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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My Friend Rabbit
by Eric RohmannThis Caldecott Medal Honor book is two-thirds illustrations, which are described. From the front flap: "When Mouse lets his best friend, Rabbit, play with his brand-new airplane, trouble isnt far behind. Of course, Rabbit has a solutionbut when Rabbit sets out to solve a problem, even bigger problems follow. This file should make an excellent embossed braille copy.
Junie B.'s First Ever Ebook Collection!
by Barbara Park and Denise BrunkusDear Person Who Is Reading This,Hurray! Hurray! Now you can laugh out loud with the first four books in my First Ever Ebook Collection! (The "E" stands for "Excellent," I believe.) Look inside for Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business, Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth, and Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying. These books will make you laugh out loud, I think. Love, your friend, Junie B. Jones Junie B. Jones has kept kids laughing--and reading--for 20 years. Hurray for Barbara Park and the Junie B. Jones® books! New York Times Bestsellers "Junie B. is a darling of the young-reader set." --USA Today "Park convinces beginning readers that Junie B.--and reading--are lots of fun." --Publishers Weekly "Junie's swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world. . . . A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud." --Kirkus Reviews "Although Junie B. is a kindergartner, she's sure to make middle graders laugh out loud." --School Library Journal
Grandfather's Journey
by Allen SayA picture book masterpiece from Caldecott medal winner Allen Say. Lyrical, breathtaking, splendid--words used to describe Allen Say's Grandfather's Journey when it was first published. At once deeply personal yet expressing universally held emotions, this tale of one man's love for two countries and his constant desire to be in both places captures readers' attention and hearts. Images and descriptions available.
Ollie
by Olivier DunreaFriends Gossie and Gertie are waiting and waiting for Ollie to hatch. They try poking, listening, even sitting on top of his egg--but Ollie just won't come out.Ollie is Ollie and he will decide when it's time to hatch. Fans of Gossie and Gossie and Gertie will find Ollie just as charming and delightful as the first two books. Any toddler that has had to wait for a new brother or sister will find Ollie irresistible.
Anna All Year Round
by Diane De Groat and Mary Downing HahnEight-year-old Anna enjoys one exciting experience after another in this charming story set in Baltimore just before World War I. She gets a new winter coat that's even better than Rosa's, rollerskates down the steepest hill in the neighborhood, and rides the trolley all by herself. And she delights in the changes occurring in the world around her, as motorcars and electric lights appear for the first time on her street. Based on the childhood experiences of the author's mother, these heartwarming episodes touch on timeless themes of family, friends, and the wonders of growing up.
Go, Train, Go! (Thomas & Friends)
by Tommy Stubbs and W. AwdryThomas is taking the judge to the train show! He speeds up a hill, across a ridge, through a tunnel, and over a bridge. But as soon as Thomas starts to go fast--screech!--he has to slow down. A goat is in the way, the wind is pushing him back, the tunnel is very dark, and logs are on the track! As soon as Thomas gets past each delay, he gets to go fast--at last! But will they reach the show on time? Go, Thomas, go!
The Daring Nellie Bly
by Bonnie ChristensenFrom the award-winning picture book biographer of Woody Guthrie comes the inspirational story of Nellie Bly. Born in 1864, during a time in which options were extremely limited for women, Nellie defied all expectations and became a famous newspaper correspondent. Her daring exploits included committing herself to an infamous insane asylum in New York City to expose the terrible conditions there and becoming the first American war correspondent of either sex to report on the front lines of Austria during World War I. In 1889, Nellie completed her most publicized stunt, her world-famous trip around the world in just 72 days, beating the record of Jules Vernes’ fictional hero inAround the World in 80 Days. With an informative text and pen-and-ink illustrations reminiscent of the graphic style of the late 1800s,The Daring Nellie Blycaptures the independent spirit of America’s first star reporter, Nellie Bly. From the Hardcover edition.
How I Became a Pirate
by Melinda Long and David ShannonWhen Braid Beard's pirate crew invites Jeremy Jacob to join their voyage, he jumps right on board. Buried treasure, sea chanteys, pirate talk--who wouldn't go along? Soon Jeremy Jacob knows all about being a pirate. He throws his food across the table and his manners to the wind. He hollers like thunder and laughs off bedtime. It's the heave-ho, blow-the-man-down, very best time of his life. Until he finds out what pirates don't do--no reading bedtime stories, no tucking kids in. . . . Maybe being a pirate isn't so great after all.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
by Judi Barrett and Ron BarrettLife is delicious in the 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. Images and image descriptions available.
Close Your Eyes
by Kate BanksA mother tiger entices her child to sleep by telling of all that can be seen with ones eyes closed.
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.
Edward and the Pirates
by David M. McphailEdward is a voracious reader of anything he can get his hands on, even seed catalogs in a pinch. One night, while reading a book about pirates, Edward finds himself surrounded by the salty sailors who think his book might tell them where their treasure is buried. They beg, threaten, and bribe him to no avail, but when Edward's father scares the pirates with a shower of arrows, Edward feels sorry for them and relinquishes the book. As it turns out, the pirates can't read, so Edward reads the book aloud to them.
