Book Finder

A prickly hotel? Plants and animals thrive because of the cactus and its spring flowers, seeds, et al! The simple text describing this environment and the lives it supports provides an intriguing introduction to the desert ecosystem.

Young children are invited to a powwow in this 1-to-10 counting board book — beginning with one car traveling to the powwow to 10 tribal citizens enjoying the celebration. The indigenous author and illustrator team that wrote Powwow Day (for slightly older readers) now introduce younger readers to the powwow tradition.  

Words in English and Spanish label bold shapes depicting people, common animals, and familiar objects on sturdy pages. Interesting juxtapositions add to the appeal on bright spreads.

Everything dad does, Lionel does, too. From hair combing to having “a think,” it’s clear that father and child enjoy each other’s company. Small format and simple illustrations on durable pages show common activities and the bond between parent and child.

Is that sound the bus? No, it’s the garbage truck! Other sounds bring more vehicles to the neighborhood. The school bus finally arrives bringing the child’s sister home!

From polar bears to owls, animals introduce shapes in one book (Hello Hello Shapes (opens in a new window)) while an axolotl to a zebra present color in another book (Hello Hello Colors (opens in a new window)). All animals — many endangered — are identified at the end of each sturdy book. 

Unique and quite handsome fish in this small, sturdy edition present a range of emotions accompanied by sophisticated descriptive word — sure to encourage conversation with young children.

Have you ever considered how long a tree lives? Or where chocolate comes from?  Comical illustrations add jauntiness to this playful but informative book sure to intrigue young readers. 

Lift the sturdy flap to answer the question posed in the title. Bright illustrations and straightforward language create a fine book for sharing. Canine aficionados may appreciate What Is Puppy Going to Do? (opens in a new window). Each animal is presented in a recognizable situation.

Discover what bedtime looks like for the snowplows, dump trucks, giant cranes, and more that dot the pages of this irresistible construction story. Just like you and me, the vehicles in this story get tuckered out after a long day of hard work and need to quiet down and settle in for sweet dreams. Young readers will surely identify as these trucks ask for one more story while their parents sing them a goodnight song and send them off to bed.

A celebration of family love and Black joy, told through gentle rhyming text and colorful illustrations. “The sun is calling us outside. Mama cheers me down the slide! We wish on puffs and sift through sand. We hike together hand in hand.” This book showcases the special role Mama plays in children’s lives and explores the many ways love can be shown!

“I love you” may sound different around the world, but the meaning is the same. From China, to France, to Russia, to Brazil, and beyond, this charming board book features “I love you” in 10 different languages. Tapping into the emotions that parents feel for their children, the rhyming text is accompanied by sweet artwork that depicts different cultures around the world.

This story follows a brother and sister on their way to Grandma’s house to celebrate Lunar New Year. Protected and guided by the 12 magical animals of the zodiac, they’ll travel through the city into a vast tea garden, a serene bamboo grove, and across an ancient stone bridge to gather special treats for their big, celebratory family dinner. Young readers will delight in the clever die-cut surprises throughout and the dramatic quadruple gatefold at the end that reveals a special, festive surprise complete with dragon dancers and fireworks. 

This bilingual English and Mandarin Chinese book introduces children to Lunar New Year traditions — from buying new clothes to special foods and decorations. Children will enjoy seeing different family members preparing for and celebrating the holiday together, and the included family tree is a great visual for teaching the names of different family members.

A bilingual board book introducing Chinese characters through the animals of the Chinese zodiac. The adventure loving Dragon, the carefree Horse, and the artistic Goat are just three of the 12 Lucky Animals to be found in the Chinese zodiac, rendered here in bright illustrations. Use the wheel on the back cover to help little readers discover who their lucky animal is and how to pronounce its name in Chinese and English.

When an apple pie arrives piping hot on the kitchen table, a little pup does everything he can think of to get his paws on it. But will his ABC antics land him a slice? This book is a twist on traditional verse.

Marta is una niña, an ordinary girl, who is sometimes big when compared to a bug; sometimes small next to an elephant. The charming child is presented in a sturdy format with words in both English and Spanish.  

One side of the accordion folds out to show a range of human faces (plus one canine). Infants can see familiar toys and objects on the other side of the foldout.  Sturdy pages and bright, simple illustrations are just right for the youngest to examine again and again.

Young Leo and his dad enjoy a day exploring nature, observing small creatures, and looking at trees and animals. Realistic illustrations and simple language enhance the shared joy.

Parents welcome their new little one, examining the baby’s face and describing its features in Spanish. Cozy illustrations and the welcoming narration conclude with a glossary (just in case it’s not clear from the images!).

Around the world, grandparents and grandchildren share everyday activities but most important of all, they share lots of love. Warm families are depicted in each color photograph in the latest addition of the Global Babies series.

Following each rhyming clues is the animal that inspired various inventions such as snowshoes and water fins. More familiar inventions are followed by lift-the-flaps to intrigue or confound more sophisticated readers.

From purple lupines in Olympia (Washington) to pink “bleeding tooth fungus” in Maine’s Acadia National Park there are other vivid colors from nature that can be found in ten of the nation’s most visited national parks.  

One toddler thinks she can get dressed all by herself but winds up needing her sister’s help. In Muy verde! / Too Green!, another child is reluctant to try a new green soup but once he does, he wants more! Both attractive board books capture familiar experiences through cheerful, expressive illustrations and short text. Both books are available in bilingual (Spanish/English) editions.