Not a Box and Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis

Warning: you may be asked to read these books more than once. Simple drawings, imagination and few words make these popular stories lovely additions to any growing library. As you read, explain each page to your child, and what the pig and rabbit are doing with their boxes and sticks. You can also give your child empty boxes, or gather sticks as extensions of the books. Enjoy!

HarperCollins (December 12, 2006)

Age range: preschool on

ISBN-13: 978-0061123221

To read short author bio, click here.

It's a Little Book by Lane Smith

This board book is a cute take on how, in our modern, technology-infused world, books might be the less familiar medium. This gets the kids giggling when they are in on the secret.


Roaring Book Press, 2011

Age range: all

ISBN:978-1-59643-758-6

To read a short author bio, click here.

Grandloving:Making Memories with Your Grandchildren, 5th Edition
by Sue Johnson, Julie Carlson & Elizabeth Bower

Wonderful ideas for bonding and communicating with your grandchildren, written by a unique mother / daughter-in-law / daughter team.

Heartstrings Press, 2010

ISBN-13: 978-0967534978

To read short author bios, click here.

A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

Il Sung Na uses fanciful artwork to lead the reader on a journey through the night of an owl.

Alfred A Knopf/Random House, 2007

Age range: all

ISBN: 978-0-375-86618-0

To read a short author bio, click here.

Siesta by Ginger Foglesong Guy, Rene King Moreno (illustrator)

Two children packing for a back yard adventure in English and spanish. Basic vocabulary.

Greenwillow Books/Harper Collins, 2005

Age Range: 2-5

ISBN:978--0-06-168884-3

To read a short author bio, click here.

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming, G. Brian Karas (illustrator)

"After planting the garden he has dreamed of for years, Mr. McGreely tries to find a way to keep some persistent bunnies from eating all his vegetables." Kids love the rhyming, the clever rabbits and Mr. McGreely's frustration.

Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002

Age Range:3-7

ISBN-13:978-0-689-83152-2

To read a short author bio, click here.

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox, Helen Oxenbury (Illustrator)

Lovely rhyme noting what babies from different places have in common

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010
Age Range: For infants or children in preschool
ISBN: 0547366205

To read a short bio,click here.

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

"Great-aunt Alice Rumphius was once a little girl who loved the sea, longed to visit far away places, and wished to do something to make the world more beautiful." American Book Award winner

Viking Press, 1982

Age range: 3-10

ISBN: 0-670-47958-6

 To read a short bio, click here.

Stone Soup by John J. Muth

"Award-winning artist Jon J Muth retells the favorite tale of a selfish community who is tricked into creating a delicious soup from stones. Set in China in Muth's hauntingly beautiful watercolors. In this inspiring story about the strength people possess when they work together, Muth takes a simple, beloved tale and adds his own fresh twist."

Scholastic Press; 1st edition (2003)
Age Range: Ages 4 and up [but 3 yr olds we know love it, too]

ISBN-10: 043933909X
ISBN-13: 978-0439339094

Another John J. Muth favorite: Zen Shorts

 To read a short bio,click here.

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds

Warning: Be sure to have paper, paints, water-colors, crayons, or markers on hand. You and your little one may be tempted to create a ‘dot’ of your own after reading Vashti’s tale of artistic woe, turned inspiration. Full of inspiring conversation, witty phrases, elements of art and color, perseverance, whimsical fonts and drawings, and interesting vocabulary words (jab, studied, surprised, swirly, discovered, experimenting, noticed and squiggle), ‘The Dot’ is sure to be a new favorite in your home. We would love to see your ‘dot’ inspired pictures.

Age Range:  2 and up

Publisher: Candlewick ( 2003)

ISBN-10: 0763619612

ISBN-13: 978-0763619619

 To read a short bio, click here.



Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell

"In his characteristic heartwarming style, Patrick McDonnell tells the story of the young Jane Goodall and her special childhood toy chimpanzee named Jubilee. As the young Jane observes the natural world around her with wonder, she dreams of "a life living with and helping all animals," until one day she finds that her dream has come true.

