This story exudes beauty. It is a study in kindness and grace. It shows what knowing how to see beyond personal needs, penchants, and shortsightedness looks like. Nana's wisdom teaches readers to look with eyes that see beyond the surface to love the potential of each individual and to give. Because that is where joy begins. CJ: "How come it's always so dirty over here?" Nana (smiling and poin ...

At 4 years old, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews found the music of his New Orleans hometown irresistible. He joined crowds of musicians, mimicking them with homemade instruments, and eventually playing right along on a found, beat-up trombone. His insatiable appetite for playing music sends a powerfully important to readers; hard work doing something you love and are gifted to do is not only fulfil ...

A unique coming of age story, Ruby Reinvented is an authentic read for girls. Highlighting the importance of family, friendships and choices, this sweet and honest story is both inspiring and cautionary. Traits of honesty, teamwork, and believing in yourself shine as readers join Ruby on her quest to come to terms with the uniqueness of who she is and how that fits into the world around her. Ruby ...

A delightful story about how one odd bird—a book-lover—can save the day.

When Henry's mom limits his bike-riding exploration to around the block, he assumes he's in for a boring ride. However, the action he sees—conveyed through rich verb use and energetic illustrations—transforms his ride into an exciting adventure. Enticing for very young readers.

Imagination, both generated and given, is the real star of the story. Humor, wordplay, and fun spill from every page!

Warning: this heartwarming, poignant story is not without its sad moments. However, the beauty of budding friendship and trust make it a worthwhile and beautiful tale.

We can't get enough of this author/illustrator duo. They discover the most interesting individuals and masterfully shape the telling by relating familiar, present-day experiences with their characters' experiences, enabling details to stick. In this telling, William Carlos Williams faces the difficulty of balancing the need to earn a living with pursuing his artistic endeavors. He manages to estab ...

This fast-paced tale of two adventurers invites readers on a quest filled with mystery, danger, and a whole lot of excitement. As readers get to know Emily and James, they learn important lessons about choices and consequences, friendship, and what home really means. Whimsy and literary references mixed with technology make this story a modern classic. School drama and family conflict offer authen ...

Watercolors rich with color and undertones speak to the deep character of Harriet Tubman, once General Tubman, Union Spy, Moses, Araminta, and more. Concise word selection shapes historical contrasts within short lines of verse on each spread, conveying poignant truth with hope and a relentless spirit bound only by freedom.

This tale stages a meetup between extraordinary and ordinary. The learning is messy and extraordinary turns out to be unconventional, but Bloom the magical fairy believes her new "ordinary" friend, Genevieve, can save the kingdom. Genevieve's confidence grows with each success under Bloom's gentle direction. Lively, airy illustrations capture the delight and strength of a heart and mind equipped t ...

While it borders on the silly, who can resist a tale with chicken detectives named Dirt, Sweetie, Poppy, and Sugar? Although humorous wrong assumptions complicate their investigative strategy, the Chicken Squad bumbles its way to finding the "weird blue chicken's" missing home, restoring peace and order in their community. Very entertaining — a good choice for reluctant readers.

Lighthearted humor defines the antics in this chicken caper. Tail the Squirrel, paralyzed with fear, can't clearly convey the sight he's seen, so the chickens, by fastidious notetaking and deductive reasoning (based on limited experience), try to discover the frightful source of Tail's worry. A hilarious kerfuffle results. A fun read with rich conversation, narration, and storytelling that illustr ...

The extreme simplicity of The Storm Whale's text belies layers of symbolism that emerge with second, third, and fourth readings — father's reawakening to his son's need for friendship; the treasures that can be left behind by a storm. Readings are more like experiences, as Davies' cinematic illustrations draw readers in with visual details and varying scope. A new favorite that's repeatedly ...

While the story gently follows a pet duck through growth and friendship, the book's strength lies in interesting, descriptive details, both in text and in the charming photographs. Each page includes an action, moving the simple storyline quickly to its winsome conclusion.

Expect the unexpected! Houses, apartments, underground lairs, giant shoes and hollow trees capture the imaginations of young readers dreaming of home. Ellis encourages children to ask and answer questions (‘Whose home is this?’ ‘Why would someone live here?’) in a way that evokes wonder and inspires creativity. Kids will be redecorating their rooms and building forts afte ...

Fogliano draws the reader into the memory of each season's sensory delights and opportunities for reflection: hot sand on the edge of the sea in summer, November showers that are "practice for snow". Poems are concise and rhythmic for sharing aloud and each is dated to further draw young readers into a journal-like experience of the year in all its glorious variety. A beautiful addition to the par ...

Cleverly explains how wild seeds get spread to produce "wild gardens." The informative text is conveyed in story form, making it engaging for young readers or listeners.