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Polar bear night

Thompson, Lauren

Take a quiet journey through the stillness of the night where stars form a blanket of light over sleeping animals. Then let the warmth of mother bear's fur guide you into a deep slumber.

Tags

animals, bear, family, listening, moon, mountains, night, observation, sea, seal, sight, sleep, snow, stars, walrus, whale

A zoo prepares for Zoo Day. But things do not go according to plan. The llamas won't quit spitting; the giraffes are drooling; and the zebras aren't happy at all with their stripes! Meanwhile, the zookeepers scurry this way and that, clean up poop, ring mealtime bells, and try to get the animals bathed. Will the zookeeper end up spending the night at the zoo? Will Zoo Day go off without a hitch, or will the dancing monkeys take over? This fun story is an adaptation of the classic, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Tags

alligator, animals, bath, bear, bee, birds, cleanliness, dancing, elephant, flamingo, giraffe, gorilla, insects, laziness, lion, llama, monkey, mouse, preparation, reptiles, rhinoceros, rhyme, rhythm, singing, snake, toucan, turtle, zebra, zoo

Lift every voice and sing

Johnsson, James Weldan

Lift every voice puts pictures to the African American National Anthem. The lyrics tell the story of Black people's past struggles and the hope that Blacks will continue to have towards their future.

Tags

africa, african american, bodies of water, body parts, courage, culture, day, diversity, family, fear, freedom, god, history, hope, illustrator's note, lyrics, moon, multicultural, music, night, poetry, pride, relationship, rhythm, running, sea, ship, singing, sky, song, tree, violence, water

Racing against the odds: The story of Wendell Scott, stock car racing's African-American champion

Weatherford, Carole Boston

Wendell O. Scott made history as the only black driver to win a race in a NASCAR Grand National division. Using secondhand Fords that he fixed up in his garage, he competed in five hundred races in NASCAR'S top division. This is the story of a man who worked full time while racing on the side. A man who didn't just dust the competition, he blazed the trail.

Tags

accidents, alcohol, body parts, car, careers, competition, food, games, history, language, mischief, school, segregation, skating, transportation, war

Tree of hope

Littlesugar, Amy

Florrie is named after a famous African American actress of the 1920's. Florrie learns the importance of working hard. Having big dreams will help Florrie and her family achieve anything. They learn that the Tree of Hope reflects the glory days of Harlem's Lafayette Theatre- a time when a black man shines through the Great Depression.

Tags

actor, african american, art, body parts, buildings, caribbean, creativity, dancing, daydreaming, haitian, happiness, hunger, performance, play, relationship, rhythm, singing, song, theatre, tree, wish

Pieces of another world

Rockliff, Mara

A father and child go on a nighttime excursion to watch a meteor shower. Through the eyes of the child, who has no idea where they are going or why, enjoys the trip with her father. In the middle of the night, they stand in the middle of a field watching the tiny bits of other distant worlds, blazing into their own world.

Tags

animals, astronomy, bodies of water, curiosity, deer, exercise, family, feelings, fishing, fox, lake, learning, mountains, night, owl, parents, raccoon, song, swimming, verbal communication

Freedom school, yes!

Littlesugar, Amy

Jolie shows courage in her community by protecting the school that will educate her and others. Jolie is afraid others will burn down the school. Jolie never gives up hope, and learns about famous African Americans who were brave and made a difference in their community, just like Jolie.

Tags

african american, anger, art, body parts, books, bravery, buildings, careers, change, church, community, courage, education, family, fire, freedom, god, hard work, history, music, neighbors, poetry, quilt, relationship, religion, running, school, slavery, song, spiritual, stars, teaching

Let's dance

Ancona, George

Children from all backgrounds move and dance to different rhythms of their culture. Dances range from tap to folk dances and from Native American dance to Tibetan dance. There are many forms, types, and styles of dance a person can do to express their emotions. There are different dances for men, women, animals, and puppets too!

Tags

acrobat, afghani, african american, american, appalachian, body parts, celebration, child care, chinese, clothing, congo, creativity, culture, dancing, england, feelings, greek, india, indian, instruments, jumping, korean, mexican, moving, multicultural, native american, nature, puppets, relationship, rhythm, sadness, scottish, singing, spain, storytelling, turkish, yak

Allie's basketball dream

Barber, Barbara

Allie loves basketball, but she is often the only girl on the court. Buddy and other boys tease Allie about playing basketball. Allie believes in her ability and keeps practicing so that one day she can be better at basketball than the boys!

