Special Collections
Picture Books and Easy Readers
Description: Browse this list of popular favorites for bedtime stories, picture books and early readers. Some books will have pictures, and some will have picture descriptions. You can find more books by many of these authors in the Bookshare collection. #kids
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Saving Samantha
by Robbyn Smith van FrankenhuyzenGijsbert (Nick) and Robbyn van Frankenhuyzen have spent years rehabilitating injured and orphaned animals and restoring them back into the wild. Their adventures began with the tale of Jackson the great horned owl in Adopted by an Owl, published in 2001. In Saving Samantha they continue sharing one of many of their fascinating wildlife accounts with the recovery and release of a red fox. Upon discovering her as a pup in a rusty trap near her family den, Robbyn raced home with her to begin Samantha's healing. Sam's encounters with other animals on the farm highlight her need to return to the wild, from her friendship with the family dog, Myles, to her battles with the local bully (a rooster named Igor) and the family crow, Corvis. Through Samantha, readers will come to understand the delicate balance between healing and release, the glory of reunion, and the bittersweet sadness of letting go. Picture descriptions present.
The Seals on the Bus
by Lenny HortA fun repetitive type book for young children. The story is a take off on the song "The Wheels on the Bus" and features animals on the bus. Includes picture descriptions.
Shark vs. Train
by Chris Barton and Tom LichtenheldShark VS. Train! WHO WILL WIN?! If you think Superman vs. Batman would be an exciting matchup, wait until you see Shark vs. Train. In this hilarious and wacky picture book, Shark and Train egg each other on for one competition after another, including burping, bowling, Ping Pong, piano playing, pie eating, and many more! Who do YOU think will win, Shark or Train? [star] "This is a genius concept. " -- Publishers Weekly, starred review [star] "Lichtenheld's snarling shark and grimacing train are definitely ready for a fight, and his scenarios gleefully play up the absurdity. The combatants' expressions are priceless when they lose. A glum train in smoky dejection, or a bewildered, crestfallen shark? It's hard to choose; both are winners. " -- Kirkus, starred review
Sheep Out to Eat
by Nancy ShawThe sheep are back, and this time they're hungry, venturing into a tea shop for even more rollicking fun and, of course, disasters.
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
by Lane Smith and Jon ScieszkaA revisionist storyteller provides his mad, hilarious versions of children's favorite tales in this collection that includes Little Red Running Shorts, The Princess and the Bowling Ball, Cinderumpelstilskin, and others.
The Story of Ferdinand
by Munro Leaf and Robert LawsonFerdinand is the world's most peaceful--and--beloved little bull. While all of the other bulls snort, leap, and butt their heads, Ferdinand is content to just sit and smell the flowers under his favorite cork tree. Leaf's simple storytelling paired with Lawson's pen-and-ink drawings make "The Story of Ferdinand" a true classic.
Strega Nona
by Tomie DePaolaWhen Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works in this classic Caldecott Honor book from Tomie dePaola.
Strega Nona—"Grandma Witch"—is the source for potions, cures, magic, and comfort in her Calabrian town. Her magical everfull pasta pot is especially intriguing to hungry Big Anthony. He is supposed to look after her house and tend her garden but one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit Strega Amelia, Big Anthony recites the magic verse over the pasta pot, with disastrous results.
In this retelling of an old tale, author-illustrator Tomie dePaola combines humor in the writing and warmth in the paintings as he builds the story to its hilarious climax.
Swamp Angel
by Anne Isaacs and Paul O. ZelinskySwamp Angel can lasso a tornado, and drink an entire lake dry. She single-handedly defeats the fearsome bear known as Thundering Tarnation, wrestling him from the top of the Great Smoky Mountains to the bottom of a deep lake.
Caldecott Medal-winning artist Paul O. Zelinsky's stunning folk-art paintings are the perfect match for the irony, exaggeration, and sheer good humor of this original tall tale set on the American frontier.
A Caldecott Honor Book
An ALA Notable Book
A Time magazine Best Book of the Year
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year
Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
by William SteigOne rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic pebble that can make wishes come true. But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results. How Sylvester is eventually reunited with his loving family and restored to his own donkey self makes a story that is beautifully tender and perfectly joyful.
Illustrated with William Steig's glowing pictures, this winner of the 1970 Caldecott Medal is a modern classic beloved by children everywhere. It also features his moving Caldecott Medal acceptance speech.
