Book Finder

All the other kids have pirate costumes for their adventures while the narrator has one like Robinson Crusoe. When teased about it, he heads to his bedroom where he dreams he is marooned on an island, savoring the solitary adventure until his friends return. Signature illustrations are evocative, detailed, and delicate, accompanied by brief but effective narration.

A boy on a bike spies a red book by the side of the road. As he reads it in his chilly seaside village, he sees a girl in a boat in a much warmer place reading a red book, and so on. Could children be connected by a book? No words are needed in this intriguing, surprisingly sophisticated story which unfolds through illustrations in a companion volume to The Red Book.

Pigeon has given up his private detective work. That is until a young canary goes missing along with other colorful birds. Young mystery lovers will enjoy the humor and graphic comic elements in this comical mystery.

A vivid imagination helped Miguel Cervantes to grow beyond a tough childhood and to create a cultural icon: Don Quixote. Luminous illustrations and rich poetry follow young Miguel to adulthood where his creativity triumphs. A note about Cervantes from the author and illustrator conclude this stunning book.

The legendary battles between Rock, Paper, and Scissors started long ago in the Kingdom of Backyard, the Empire of Mom’s Home Office, and in the Kitchen Realm. Exaggerated, expressive, and over-the-top illustrations bring the tale of the saga that is still plays out on hands everywhere.

They’re all gone now but a group of dinosaurs comes back to life even if only while reading funny epitaphs. Equally comic illustrations and a smattering of factual information are included on the pages of this clever collection.

Jasmine Toguchi (first introduced in Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen), uses her detective skills to find out why her best friend and older sister are no longer excited about the Japanese celebration of Girl’s Day. Characters and events are recognizable and engaging to cause a chuckle or two.

It was good to be a kid in 1954. There were nickel doughnuts and one-cent lollipops. At the same time though, learning to read was just plain boring. That is until Dr. Seuss came up with an idea! Straight narration and Seussian rhyme combine with both realistic and imaginative illustrations to present the story of how entertaining leveled books began.

Earth is surrounded by stars of which the sun is only one. Earth is blue “because it is covered by 370,000,000.000,000,000,000 gallons of water.” It has trillions of trees and millions of cities …. but “only one of YOU…” This imaginative presentation is enjoyable to read and may well encourage closer observation of what is all around. 

Meet the Statue of Liberty. She came from across an ocean like many of the people she continues to welcome; that’s why her right foot is mid-stride, of course. Strong graphics and factual but timely, tongue-in-cheek text presents Lady Liberty as never seen before.

GW, the hamster enjoys his evenings with his animal friends and is even beginning to like the second graders with whom he shares the room during the day. It is up to GW and his friends save the art show from the dastardly plot of mouse Harriet and her minions in this amusing, short graphic novel. A new story in the Pets on the Loose series.

Every day is a celebration, from Sunday with grandparents to an all-play day Saturday. Short, lively poems are exuberantly illustrated and presented in Spanish and English.

Jane Addams hated war. But what could one person do? Jane found a way, dedicating her life to peace and won a Nobel Peace Prize for her commitment to it. Soft watercolors create a period in time, the people and places where Jane worked to complement the straightforward, engaging narration. Additional biographical information is included.

Charlie and Mouse enjoy a weekend with their grandfather known as Grumpy. The gentle family story of and older and younger brother enjoying each other and the company of an older relative is cozily illustrated and divided into short chapters, similar to the first story about these characters, Charlie & Mouse (opens in a new window).

Fox wants to be bad but when he takes on the hens, poor fox always loses. But if he hatches some eggs, he’ll have his own chickens to eat … except is it possible to eat someone who calls you “mom”? Cartoons and dialog from a French comic book artist are fresh, funny, and very satisfying.

Updated information about tigers, leopards, and other big cats is presented in a readable text and full-color photographs. Where to find additional information is included at the end of this large formatted, handsome book.

“Here she sits/an old woman/tired and worm/her legs still/her back achy … but before wrinkles formed” she was a young woman who could walk for miles, worked for women’s right to vote and much, much more. This unique and touching introduction to Harriet Tubman is lovingly revealed and handsomely illustrated.

Calpurnia Tate and her grandfather, both naturalists, travel on the San Marco River to observe nature in and around the river. When they rescue a sick owl from the water Callie and her grandfather must figure out what’s wrong with the owl before it’s too late to save it. This is a worthy addition to the Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet series.

Could the white deer that Eric spots in the woods really be a unicorn? Can Eric help Dr. Brancusi, a vet, and his daughter really keep the unicorn – and her offspring – safe?  Love and loss, hope and happiness are threads throughout this delicately illustrated and absorbing novel.

Emily and James (first introduced in The Book Scavenger (opens in a new window)) return in this standalone companion which involves ciphers, books by Mark Twain, mystery, and dastardly plots. Sophisticated readers will appreciate the intrigue and shadowy goings-on that claim Emily’s favorite bookstore.

One of David’s parents is Jewish, the other Chinese. With one grandmother living with David and his family and the other next door, which culture will win? As David prepares for his bar mitzvah, he worries about the possibility of war both inside his family as well as the U.S. of the 1980s. Fast-paced and believable, the clash between cultures finally subsides.

Maya loves soccer. But girls in Malaysia where she lives with her Asian Indian mom and English dad don’t usually play the sport. How Maya brings her school and perhaps even her family together is told plausibly with pathos and just enough soccer to engage both sports enthusiasts and those who don’t enjoy it. 

The teacher in Classroom 13, Ms. Linda LaCrosse, is just plain unlucky. And it was an unlucky win of a 28 billion dollar lottery that helps her and her 27 students realize just how lucky they really are. Absurd events, sly humor, and a zany cast of characters create a fast-paced plot to a speedy (even if a bit seemingly unlucky) conclusion.

Prez needs a friend and he finds one in Sputnik. Sputnik looks like a dog to everyone except Prez who realizes Sputnik is an alien in disguise. It’s a good thing that Prez is a list maker, because he and Sputnik must come up with 10 reasons why Earth shouldn’t be destroyed. The physics-defying story is fast, fresh, and fun.