience would believe that she, half-Jewish, half-Chinese Lauren, was the everygirl star from Pleasant Valley, USA?

In this humorous and heartfelt story about a split cultural identity, nothing goes according to plan for sixth-grader Lucy Wu. She’s ready to rule the school, go out for captain of the basketball team, and take over the bedroom she has always shared with her sister … until she finds out that Yi Po, her beloved grandmother’s sister, is coming to visit and will be staying in Lucy’s room. Lucy discovers that life often reveals silver linings in the most unexpected of clouds.

Twelve-year-old Peter Lee and his family are baseball lovers, who bond over back lot games and talk of the Pittsburgh Pirates. But when tragedy strikes, the family flies apart and baseball no longer seems to matter. Is that true? Peter wonders if just maybe the game they love can pull them together and bring them back, safe at home.

1942, the United States is reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Army Air Corps joins forces with the Navy to create a top secret plan, a bombing raid unlike any raid ever planned. Sixteen bombers set out. How many will return? (Book 7 in Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series)

Araminta Ross was born a slave in Delaware. After years of backbreaking labor, she escaped and traveled north to freedom. Follow in the footsteps of one of the most daring leaders of the Underground Railroad. (Book 5 in Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series)

With help from Rapunzel (and her trusty braids), a pixie from Jack’s past, and a man with inventions from the future, they just might out-swindle the evil giants and put his beloved city back in the hands of good people. This graphic novel is a follow-up to Rapunzel’s Revenge.

The story of John Wesley Powell, the one-armed geologist who explored the Grand Canyon with 10 other men in 1869. Equal parts gruesome and hilarious, this latest installment in the bestselling series takes readers on an action-packed adventure through American history. (Book 9 in Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series)

The story of Nathan Hale, who was an officer and spy for the American rebels during the Revolutionary War. This lively, rigorously researched, visually engaging graphic novel highlights the unusual and just plain unbelievable truth of the historical Nathan Hale. (Book 1 in Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series)

Have you ever thought about telling your own story, whether it be true or imagined? Are you interested in writing, drawing, or both? With guidance from bestselling graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier herself, brainstorm ideas, make lists, paste in personal photos, and use your imagination to create your own stories. For additional inspiration, special behind-the-scenes information from Telgemeier’s own comics-making adventures is featured inside.

Callie loves theater. She’s the set designer for the stage crew, and this year she’s determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn’t know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage and offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen. Telgemeier brings us another graphic novel featuring a diverse set of characters that humorously explores friendship, crushes, and all-around drama!

Catrina and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California because her little sister, Maya, is sick. Cat isn’t happy about leaving her friends for Bahía de la Luna, but Maya has cystic fibrosis and will benefit from the cool, salty air that blows in from the sea. As the girls explore their new home, a neighbor lets them in on a secret: There are ghosts in Bahía de la Luna. Maya is determined to meet one, but Cat wants nothing to do with them. As the time of year when ghosts reunite with their loved ones approaches, Cat must figure out how to put aside her fears for her sister’s sake – and her own.

Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach, but eventually returns to school, where she’s dealing with the usual highs and lows. It soon becomes clear that Raina’s tummy trouble isn’t going away…and it coincides with her worries about food, school, and changing friendships. What’s going on? In this autobiographical graphic novel, Telgemeier gives young readers an honest and compassionate look at one girl’s struggles with anxiety.

Why does the Pigeon have to go to school? He already knows everything! And what if he doesn’t like it? What if the teacher doesn’t like him? What if he learns TOO MUCH!?!

Fly Guy and his owner, Buzz, are back! This time they’re on a field trip to the aquarium. With a bit of trepidation (which he loses along the way), Fly Guy agrees to tour the shark exhibit with Buzz acting as guide. Mixing photos of fish tanks with notebook-lined journal pages, taped pictures, and handwritten notes about the predators, Buzz introduces readers to a sampling of the more than 400 kinds of sharks.

Meet the shark — the fish who ruled the deep before dinosaurs roamed the Earth! This fish has soft cartilage so he can glide, twist, and turn. He can smell a single drop of blood in 25 million drops of ocean. He can feel electricity given off by his prey. He will lose and replace more than 10,000 teeth in his lifetime. Cool photos bring kids into the shark’s world. Fun facts go deep into the science of sharks.