The hallelujah flight

Bildner, Phil

James Banning fixes up an old plane to fly across the country from California to New York. James's courage and perseverance allows him to overcome many challenges during his 1932 trek across the United States (e.g., California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York).

Tags

accomplishment, adventures, african american, airplane, anger, bias, biography, bodies of water, celebration, challenges, community, courage, crowd, day, determination, direction, discrimination, dreams, feelings, food, geography, hard work, helping, heroism, kindness, machines, maps, monuments, mountains, multicultural, night, numbers, performance, prejudice, relationship, sky, storm, transportation, tree

Willie and the all-stars

Cooper, Floyd

Willie is a young African American boy who learns about discrimination against black baseball players. Willie's fear of prejudice will prevent him from being a famous baseball player. Willie receives tickets to attend a Negro league game and realizes that maybe his dream is possible.

Tags

accomplishment, african american, baseball, bat, body parts, buildings, car, celebration, creativity, discrimination, dreams, friendship, games, grandparents, history, hope, imagination, multicultural, neighbors, practice, prejudice, presents, pretend, radio, relationship

The wreck of the zephyr

Van Allsburg, Chris

A young boy's dream of being the greatest sailor brings him to ruin when he misuses his ability to sail his boat above land.

Tags

assertiveness, boat, bodies of water, careers, determination, magic, mischief, peer resistance, sea, storm, transportation, verbal communication, weather

The seals on the bus

Hort, Lenny

A group of people get onto a bus that takes them around to different places in town. At each stop a different type of animal gets on. Each animal has a distinctive sound that goes with the rhyme. Finally the people flee off the bus from the animals.

Tags

animals, birds, bus, conflict resolution, decision making, escape, excitement, feelings, fish, goose, monkey, noise, nonverbal communication, rabbit, repetition, seal, sheep, skunk, snake, song, sounds, tiger, transportation

My car

Barton, Byron

Sam describes his car, its parts, and how he cares for it. He also discusses where he goes in his car and his job working as a bus driver.

Tags

bus, car, careers, caring, cleanliness, colors, day, night, rain, rules, safety, transportation, weather, work

The little fireman

Brown, Margaret Wise

A small fireman and a large fireman attempt to fight fires of comparable dimensions to their size.

Tags

animals, careers, community, decision making, differences, dog, fire, fire engine, five senses, health, helping, noise, safety, sizes, sleep, transportation

The slightly irregular fire engine

Barthelme, D.

Mathilda had hoped to see a bright shiny fire engine in her backyard when she woke up. Instead there was an odd looking Chinese house into which she went to meet her guide. After her trip, the guide promised her a gift the next day. She woke up and say a bright shiny green fire engine.

Tags

chinese, fantasy, imagination, multicultural, transportation

The lady with the ship on her head

Lattimore, Deborah Nourse

When Madame Pompenstane leans over at the beach to gather shells, she does not notice that a tiny ship sails onto her head. Later at the Fancy Dress Ball, she is pleased to win the prize for the Best Headdress.

Tags

beach, beauty, boat, clothing, competition, fantasy, party, transportation

A smooth move

Rabe, Berniece

Gus and his family move from Portland to Washington D.C. when his dad starts a new job. He keeps a journal to help the move go smoothly. While he misses his friends, Gus knows he will like his new home.

Tags

airplane, anticipation, careers, change, coping, correspondence, family, friendship, loss, moving, parents, school, stress management, transportation, travel, verbal communication

Junk pile!

Borton, Lady

When Jamie Kay helps her dad in their magical junk yard, Robert Haines and other kids make fun of her. Jamie Kay has to find a way to show the kids that her junkyard is magical. But most of all, Jamie has to find a way to make a friend.

Tags

acceptance, assertiveness, bus, careers, conflict resolution, critical thinking, decision making, disability, dog, family, forgiveness, friendship, imagination, magic, song, teasing, transportation, work

Mac & marie & the train toss surprise

Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald

Mac and Marie receive a letter from Uncle Clem which says that he will toss them a package when his train passes their house. They anxiously await the arrival of the train in the field one summer night. When the train passes, they find a package and open it to find a conch shell from Florida!

Tags

anticipation, dreams, family, night, presents, siblings, surprises, train, transportation

Heavy is a hippopotamus

Schlein, Miriam

Try to figure out which objects are heavy or light. What may be light for you, may be heavy for someone else. Let's weigh the objects to find out for sure.

