What We're Reading

8: An Animal Alphabet 8: An Animal Alphabet / Elisha Cooper

"Discover hundreds of animals, great and small. Lion and lizard, whale and wombat. Learn one wild fact about each animal. (Did you know that gorillas yawn when they are nervous?) Look carefully, because for each letter of the alphabet, one animal is pictured eight times. Why 8? Come inside and find out."-- Provided by publisher. Vicky suggested

All the animals where I live All the animals where I live / Philip C. Stead

We love urban wildlife and a child loves a blanket made by Grandma. Enjoy this cozy picture book story together under a shady tree. (Amy 5/18)

Argyle Fox Argyle Fox / Marie LeTourneau

Argyle Fox is determined to play outside but the wind and his well meaning friends take the sail out of his plans. He stays creative and determined and his mother believes in him that he will come up with a successful plan. (Amy 5/18)

Bear stays up for Christmas Bear stays up for Christmas / Karma Wilson ; illustrations by Jane Chapman

Bear is awakened by his friends the day before Christmas, and he tries to stay up all night to celebrate Christmas with them. (Melissa 12/18)

Bear's scare Bear's scare / Jacob Grant

When it comes to his home, Bear is very tidy. But when messy webs start appearing here and there, Bear is bound to find the culprit. (Melissa 11/18)

The Best mother The Best mother / Cynthia Surrisi ; illustrated by Diane Goode

Aaaah! So sweet. (Amy 1/19)

Big Frog can't fit in Big Frog can't fit in / Mo Willems ; [paper engineering by Bruce Foster]

Big Frog really wants to fit in. But how? After much frustration, and with her friends' help, she finds out how.

Books Always Everywhere Books Always Everywhere / Jane Blatt

A celebration of the many ways children interact with books. A "CLEL Bell" award voted upon by Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy. Absolutely adorable illustrations and characterizations of children and the many, many places they explore reading (even on the swing!). Good for all ages really and one a bigger sibling would have fun reading to a younger one. Suggested by Amy.

Bubble bath pirates Bubble bath pirates / Jarrett J. Krosoczka

When pirate mommy announces bath time, it is yo ho ho and to the bath we go for her little pirates. (Melissa 12/18)

The Busy tree The Busy tree / Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Lisa Falkenstern

Many different types of wildlife live in and around a tree that is their home, from chipmunks and woodpeckers to ants and spiders. (Amy 5/18)

Cecil the Pet Glacier Cecil the Pet Glacier / Matthea Harvey

Ruby Small's embarrassingly eccentric parents take her on a vacation to Norway where she acquires an unwanted pet, a glacier named Cecil, who finds a way to melt Ruby's heart. Suggested by Amy

Chalk Chalk / Bill Thomson

Friends on a walk in the rain and a bag of chalk delivered by a dinosaur - whatever more would you need? A fun wordless picture book sure to inspire. (Amy 8/20)

The Color of Home The Color of Home / Mary Hoffman

Hassan, newly-arrived in the United States and feeling homesick, paints a picture at school that shows his old home in Somalia as well as the reason his family had to leave. (Bonnie 3/19)

The Cow Loves Cookies The Cow Loves Cookies / Karma Wilson

While all the other animals on the farm enjoy eating their regular food, the cow chooses to eat the one thing that she loves best. (Melissa 11/18)

The Detective dog The Detective dog / Julia Donaldson ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

Nell the dog loves to find things using her nose and loves to listen to books. When the books are stolen from Peter's school classroom, Nell leads the students to the thief! The clever rhymes and charming illustrations make this a wonderful read-aloud selection. (Amanda B. 1/19)

A Dog named Doug A Dog named Doug / Karma Wilson ; Matt Myers

If at first you don't succeed, dig, dig, dig again! Doug the dog is obsessed with digging, so much so that he digs all the way into the White House before returning home. (Melissa 10/18)

Don't Squish the Sasquatch! Don't Squish the Sasquatch! / Kent Redeker

A really fun book that combines animals to make new names. Sasquatch himself is fun and appealing. Suggested by Vicky

Dot. Dot. / Randi Zuckerberg

In her fascination with technology, a confident and spunky girl pays little attention to the outside world before learning how to make room for real things in ways that help her make the most of her savvy technical expertise.

