After complaining of job dissatisfaction, Puff (a caboose) gets to trade positions with Huff (the engine) for a day. But soon enough, Puff realizes he is better designed for the job he is used to. Soft illustrations and brief thoughts throughout make this a clear and manageable read for the very young.

A flock of hapless sheep drive through the country in this rhyming picture book. "The bright-colored pencil drawings and lean text make this a great choice for preschool storytimes, as well as for beginning readers who want a funny story".--School Library Journal. Full-color illustrations.

This layered story will impact different ages differently. The storyline conveys the gruffness expected from a pirate and his mates, while a repetitive pattern incorporates rich descriptors of pirate life. But when pirate Boris suffers loss, illustrations convey deep sadness even a tough character can feel, and readers understand the importance comforting companions offer.

Winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Films Prize for Outstanding Science SeriesWhat's inside that pretty blue egg?A baby bird is growing inside that egg. Slowly the bird develops, until one day it cracks through the shell. Safe inside the nest, under the care of its parents, the chick grows stronger. Soon it will learn how to fly and take care of ...

A little boy notices what everyone misses. He wants to help, but doesn't know how. Told mostly through illustration, the boy with a big heart is colored the brightest. He's easy to spot among all the gray busyness. With gentle direction from his parents, he learns healing comes with rest, time, and hope. A beautiful story of active compassion.

A single act of kindness creates a chain of events that transforms a community in this simple but powerful story. A beautiful tribute to the power of thoughtfulness!

When a tennis ball lands in a prairie dog burrow, it creates quite a fuss! A creative book about discovering new things, with a message about sharing, bullying, forgiveness, and second chances.

When a language barrier makes their mouths "as empty as our breadbaskets," this determined granddaughter begins bridging the gap just like her teacher showed her in class. Soon, she and her Abuela share words, Spanish and English, back and forth. A beautiful example of how creative problem solving and patience overcomes obstacles.

Readers immediatley feel the pull of Gerald's crazy tale, predicting the cause of his trunk incident. But a clever plot twist offers an unexpected explanation, and an unexpected consequence. Another funnybone tickler.

Nate's silver-lining-outlook brightens even the staunchest pessimistic argument. An encouraging reminder of how a positive outlook offers a vastly different view of most anything.

Jealousy breaks out in the henhouse when peacock arrives. Farm business picks up as peacock entertains passersby, but the hens have had it. So, when a confrontation ends in a role-switch, everyone learns the disappointment of being something other than they should be, and the peace when living as they are designed. An accessible truth told with bright color and humor.

This is a beautiful celebration of individuality. Giving perfect personification to the idea that different is beautiful, this delightful character invites readers on an unforgettable journey to discover what makes them unique and to embrace it. Skillfully written, the story also allows readers to pause and consider how to treat others who are different and the role the opinions of others should b ...

"You can read a book more than once, you know. You might even find a book inside the book...When you read a book again and let your imagination take over, it can take you to new stories, so it's like a book inside the book!" Thus begins a celebration of the power of imagination. This book unfolds as a dream might unfold for a child picturing a scene from a story and then imagining, "what if?" ...

Simple statements accompanied by clever illustrations communicate a powerful message about what it means to be courageous daily. In a most delightful, instructive way, the illustrations are just as important as the text. Picture a roller coaster at its final descent (with a few green faces) with its caption: Courage is going on it again; and, a car full of riders followed by: Courage is a scenic c ...

Through the story of a little boy named Felix, this charming book explains to children how being kind not only helps others, it helps them, too. Illustrations.

Rich watercolor illustrations entice young book lovers to this interactive, lift-the-flap book. There is no gimmick here; each spread presents a simple riddle that describes an animal's home. Rich vocabulary — I weave my secret nest...honeysuckle tree...oval hideaway...I nibble sweet berries and gnaw on hazelnuts—delights and inspires inquiry. The text requires a young nature lover t ...

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 ...

Rich color and exquisite detail, though not overdone, illustrate a deeply meaningful lesson in kindness. Creatures young readers recognize - birds, rabbits, mice - portray human traits, planting seeds with hopes for a delicious harvest. This gardening metaphor cleverly illustrates how reaping and sowing have everything to do with each other. Sparse but carefully-worded text takes a back seat to Ka ...