Picture Books about Friendship

Bloom, Suzanne. A Splendid Friend, Indeed.
Can a goose and a polar bear be friends? Find out how a curious goose wins over a polar bear who can't be bothered.

Dunrea, Olivier. Gossie & Friends: A First Flap Book.
Your child will enjoy reading about Gossie, Gertie, BooBoo, and Peedie. Lift the flaps to learn about colors, seasons, countings, and more!

Ford, Miela. Bear Play.
Two polar bears have a great time playing in the water.

West, Colin. "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz," Went Bumblebee.
The bumblebee buzzes from one animal to the next, hoping to find a friend. He finally lands on a butterfly who doesn't mind a bumblebee on his wing.

Exciting historical fiction

Kathryn Lasky's The Last Girls of Pompeii.

184 p. Gr. 6-8

In the year A.D. 79, 12 year old Julia is the youngest child in the Petreius family who was born with a deformed arm, which she refers to as the “Curse of Venus.” The summer has been a busy one for Julia, because her sister Cornelia is to be wed. Both their parents are consumed by the wedding preparations and Julia gets dragged from one augur to the next. While her family is preparing for the upcoming wedding Julia and her slave Sura begin to notice strange things happening in Pompeii. First they notice that the water from the fountain is not flowing as freely as usual and then they smell sulfur, which has an odor like rotten eggs. Little do they know that beneath Mount Vesuvius there is a volcano that is ready to erupt and destroy the lives of the ones they love.

For Young Mystery Lovers!

Pearson, Susan. The 123 Zoo Mystery. 88 p. Gr.1-3
Classroom 123 has sixteen pets, including Mrs. Lettuce, the rabbit who will soon have baby rabbits. One morning Ernie’s class arrives and finds that someone has let all the pets out of their cages, but who? It is up to “Eagle-Eye” Ernie and the Martian club to solve the mystery.


Napoli, Donna Jo. Sly the Sleuth and the Pet Mysteries. 92 p. Gr.2-4
Join Sylvia, also known as “Sly the Sleuth,” in solving three mysteries about the pets in her neighborhood. Black and white illustrations portray the characters and pets in the story.

Sharmat, Marjorie. The Sly Spy. 44 p. Gr.K-2
From the same author as “Nate the Great” comes Olivia Sharp, Agent for Secrets. Olivia Sharp solves secret problems, but this time Olivia has a problem. Another agent is covering up her ads and impeding on Olivia’s business. In addition, Olivia is hiding a feathery birthday present in her apartment. Read the book to find out what it is!

Stefanec-Ogren, Cathy. Sly, P.I.: The Case of the Missing Shoes.
48 p. Gr. K-2
Help Sly, P.I. solve the mystery of the missing ballet shoes. On opening night, Miss Lotta Oink’s ballet slippers mysteriously disappear and it is up to Sly P.I. to solve the case.

Counting Monkeys and Crocodiles

Alborough, Jez. Tall.
This is a great picture book for infants through preschool. Using very few words, Alborough depicts how various jungle animals help a very little monkey to feel that he is tall.

Christelow, Eileen. Five little monkeys jumping on the bed. Your little one will enjoy reading or singing this silly story about five monkeys who jump on the bed until they fall off and bump their
heads.

Ochiltree, Dianne. Ten Monkey Jamboree.

Rhyming text and colorful pictures show how many monkeys it takes to make a jungle jamboree and how many combinations of numbers will add up to ten.

Sierra, Judy. Counting crocodiles.
Find out how one monkey outsmarts hungry crocodiles with her counting ability and gets to a banana tree on an island across the sea.

Books to Read about Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Rights with children from Pre-school to Grade 8.

Johnson, Angela. Sweet Smell of Roses. PreS-Gr.1

Johnson portrays the crucial involvement of youth in the Civil Rights movement with a story about Minnie and her sister who join the march with Dr. King. The text of the story is interspersed with words from Dr. King’s speech. Illustrated with beautiful black & white pencil drawings and a hint of red throughout the book.

Patrick, Denise Lewis. A Lesson for Martin Luther King, Jr. 31 p. Gr.K-2
This story focuses on a specific incident from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s childhood, when his best friend's father said they could no longer play together because "colored and white can't mix!"

