Book Recommendations for Children
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The Cool Bean Makes a Splash
The Cool Bean faces the super slide in this Level Two I Can Read by the #1 New York Times bestselling duo Jory John and Pete Oswald!
It's a perfect day at the community pool for a swim. The cool beans are the best swimmers in town. Check out how they dive! Look at how they cannonball! Watch how they backflip! YOW!
As for the Cool Bean, the shallow side of the pool is the only side of the pool he treads water on. Until one day, the Cool Bean sees the super slide and finds the courage to finally ride the slide...or does he Find out in this splashy story about taking chances, trying new things, and leaning on your friends.
The Cool Bean Makes a Splash is a Level Two I Can Read book, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the engaging stories, longer sentences, and language play of Level Two books are proven to help kids take their next steps toward reading success.
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The Cozy Home
Join Bat, Cat, and Rat on their three-and-a-half sweet and silly roommate adventures in this hilarious picture book, the first of a series, from New York Times bestsellers Ame Dyckman and Mark Teague.
What happens when three friends—a bat, a cat, and a rat—move in together?
In “Sharing,” Bat, Cat, and Rat find a cozy home to share. But will choosing rooms put their sharing skills to the test?
In “Joking,” Rat sets off a series of pranks and shenanigans with his rubber spider that have the trio screaming in surprise and laughing in delight.
In “Reading,” Cat catches Bat and Rat reading over her shoulder—or so she thinks, until it turns out they haven’t learned to read yet. Can Cat teach her friends to read along with her? -
Penelope Rex and the Problem with Pets
Penelope Rex might finally have bitten off more than she can chew--a pet saber tooth tiger!--in this companion to the #1 New York Times bestselling We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins.Most kids have dogs and cats and fish and guinea pigs. Penelope Rex has Mittens.
Penelope wasn't sure she even wanted a pet when Mittens came into her life. But now that he's here, she is determined to make the best of it.
Pets, however--especially ones that are six hundred pounds with six-inch-long teeth--can cause very big, very messy problems.In this companion to We Don't Eat Our Classmates, Penelope Rex discovers the challenges and rewards (but mostly challenges) of pet ownership.
Read all of the Penelope Rex books!
- We Don't Eat Our Classmates
- We Will Rock Our Classmates
- We Don't Lose Our Class Goldfish
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Ohana Means Family
Join the family, or ohana, as they farm taro for poi to prepare for a traditional luau celebration with a poetic text in the style of The House That Jack Built.
An American Library Association Notable Children’s Book
"This is the land that's never been sold, where work the hands, so wise and old, that reach through the water, clear and cold, into the mud to pick the taro to make the poi for our ohana's luau."
Acclaimed illustrator and animator Kenard Pak's light-filled, dramatic illustrations pair exquisitely with Ilima Loomis' text to celebrate Hawaiian land and culture.
The backmatter includes a glossary of Hawaiian terms used, as well as an author's note.
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
A Bank Street Best Childrens Book of the Year!
A Booklist Editor's Choice -
Lola and the Troll
A debut picture book by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Connie Schultz, about a young girl named Lola who decides to be brave and stand up to a bully.
Lola is a happy kid who loves recess and her imaginary dog, Tank. There’s just one problem: the neighborhood bully. He hides behind a troll costume and says mean things to everyone who walks by, including Lola. Soon she starts wearing her hair differently, walking on her tippy toes to add a few extra inches to her height, and even putting cornstarch in her shoes because he said her feet stink! But when Lola’s mom takes her to her favorite place, The Bee’s Sneeze bookstore, the owner, Ms. Sneesby, reminds Lola that she LOVES her curly hair, her bright smile, and her big eyes. And most importantly, Ms. Sneesby reminds Lola that she is brave.
Lola and the Troll is about remembering how to be brave, even when it’s hard, and realizing that some-times all a bully really needs is a little kindness. -
A Happy Place
This enchanting picture book from award-winning author and illustrator Britta Teckentrup takes readers on a magical, moonlit adventure to inspire a child’s imagination. With peek-through pages and cutaways.
This beautiful picture book from award-winning author and illustrator Britta Teckentrup takes readers on a magical, moonlit adventure following a tiny star and invites all to dance with a host of animals. But is it all a dream? With peek-through pages and cutaways, the lyrical text and enchanting illustrations will inspire children’s imaginations. -
A Garden Called Home
What makes the place we live feel like home? This is a warm-hearted and lush picture book about family, the immigrant experience and how a simple garden can foster a connection to the larger natural world.
Mama was born in a country far away from here. I love her stories about warm rain in winter and green mountains. And now Mama's taking me there!
When a young girl and her mother go to visit her family, the girl notices a change. At home, her mother mostly stays inside. Here, her mother likes to explore and go hiking. The girl has never seen her so happy! Her mother tells her about the trees, bushes, flowers and birds. Did you know that tree roots make mountains strong? And that ài hāo (mugwort) is used to make delicious, sweet dumplings?
