
T.J. narrates the story of how he and his brother, nicknamed the Moondance Kid, become friends with Mop. Even after the boys are adopted they remain friends, though they worry about Mop – will she be adopted, too? A surprise ending which involves their shared love of baseball allows the children’s friendship to continue in this enjoyable novel.
Me, Mop, and the Moondance Kid

In each of these three short, colorfully illustrated stories, the grandmother loves her Little Pumpkin as only a doting grandmother can. Chubby, multi-ethnic children are brightly portrayed in sparkling watercolors.
More, More, More Said the Baby

Choco is a little yellow bird who lives all alone. When Choco decides that he wants a mother, he has trouble finding one who looks just like him. Finally, just as he has given up hope, he meets Mrs. Bear. Not only does Mrs. Bear hug him and kiss him, she takes him home to her family. A delightful story about finding family in wonderful (and unexpected) places. Also available in Spanish.
A Mother for Choco

Every Sunday Tommy and his family visit the two nanas: upstairs Nana is Tommy’s great-grandmother who stays in bed because of her age; the active Nana downstairs is his grandmother. Tommy is forlorn when Nana upstairs dies, but comes to understand that she remains with him through his fond memories of times shared. New artwork in a larger format was created to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of this modern classic.
Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs

When they find their mother gone from the nest, three owlets worry that their mother won’t return, but of course she does. Stunning illustrations combine with repeating text for a reassuring story.
Owl Babies

Grandpa regales his visiting grandchildren when he revisits his days as a song and dance man — complete with banjo and jokes. Illustrations sparkle, showing Grandpa once again young and the delight his revisited youth creates.
Song and Dance Man

These five short and funny stories show the mischief that Huey gets into in daily adventures with his annoying older brother Julian. The stories are filled with fun and warmth.
Stories Huey Tells

The summer Elisa finished first grade, not only did her 11-year old brother Russell go to a sleepaway camp but the entire family went on a vacation to the country. Sibling rivalry results in a competition with humorous results and a bit of insight.
Summer with Elisa

As a child gets ready for bed, she implores, “Tell me a story, Mama,” then proceeds to tell it herself. Mama adds only to punctuate the girl’s story with maternal wisdom. This warm story, told in two voices, reflects how children make family stories their own.
Tell Me a Story, Mama

Set in the 1950s, this book by Mildred Taylor is frank in its portrayal of racism. Lois and Wilma are proud when their father buys a brand new gold Cadillac. Only their mother won’t ride in it. On a trip from their home in Ohio to Mississippi, there are no admiring glances only suspicion directed toward the black man driving such a fancy car. For the first time, Lois knows what it’s like to feel scared because of her skin color.
The Gold Cadillac

Eleven-year-old Angel and her seven-year-old brother are taken to live with their great-grandmother on her dilapidated Vermont farm. While the old woman is ill equipped to handle children, she’s better prepared to commit to them than either of their parents. A “star man” and the town librarian end up helping the children in this poignant exploration of family.
The Same Stuff as Stars

The family in this story meets and plays with a stray dog while at the park. After they leave, they think about him all week long and decide to look for him the next Saturday — as does the dogcatcher. As the dogcatcher closes in, the children cleverly handle the situation for a happy resolution. Gentle watercolor illustrations add to the well-paced text to create a very satisfying story.
The Stray Dog

One warm Wednesday morning, the sun winked through Wombat’s window and woke her up. “What a wonderful day to wander the world,” she thought. What if Wombat woke one Wednesday with wanderlust? What if she wrangled her wander-worthy companions – Weasel and Woodchuck – to wend their way through the world with her? What if the world, the woods, and its wicked things wrestled with their wishes for wild adventure? But what if these wily wanderers used their wits to ward off worries and all the world’s wild creatures? Why, then it would be a most wonderful day to wander the world.
The Worrywarts

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!
Too Many Tamales

Uncle Elephant takes care of his nephew until his parents who were lost at sea are found again. The elderly uncle and young boy share laughter and concern in this easy chapter book that leads to a satisfying conclusion in a perfect combination of pictures and story.
Uncle Elephant

A girl and her grandmother prepare to visit the girl’s father by packing a big lunch then boarding a bus. The joyful reunion takes place in a prison, emphasizing the love between a father and his daughter. Notes from both the author and illustrator complete this book.
Visiting Day

Nocturnal animals wake up as everyone else goes to sleep. Illustrations show their nighttime activities illuminated by moonlight while the gently rhyming text creates a soothing rhythm. Filled with movement, all of which starts with wake-up kisses, this is a comfortable and comforting story to be shared at bedtime.
Wake-up Kisses

Rosalba imagines flying over New York City with her much loved abuela. The young girl uses a lovely mix of English and Spanish to describe their journey, moving from the busy streets of Manhattan to the Statue of Liberty. Brightly colored illustrations detail what Rosalba and her grandmother glimpse as they fly, and the rich tales of Abuela’s memories.
Abuela

Life isn’t easy for sisters Amber and Essie. Their mother works long hours; their father’s in prison; there’s generally little to eat. But there is joy in their creative play, neighbor friendships, and mutual love and support, which shines through difficulties. In poems and pictures that are never overtly sentimental, Williams eloquently and intimately reveals the sisters’ distinct personalities and their story.
Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart

Alfie, a preschooler, understands his baby sister, Annie Rose. Like most siblings, Annie Rose is both a delight and a trial. In this book, realistic illustrations depict real children in sometimes untidy but always recognizable settings.
Annie Rose Is My Little Sister

Cecilia and her cat, Chica, create a special birthday present for her great-aunt’s 90th birthday — a basket filled with things Cecilia and her tía have shared. This affectionate autobiographical story is illustrated with warm colors, suggestive of Mexican American traditions.
A Birthday Basket for Tía

Rhythmic language and luminous paintings show the joy of this warm and loving family as they rejoice in their differences.
Black Is Brown Is Tan

Love and caring extend across generations and cultures as a young Jewish girl from a Russian background and two African-American boys work creatively to get their gramma, Miss Eula, an Easter hat. Illustrations detail the warmth of the relationships as well as the subtleties of their different backgrounds.
Chicken Sunday

Though he’s pretty ordinary looking (and wears a truly ugly bathrobe), the narrator’s dad can get rid of the Big Bad Wolf and sing like a professional. Most important though, the narrator knows that his dad loves him and he loves his dad! The illustrations are filled with the child’s hyperbole, making the metaphors jump off the page. Also available in Spanish.