Book Finder

Richard knows he’s not in for an ordinary day when a tiny, wisecracking alien freedom fighter climbs out of his cereal bowl. The alien enlists Richard’s help to foil a deadly enemy who is cleverly disguised as the new kid in homeroom.

Max and Ruby prepare for Grandma’s birthday as they bake a cake and look for the perfect present in these companion books. The distinct personality of each bunny sibling comes through loud and clear in these humorous stories that introduce important concepts.

A traveling peddler takes a nap under a tree and wakes up to find his hats on the heads of monkeys on the branches overhead. How he retrieves his hats is real monkey business in this colorful, repetitious classic.

Farmer Brown has his hands full when the cows on his farm get a typewriter. Duck, however, negotiates successfully for all parties in this very funny farm story of very clever animals. Be prepared to talk about typewriters or take a trip to a museum to see one!

All families have their own way of doing things; sometimes some people consider these unique. But the Robinsons have a very unusual home and a very particular way about them. Humor abounds in the contrast between the text and illustrations for a memorable day. Be sure to see the film adaptation that came out in 2007.

While on a family excursion to Africa, the Lazardos find a dinosaur and bring him home to their small town. Dinosaur Bob becomes part of their family and the town’s best baseball player.

Marvin thinks he sees a UFO while sleeping in his friend Nick’s backyard, but both boys have forgotten all about it when the next week a new kid shows up at school. His name? Joe Normal. His behavior? Far from normal.

Sly humor and tricky truths emerge from each rhyme in this genuinely humorous collection as each poem reminds children and adults of their behaviors and foibles. Black line drawings accompany each imaginative verse which begs to be shared aloud.

What will happen when the sheep go trick-or-treating? Could there be wolves lurking in the woods, hoping to waylay them as they return home with their bags full of goodies? In crisp verse and whimsically eerie pictures, Nancy Shaw and Margot Apple tell the lively story of a remarkable Halloween adventure. Simple sentences, rhyming text, and a humorous tone make this the perfect treat for beginning readers.

The adventure of Christopher Robin, his friends, Pooh (“the bear of very little brain”), and the other animals in the Hundred Acre Wood remain as fresh as Milne’s language and Shepard’s line illustrations, presented here on sturdy, cream-colored pages. The narrator’s voice of the audio book is well-matched for the tone of A. A. Milne’s writing.

Awful Ogre’s day is much like anyone else’s, but with an ogre-ish twist. He uses onion juice as a mouthwash with just a dab on his chin, writes love letters to a delightfully disgusting ogress and more. The clever rhyming verse and dark-lined illustrations are filled with humor and visual jokes that will make this collection of poetry awfully popular.

Have you ever wondered what a small red puppy might do on Halloween? Read this story about young Clifford to find out.

In this rendition of the classic fairy tale, the Cinderella role is played by — you guessed it — a dinosaur! Her Fairydactyl comes to the rescue and dresses our heroine, a big fuchsia dinosaur, in a prom gown. And while you’re reading about how Dinorella dazzles the Duke at the Dinosaur Dance, children will be learning about the sound /d/ makes.

Told from a dog’s point of view and viewed from unusual artistic perspectives, these funny, rhythmic, and child-like poems bound through a year from January to December.

What will the inhabitants of Mousopolis do when invaded by Dogzilla, the larger-than-life (but harmless looking) pooch? Can they reclaim their town before it’s chewed to bits? Collages using photographs and paintings illustrate this zany parody of old horror films. Those who enjoy Dogzilla may also appreciate Kat Kong. The titles tell it all!

Even young monsters on Mars can have trouble adjusting to the first day of first grade. Not only does Horus miss the comforts of Martiangarten, but a know-it-all student harasses him. At his mother’s insistence, a very reluctant Horus returns the next day. Once there, he is able to forget his own problems when he helps a new and even more timid Martian. Characters are vividly colored and peculiarly shaped to create a comical but sympathetic school story of adjustment and emerging friendship.

While their mother vacations in Florida, Fosdyke’s siblings forage for food like typical foxes. Since the fowl on the farm have been warned, the results are disastrous. Meantime back at home, Fosdyke prepares tasty vegetarian dishes, which everyone ultimately enjoys together. Animated illustrations are perfectly suited to the fast, funny, and alliterative text; the letter F is well represented!

Rabbit always thinks of things to do even though they often lead to trouble. When Mouse’s toy airplane gets stuck in a tree, Rabbit’s animal ladder is sure to release it — with very funny results in this 2003 Caldecott Medal-winning book.

When Mimi the Swan sees ballet practice from the window of the Paris Opera House, she becomes obsessed with ballet. Though she tries to attend a performance, she is not allowed into the opera house. She finally follows a tardy dancer into the theater and gets her big break: Mimi becomes the star in none other than “Swan Lake!” The wry humor is conveyed in both text and witty illustrations in this appealing, comical story.

When Martha, a slightly frumpy white and brown mutt, eats alphabet soup, the letters go to her head not to her stomach. The result is the first in a series of very funny adventures with a talking dog and her sometimes flummoxed human family.

Illustrations by nine Caldecott Medal artists are as varied in style and tone as the poems in this handsome, themed, and well-organized collection of poetry.

When Louis’ uncle sends a tadpole from a certain lake in Scotland, the small tadpole grows to enormous proportions. With the help of a resourceful librarian, Louis figures out a way to feed his large and ever-hungry Alphonse as well as determine a permanent solution. Humor abounds in this contemporary classic.

For their family’s Christmas celebration, María’s mother makes lots of tamales. But while María is helping out, she tries on her mother’s ring and loses it in the dough. Without telling the adults, María and her young relatives try to find it — by eating all the tamales!