But her mother's smile goes away when they return home. It's cold and she doesn't want to go outside. She goes back to wearing her big quilted jackets and watering her houseplants.
How can the girl show her mother that nature here can be wondrous too?
Includes a glossary of plants with Mandarin/English words. -
The Seeking Tree
A young sapling sprouts! It is excited about its new world. It yearns to connect with all things that pass by.
Unfortunately, human beings are too busy. So, it patiently waits and watches for a thousand years.
Follow its magical journey as humanity evolves and trees begin to slowly disappear.
Until... a girl far in the future finds the seeking tree. With your help, she can change the course of history!
So, it patiently waits and watches for hundreds of year.
Follow its magical journey as humanity evolves around it and trees begin to slowly disappear.
Until... a girl far in the future finds the seeking tree and reverses the course of history.
We are part of an intricate and connected ecosystem. The abundant resources of our planet are not disposable; there exists a delicate balance of give and take.
In a rapidly changing climate with concerns over global warming, this story reminds us to pause and revere in the beauty of our natural world.
Follow its magical journey through history. How one little girl in the future finally sees and understands what was lost. She sits with the seeking tree before it's too late, and reverses the course of history.
We are part of an intricate and connected ecosystem. The abundant resources of our planet are not disposable; there exists a delicate balance of give and take.
In a rapidly changing climate with concerns over global warming, this story reminds us to pause and revere in the beauty of our natural world.
Follow its magical journey through history. How one little girl in the future finally sees and understands what was lost. She sits with the seeking tree before it's too late, and reverses the course of history.
In a rapidly changing climate and concerns over global warming, this story reminds us to pause and revere in the beauty of our natural world.
To remember we are part of an intricate and connected ecosystem. The abundant resources of our planet are not simply disposable, there exists a delicate balance of give and take.
If we don't act soon to preserve what is left we will end up destroying our greatest it all. -
Just Ask!
Justice Sonia Sotomayor and award-winning artist Rafael Lopez create a kind and caring book about the differences that make each of us unique.
A #1 New York Times bestseller!
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award!
Feeling different, especially as a kid, can be tough. But in the same way that different types of plants and flowers make a garden more beautiful and enjoyable, different types of people make our world more vibrant and wonderful.
In Just Ask, United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor celebrates the different abilities kids (and people of all ages) have. Using her own experience as a child who was diagnosed with diabetes, Justice Sotomayor writes about children with all sorts of challenges--and looks at the special powers those kids have as well. As the kids work together to build a community garden, asking questions of each other along the way, this book encourages readers to do the same: When we come across someone who is different from us but we're not sure why, all we have to do is Just Ask.
Praise for Just Ask:
* "Addressing topics too often ignored, this picture book presents information in a direct and wonderfully child-friendly way." --Booklist, *STARRED REVIEW*
"An affirmative, delightfully diverse overview of disabilities." --Kirkus Reviews
"A hopeful and sunny exploration of the many things that make us unique [with] dynamic and vibrant illustrations [that] emphasize each character’s unique abilities. . . . A thoughtful and empathetic story of inclusion." --SLJ -
Abby in Oz
In this second Special Edition of the New York Times bestselling Whatever After series, Abby and her friends enter the magical Land of Oz . . . with hilarious and empowering results
Follow the yellow brick road . . .I'm with my best friends Robin and Frankie (and my sometimes friend, Penny) when a TORNADO scoops us up and whisks us away. As soon as we land, I can tell we're not in Smithville anymore -- we've been transported into The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
We're excited to meet Dorothy and Toto . . . but the story isn't going as planned. The Wicked Witch of the East locks us in her dungeon, so we have no way of getting the magic slippers that will take Dorothy home. Plus, the Emerald City is under attack, and the Wizard himself may be in danger
Now we have to:
- Befriend the Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow
- Flee the flying monkeys
- Learn to steer a hot-air balloon
- Find the courage, heart, and smarts to save the day. . . or we'll never escape -- and everyone knows there's no place like home
This edition is extra-magical, featuring puzzles, games, and a note from the author.
Learning Tools
ABCmouse
ABCmouse.com Early Learning Academy is a free subscription-based digital education program for children ages 2–7, created by Age of Learning, Inc. (Library facility access only)
Accelerated Reader
Provides reading level and point value information to help with a student's reading goals. Tip: For best accuracy, search by the ISBN number typically found on the back cover or behind the title page of the book.
Goodreads
Discover and share books you love on Goodreads, the world's largest site for readers and book recommendations! Find new and interesting books by browsing personalized recommendations based on books you've read and your favorite genres.
Lexile
The Children's Book Review
The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is a resource devoted to children’s literacy. The site offers reviews and book lists of the best books for kids of all ages.