Book Finder

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.

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.

Annie and Jack find themselves in remote and frozen Antarctica in contemporary times on a mission to save a small orphan — and Merlin himself. In this Magic Tree House story, fact combines with fantasy though readers can learn more about the place and its inhabitants in a companion volume, Penguins and Antarctica: A Magic Tree House Research Guide (opens in a new window).

An inspired teacher, the discovery of the fact that all U.S. Presidents (so far) have been male, and a tenacious girl provide the basis of a satisfying, surprisingly plausible story that explains the voting process in this country — including the Electoral College.

Ten-year old Lucky lives in a small California desert town with her guardian Brigitte, her father’s ex. Lucky’s “family” also includes the adults at the 12-Step meetings she eavesdrops on. When Lucky begins to worry that Brigitte will return to her native France, she searches for her own “higher power.” This title is a Newbery Award winner. (2007 Newbery Medal Winner)

Mama has three kittens. Fluffy and Skinny do things when their mama does, but not Boris who marches to his beat. Readers will recognize themselves in this satisfying and brilliantly colored picture book.

Buster is happy being an only dog and finds that he is fearful of the new addition, a small white kitten named Betty. Buster learns, however, that being a friend is special in its own happy and unique way.

Her “travelin’ eye” doesn’t bother the narrator at all but it does mean that she has trouble focusing in school. The patch and eyeglasses prescribed by the ophthalmologist give her classmates something to tease her about — until she makes them her own fashion statement. Naïve illustrations are eye-catching and capture the child’s world, what she sees, and how she sees it.

Even though Dudley Ellington has trouble focusing on school work, his teacher is the very patient Mrs. McCaw. But the talented Mrs. McCaw cannot draw a face in profile — that is until Dudley patiently shows her (and his class) how to do so. Lighthearted, cartoon-like illustrations are used to enhance the straightforward text.

Marvin’s excitement about first grade quickly dwindles when his name doesn’t appear on the list and the class is short one desk. Add to that the fact that he struggles to read, well, it’s clear that he’s just “one too many.” Things improve when Marvin’s parents find out what is going on and his father shares his difficulty learning to read.

Try as she might, second grader Carolyn struggles with cursive. A wise teacher, however, helps the child recognize that her imagination and creative writing are her strengths, just like some other famous writers. Real problems and frustrations are presented with a light touch in this engaging book. Part of The Adventures of Everyday Geniuses series.

David’s teacher asks for a parent conference when David’s behavior distracts the rest of the class. David, however, comes up with his own wiggle fidget cures that he shares at the meeting, combining creativity and practicality that just may help others with the wiggle fidgets. Part of The Adventures of Everyday Geniuses series.

Max’s hopes of becoming an engineer seem unattainable as Max’s brain freezes every time he takes a timed math fact test and is teased by the other children. That is until it’s discovered that Max understands how math works but just has trouble with memorization. A satisfying resolution does not involve a timer! Part of The Adventures of Everyday Geniuses series.

Katie is keen observer and a curious third grader. So when her dad explains why he finds spelling difficult, Katie wants to investigate. She learns that her very intelligent dad, a lawyer, has dyslexia — probably like a couple of Katie’s classmates. Expressive line and wash illustrations enhance the engaging, illuminating story. Part of The Adventures of Everyday Geniuses series.

Clementine, a high energy 3rd grader, finds it difficult to concentrate as her teacher would have her do, often getting Clementine into trouble. Clementine’s narration exudes her originality, spirit, and vivacity — echoed in expressive black & white line drawings.

When a new kid comes to his swamp, a small monster does everything he can to get rid of him. Instead, the young monster learns a thing or so about friendship. An easy-to-follow comic book format combined with recognizable concerns makes this ideal for emerging readers or for one-on-one sharing.

The chase is on when Polo’s book is stolen by a small alien. Polo, an engaging hound, pulls an amazing assortment of aids from his backpack, all leading to a satisfying conclusion. Colorful art placed in comic strip format is supported on large pages in Polo’s second adventure.

Though nearly wordless, the expressive black and white illustrations effectively convey Owly’s broad range of changing emotions: loneliness, trepidation, fear, joy, and more. In this volume, Owly learns to fly while another forest animal learns to trust — both with the help of Owly’s buddy, Worm.

Greek gods and goddesses are the stuff of contemporary superheroes. Dramatic full-color, exaggerated comic book illustrations are used to present a dozen of the ancient heroes, sure to thrill contemporary, more experienced readers.

What could be sillier than a Jack-in-the-box leaving its box to play? Why, even more things emerging from Jack’s hat and box! A straightforward comic book format combined with simple illustration and conversation bubbles effectively convey both meaning and silliness in this enjoyable, imaginative romp.

As Lana and her unconventional family of kitties (they have a pet mouse) celebrate her 8th birthday, a shelf of fashion magazines knocks an unsuspecting Lana out cold. She wakes up unharmed but has transformed into a skilled superhero with the ability to help the fashion-impaired, in this first of the series that spoofs superheroes.