PICTURE BOOKS
Books are listed in alphabetical order by title. Click on the book link to have the book dropped directly into an Amazon.com shopping cart.
Alexander Books by Judith Viorst
These 3 books are so entertaining and fun but are also very insightful and deal with some important issues in kids’ lives.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
On a day when everything goes wrong for him, Alexander is consoled by the thought that other people have bad days too.
Alexander Who Used To Be Rich Last Sunday
Although Alexander and his money are quickly parted, he comes to realize all the things that can be done with a dollar.
Alexander Who’s Not (do you hear me? I mean it!) Going to Move
Angry Alexander refuses to move away if it means having to leave his favorite friends and special places.
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
Chrysanthemum loves her name until she starts going to school and the other children begin to make fun of it.
Liz says:
“Anything by Kevin Henkes is a winner. This is a great story of learning to be proud of yourself even when others try to make you feel bad. In this case, Chrysanthemum remains proud of her name. (It doesn’t hurt that her teacher’s name is Delphinium.)”
Duck & Goose by Tad Hills
Duck and Goose learn to work together to take care of a ball that they think is an oversized egg.
Liz says:
“This is my daughter’s absolute favorite and it’s also one of mine. Duck and Goose learn to work together and form a most endearing friendship. The illustrations are amazing.” (There’s a sequel, Duck, Duck, Goose, which is available from Amazon but not linked here for technical reasons.)
What’s Up, Duck? by Tad Hills
On board pages. Labeled illustrations of ducks introduce sets of opposites, including front and back, happy and sad, and awake and asleep.
Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
Life is delicious in a town of Chewandswallow where it rains soup and juice, snows mashed potatoes, and blows storms of hamburgers--until the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Liz says:
“The story starts out in black & white as the grandpa tells his grandkids about the magical town of Chewandswallow. The story itself is in color - very much like the movie,The Wizard of Oz. As tomato tornados move in, see what the people of this town have to do. You may never see the weather in the same way again. This is a terrific book!”
in association with Amazon.com
Arnie the Doughnut by Laurie Keller
Arnie the talking doughnut convinces Mr. Bing that not all doughnuts are meant to be eaten.
Liz says:
“A charming story that will make you smile. The pictures and text are very unusual! There’s as much humor for adults as there is for kids.”
Farfallina and Marcel by Holly Keller
A caterpillar and a young goose become great friends, but as they grow up they undergo changes which separate them for awhile.
Liz says:
“This book is the winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award. It is one of the sweetest books about friendship. As Farfallina and Marcel grow and change so does their friendship. The illustrations are charming.”
Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell
When a kind and hardworking duck nearly collapses from overwork, while taking care of a farm because the owner is too lazy to do so, the rest of the animals get together and chase the farmer out of town.
Liz says:
“This was recommended to me years ago by an English teacher. It was one of his kids’ favorites and it quickly became one of my kids’ favorites as well. It’s a VERY simplified version of Animal Farm. The writing is simple yet almost poetic and the pictures are adorable.”
Imogene’s Antlers by David Small
Imogene’s Antlers by David Small
One Thursday, Imogene wakes up with a pair of antlers growing out of her head and causes a sensation wherever she goes.
Liz says:
“This is a whimsical story -you’ll love it!”
The Jester Has Lost His Jingle by David Saltzman
When they discover that laughter is missing from their kingdom, a jester and his helpmate set out on a quest to find it.
Liz says:
“This is a fun book with a very important message. Without laughter, life is pretty miserable. It’s a rhyming book that has a great cadence - very easy to read aloud. There’s an autobiographical note at the end which will make you cry for a moment but will make you appreciate this story even more!”
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
Left on their own for an afternoon, two bored and restless children find more excitement than they bargained for in a mysterious and mystical jungle adventure board game.
Liz says:
“This is the picture book that served as the premise for the movie. The story and pictures are out of this world. Truly anything by Chris Van Allsburg is a must for any picture book collection!”
Katie’s Sunday Afternoon by James Mayhew
On a hot day, Katie and her grandmother visit the art museum, where Katie climbs into the paintings of pointillist artists Seurat, Pissarro, and Signac. Includes information about pointillism.
Liz says:
“Maybe because I have a Master’s Degree in Art History or maybe because it’s just such a great story, I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s magical, playful and refreshing!”
The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco
A homemade quilt ties together the lives of four generations of an immigrant Jewish family, remaining a symbol of their enduring love and faith.
Liz says:
“Patricia Polacco’s picture books are among the best ever. This one is an all time favorite for many - including me. Her stories are almost always semi-autobiographical and focus on family life and traditions.”
Piggie Pie! by Margie Palatini
Gritch the witch flies to old MacDonald’s farm for some pigs to make a piggy pie, but when she arrives, she can’t find a single porker.
Liz says:
“This one’s hilarious with enough humor for both adults and kids.”
