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Summer Fun for Emerging Readers
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Dear Professor Whale
by Megumi IwasaNow that Professor Whale has retired, he writes many letters to "You, Whoever You Are, Who Lives on the Other Side of the Horizon". Seal and Pelican are busy delivering the letters and Penguin is now teaching. Although he is happy his friends are doing so well, Whale wants a special friend, who might call him by a friendly sort of name. Like Whaley, maybe, instead of "Professor."
In this charming follow-up to the international bestseller Yours Sincerely, Giraffe, another correspondence flourishes across the horizons. The letters bring penguins, whales, and seals together in the famous Whale Point Olympics, where the winners are friendship and humor.
The Deaf Musicians
by Pete Seeger and Paul Dubois JacobsLee is a piano man. Every night, he plays jazz for the crowd. It sounds something like this:
Plink-a-plink-BOMP-plink-plink.
Yimba-timba-TANG-ZANG-ZANG.
One night, Lee's bandmates notice something is off. Lee's music comes out like this:
Ronk. Phip. Tonk.
There's no way to hide it: Lee is losing his hearing. Then Lee discovers sign language. And soon after, he meets Max, who plays the sax. Together they form a new band-the Deaf Musicians. But who will listen to a deaf musician?
With The Deaf Musicians, Pete Seeger, Paul DuBois Jacobs, and three-time Coretta Scott King Honor winner R. Gregory Christie present an inspiring story of overcoming obstacles, set to a jazzy score.
OO-AH, BE-DOOP, BE-DOOP, OO-AH, YEAH!
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award
The Kids of Cattywampus Street
by Lisa Jahn-Clough&“An extraordinary book.&” --Lemony Snicket, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events Lovers of Roald Dahl and Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School will be captivated by the adventures of this very special group of friends who live on the same street.In this delightful chapter book filled with black-and-white pictures, you'll meet Jamal, Lindalee, Hans, Matteo, and others--the kids who live on Cattywampus Street, not far from the Waddlebee Toy Store. Each of the eleven chapters in this magical, mysterious, silly, scary, happy, and sometimes sad chapter book tells an utterly unforgettable tale about one of the kids. Whether it's about Jamal and his magic ball, which knows how to find him after its been stolen away; or Charlotta, who shrinks so small that she can fit inside her dollhouse; or Rodney, whose pet rock becomes the envy of all the kids on Cattywampus Street, here are stories sure to charm, captivate, and engage all readers of chapter books, even the most reluctant.
Space Boy
by Leo LandryThis world, decides Nicholas, is too noisy for him.
Time to take a trip.
He packs a snack, puts on his suit, and takes off . . . to the utterly quiet craters and vast deserts of the distant moon.
In this utterly charming picture book, the allure of space travel and the longing for peace and quiet entice a young boy to take his space rocket to the moon for a picnic.
Steam Train, Dream Train
by Tom Lichtenheld and Sherri Duskey RinkerThe team behind the #1 New York Times bestseller Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site returns with another fabulous book for bedtime!
The dream train pulls into the station, and one by one the train cars are loaded: polar bears pack the reefer car with ice cream, elephants fill the tanker cars with paints, tortoises stock the auto rack with race cars, bouncy kangaroos stuff the hopper car with balls.
Sweet and silly dreams are guaranteed for any budding train enthusiasts!
We Are Water Protectors
by Carole LindstromInspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption―a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade. Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all . . . When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth And poison her people’s water, one young water protector Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.
Frederick
by Leo LionniWhile the other field mice work to gather grain and nuts for winter, Frederick sits on a sunny rock by himself.
"I gather sun rays for the cold dark winter days," he tells them. Another day he gathers "colors," and then "words."
And when the food runs out, it is Frederick, the dreamer and poet, whose endless store of supplies warms the hearts of his fellow mice, and feeds their spirits during the darkest winter days.
Frederick's story will warm readers as well in this Caldecott Honor winning fable.Now available as an eBook.
Julián Is a Mermaid
by Jessica LoveIn an exuberant picture book, a glimpse of costumed mermaids leaves one boy flooded with wonder and ready to dazzle the world.
While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a periwinkle curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes — and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself? Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love’s author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality.
Fry Bread
by Kevin Noble MaillardTold in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.