Tags

animals, ant, bear, car, elephant, hippopotamus, insects, transportation

Have you seen wilhelmina krumph?

Chasek, Judith

Everyday, Wilhelmina Krumph disappears when she should be washing her windows like all the other housewives. They follow her one day and discover that she rides a motorcycle along a dirt road everyday. They see what fun it is and join her.

Tags

assertiveness, careers, decision making, independence, motorcycle, peer resistance, play, recreation, responsibilities, transportation, verbal communication

Moonlight on the river

Kovacs, Deborah

Two brothers silently sneak out of their home late one night. They sail up the river and find themselves fighting a rough sea in order to make it home safely.

Tags

boat, bodies of water, bravery, family, fish, moon, river, safety, siblings, transportation

The adventures of taxi dog

Barracca, Debra//Barracca, Sal

Maxi tells a story using rhymes of how he came to meet his owner Jim. Maxi also describes his adventures with Jim in their taxi, where they went, and who they met.

Tags

adventures, animals, dog, friendship, nonverbal communication, rhyme, taxi, transportation

Chugga-chugga choo-choo

Lewis, Kevin

A freight train's day proves to be very busy. After a long day of traveling into tunnels and up steep mountains, even the train needs a rest.

Tags

african american, bodies of water, colors, mountains, multicultural, night, rhyme, river, sleep, sounds, sun, toys, train, transportation, travel

Iron horses

Kay, Verla

Building a railroad takes a lot of work. Many people must be involved from the planners and politicians in the capital, to the Irishmen and Chinese men building the track out west. When it is finally finished, the track is a wonderful form of transportation.

Tags

author's note, celebration, ceremony, chinese, competition, construction, cooperation, fun, geography, hard work, history, immigrants, irish, mountains, multicultural, rain, rocks, snow, storm, tools, train, transportation, travel, weather

Wheel away

Dodds, Dayle Ann

A runaway wheel takes a bouncy, bumpy, amusing journey through town.

Tags

awareness, conflict resolution, rhyme, transportation, travel

Frank and ernest on the road

Day, Alexandra

Frank and Ernest drive a truck. They learn truck language along the way. They use funny words that have a real meaning to truck drivers.

Tags

careers, humor, language, transportation, travel, truck, verbal communication

Round trip

Jonas, Ann

The story of a visit to the city. When the book is turned upside down, the pictures form new pictures that show the trip back to the country.

Tags

community, images, nonverbal communication, transportation, travel

Here in space

Milgrim, David

A boy sets out for an adventure on his bike. As he travels around, he discovers many strange wonders about planet Earth. But his biggest discovery of all is that we are all living in outer space.

Tags

adventures, bicycle, biking, critical thinking, discovery, exercise, imagination, planet, technology, travel, understanding, verbal communication

The day jimmy's boa ate the wash

Noble, Trinka Hakes

Jimmy and his classmates go on a trip to a farm. The trip is boring until Jimmy takes out his boa constrictor to meet the farm animals. The farm turns into total chaos. In all the rush to get back on the bus, Jimmy forgets his boa constrictor. Jimmy is not left without a pet because there was a pig left on the bus.

Tags

adventures, animals, barn, chaos, chicken, cow, farm, fight, fun, mischief, pig, revenge, school, snake, travel, verbal communication

Over the moon

Katz, Karen

A couple wait for a phone call that will tell them that their soon-to-be-adopted daughter is born. When they receive the call, they race to the airport to get the newborn child. The new family of mom, dad, and baby girl go to their loving home to get acquainted.

Tags

adoption, airplane, anticipation, baby, birth, dreams, family, feelings, grandparents, happiness, love, moon, neighbors, parents, transportation, travel, verbal communication

Across town

Sara

A man journeys across town and makes friends with a cat (A Wordless Book).

Tags

animals, cat, friendship, nonverbal communication, travel

Bunnies at christmas time

Ehrlich, Amy

An invitation is sent to Santa Claus to join the bunnies for a Christmas party. Instead of Santa, their Uncle Jack dressed as Santa arrives with plenty of gifts.

Tags

animals, christmas, decision making, holidays, party, presents, rabbit, santa, travel

Possum magic

Fox, Mem

A grandmother possum puts a magic spell on her granddaughter which makes her invisible. When the granddaughter decides she wants an identity, they must travel all over Australia for the cure.

