Book Finder

Flowers appear like other things like “Heralding trumpets,/a Mexican hat./Skittering spiders,/a fluttering bat.” But each flower illustrated is real, part of a plant. To make sure readers know this, a photograph accompanied by the common and scientific names as well as where the flower is found and how it is pollinated concludes this intriguing book.

Only the green egg remains unchanged after the pink, blue and yellow eggs hatch; three small birds wait and wait and wait for the fourth egg. After the long wait, a distinctly un-avian creature emerges and a unique friendship begins. Strong lines, soft colors with rounded shapes and repeated images with minimal language tell this distinctive tale of an egg.

Short poems present a range of familiar insects from crickets to Monarch butterflies. Each is accompanied by brief information about the critter (with additional information at the end), and illustrated with playful, animated, colorful art in Melissa Sweet’s charming signature style.

A bee flies through fields of flowers, over woodland streams and more until it winds up in its hive with others. Colorful illustrations fill each double-page spread, each with a die-cut to glimpse what appears on the next page. The rhyming text moves the bee’s saga satisfyingly along. 

An eel from the Sargasso Sea is a fascinating subject as presented in this brief look at an eel’s lifecycle. Further information is included on the CD.

A. A. Milne’s When We Were Very Young is a collection of poems that have touched the hearts of readers for more than 90 years. His verses sing with a playful innocence, weaving together the worlds of reality and enchanting make-believe. Now We Are Six contains an enchanting collection of verses about Christopher Robin and, of course, Winnie-the-Pooh

Don t miss the adventures of Chuck and David, two boys who travel to the alien planet Basidium in their homemade spaceship. This timeless series (in print since the 1950s) is a classic that is sure to be read over and over again.

The Boxcar Children — Jessie, Henry, Violet and Benny — are excited to attend a young astronomers’ convention! But when a student and his important discovery go missing, will the children be able to help?

Laika was the abandoned puppy destined to become Earth’s first space traveler. This is her journey. The author masterfully blends a graphic novel format with fiction and fact in the intertwined stories of three compelling lives. Along with Laika, there is Korolev, once a political prisoner, now a driven engineer at the top of the Soviet space program, and Yelena, the lab technician responsible for Laika’s health and life. An extensive bibliography of sources is appended.

A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. This wordless picture book is about self-determination — and unexpected friendship.

Sixth-grader Raina falls and severely damages her two front teeth. Through middle school and into high school, she struggles with peer relationships, discovering her own strengths while enduring painful orthodontia. The concluding pages reveal a self-assured high school student who can indeed smile. Full-color comic panels perfectly capture young adolescence.

The story follows Anno as he rides through the streets and countryside of Northern Europe. This wordless picture book tells the stories of each hamlet, farmyard, circus, and town square in visually rich, and often surprising detail. The author introduces geography and science by focusing on children and adults at work and play, as well as on art, architecture, composers, and painters, as he conducts an imaginary tour of England

When a boy and his dog go for a hike, the boy trips on a fossil, and it comes to life, revealing an ancient plant. The boy is so intrigued that he breaks two more fossils that come to life — a dragonfly and a pteranodon. When these prehistoric creatures collide with present reality, the boy must figure out a way to make things go back to normal. Visually told through art, this wordless story will surely spark imagination and creativity.

In this almost wordless picture book, a host of woodland creatures take a child’s sled for a nighttime joy ride. Their whimsical ride is gorgeously depicted in bold watercolor, complemented by humorous expressions and pitch-perfect sound effects.

While walking through the forest, Hank finds an egg on the forest floor. After spotting its nest high up in a tree, he uses his ingenuity to help get the egg home safe and sound, and is joyfully rewarded with newfound friends. Hank’s endearing and genuine kindness will inspire readers young and old to believe in themselves and in the goodness of others.

Inside a tent it’s cozy. But what is going on outside? Is it dark? Is it scary? Not if you have your trusty flashlight! Told solely through images and using a spare yet dramatic palette, the author has crafted a masterful exploration of night, nature, and art. Both lyrical and humorous, this visual poem — like the flashlight beam itself — reveals that there is magic in the darkness.

This wordless time-travel fantasy takes readers on a trip to a world of secret messages left in secret boxes hidden in secret places. The story begins as three boys discover a box in the top floor of their urban boarding school that holds decades-old sepia photographs of a schoolboy, a postcard, and a map leading to a location on the coast.

It was August 6, 1926; Gertrude Ederle was about to become the first woman to swim the English Channel. Not only did she swim the channel, she did so faster than the fastest time of any man. Dramatic illustrations and complete endnotes conclude Trudy’s riveting story.

In early 20^th century Fentress, Texas, girls aren’t veterinarians and skunks are not pets. That doesn’t stop Calpurnia from aspiring to be a vet nor her younger brother Travis from rescuing two kits — baby skunks —  and calling on Callie for help.  Humor and pathos emerge as Callie narrates this episode. Gentle line drawings add flavor to the setting and characters in the first of a new easier to read historical fiction series. 

Retellings in verse present a host of memorable females in traditional stories from around the world. Join Prince Ivan’s quest, revisit the girl in the tower, listen to Sheherazade as she spins her tales. Then examine the detailed, luminous illustrations to find hidden people and things in this inventive recasting of familiar folktales. 

Malala’s story is one of the resilience that comes from strong conviction. It is told through a present tense narrative and dramatic, vivid, stylized illustrations. The early life of the girl and her supportive family, her struggle against the Taliban and her ultimate recovery from a murder attempt is further enhanced by extensive back matter which includes photographs and additional information and resources. 

The true story of a mother, her four daughters, one son, and a handsome white cat named Kunkush is a journey out of war-torn Iraq to resettle in Norway. It is also the tale of valiant volunteers who reunite Kunkush with his brave family after being separated during the grueling jouney. Richly hued, realistic illustrations accompany the straightforward text. Photos of the family, Kunkush, and the volunteers conclude the book.

Kayla is a human girl who solves mysteries with a bit of help from her dog, King. Together they figure out who has sent Kayla and her friend, Mason, the same anonymous coded letter. King may use his nose to help solve the mystery, but it is Kayla and Mason who break the code!  A likeable new series for newly independent reader is accompanied by cheery illustrations. 

Fanny is a girl who knows a lot about food and cooking since she’s grown up in and around the famous restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. Join Fanny as she helps cook a huge bouillabaisse in Provence; learns how to make fresh cheese from a shepherd high up in the Pyrenees mountains; hunts for  wild oysters off the coast of Bordeaux, and discovers how one chicken can feed nine people, if served a certain way.