Tacky the Penguin
by Helen Lester and Lynn MunsingerTacky is an odd bird who marches to the beat of his own drummer. He's something of an eccentric, which wouldn't be a problem if all the other penguins weren't such . . . conformists.
Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger have teamed up to tell Tacky's story, about the day when some hunters come to the penguins' Nice Icy Land, and how Tacky's individuality saves the day!
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
by Beatrix PotterThe story of a naughty young rabbit who decides to disobey his mother by trespassing into Mr. McGregor's garden. Images and image descriptions available.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy
by Tedd ArnoldAfter accidentally swallowing her grandson's pet fly, Grandma tries to retrieve it by consuming progressively larger animals.
Three Tales of My Father's Dragon
by Ruth Stiles GannettThe classic fantasy trilogy of Elmer Elevator and the flying baby dragon has delighted children and their parents for generations. Now, on the occasion of their fiftieth anniversary, Random House is proud to bring the three timeless tales together in one beautiful commemorative edition, complete with the original delightful illustrations. A Newbery Honor Book and an ALA Notable Book, My Father's Dragon is followed by Elmer and the Dragon ("rich, humorous, and thoroughly satisfying"*) and The Dragons of Blueland ("ingenious and plausible, the fantasy well-sustained"*). Each story stands alone, but read in succession, they are an unforgettable experience.*Library Journal, starred review From the Hardcover edition.
Thunder Cake
by Patricia PolaccoFrom the Book Jacket: A loud clap of thunder booms and rattles the windows of Grandma's old farmhouse."This is Thunder Cake baking weather," calls Grandma, as she and her granddaughter hurry to gather the ingredients around the farm. A real Thunder Cake must reach the oven before the storm arrives. But the list of ingredients is long and not easy to find ... and the storm is coming closer all the time! Reaching once again into her rich childhood experience, Patricia Polacco tells the memorable story of how her grandmaher Babushkahelped her overcome her fear of thunder when she was a little girl. Ms. Polacco's vivid memories of her grandmother's endearing answer to a child's fear, accompanied by her bright folk-art illustrations, turn a frightening thunderstorm into an adventure and ultimately...a celebration! Whether the first clap of thunder finds you buried under the bedcovers or happily anticipating the coming storm, Thunder Cake is a story that will bring new meaning and possibility to the excitement of a thunderstorm. Patricia Polacco, born to parents of Russian extraction, comes from a large family of storytellers. She reminisces, "My fondest memories are of sitting around a stove or open fire, eating apples and popping popcorn while listening to the old ones tell glorious stories about the past." Many of Ms. Polacco's stories are based on family history, as are Thunder Cake and the recently published Uncle Vova's Tree. Her first book for Philomel, Rechenkd's Eggs, won the 1989 International Reading Association Book Award, Younger Reader Category. Ms. Polacco has studied in both the United States and Australia, receiving both a bachelor's and master's degree in fine art and a Ph.D. in art history, specializing in Russian and Greek painting and iconographie history. Having raised a son and daughter, Patricia Polacco and her husband, Enzo, now live in Oakland, California.
To Market, To Market
by Anne MirandaAnne Miranda’s inventive twist on a classic rhyme tells what happens after a shopper goes “to market, to market, to buy a fat pig. ” Back home the pig promptly escapes, and soon the pig’s in the kitchen, the lamb’s on the bed, the cow’s on the couch--and the rest of the animals are wreaking havoc throughout the house.
Toys Go Out
by Emily JenkinsLumphy is a stuffed buffalo. StingRay is a stuffed stingray. And Plastic. . . well, Plastic isn't quite surewhatshe is. They all belong to the Little Girl who lives on the high bed with the fluffy pillows. A very nice person to belong to. But outside of the Little Girl's room things can be confusing. Like when Lumphy gets sticky with peanut butter on a picnic, why is he called "dirty"? Or when StingRay jumps into the bathtub, what will happen to her fur? And where in the house can they find the Little Girl a birthday present that she will love the most? Together is best for these three best friends. Together they look things up in the dictionary, explore the basement, and argue about the meaning of life. And together they face dogs, school, television commercials, the vastness of the sea and the terrifying bigness of the washing machine. With all the appeal of a classic, here are six linked stories form Emily Jenkins, and illustrated by Caldecott winning Paul O. Zelinsky that showcase the unforgettable adventures--and misadventures-- of three extraordinary friends.