Tags

animals, decision making, family, goal setting, grandparents, magic, multicultural, nonverbal communication, opossum, self esteem, travel, verbal communication

Snipp, snapp, snurr and the reindeer

Lindman, Maj

Snipp, Snap and Snurr vacation with their parents in Sweden. They meet a family from Lapland who come to their rescue accompanied by their pet reindeer.

Four fur feet

Brown, Margaret Wise

A furry animal travels around the world and lets the reader follow him.

Tags

animals, travel

Marvin k. mooney, will you please go now!

Seuss, Dr.

The speaker describes many examples of ways for Marvin K. Mooney to leave town.

Tags

assertiveness, travel, verbal communication

Yes

Goffin, Josse

A boy takes a silent journey to see many different animals so he can find a home for the egg that he found. Each animal refuses the egg until a bird takes the top off the egg. The boy sees his book inside.

Tags

animals, birds, boat, critical thinking, crocodile, decision making, dog, fish, nonverbal communication, penguin, reptiles, snake, transportation, travel, turtle, walking

Treasure nap

Havill, Juanita

On an afternoon when it is too hot to sleep, a young girl asks to hear a story. The story is about her great-grandmother who comes to the U.S. from Mexico, bringing a special treasure.

Tags

birds, critical thinking, family, grandparents, mexican, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, parrot, self esteem, sleep, storytelling, travel

Horseshoe harry and the whale

De Leeuw, Adele

Horseshoe Harry is a cowboy who lives on the range in Wyoming. He gets tired of the range and wants to see the sea. So he sets off for the coast and ends up on a ship that captures whales. He finds out that he does not like the sea as much as he thought he would.

Tags

adventures, animals, assertiveness, bodies of water, careers, change, conflict resolution, cowboys, ocean, ranch, refusal skills, transportation, travel, whale

While the horses galloped to london

Watts, Mabel

Sherman is given a special pot for his grandmother in London. Everyone on the carriage to London thinks the pot is a nuisance. Only when Sherman saves the day was everyone proud to hold the pot.

Tags

bravery, carriage, decision making, english, family, grandparents, heroism, multicultural, presents, respect, selfishness, travel

Grandaddy's place

Griffith, Helen V.

When Janetta first visits her grandaddy's place in the country, she does not like the strange place. But in time, she learns that some things about the place are actually fun, including grandaddy himself.

Tags

appreciation, change, coping, critical thinking, discovery, family, grandparents, shelter, travel

Little fox goes to the end of the world

Tompert, Ann

Little fox tells his mother about traveling to the end of the world. He tells elaborate stories of the things he encounters. At the end, he tells his mother that he misses her and comes straight home.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, change, coping, decision making, family, feelings, fox, loss, nonverbal communication, parents, storytelling, travel, verbal communication

Little john

Orgel, Doris//Storm, Theodor

Little John constantly wants to be rocked to sleep in his bed. When his mother falls asleep and can no longer trundle the bed, the moon befriends Little John and takes him on a journey.

Tags

adventures, bedtime, companion, family, frustration, greed, moon, nonverbal communication, parents, sleep, travel, verbal communication

A balloon for grandad

Gray, Nigel

Sam lost his balloon out the back door. At first he was sad, but his father reminded him of his grandfather Abdulla who lived very far away. Sam thought about how his balloon might travel to his grandfather and make him very happy.

Tags

conflict resolution, critical thinking, family, feelings, grandparents, happiness, memories, nonverbal communication, parents, travel, verbal communication

How georgia drove the car carefully from boston to new york

Bate, Lucy

While on her mother's lap, a young girl begins to imagine driving her family to see her grandparents.

Tags

family, grandparents, imagination, self esteem, travel, verbal communication

Petits bleus dans paris

Leblond, Joelle//Willemin, Veronique

Jean loses his mother while sightseeing in Paris. A bird shows him all the famous sights in Paris and eventually leads him to his mother (Written in French)

Tags

birds, family, french, language, lost, multicultural, parents, stress management, travel

Valerie and the goodnight swing

Lobe, Mira

Little Valerie doesn't like to go to bed. After her bath, she plays in her swing and with each different hat her imagination takes her off to a new place in the world.

Tags

adventures, bath, bedtime, family, imagination, parents, play, travel

The runaway duck

Lyon, David

Sebastian ties his wooden duck to his father's car then forgets about it. The duck ends up in France. After much effort, he gets his duck back.

Tags

birds, duck, french, imagination, lost, multicultural, problem solving, travel

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