Drawn together Drawn together / Minh Lê ; illustrations by Dan Santat

PreK-3rd grade. A boy and his grandfather cross a language and cultural barrier using their shared love of art, storytelling, and fantasy. (Amy 3/19)

Explorers Explorers / Matthew Cordell

Look carefully for all of the special interactions between family members as they visit a museum in this fun wordless picture book. (Amy 6/20)

Give yourself to the rain Give yourself to the rain / Margaret Wise Brown ; illustrations by Teri L. Weidner ; foreword by Leonard S. Marcus

Enjoy a poem about Dande-"Lions" and other beautiful depictions of a child's experience with Nature. (Amy 5/18)

Going down home with Daddy Going down home with Daddy / Kelly Starling Lyons ; illustrated by Daniel Minter

This Caldecott Honor book will move your heart. Add a listen to Viola Davis read Langston Hughes poem, Mother to Son (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L-kKxePGqA), and then Whitney Houston sing "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRdYSDSYTVY) which are both mentioned in the book. Wonderful and timely. (Amy 7/20)

I'm bored I'm bored / Michael Ian Black ; illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

When a bored girl meets a potato who finds children tedious, she tries to prove him wrong by demonstrating all of the things they can do, from turning cartwheels to using their imaginations.

Jessica's box Jessica's box / Peter Carnavas

Jessica is nervous for her first day of school so brings a box with her which holds her teddy bear. A wonderful story about self worth and overcoming challenges, even those found by living with a wheelchair. (Amy 10/18)

King Bidgood's in the bathtub King Bidgood's in the bathtub / written by Audrey Wood ; illustrated by Don Wood

Despite pleas from his court, a fun-loving king refuses to get out of his bathtub to rule his kingdom. (Melissa 12/18)

The Lion and the bird The Lion and the bird / Marianne Dubuc ; translated from the French by Claudia Z. Bedrick

A story of friendship and kindness told mostly through beautifully touching illustrations.

Little Mist Little Mist / Angela McAllister

Little Mist, a young snow leopard, is filled with wonder when his mother introduces him to the world for the first time. Suggested by Amy

Llama Llama holiday drama Llama Llama holiday drama / Anna Dewdney

Llama Llama becomes overwhelmed as Christmas preparations progress, until his mother reminds him of the real gift the holiday brings. (Melissa 12/18)

Mabel and Sam at home Mabel and Sam at home / Linda Urban ; illustrated by Hadley Hooper

What else is better than a box and two children and their imagination? For ages K-3 (Amy 7/18)

The Man in the Moon The Man in the Moon / William Joyce

The first in a new series called "The Guardians of childhood". Beautifully illustrated! When a newly orphaned baby in the moon makes friends with the children of Earth, he begins to shine as brightly as possible to ward off their fears. Read it again and again. Suggested by Amy

Me and you and the red canoe Me and you and the red canoe / Jean E. Pendziwol ; illustrated by Phil

You can hear the waves splashing against the canoe and the paddles in the water with the very sweet picture book. Read together out on a beach or under a tree, or in a canoe. (Amy 5/18)

The Midnight Library The Midnight Library / Kazuno Kohara

"Once there was a library that only opened at night. Step inside and meet the little librarian and her three assistant owls"-- Provided by publisher.

Moo! Moo! / David LaRochelle

A one word story with one animal in a big adventure. You will love the illustrations and the great story.

My bus My bus / Byron Barton

 Counting book of cats and dogs on a bus and other vehicles in a colorful moving along story.  Suggested by Amy.

My Father's Arms Are a Boat My Father's Arms Are a Boat / Stein Erik Lunde

A lyrically written picture book about a father who handles a delicate and surreal situation with grace and compassion for both himself and his son. A quietly stunning tear-jerker. Suggested by Erin

Naptime Naptime / Iris de M

When the animals on the savanna get grumpy, one little girl knows how to help them get some sleep.

Nelly Gnu and Daddy too Nelly Gnu and Daddy too / Anna Dewdney

Nelly Gnu spends a day building a play house with her father.

