Book Finder

Jordie is thrilled when Professor Reese moves in next door with her dog, Baxter. Is it possible that Baxter can understand what Jordie says? Has the professor’s work put her in danger? This fast-paced adventure combines mystery and science fiction sure to intrigue.

Celeste, the small mouse that accompanied John James Audubon’s apprentice, on an earlier adventure (A Nest for Celeste (opens in a new window)) is now separated from Joseph. Happily, she finds a new companion, an earnest young man named Abe Lincoln. This quiet fantasy is generously illustrated with expressive pencil drawings.

When Jack and Annie don the magic baseball hats given to them by Morgan, they find themselves back in 1947 as batboys. There they learn a lot about the game, a player named Jackie Robinson, and how history was made. Readers may also want to find out more in the accessible nonfiction companion, Baseball (Magic Tree House Fact Tracker) (opens in a new window) which introduces more about the people and players of the period.

Nora announces that she and her toy giraffe Jeff are bored. Reluctantly, she takes her grandmother’s advice and soon discovers a Tiger with whom to explore grandma’s lush, jungle-like garden. Richly colored and well told, this is a tale of the power of imagination and play.

Sapphire was not like other dragons. She had no desire to “crush castles or capture princesses.” But the local residents of a forest shun Sapphire until other fierce and fiery dragons destroy the woods. Almost translucent illustrations in rich, layered colors move the satisfying story to its dramatic conclusion.

When a boy misses his bus, he hollers, “Bus! Stop!”  What follows is an imaginative series of other buses that appear as a Conestoga wagon, a boat and even one that floats. The horizontal format and blocky illustrations focus on the boy’s travel travails – and the start of another’s bus problems as he finally boards a bus.

Girl and her friend Dragon long to visit Far Away. Their adventure takes them across the seas where they rescue a small cat from Bad Hats returning comfortably Home again. Imaginative, gauzy illustrations complement the rhythmic text (with echoes of Edward Lear).

A child finds a book atop a bin “free to a good home.” At home, the girl ignores the warning and does the martial arts poses calling to life a succession of animals causing chaos. Soon after she cleans up the mess, her mother walks in with a surprise: zoo tickets! Inspired by her son’s martial arts study, McClintock’s illustrations call to mind Asian art.

Could the white deer that Eric spots in the woods really be a unicorn? Can Eric help Dr. Brancusi, a vet, and his daughter really keep the unicorn – and her offspring – safe?  Love and loss, hope and happiness are threads throughout this delicately illustrated and absorbing novel.

When Frank’s (nee Francesca) backpack is tossed into nettles by a bunch of bullies, it is Nick Underbridge who retrieves it for her.  Nick is as unusual as his home where Frank finds friendship and solace until a secret upends not only their friendship but almost the entire world. Mysterious and otherworldly, this is an involving and satisfying fantasy.

A fragment of an imaginative tale told by Mark Twain to his daughters has been completed and illustrated with all due respect to the original author. Readers will meet Johnny, a poor but worthy boy who helps rescue Prince Oleomargarine, communicate with animals, and find lasting friendships. Delicate illustrations combine with the Twain-esque narration for a memorable (and gorgeous) package.

A bard tells the story of a lazy rabbit named Podkin, how he defeated the red-eyed Gorms to save his rabbit family in the first of a new fantasy series. Vivid storytelling includes several battles, including the one in which Podkin loses an ear as he and his allies defeat the Gorm and Scramakshank, the Gorm’s vicious leader.

This collection of 15 stories and legends from Vietnam retold by Zen master poet and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh emphasize themes of cooperation and reconciliation, while providing a rich introduction to the mythical elements of Vietnamese culture. Imaginary characters weave through the lives of actual persons and events, blending fiction and nonfiction, magic and fantasy. 

The impatient young knight is tired of peeling the wizard’s turnips even if they are crucial to the magical mixture. When the wizard is away, the knight decides to create her first enchanted potion but accidentally turns the horse, Edward, into a ravenous, monstrous worm! The comic book format moves the wacky saga along to its equally silly conclusion.

Oscar knows he’s different. He can’t remember where he comes from, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of magical herbs and their uses, and he just does not understand human interaction. As the apprentice to Caleb, the last magician in the magic-steeped Barrow, Oscar’s job is to collect the herbs, prepare the charms and tinctures, do his chores, and avoid trouble. That changes when a mysterious destructive force arrives and it is up to Oscar and his friend Callie to protect the Barrow and its inhabitants.

In this wordless fantasy, a girl loses her stuffed fox but finds it in a fantastic forest. This imaginative tale is told in sequential panels (rather like a graphic novel) in which no words are needed.  

When their parents go on a trip, Yorick decides to play around with his father’s alchemy. Accidentally inventing a shrinking potion, a very tiny Yorick must rely on his younger — now much larger brother — Charles to keep him safe until the spell can be reversed. Steig’s rich language and cartoon illustration set the tale in medieval times and remain as fresh today as when the book was first published. 

When their grandmother falls ill, Ivy Sparrow and her older brother, Seb, discover an entirely different London and the truth about their grandmother. Fast-paced and well-written, this magical adventure features a unique look to make the common rather uncommon. 

Three unlikely heroes emerge to save their worlds by lighting five beacons. Told through action-packed sequential panels of art and conversation bubbles, the characters bring magic and fantasy to a thrilling end of the first installment in a new graphic series.

Four young people come together at the Metropolitan in New York City on the very day that Pearl Harbor is bombed. Their quest involves Arthurian legend, creepy villains, and a bit of magic in this well-paced, riveting narration will be enjoyed by sophisticated listeners.

Hattie McFadden is a born explorer. Every morning she grabs her life jacket and paddles out in her canoe to discover something new on the lake, singing a little song on her way. When her singing draws up from the depths a huge mysterious beast, everyone in town is terrified — except Hattie, who looks into the creature’s friendly, curious eyes and knows that this is no monster.

Aang and friends must join together once again as the four nations’ tenuous peace is threatened in an impasse between Fire Lord Zuko and Earth King Kuei! As the world heads toward another devastating war, Aang’s friendship with Zuko throws him into the middle of the conflict!

A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. This wordless picture book is about self-determination — and unexpected friendship.

When a boy and his dog go for a hike, the boy trips on a fossil, and it comes to life, revealing an ancient plant. The boy is so intrigued that he breaks two more fossils that come to life — a dragonfly and a pteranodon. When these prehistoric creatures collide with present reality, the boy must figure out a way to make things go back to normal. Visually told through art, this wordless story will surely spark imagination and creativity.