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Alexander Calder — Sandy — had a vivid imagination and a fascination with the circus; his sketches of the circus became 3-dimensional. Vivid illustrations combine with an informal text to introduce a man whose art continues to inspire and intrigue.

Dramatic illustrations depict a range of possible sabertooth cats, likely relatives to the cats that live today in the wild and in people’s homes. How information about these extinct animals has come to light is clearly presented and is sure to pique curiosity.

Annabelle and her friend, Tiffany — both dolls come to life — soon learn that running way for any reason is full of pitfalls. The dolls’ third adventure (The Doll People (opens in a new window) and The Meanest Doll in the World (opens in a new window)) is illustrated cinematically by a Caldecott Medalist.

One of Carl Sandburg’s original, quintessentially American tales for children (from Rootabaga Stories) explains why it’s just not a good idea to kick a slipper at the moon. This illustrated telling will hold young listeners as they hear rich language best read aloud.

Poems piece together the story of the quilters of Gee’s Bend in Wilcox County, Alabama. Though over a hundred years old, the art of quilting is alive and is now accessible through poetry and vivid illustration.

These groaners play with words, like: “What member of the royal family can you find in your school? The prince-ipal!” Each silly riddle is accompanied by cartoonish illustrations to explain or just add to the humor.

They come in many sizes with different diets — but all sharks are covered with ‘denticles’ as a protective armor and are fascinating sea creatures! Full color photographs and crisp text briefly introduce them with suggested websites for additional information.

This fact and fun-filled look at female contributions to the American Revolution provides a serious but lighthearted introduction to a range of known and unknown women. Affable illustrations include thought and speech bubbles.

This large land animal is introduced through crisp, easy-to-follow text and realistic illustrations. Information presented will satisfy casual readers and is likely to inspire further reading.

The letters of the alphabet come alive through the use of paper engineering including pop-ups, reflective pages and more. The result is a stunning, interactive, and sophisticated book.

The ghost of George Washington introduces Sara to other presidential ghosts.

The life and times of Eleanor Roosevelt are presented chronologically as though one is examining a scrapbook. Much like the approach the author uses for other historical figures, this look at Eleanor is almost intimate, certainly thorough, and compelling.

Of four kittens, only one is really excited about the possibility of snow but inspires the others to enjoy it when it finally comes. Bold line and simple form combine with straightforward text to create a captivating kittens’ world.

A young child imagines the day when he will be as old as his grandfather and share what his grandfather enjoys now. The tender relationship clearly reflects a young child’s viewpoint.

From the opening lines to its satisfying conclusion, readers are introduced to babies from many cultures. Though each child is different, each has some things in common — “ten little fingers & ten little toes.” The rhyming text and repeated phrase make this a wonderful book to share with children of many ages.

Poppa worries that the family’s old car won’t make it, but the children convince him otherwise and so begins the summer outing — a real celebration of family and fun and even the old family car!

Seven-year old Roberta is sent to her grandparents’ home in North Carolina when her pregnant mother is put on bed rest. This sensitive story captures an earlier time and the honest emotion of a childhood fears and joys.

Regardless of where they live or what they look like, all families have much in common. They all cook, eat, play, and celebrate together as seen in engaging photographs and described through crisp text.

The young narrator helps Daddy by finding the tools and materials for a special project. Sturdy pages with flaps encourage participation and make a game of sharing the book.

As she did in My Name Is Celia/Me llamo Celia, Monica Brown tells the story of young Gabriel García Márquez’s life in this bilingual picture book. Brown also provides children with a simple introduction to magical realism by showing how young Gabriel’s surroundings and imagination merged in fantastic ways, fostering his creativity and building the foundation for the legendary characters and stories he would later create. Beautiful illustrations complement the lyrical text.