Weatherford, Carole Boston. Freedom on the Menu. Gr.1-4
In this picture book, Weatherford portrays the 1960 civil rights sit-ins at the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, through the eyes of a young Southern black girl.

Shore, Diane ZuHone. This is the Dream. Gr.2-5
Shore presents the events of the Civil Rights movement through
lyrical verses and distinguished illustrations. Archival photos, newspaper clippings, and paintings are used throughout the book.

Farris, Christine King. My Brother Martin. 35 p. Gr.2-4
Read about Martin Luther King Jr.’s life from his sister’s perspective. She recalls the conditions in the South during segregation and how her father’s sermons taught them to stand up for justice and equality. This is a good biography for introducing young children to the concept of segregation and Dr. King’s message.

Adler, David. A. A Picture Book of Rosa Parks. Gr. 2-4
Adler presents a visual biography of the woman who famously refused to give up her seat on a bus and helped establish the civil rights movement.

Edwards, Pamela Duncan. The Bus Ride that Changed History.
Gr. 2-4
Read about Rosa Parks, a crucial figure in the Civil Rights Movement, who refused to stand up so that a white passenger could sit in her seat.

Rappaport, Doreen. Martin’s Big Words. Gr 3-5
Rappaport sums up King’s life and work with short paragraphs, which are followed by King’s own words. His book includes great illustrations made with watercolor and collage art.

Haskins, James. John Lewis in the Lead. Gr.3-5
A biography of John Lewis, Georgia Congressman and one of the 'Big Six' civil rights leaders of the 1960s. Haskins focuses on his youth through the voter registration drives that sparked 'Bloody Sunday.'

Rappaport, Doreen. Nobody Gonna Turn Me ‘Round: Stories and Songs of the Civil Rights Movement. 63 p. Gr.4-8
Rappaport uses songs, poems, memories, letters, court testimony, and first-person accounts to provide a moving portrayal of the experiences of African Americans from the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott to the Voting Rights Act in July 1965.

Rainy Weekend - nothing to do?

Bronco Charlie and the Pony Express, Marleen Targ Brill (Gr. 2-4) 46 p.
Children who love to read adventure stories and nonfiction will enjoy reading about a boy named Charlie Miller who in 1861 became the youngest rider for the Pony Express. Try other books in the “On My Own History” series, including Allen Jay and the Underground Railroad, Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie, and Saving the Liberty Bell.

Keeker and the Sugar Shack, Hadley Higginson (Gr. 2-4) 46 p.
Meet Keeker, a nine year old girl who lives in Vermont and owns a pony named Plum. In the third book of the “Sneaky Pony Series,” Keeker and Plum decide to investigate a new neighbor who has moved in next door. Keeker thinks that her neighbor might be a witch, but first impressions aren’t always right.

Today I Will Fly, Mo Willems (Gr. K-3) 57 p.
If your child loved Willems’ picture books, such as “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” he/she will equally love Today I Will Fly. Piggie announces to elephant that she will fly, but elephant is skeptical. Despite elephant’s negative outlook, Piggie is confident and says “I will try” and asks her friends for help. This is a great story that encourages children to ask for help, but to never give up.

The Curious Demise of a Contrary Cat, Lynne Berry (PreS - Gr. 1)
The story of a cat who is always busy doing something other than what his owner, the witch, asks. Find out what becomes of this contrary cat. Kids and parents will enjoy the creative rhyming and repetitive text that is accompanied by black and white Edward Gorey-like illustrations.

Books from Baby Book Time

Fleming, Denise. Lunch. Join the mouse on his colorful eating adventure. Kids will enjoy the vivid pictures and story about a very hungry mouse.

Hubbell, Patricia. Pots and Pans. Baby explores the kitchen cupboards, pulling out pots and pans and other noisy things.

Offen, Hilda. As Quiet as a Mouse. Rhyming text describes animals making different noises, such as clapping, laughing, and snoring.

Tafuri, Nancy. Have You Seen My Duckling? A mother duck and her seven ducklings swim around the pond looking for the eighth duckling. Can you find the little duckling on each page?