Book Finder

Humans like the beach in the sunlight but bats prefer it in when it’s “moony.” Children will enjoy the wordplay and the bat activities in this rollicking, rhyming romp as they recognize familiar beach goings-on, reflected in the appealing illustrations.

Bright illustrations and simple words depict what young children are likely to encounter on a trip to the beach. From playthings to sea creatures, this sturdy book is ideal to share with the very young with or without a trip to the sea.

As the sun rose, an egg was ready to hatch but whose chick was it? “Whose egg is this?” quacks, chirps and honks each different bird. But the swan knows who the little gray cygnet belongs to; it’s her much loved hatchling! Children will empathize with the simply told, realistically illustrated tale.

While a family with a baby enjoys a picnic, forest animal babies and their families engage in comparable activities. Lighthearted illustrations show parallel human and animal family scenes with a rhythmic text for added fun.

This reworked version of the traditional tale of the hardworking, unaided Little Red Hen continues until her own baby chick befriends the offspring of the lazy cat, rat, and pig and together they play. By the end of the day each baby learns a new lesson in forgiveness and sharing. Dramatic black/white woodcuts with splashes of red and green enhance this meaningful saga, giving it a contemporary feel.

Ellie was promised a puppy of her own before she turned 9 years old. But that was before her great aunt had to give up her dog, who Ellie’s parents take in. Though Ellie is reluctant to accept Preston as her dog — he’s not the puppy she’d wanted — he turns out to be a good friend and her dog after all in this warm novel about friendship and acceptance.

A baby jay, a small striped kitten, and a little girl with a bike come together in an unexpected way with wonderful results, as each grows and gains confidence. Dialogue in conversation balloons creates a comically paced series of events that reach a satisfying conclusion.

Kittens prance, leap, and spill over and through the pages of this rhyming celebration of baby cats: “Here and there and everywhere, Kittens! Kittens! Kittens!” The lively rhyming look at feline activity makes a fine companion to Puppies! Puppies! Puppies!

A little boy prepares his puppy for bed in his basket, recalling the everyday adventures they shared. Of course, the sleepy puppy winds up cuddled in bed with the boy. Rhyming text follow the familiar lullaby, “Hush Little Baby.”

A fox is born on a spring day, and the passing days turn to passive seasons until the young fox becomes confident and independent. Evocative language and textured, richly colored illustrations are used in this triumphant story.

Baby animals are shown here in transport! Rich language and expressive illustrations give an engaging and informative look at how animals move. Some animals stand up right away while others need time to grow — just like young humans.

Close-up photographs introduce animal babies who live in rain forests, from a jaguar cub to a young sloth, with lots in between. With a turn of the sturdy page, baby and mama appear together.

Dreams are for the day and the night. Children dream for themselves as well as their community and their world. Short poems, richly imagined and vibrantly illustrated appear in English and Spanish and are firmly rooted in a child’s experience.

Vivid images combine with lively language to present a sunny season with its foods, fun and family in short poems in both English and Spanish.

This book is about a ten-year-old Dominican boy, Miguel, who recently moved to a small town in Vermont after his mother and father separated. Throughout the story Miguel demonstrates mixed feeling about his parents’ separation, about starting a new life in a small town away from New York City where his father lives, and about welcoming a flamboyant aunt, “Tía Lola,” who only speaks Spanish.

Vivi Cochinita is a very shy pig. She is so shy that on her birthday, she doesn’t dare invite anyone. But when she goes to bed that night, she dreams about all the fun others are having and wakes up to a wonderful surprise.

Overcoming a difficult childhood, Victoria took control of her own destiny in sometimes unorthodox ways and became the first woman to run for U.S. President in 1872 before women even had the right to vote (Frederick Douglass was nominated to run as Vice President). Photorealistic illustrations add to this remarkable tale of a woman who was truly ahead of her time.

A wide selection of Irish poems, music, stories and folktales are presented along with delicate, evocative line and wash illustrations. Sure to please a range of listeners, this collection is ideal for sharing aloud.

The alphabet is used as a device to introduce the vocabulary for a range of musical styles as well as the names of famous musicians. Jaunty illustrations combine with energetic language for an intriguing glimpse into music and musicians.

Short, fresh and fun essays present a broad array of musicians and their music - from Bach to Guthrie to Joplin with lots in between. Unexpected information can be found in each informal entry along with caricatured portraits.

Short, clever, sometimes irreverent snapshots introduce a range of artists and their peculiarities. From Michelangelo to Georgia O’Keefe, the artists are presented in brief essays accompanied by lighthearted illustrations.

The words for over 60 well known traditional American folksongs (e.g., “Home on the Range,” “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”) and easy-to-follow music are presented in an illustrated, oversized format. Notes about each song’s origin and a music CD are included.

Realistic illustrations and appealing text introduce the life and magical feats of one of the world’s greatest showmen and best known magician, Harry Houdini.