Stellaluna by Jannell Cannon
After she falls headfirst into a birds nest, a baby bat is raised like a bird until she is reunited with her mother.
Cara says:
“A beautiful story with pictures to match. A great resource for information on bats in the back of the book.”
Strega Nona a 6 title series by Tomie De Paola
Follow Strega Nona as she takes you on these comical adventures.
Strega Nona: An Original Tale
When Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works.
Big Anthony and the Magic Ring
When Big Anthony borrows Strega Nona’s magic ring to turn himself into a handsome man, he gets more trouble than fun.
Strega Nona’s Magic Lessons
Big Anthony disguises himself as a girl in order to take magic lessons from Strega Nona.
Strega Nona Meets Her Match
A rival puts Strega Nona out of the healing business until Big Anthony’s assistance inadvertently sabotages the newcomer in his usually well-meaning way.
Strega Nona: Her Story
Grandma Concetta heals everyone with her remedies and advice, and when she retires, she leaves Nona her magic pasta pot with its secret ingredient.
Strega Nona Takes a Vacation
Strega Nona sends home gifts of candy and bubble bath while on vacation, but when Bambalona grabs the candy, Big Anthony is left with a lot of bubbles.
Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens
Hare turns his bad luck around by striking a clever deal with the rich and lazy bear down the road.
Liz says:
“This is such a fun book. The story is adorable and the book format matches the title; it opens top to bottom! This is a Caldecott Medal winner.”
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
The wolf gives his own outlandish version of what really happened when he tangles with the three little pigs.
Liz says:
“This is an all time favorite for everyone. Told from the perspective of the Wolf, this story is a lot of fun and the illustrations are awesome. Anything by Jon Scieszka (rhymes with Fresca) is amazing.”
Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
An unobservant zookeeper is followed home by all the animals her thinks he has left behind in the zoo.
Liz says:
“This is a very sweet, short book; it’s perfect for bedtime.”
No, David! by David Shannon
A young boy is depicted doing a variety of naughty things for which he is repeatedly admonished, but finally he gets a hug.
Cara says:
“I absolutely love this book! David is always getting into all sorts of trouble, he can’t seem to get it right. Don’t we all have days like that sometimes?”
Weslandia by David Wiesner
Wesley's garden produces a crop of huge, strange plants which provide him with clothing, shelter, food, and drink, thus helping him create his own civilization and changing his life.
Liz says:
“Harnessing the truly fantastical with universal truths, Wiesner has created a meaningful, fun and VERY quirky book. Parents and kids will enjoy this!”
When the Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Elise Broach
Although his mother is a little worried, a young boy is delighted to discover that every shop in town is giving away real dinosaurs to their customers.
Liz says:
“This charming story will delight kids, especially those who love dinosaurs.”
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
In order to ensure her popularity, Camilla Cream always does what is expected, until the day arrives when she no longer recognizes herself.
Liz says:
“This is a fun story with a great message. Camilla wants so much to fit in that she won’t even eat her favorite food, lima beans. As she tries to be like everyone else, she starts to take on the appearance of what’s around her - losing her own self image. In a magical way she learns to stay true to herself inside and out.
HOME > PICTURE BOOKS
Big Bad Bunny by Franny Billingsley
Mama Mouse hurriedly searches the forest for her missing little one, Baby Boo-Boo, while Big Bad Bunny stomps and growls not far away--but the bunny may not be as bad as it seems.
The End by David LaRochelle
When a princess makes some lemonade, she starts a chain of events involving a fire-breathing dragon, one hundred rabbits, a hungry giant, and a handsome knight.
Every Friday by Dan Yaccarino
Every Friday a father and his child share a special ritual.
The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson
Illustrations and easy-to-read text explore the light that makes a house in the night a home filled with light.
Lights Out by Arthur Geisert
Told by his parents that his light must be out at eight o'clock, a young piglet who is afraid of the dark devises an ingenious solution to the problem.
Once Upon a Time, The End: (Asleep in 60 Seconds) by Geoffrey Kloske
Once upon a time -- Chicken Little -- The two little pigs -- Small girl, red hood -- Goldilocks and the bears -- Princess Pea -- The little red hen -- But in that peaceful little house -- David and Goliath -- Sleeping Beauty -- Jack -- Hickory dickory dock -- John Jacob -- The old lady's shoe -- Hey diddle diddle -- Riddle one -- Riddle two --And they all lived -- A tired father takes only a few sentences to tell a number of classic tales in order to get the persistent listener to fall asleep.
Squashed in the Middle by Elizabeth Winthrop
When Daisy, a middle child, is invited to spend the night at her friend's house, her family finally pays attention to her.
Stone Soup by Marcia Brown
When three hungry soldiers come to a town where all the food has been hidden, they set out to make soup of water and stones, and all the town enjoys a feast.
Liz says:
“This is a timeless folktale that teaches the important lesson of sharing. Parents, teachers and kids love this book!”