Lift the sturdy flap to answer the question posed in the title. Bright illustrations and straightforward language create a fine book for sharing. Canine aficionados may appreciate What Is Puppy Going to Do? (opens in a new window). Each animal is presented in a recognizable situation.
What Is Chick Going to Do?
An graphic memoir about a Mexican American boy’s family and their adventure-filled road trip to bring their abuelito back from Mexico to live with them. Pedro Martín has grown up hearing stories about his abuelito—his legendary crime-fighting, grandfather who was once a part of the Mexican Revolution! But that doesn’t mean Pedro is excited at the news that Abuelito is coming to live with their family. After all, Pedro has 8 brothers and sisters and the house is crowded enough! Still, Pedro piles into the Winnebago with his family for a road trip to Mexico to bring Abuelito home, and what follows is the trip of a lifetime, one filled with laughs and heartache. Along the way, Pedro finally connects with his abuelito and learns what it means to grow up and find his grito.
Mexikid
Short poems are generously illustrated in a large, inviting, and diverse collection of poetry— and as the title indicates, there is at least one for each day! To build on daily poems, try some of the ideas in Poetry Prompts: All Sorts of Ways to Start a Poem from Joseph Coelho (opens in a new window).
A Whale of a Time: Funny Poems for Each Day of the Year
A teen nicknamed Wrecker becomes involved with a fake Covid vaccination card smuggling ring to further confuse his already complicated his life. By turns humorous and tense, this fast-paced novel set in the Florida Keys is sure to engage readers.
Wrecker
The squirrels Norma, and Belly are back and are just as hungry, tenacious, and funny as they were in the other books about them (which started with Donut Feed the Squirrels (opens in a new window)). They try to invade a fortune cookie factory, all dressed as ninjas. A simple comic format and limited text combine to make this a hit with beginning readers.
One Smart Cookie
In their seventh adventure, the detective team is informed by the Coast Gourd that a captain was found but without his ship. Will the InvestiGators be able to solve their latest mystery on the high sea or will they will be all tied up (or is it tide up …)? Read in order or as a standalone, this silly, pun-filled installment is sure to delight.
InvestiGators: All Tide Up
The silly fun that started in The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza returns in this latest book. Soup has poisoned the Moon Queen. Can she — and the universe — be saved before it’s too late? Soup of Doom can be read alone or as a sequel (and be prepared for another madcap adventure!)
The First Cat in Space and the Soup of Doom
When snow starts falling, the perfectly normal animals on Farmer Pumpernickel’s farm start acting strangely; they catch snowflakes on their tongues! Eventually, even the farmer himself gets with the rhythm. Rhyming text accompanied by comical illustrations will make a joyful read aloud.
Snowflakes on Our Tongues
One single red apple hangs on a tree. One by one, animals see it and greedily declare it “Mine!” Only a nonplussed possum willing to share it with the apple’s resident worm winds up with the prize. Alliterative, animated, onomatopoeic language is paired with strong lines and color for a jaunty, delightful book to read aloud.
Mine!
Micah knows that his new sister Lily is a Martian. His fears are confirmed by his cousin Maxwell and doubly so when Lily goes to school with Micah for show-and-tell! Humor abounds in this out-of-this-world sibling story.
Invader from Mars: The Truth About Babies
Readers are asked to count to one. Just one elephant. Just one sausage (on a whale’s spout, with a second whale nearby). Just one fly (atop 3 bowls of soup). Sly humor on each colorful page will have young readers chortling and counting beyond just one!
How to Count to 1
Brief information is placed on open pages with lots of white space to highlight portraits of baby dinosaurs that are seriously cute and seriously funny. The baby T-rex — “tyrant lizard king“ — is placed in a bejeweled royal crown, with a partial view of a huge parent looking down at the fuzzy baby. Additional information and comparative size chart conclude this informative, amusing book.
Big Babies
Will the runaway pea become a snack for one of the animals it rolls by? Illustrations call to mind folk art in this rollicking translation from the French. The tale is likely to hold up to multiple readings and may inspire young gardeners!
Roll, Roll, Little Pea
Tired of the same Old MacDonald’s farm? Add donuts and a greedy crocodile alongside a take-charge rooster and it’s a new tune! Silliness is the word (and picture) on this farm as children will sing along with the rousing E-I-E-I-O!
Croc-a-Doodle Doo!
This is a book about dinosaurs. No it’s not. Dinosaurs are not allowed. Oh. This is now a book about avocados! Sorry. We deleted those too. Discover just what can happen when ideas are erased instead of expressed with this hilarious picture book romp that kids (and grown-ups) will want to read over and over again.
This Book Is Banned
Plum, a peacock, and other animals from the Athensville Zoo are excited and a bit nervous about going on a school visit. Unfortunately, a blizzard upsets the plans, and the peacock and others are stuck in the school until Plum figures out a way to get them out. Short chapters in this standalone companion to Leave it to Plum! is heavily illustrated and sure to tickle readers
A Snow Day for Plum!
Though he enjoys music and company, Walter, a crocodile, is painfully shy and prefers staying just below the surface. Until one day, he finds his voice to help his friend turtle from being tossed around by big birds. Expressive illustrations, almost translucent, evoke Walter’s watery world and the joy in finding one’s voice.
Walter Finds His Voice: The Story of a Shy Crocodile
A large rotund creature (an owl?) awaits a visitor. The arrival of a thin salamander-like visitor toting a shopping cart offers the big guy a cake, a bouquet of flowers, and a wrapped box, each of which are consumed in one gulp. When the gift giver is picked up — gasp! — surprisingly, he is given a big smooch and a cup of peppermint tea. Few words are needed in this quirky, unique, and very funny tale of friendship.
Perfect Presents
Meet Frank, a small alien from Xob. Frank is small, square, and green just like all of those from Xob. Frank is astonished when he visits Earth and finds such differences in the small creatures. Readers will enjoy what Frank learns and takes back to Xob in staccato text and simple but expressive illustrations that appear to be watercolor on textured paper.
Meet Frank
Mike, like everyone else, has their own flock of sheep to count if having trouble falling asleep. But one particularly tough night for sleeping, Four refused to follow sheep One, Two and Three. Sly humor in a totally implausible story accompanied by comical cartoon illustrations on large pages create an unforgettable nighttime tale. Simultaneously available in Spanish: El rebaño.
The Flock
Cat fanciers of all ages will recognize the funny feline behavior in this vivacious rhyming jaunt. Broad shapes create kitties of various stripes and colors all with big round eyes add humor and verve until it’s bedtime (or not — if you’re a naughty kitten).
This Little Kitty
A kind crocodile roars to help animals from a small mouse to a huge rhino when they’re chased by a fierce enemy. They in turn help it when the croc is threatened the critters come together to help it. Humorous, textured illustrations on horizontal pages highlight the croc’s tale.
Kind Crocodile
To start, Judy Moody doesn’t have high hopes for third grade. Judy also has an abundance of individuality and attitude, and when her teacher Mr. Todd assigns a very special class project, she really gets a chance to express herself! Megan McDonald’s spirited text and Peter Reynolds’s wry illustrations combine in a feisty, funny first chapter book for every kid who has ever felt a little out of sorts.
Judy Moody
Saxophone-playing Miles and his Swamp Band find a bevy of sharp-toothed, long-tailed alligators who love to listen to their music. But little do Miles and his band know what the alligators plan for them at the close of their jubilant all-night ball! Inspired by a traditional song, this vibrant picture book is “ebullient, fast-paced, and funny.”