One of the world's most inspiring women, Dr. Jane Goodall is a renowned humanitarian, conservationist, animal activist, environmentalist, and United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 1977 she founded the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), a global nonprofit organization that empowers people to make a difference for all living things.

With anecdotes taken directly from Jane Goodall's autobiography, McDonnell makes this very true story accessible for the very young--and young at heart." - Amazon.com book description

Winner of more than ten awards.

Age Range: 1 and up
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2011)
ISBN-10: 0316045462
ISBN-13:978-0316045469

 To read a short bio, click here.

Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie DePaola

This wordless picture book follows the trials of a woman who attempts to make pancakes for her breakfast. “The optimistic determination of the woman and the gentle humor of the illustrations make this an appealing book for the very young.”--School Library Journal [Amazon]

Age Range: 2 and up
Publisher: Sandpiper (1978)
ISBN-10: 0156707683
ISBN-13:978-0156707688

 To read a short bio, click here.

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson

Full of simple illustrations, smart vocabulary and witty puns, this timeless classic (c. 1955) is one of many Harold books available. The story follows an endearing child and is a must-have book in any young library. For older toddlers/preschoolers, consider giving Harold as a gift, along with a blank drawing pad and a purple crayon.

Age range: 2 and up
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN-10: 0064430227
ISBN-13: 978-0064430227

To read a short author bio, click here.

Press Here by Herve Tullet

A fun, interactive book to be read again and again, pressing an initial yellow dot leads to series of new commands. By shaking, tilting, pressing, clapping and even blowing the book, the dots change formation and size. Subtle mathematical concepts include patterns, size, movement, order, weight, grouping and number sense.

Age Range: all

Publisher: Chronicle Books (March 30, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0811879542
ISBN-13: 978-0811879545
To read a short author bio, click here.

Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg

As toddlers and preschoolers grow and begin drawing/writing/painting more, it’s easy for young ones to become frustrated when a picture does not turn out the way they expect. We often see children crumpling their art, throwing it away, and sadly, blinking back hot tears. Beautiful Oops is a colorful and fun introduction to creativity born of error. When the page rips, the tear is turned into an alligator’s mouth. A paint spill becomes an elephant. Fun to read aloud, this book is one your kids will look at over and over again on their own, and perhaps be more inclined to turn their “oops” into something of beauty rather than abandoning it to the bin. Beautiful Oops is not only a nice addition to your home library, but is also a fantastic book to purchase as a gift for your child’s preschool or childcare.



Age Range: Ages 3 and up

Publisher: Workman Publishing Company; Pop Brdbk edition (September 23, 2010)
ISBN-10: 076115728X
ISBN-13: 978-0761157281

To read a short author bio, click here.

Chubbo’s Pool written and illustrated by Betsy Lewin
Widely known as the illustrator of Click, Clack Moo, Cows That Type and other books by Doreen Cronin, Betsy Lewin shows that she has a wide range as an illustrator and author in her own right. Beautiful water colors and a not so subtle message, as a surly hippopotamus learns about sharing and compassion.

Ages: All

Publisher: Clarion Books, NY (1996)
ISBN-13: 978-0-395-92863-9
ISBN-10: 0-395-92863-X


Hey, That's Not Trash! But Which Bin Does It Go In? by Renee Jablow

Editorial Review - Publishers Weekly vol. 258 iss. 09 p (c) 02/28/2011
In this board book, a cartoon boy guides readers to place press-out recyclable objects into one of three recycling bins (for paper, plastic, and metal) incorporated into the bottom of the book. Finding cans in the playground, he says, "I'm going to put these cans in the recycling bin for things made out of metal." A prompt urges readers, "Can you put the soda cans in the correct recycling bin?" Children should respond to the interactive component and their host's cheerfulness: "If it goes in a recycling bin, it's on the right path to becoming something else." Ages 4–up. (Mar.)  

Publisher    Little Simon, 2011

ISBN-10:  1416995331

ISBN-13: 9781416995333