The Pumpkin Book
by Gail GibbonsDescribes how pumpkins come in different shapes and sizes how they grow and their traditional uses and cultural significance Includes instructions for carving a pumpkin and drying the seeds Gail Gibbons is the well known nonfiction author for children. Other titles include Fire Fire, Apples, Bats, and the Post Office. This book would be a wonderful teaching tool with real pumpkins.
Andy and the Lion
by James DaughertyWhen Andy goes to the library, he checks out a book about lions. Suddenly, lions are everywhere! A charming story. This file should make an excellent embossed braille copy.
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.
Burnt Toast on Davenport Street
by Tim EganWhen a magic fly grants Arthur Crandall three wishes, he's not very impressed, especially since he doesn't believe in magic flies. So he's not particularly careful about what he wishes for: a new toaster, a solution to the bullies down on the street corner, and, for his third wish . . . let's just say that life on Davenport Street will never be the same for the Crandalls. The creator of the critically acclaimed Friday Night at Hodges' Cafe and Metropolitan Cow now brings us a tour de force in humor and storytelling. Egan has created an inviting world on Davenport Street where Stella and Arthur Crandall, two good-natured dogs who have an incredible, magical experience and react much as youor I would - with a combination of disbelief and willingness.
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
Clever Jack Takes the Cake
by G. Brian Karas and Candace FlemingTake a bite out of this deliciously funny original fairy tale, which received four starred reviews and was named a Best Book of the Year by Booklist, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and the Bank Street College of Education. What would you do if you were invited to the princess's tenth birthday party but didn't have money for a gift? Well, clever Jack decides to bake the princess a cake.Now he just has to get it to the castle in one piece. What could possibly go wrong?Candace Fleming and G. Brian Karas, creators of the bestselling picture book Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!, have teamed up again to bring us a modern fairy tale starring a determined boy and a story-loving princess with a good sense of humor. While girls will fall for a story featuring a princess's birthday party, Jack's adventures with trolls, bears, and gypsies make this the perfect read for young boys as well--and ideal for storytime.From the Hardcover edition.
One Funny Day
by Kate McmullanAn Easy-to-Read Book.
Laughter is the best medicine for Pearl and Wagner!
Wagner is having a bad day. He oversleeps and is late for school. His best friend, Pearl, his teacher, and even the school librarian are acting very strangely. And the lunch lady is serving bug juice!
Why?
It's April Fools' Day!
But when Pearl picks another partner for the class dance contest, she's not joking around. It's one unfunny day for poor Wagner ... until he dreams up the perfect way to get the last laugh!
Winner of the Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor
Moose Tales
by Nancy Van Laan and Amy RuschMoose has good friends in the woodland: Beaver, Squirrel, Rabbit, and Mouse. Together they count snowflakes, help one another out of fixes, and make practically perfect creatures out of snow. Set in the secure world of the woods, these tender, funny stories for beginning readers celebrate the simple joys of having friends both trusty and true. And the delicately silly illustrations capture the foibles and idiosyncrasies of each woodland creature, from Moose's skinny legs to Rabbit's long, floppy ears.
Little House in the Big Woods
by Laura Ingalls WilderWolves and panthers and bears roam the deep Wisconsin woods in the late 1870's. In those same woods, Laura lives with Pa and Ma, and her sisters, Mary and Baby Carrie, in a snug little house built of logs. Pa hunts and traps. Ma makes her own cheese and butter. All night long, the wind howls lonesomely, but Pa plays the fiddle and sings, keeping the family safe and cozy.This is the first book of the Laura Ingalls Wilder series. It takes place in Wisconsin in the late 1870's. It is followed by Little House on the Prairie. [This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts for K-1 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Russell and Elisa
by Johanna HurwitzThree-year-old Elisa's new rag doll goes along on the adventures she and her seven-year-old brother Russell have with friends and family in their apartment building and outside.
Ducky
by Eve BuntingWhen a violent ocean storm causes a crate holding assorted plastic tub toys -- including one resilient little duck -- to wash overboard, the course of Ducky's life alters drastically. This engaging story based on a real event includes an author's note.
Let's Count It Out, Jesse Bear
by Nancy White CarlstromFrom the book: JESSE BEAR IS OFF on a rollicking trip to an amusement park, and he's counting on you to join him! Everyone's favorite bear is at it again, showing off new shoes, bumping in bumper cars, and--oops!-even getting a few bumps and scratches of his own. Nancy White Carlstrom's fanciful counting poems and Bruce Degen's bright, cheery illustrations make Let's Count It Out, Jesse Bear, the sixth in the Jesse Bear series, a guaranteed hit for read-aloud sessions. This rhyming, rambling jaunt will have readers counting, and chuckling, in no time! Other books about Jesse Bear are available from Bookshare.
Dancing Dinos Go to School
by Sally Lucas and Margeaux LucasThe dancing dinos are back, and this time, when their book turns up in a school library, they leap out and bring their musical mayhem to a kid's classroom. This fun, rhyming Step 1 reader is perfect for back-to-school!