Oh, No! Oh, No! / Candace Fleming

A great participatory story about a tiger and other animals. A few lesser known animals such as the loris and repetitious rhyme will make this a hit with kids. Suggested by Vicky

The Only fish in the sea The Only fish in the sea / Philip C. Stead ; illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Really fun! Sadie and Sherman set out to rescue little Ellsworth, the goldfish Amy Scott received for her birthday and threw right into the ocean. Try to find the page where the library is part of the forest! (Amy 6/20)

Orange pear apple bear Orange pear apple bear / Emily Gravett

Full of fun rhymes and colors, this whimsical book tells a story about an orange, a pear, an apple, and a bear. (Melissa 11/18)

Over the river Over the river / Derek Anderson

Based on the lyrics of the same song, A Turkey's Tale tells the story of a family of turkeys trying to get to their relatives' home while plighted by a hunter and his dog. (Melissa 11/18)

Pete the cat saves Christmas Pete the cat saves Christmas / created & illustrated by James Dean ; story by Eric Litwin

When Santa falls ill and Christmas may have to be canceled, Pete the cat comes to the rescue. (Melissa 12/18)

Push Button Push Button / Aliki

A little boy loves to push buttons on everything from the radio to the vacuum cleaner to a flashlight until his finger is so sore he has to wrap it. Only then does he discover all the things he can do without a push button--inlcuding read a book. Suggested by Cathie

Red Red / Jed Alexander

A wordless take on the classic tale, Little Red Riding Hood, in which the Big Bad Wolf and other woodland creatures are planning something surprising.

Rhyming Dust Bunnies Rhyming Dust Bunnies / Jan Thomas

As three dust bunnies, Ed, Ned, and Ted, are demonstrating how much they love to rhyme, a fourth, Bob, is trying to warn them of approaching danger. Suggested by Vicky

The Rough patch The Rough patch / written and illustrated by Brian Lies

Farmer Evan and his dog do everything together and, especially, in the garden but when his dog passes away Evan lets his garden fill with weeds until a pumpkin vine brings new hope. (Amanda B. 8/18)

Say hello! Say hello! / Linda Davick

Illustrations and rhyming text reveal that "hello" can be said many ways, from a handshake to a dance of happiness, and that the world would be a lot more fun if more hellos were shared. (Jennifer 12/18)

Shh! We Have a Plan Shh! We Have a Plan / Chris Haughton

Four friends find a bird and three of them have a plan. Can they catch that bird? Ready one, ready two, ready three, Go. Suggested by Vicky.

Sing a song Sing a song / Kelly Starling Lyons ; illustrated by Keith Mallett

Illustrations and easy-to-read text follow a family through five generations as each is inspired by the song written in 1900 to honor Abraham Lincoln. Includes author's note on the history of the song and its meaning in her family. (Amy 6/20)

Studio Studio / Emily Arrow, James Buchanan, Melissa Buchanan

"Do you have an idea? Are you ready to create? Listen to your inner voice and find your special place." - this book is so fun and celebrates having your own "studio" to create from your heart. Colorful illustrations and detail offer a visual adventure! (Amy 8/20)

This Is Not My Hat This Is Not My Hat / Jon Klassen

A tiny minnow wearing a pale blue bowler hat has a thing or two up his fins in this underwater light-on-dark chase scene. Suggested by Currie

Time for bed, Fred! Time for bed, Fred! / Yasmeen Ismail

A child has a very difficult time getting Fred, the dog, to bed.

Turkey Trouble Turkey Trouble / Wendi Silvano

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, Turkey nervously makes a series of costumes, disguising himself as other farm animals in hopes that he can avoid being served as Thanksgiving dinner. (Melissa 11/18)

Turkey Trouble Turkey Trouble / Wendi Silvano

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, Turkey nervously makes a series of costumes, disguising himself as other farm animals in hopes that he can avoid being served as Thanksgiving dinner. (Melissa 11/18)

Two problems for Sophia Two problems for Sophia / Jim Averbeck ; illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail

"Sophia is happy to have Noodle, her One True Desire, yet her new pet comes with two giraffe-sized problems"-- Provided by publisher. PreK-3rd grade. (Amy 7/18)

Unspoken : A Story from the Underground Railroad Unspoken : A Story from the Underground Railroad / Henry Cole

In this wordless picture book, a young Southern farm girl discovers a runaway slave hiding behind the corn crib in the barn and decides to help him. Suggested by Currie

Whale in a fishbowl Whale in a fishbowl / Troy Howell & Richard Jones

Wednesday, a whale living in captivity, is inspired by a little girl named Piper to try to reach the sea. PreK-3rd grade. (Amy 7/18)

Yeti and the bird Yeti and the bird / written and illustrated by Nadia Shireen

A lonely forest monster and a lost bird become friends. (Jennifer 12/18)