Traction Man is Here!
by Mini GreyTraction Man—wearing combat boots, battle pants, and his warfare shirt—comes in a box, but very quickly finds the way into the imagination of his lucky boy owner. This superhero searches for the Lost Wreck of the Sieve as the boy makes a game of doing the dishes, and later in the bathtub, he conquers the Mysterious Toes that are stealing his pet, the brave little Scrubbing Brush. These are just a few of the action-packed adventures played out by the boy and his new toy that may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but can vanquish all manner of villains lurking around the house. Mini Grey’s story in words and pictures is an irresistible invitation to the private world of a child’s play.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
by Eric CarleThe all-time classic story, from generation to generation, sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds! Have you shared it with a child or grandchild in your life?
One sunny Sunday, the caterpillar was hatched out of a tiny egg. He was very hungry. On Monday, he ate through one apple; on Tuesday, he ate through three plums - and still he was hungry. When full at last, he made a cocoon around himself and went to sleep, to wake up a few weeks later wonderfully transformed into a butterfly!
The brilliantly innovative Eric Carle has dramatized the story of one of Nature's commonest yet loveliest marvels, the metamorphosis of the butterfly.
Wangari's Trees of Peace
by Jeanette WinterAs a young girl growing up in Kenya, Wangari was surrounded by trees. But years later when she returns home, she is shocked to see whole forests being cut down, and she knows that soon all the trees will be destroyed. So Wangari decides to do something—and starts by planting nine seedlings in her own backyard. And as they grow, so do her plans. . . . This true story of Wangari Maathai, environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is a shining example of how one woman’s passion, vision, and determination inspired great change. Includes an author’s note.
What Alvin Wanted
by Holly KellerAlvin wanted something but neither Sam nor Libby knew what it was. And Alvin couldnt tell them. Mama had gone out, leaving him in their care, and Sam and Libby simply couldnt make him happy. They offered games, stories, crayons and cookies. They even called Grandma. But Alvin couldnt tell anyone what was wrong. Then Mama returned, and knew at once what Alvin wanted. Because it was something she had forgotten to give him when she left!
Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel SilversteinCome in . . . for where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein's world begins. You'll meet a boy who turns into a TV set, and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist. Shel Silverstein's masterful collection of poems and drawings is at once outrageously funny and profound.
Where the Wild Things Are
by Maurice SendakWinner of the 1964 Caldecott Medal for the Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year, Where the Wild Things Are became an iconic book that has inspired a movie, an opera, and the imagination of generations. It continues to be one of the best loved books of all time the world over, by the one and only Maurice Sendak. Supports the Common Core State Standards. Images and image descriptions available.
Worst of Friends
by Suzanne Tripp JurmainTHOMAS JEFFERSON WAS TALL AND QUIET WHILE JOHN ADAMS WAS SHORT AND TALKATIVE. It didn't matter. Together they helped shape America. But as the years went on, Tom and John couldn't agree as to how the new United States should be run. Soon they became political rivals, and before long Tom did not talk to John and John did not talk to Tom. Suzanne Tripp Jurmain and Larry Day tell the true and humorous story of a great American feud and how these two larger-than-life men, once again, found friendship.
Yoko
by Rosemary WellsMmm, Yoko's mom has packed her favorite for lunch today: sushi! But her classmates don't think it looks quite so yummy. "Ick!" says one of the Franks. "It's seaweed!" They're not even impressed by her red bean ice cream dessert. Of course, Mrs. Jenkins has a plan that might solve Yoko's problem. But will it work with the other children in class? Now in paperback for the first time, this tender story from Rosemary Wells demonstrates the author's uncanny understanding of the pleasures and pains of an ordinary school day.
You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!
by Jonah WinterIn this striking picture book biography, an old-timer tells us what made Sandy Koufax so amazing. We learn that the beginning of his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers was rocky, that he was shy with his teammates, and experienced discrimination as one of the only Jews in the game. We hear that he actually quit, only to return the next season-- different-- firing one rocket after another over the plate. We watch him refuse to play in the 1965 World Series because it is a Jewish high holy day. And we see him in pain because of an overused left arm, eventually retiring at the peak of his career. Finally, we are told that people are still "scratchin' their heads over Sandy," who remains a modest hero and a mystery to this day. Accompanied by sidebars filled with statistics, here's a book sure to delight budding baseball fans.