Jacob learns a great deal from his favorite television baker, Chef Monty. And he puts those skills to great use just in time for his parents’ anniversary making dessert — a peach pie — the celebration’s first course. Jacob’s good humor and problem solving skills (with a little help from his sister) make for sweet reading.
Easy as Pie
Their city adventure begins when the four big chickens follow a bag of feed into the farmer’s truck — and off they go! Lively language and comic illustrations combine to create a rowdy fowl adventure which ends happily back in the farmer’s truck heading home.
Big Chickens Go to Town
Gregory draws Sandy the Lion in the sand on the beach day he and his dad share one summer. Gregory’s father tells the child not to go into the water and not to leave Sandy — but Sandy’s tail is a long one, allowing Gregory to safely discover fascinating beach creatures. Realistic, textured illustrations evoke the place and ideally complement the evocative text.
A Beach Tail
Basic shapes are introduced on one side of each sturdy double page spread; on the opposing side, die-cuts hint at what is hidden. Lift the flap to see the shape in an easily recognizable object. A similar approach is used to introduce basic colors in both of these interactive books sure to hold up to small, rough hands.
See also: What Color Is Your Apple? (opens in a new window)
What Shapes Do You See?
When Goose and Bear are joined by Fox, Bear feels left out. It is up to Goose to mediate and find a way for old and new friends to play together — which they happily do! With straightforward language and charming illustrations, Goose and Bear are back for another everyday adventure familiar to many children.
What About Bear?
When the day is over, a young rabbit cuddles with a parent to let the dreams begin. Soft illustrations combine with a calm, rhythmic, rhyming text to quiet young ones who share the tranquil appreciation of nature and nighttime as they drift off to a cozy sleep.
Sweet Dreams Lullaby
Round faced children watch animals prepare for bedtime in this soothing tale in a newly illustrated edition of an earlier book by Margaret Wise Brown. The alphabet is used as the device to countdown from A to children who “…zip into bed,/not another peep/go to sleep!”
Sleepy ABC
Count and feel the five smooth rubber ducks as one by one they go into the bathtub and touch the soft baby animals as they meow, woof, and peep in these simply illustrated, sturdy books. Crisp illustrations and minimal language make these ideal to share with the youngest child.
See also: Counting Duckies (opens in a new window)
My Little Baby
Rounded corners and carefully crafted half (or cut) pages introduce and hide various animals that stomp, prowl, stroll and scuttle across the pages of this book. Each animal is endangered though there’s plenty more to engage young readers. Animal facts are included, as are child-accessible activities to help.
Let’s Save the Animals
From morning to nighttime, a small kitten explores a farm. At the end of the day, a tired young cat returns home to rest, sleep, and dream. A simple, rhythmic staccato text and textured collage illustrations are used to convey the pleasure in everyday adventures.
Kitten’s Spring
A little girl asks about her mother’s activities, from feeding and sheering the sheep to knitting a warm sweater. Patterned, rhythmic language with gentle rhymes and winning illustrations provide a satisfying glimpse of farm life and a warm mother/daughter relationship.
Feeding the Sheep
Fathers often have special names for their children. Each nickname is a fitting one, giving a hint as to what characterizes the young one and his parent. The human dad calls his child Doodlebug, while a snail’s father calls it “Goo-and-Go.” Soft illustrations convey affection and playfulness between parents and children.
Daddy Calls Me Doodlebug
Though related, crocodiles and alligators are not the same. Learn the similarities and differences between these ancient reptiles as well as their habitats and history. With characteristic thoroughness, Gibbons presents these fascinating creatures through clear illustrations and informative text.
Alligators and Crocodiles
Three concept books have been combined in a newly formatted and highly appealing wordless board book featuring Lionni’s signature mice. Readers are sure to find lots to talk about, from colors to counting to mice embracing letters of the alphabet as they examine the uncluttered, child-sized, durable, and appealing pages.
Colors, Numbers, Letters
Stella Louella has lost her library book on the day it’s due! She embarks on a hilarious neighborhood search that all library-goers can relate to in order to find her book before the library closes. Readers will enjoy the engaging illustrations and eagerly turn the pages to see how it all turns out.
Stella Louella’s Runaway Book
Sam is a library mouse, and he lives in the wall behind the children’s reference section. One night, he decides to try writing his own story, and it’s a big hit! Soon everyone at the library is wondering who the mystery writer is. What Sam plans next will surprise and delight readers of all ages. Daniel Kirk provides lifelike illustrations to accompany his heartwarming story.
Library Mouse
“There’s nothing you can’t learn to do when you have books.” Eve Bunting’s characters take this lesson to heart when they learn that their library will be closing. From painting the roof to speaking wisely to grumpy beavers, they learn everything they need to know to save the library. Lovely and bright illustrations will appeal to young readers.
Our Library
High in the Appalachian hills, a woman comes every two weeks on horseback to deliver books to Cal’s family. Cal has no interest in reading, but he wonders what could possibly make her long treks in the snow and wind worthwhile? Young readers will discover a moving introduction to the story and courage of Kentucky’s Pack Horse Librarians.
That Book Woman
Have you ever gotten your library book by way of a camel, elephant, solar-powered truck, or boat? This book offers a fascinating introduction to the many kinds of libraries around the world and includes numerous photos. Readers will come away with an appreciation of just how special libraries are to people no matter their background, as well as of their own neighborhood library branch!
My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World
When a lion comes into the library, no one is sure what to do. After all, there aren’t any rules about lions in the library — especially one with a loud roar! Everyone is about to learn, however, just how helpful a library lion can be. Lovely, warm illustrations bring this enchanting story to life. Also available in Spanish.
Library Lion
Lola at the Library
Storytime is just the thing / to rest a play-exhausted wing. It’s bat night at the library, and the bats have come to read their favorite stories in this clever story told in rhyme. From reading the classics to splashing in the drinking fountain, the bats will leave you wondering what really happens after dark in the library! Also available in Spanish.
Bats at the Library
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