Fry bread is food. It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.
Fry bread is time. It brings families together for meals and new memories.
Fry bread is nation. It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.
Fry bread is us. It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (25th Anniversary Edition)
by Bill MartinA big happy frog, a plump purple cat, a handsome blue horse, and a soft yellow duck--all parade across the pages of this delightful book.
Children will immediately respond to Eric Carle's flat, boldly colored collages.
Combined with Bill Martin's singsong text, they create unforgettable images of these endearing animals. Images and Image descriptions available.
Dreamers
by Yuyi MoralesIn 1994, Yuyi Morales left her home in Xalapa, Mexico and came to the US with her infant son. She left behind nearly everything she owned, but she didn't come empty-handed.
She brought her strength, her work, her passion, her hopes and dreams...and her stories. Caldecott Honor artist and five-time Pura Belpré winner Yuyi Morales's gorgeous new picture book Dreamers is about making a home in a new place. Yuyi and her son Kelly's passage was not easy, and Yuyi spoke no English whatsoever at the time. But together, they found an unexpected, unbelievable place: the public library. There, book by book, they untangled the language of this strange new land, and learned to make their home within it.
Dreamers is a celebration of what migrantes bring with them when they leave their homes. It's a story about family. And it's a story to remind us that we are all dreamers, bringing our own gifts wherever we roam. Beautiful and powerful at any time but given particular urgency as the status of our own Dreamers becomes uncertain, this is a story that is both topical and timeless.
The lyrical text is complemented by sumptuously detailed illustrations, rich in symbolism. Also included are a brief autobiographical essay about Yuyi's own experience, a list of books that inspired her (and still do), and a description of the beautiful images, textures, and mementos she used to create this book.
Peanut Goes for the Gold
by Jonathan Van NessPeanut Goes for the Gold is a charming, funny, and heartfelt picture book that follows the adventures of Peanut, a gender nonbinary guinea pig who does everything with their own personal flare. Peanut just has their own unique way of doing things. Whether it’s cartwheeling during basketball practice or cutting their own hair, this little guinea pig puts their own special twist on life. So when Peanut decides to be a rhythmic gymnast, they come up with a routine that they know is absolutely perfect, because it is absolutely, one hundred percent Peanut. This upbeat and hilarious picture book, inspired by Jonathan’s own childhood guinea pig, encourages children to not just be themselves—but to boldly and unapologetically love being themselves.
The Book With No Pictures
by B. J. NovakA book with no pictures, where the person reading has to read out loud has to say all the silly things written in the book. That includes using silly words and singing silly songs.
Green Is a Chile Pepper
by John Parra and Roseanne ThongGreen is a chile pepper, spicy and hot.Green is cilantro inside our pot.In this lively picture book, children discover a world of colors all around them: red is spices and swirling skirts, yellow is masa, tortillas, and sweet corn cake.
Many of the featured objects are Latino in origin, and all are universal in appeal.
With rich, boisterous illustrations, a fun-to-read rhyming text, and an informative glossary, this playful concept book will reinforce the colors found in every child's day!
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes
by Mark Pett and Gary RubinsteinMeet Beatrice Bottomwell: a nine-year-old girl who has never (not once!) made a mistake.
She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school.
In fact, Beatrice holds the record of perfection in her hometown, where she is known as The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes.
Life for Beatrice is sailing along pretty smoothly until she does the unthinkable–she makes her first mistake. And in a very public way!
I Spy . . . a Shark!
by Cora ReefSimon Seahorse meets a shark in this second book of The Not-So-Tiny Tales of Simon Seahorse chapter book series—and it turns out sharks make for great stories…and great friends!
Simon and Olive love playing “I Spy” in Coral Jungle because there are so many things to see! There are different types of coral, seagrass, and all sorts of fish. But one day they spy…a shark! They swim away as fast as they can, but the shark catches up to them and introduces herself. And it turns out Simon and Olive—and all of Coral Grove—have a lot to learn about sharks.
With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Not-So-Tiny Tales of Simon Seahorse chapter books are perfect for emerging readers.
