Book Finder

Chris’s life is complicated. At school, he’s been selected to lead a project on sports teams with Indian names. At home, where his father is battling alcoholism on the Penacook reservation, the Indians are divided about building a casino. It would destroy the beautiful island Chris thinks of as his own. What can one sixth-grade boy can do in the midst of so many challenges?

Bruchac frames 11 legends of Native American sacred places with a conversation between Little Turtle and his uncle, Old Bear, who says, “There are sacred places all around us…They are found in the East and in the North, in the South and in the West, as well as Above, Below, and the place Within.”…The text is printed in stanzas, enhancing the image of prose poems.

In this coming-of-age story, the children of the longhouse are 11-year-old Ohkwa’ri and Itsi:tsia. Twin brother and sister, they live in a Mohawk town in the traditional homelands of what is now eastern New York State in 1491. Reflecting the balance between male and female roles in Iroquois society, the book’s chapters alternate between the events and perspectives of Ohkwa’ri and Itsi:tsia, who very definitely see things differently. Bruchac seamlessly incorporates an impressive amount of information about pre-contact Mohawk culture, society, and beliefs, and tells a good story as well. — Oyate

An absurd but satisfying fantasy based on Eudora Welty’s only children’s work, is presented in lively music and narration.

Sophisticated listeners will appreciate the dramatic readings of Greek myths.

A guessing game is presented with die-cuts on sturdy board pages; the question is answered with a turn of the page. Bright but familiar colors and animals are used.

Puppies do lots of things including making a mess sometimes but what they do best is love the children in their lives. Motley children and their pets are lovingly depicted.

A baby shares everyday activities and lots of love with parents and extended family in this reassuring, rhyming story just right for bedtime.

Share everyday words or count familiar objects with the genial hippopotamus-like Moomintrolls, drawn from the work of Finnish illustrator, Tove Jansson.

Children and their parents are always connected by love — even when they are apart — shown in this gentle book by sparkly “love waves” sent from parent to child to parent.

As they share everyday activities, Grandma calls the narrator lots of loving names using rhythmic, rhyming language – just like familiar animals and their young.

Gossie, a small yellow gosling thinks she has lost her favorite red books until she sees them on her friend’s feet. This small board book is presented in Spanish and English.

Children play and make pretend food in the garden where they play until they wash up for a real meal and a nap — all but one playful toddler. Sprightly, soft illustrations illuminate the text.

The peeping chicks can’t sleep and so share their beat with a barnyard of animals and Farmer Sue in this bouncy, rhythmic tale complemented by textured collage illustrations.

A family watches as an old building is torn down to build their new house. Children will likely join the repeated refrain in this colorful, lively, and straightforward story.

Two penguin-painters have very different styles when painting white walls, but both are happy as they paint a rainbow while comically introducing basic colors.

Ever-popular tellings of familiar folktales have become modern classics and are again available, just right to share with younger children.

Ever-popular tellings of familiar folktales have become modern classics and are again available, just right to share with younger children

Ever-popular tellings of familiar folktales have become modern classics and are again available, just right to share with younger children.

As a girl leaves her sandcastle on the beach, a wordless nautical fantasy begins in this handsomely illustrated, surprisingly complex tale.

Simple instructions begin: “press [the yellow dot on a white page] here.” Dots whirl and swirl on each page for a creative and playful interaction between book and reader.

Monkey is quick-witted and so ably outsmarts dull crocodile in this simply told, lushly illustrated tale drawn from traditional tales told long ago in India.

The traditional tale of a boy who planted magic beans is reimagined as a city story of a spell broken. Illustrations are photographs that have been manipulated for good effect.

Gerald the elephant feels left out when his buddy, Piggie, celebrates Pig Day. All ends well as Piggie reaffirms his friendship with in this addition to an ever popular series.