Curious George
by H. A. Rey and Margret ReyBrought to life over sixty years ago by Margret and H.A. Rey, Curious George has found a lasting place in the hearts of millions of children all over the world. Along with his friends, George has had many fun adventures
The Paper Kingdom
by Helena Ku RheeWhen the babysitter is unable to come, Daniel is woken out of bed and joins his parents as they head downtown for their jobs as nighttime office cleaners. But the story is about more than brooms, mops, and vacuums. Mama and Papa turn the deserted office building into a magnificent kingdom filled with paper. Then they weave a fantasy of dragons and kings to further engage their reluctant companion--and even encourage him to one day be the king of a paper kingdom. The Paper Kingdom expresses the joy and spirit of a loving family who turn a routine and ordinary experience into something much grander. Magical art by Pascal Campion shows both the real world and the fantasy through the eyes of the young narrator.
Outer Space Bedtime Race
by Rob Sanders and Brian WonAaaaaand they're off . . . to bed!
Aliens from every planet rocket through their out-of-this-world bedtime routines--they sink into steamy crater bubble baths and shimmy into deep-sleep suits, just like you (almost)!
Brian Won's glowing graphic art pops off the page, and Rob Sanders's goofy rhymes will have kids racing to snuggle under the covers and blast off to dreamland.
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich
by Julia Sarcone-RoachBy now I think you know what happened to your sandwich. But you may not know how it happened. So let me tell you. It all started with the bear . . .
So begins Julia Sarcone-Roach’s delicious tale of a bear, lost in the city, who happens upon an unattended sandwich in the park. The bear’s journey from forest to city and back home again is full of happy accidents, funny encounters, and sensory delights. The story is so engrossing, it’s not until the very end that we begin to suspect this is a TALL tale.
The wonderfully told story, spectacular illustrations, and surprise ending make this Julia Sarcone-Roach’s best book to date. You’ll want to share it with your friends (and keep a close eye on your lunch).
Splat The Cat
by Rob ScottonSplat and his class go on a field trip to an ice cream factory in this delectable I Can Read book from New York Times bestselling author-artist Rob Scotton. Splat can barely sit still during the bus ride. He's imagining the mountain of ice cream he thinks he'll get to eat! But when Splat gets there, that mountain becomes more of an avalanche. It's up to Splat and his classmates to save the day! Beginning readers will practice the –eam sound in this easy-to-read addition to the Splat series. Splat the Cat: I Scream for Ice Cream is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it's perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.
No, David!
by David ShannonWhen David Shannon was five years old, he wrote and illustrated his first book. On every page were these words: NO, DAVID! . . . and a picture of David doing things he was not supposed to do. Now David is all grown up. But some things never change. . . .
Over fifteen years after its initial publication, NO, DAVID! remains a perennial household favorite, delighting children, parents, and teachers alike. David is a beloved character, whose unabashed good humor, mischievous smile, and laughter-inducing antics underline the love parents have for their children--even when they misbehave.
Snakes
by Seymour SimonWhat animal can smell with its tongue, swallow an animal larger than its own head, and grow to be longer than a school bus? A snake!
Pound for pound, snakes are among the strongest of animals.
Most people fear snakes, but there are only a few that are dangerous to humans.
And if snakes were to disappear, the earth would be overrun with rats and rodents.
We all must learn to appreciate these awesome reptiles as a vital part of the global balance of nature.
Lulu and the Brontosaurus
by Lane Smith and Judith ViorstIt's Lulu's birthday and she's decided she'd like a pet brontosaurus as a present.
When Lulu's parents tell her that's not possible, Lulu gets very upset. She does not like it when things don't go her way.
So she takes matters into her own hands and storms off into the forest to find herself a new pet, all the way singing: I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, gonna, get a bronto-bronto-bronto-bronto-saurus for a pet!
In the forest Lulu encounters a number of animals; a snake, a tiger, a bear, all of whom don't particularly impress her. And then she finds him...a beautiful, long-necked, gentle, graceful brontosaurus. And he completely agrees with Lulu that having a pet would be a wonderful thing, indeed!
Lulu thinks she's gotten her birthday wish at last. Until she realizes that Mr. Brontosaurus thinks that she would make an ideal pet for him! How will Lulu ever get out of this sticky situation without throwing a fit (Mr. B does not respond well to those), or using force (Mr. B is much to tall to bonk on the head with her suitcase), or smushing her pickle sandwich?