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Little flower
Rand, Gloria
Miss Pearl loves her pet pig Little Flower. The pig can play dead and loves the attention this trick gets her. One day Miss Pearl has an accident and can't go get help. Little Flower finds a unique way to communicate Miss Pearl's need for help.

The cat who walked across France
Banks, Kate
After the death of his owner, a cat is moved to another city. He has fond memories of the old woman and wishes to find his home again. The cat begins a journey across the country to find his way back to the stone house. When he arrives, he finds the door open, walks in, and finds a spot to fall asleep. He is awoken by two children who reminds him of the old woman with whom he finds home again.

Heaven's all star jazz band
Carter, Don
A young boy's grandpa dies and he goes to heaven. In heaven, his Grandpa Jack is in a jazz band with all the great musicians.

Wet dog!
Broach, Elise
An old dog, hot from the noon day sun, wanders down the road in search of a way to cool off. He discovers different sources of cool water, but is always chased away until he meets a too-hot baby. When the baby's family sees her and the wet dog enjoying the cool water, they join in the splashing having a wonderful time.

If nathan were here
Bahr, Mary
Nathan was a brother, a wonderful best friend, and a great classmate. Then one day, Nathan was gone. If Nathan Were Here tells a story of what it is like for a community and family to lose a loved one. This book shows us the true need and meaning for friendship.

Ant and honey bee: What a pair!
McDonald, Megan
Ant and Honey Bee use their friendship to create a two-things-that-go-together pair of costumes for Cricket's party. As it starts to rain on the walk to Cricket's house, what will happen to Ant and Honey Bees costumes?

The big game
Gikow, Louise A.
Jose is a young boy who likes to play soccer everyday. He has trouble kicking the ball and running, but he still has fun. He becomes the goalie, stops the ball, and wins the game for his team.

Alphabet mystery
Wood, Aubrey
Charley's alphabet becomes worried when they learn that little x is missing. They set off on an adventure to find little x and experience a problem when they do.

Lady monster helps out
Blance, Ellen & Cook, Ann
Monster gets a bike for his birthday. Monster doesn't know how to ride a bike. He is discouraged. The little boy and his friends try to help him, but he is too big. Lady monster comes to help and encourages him. Monster learns how to ride his bike just like all the others in the park.

Maxie
Kantrowitz, Mildred
Maxie wakes up each day and goes through the same routine. One day Maxie feels unloved and lonely, so she decides to stay in bed. Maxie doesn't realize how much others depend on her until her living room is full of worried neighbors. Maxie realizes how many people need and rely on her daily routine.

Bertie the ghost
Neale, Richard
Bertie the ghost wants a new place to live and new friends. He crosses through each page of the story then arrives at an old farmhouse and finds friends and a home.

Ruth and naomi
Marzollo, Jean
After their husbands sadly pass away, Ruth moves to Bethlehem with her widowed mother-in-law Naomi. With no money and no sense of hope, the two women are unsure as to what will happen. A kind farmer known as Boaz, however shows his kindness and restores their happiness so that they can begin anew.

The giraffe who was afraid of heights
Ufer, David A.
A giraffe suffers from the fear of heights. His parents worry about his safety and send him to the village doctor for treatment. Along the way he befriends a monkey who is afraid of climbing trees and a hippo who is afraid of water. A life-threatening event causes the three friends to face and overcome each of their fears.

African dancing
Thomas, Mark
Children explore African dance with music and movement.

Pierre's dream
Armstrong, Jennifer
Is it all a dream? Pierre thinks so. He is the star of the circus, daring to do things he wouldn't do if he was awake. Pierre tames a lion, walks on a high wire, and all sorts of other scary or dangerous things. As the star of the circus, Pierre proves to the people of Apt that he is not just a lazy, foolish man.

How the moon regained her shape
Heller, Janet Ruth
Influenced by Native American folktales, this fascinating story deals with bullying, self-confidence, and understanding the phases of the moon. After the sun insults and bullies her, the moon gets very upset and disappears - much to the chagrin of rabbits who miss their moonlight romps. With the help of her friends, the moon gains more self-confidence each day until she is back to her full size.



Home now
Beake, Lesley
How can Sieta feel happy with so many sad pictures inside her head? She remembers her real home far away over the mountains, her parents getting sick, and Aunty taking her to live in a new place she calls Home Now. There Sieta meets another orphan with memories like her own.

Marsupial Sue
Lithgow, John
Marsupial Sue is not a happy kangaroo. She does not enjoy the things kangaroos do. Marsupial Sue decides to go explore and find the place where she belongs. She tries to fit in with many other groups of animals. She finally discovers the place where she is happiest.

My first Chinese New Year
Katz, Karen
Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy New Year! A Chinese child is getting ready for the Chinese New Year by decorating the walls with red, making an alter to honor ancestors, getting a new dress to wear, and getting a haircut to start the new year off fresh and new. They eat a New Year Eve feast for good health and enjoy the New Year parade with lion dancers, drummers, and the dragon! Then, they wish each other Gung Hay Fat Choy!

The biggest soap
Shaefer, Carole
Kessy loved to listen to stories told by his Mama and his cousins on laundry days. One laundry day, Kessy is asked to go to the store and bring back the biggest piece of laundry soap. Kessy returns and tells his story about the biggest soap.

Sun mother wakes the world: An Australian creation story
Wolkstein, Diane
The indigenous people of Australia believe their ancestors created the world through the sun shining on all living things to wake them up, bringing them to life. Sun Mother then creates the Morning Sun and the Moon to watch over ther children living on Earth in this spiritual, emotional, and multicultural story of creation.

I like myself!
Beaumont, Karen
An African American girl tells about the characteristics she likes about herself and the different circumstances in which she likes herself. She is proud of herself no matter where she is or what silly things she is doing. She knows what really counts is inside her and shares this knowledge in an energetic story with imaginative illustrations.

My teacher for president
Winters, Kay
Oliver writes a letter to the local news station to nominate his teacher for president in the next election. He thinks she meets the requirements because she signs important papers, likes white houses, goes to meetings, acts quickly in a crisis, is used to being followed around, wants peace, cares for people and the environment, goes on trips, and deals with the media. The only downfall is he doesnメt want her to leave before the end of the year.

So happy!
Henkes, Kevin
A magic seed was planted, a rabbit wandered, and a little boy just wanted something to do. Just before it began to rain the seed became thirsty, the rabbit was lost, and the little boy was bored. The rain brought happiness to the boy and left the rabbit wet and scared. As the seed grew, the boy built a bridge to reach it and the rabbit used it to cross the creek to return to his family. The little boy returned home with the flower that grew from the seed as a present to his mother.

Food for thought:  The complete book of concepts for growing minds
Freymann, Saxton
Fruits and vegetables are strategically carved to emulate people and animals in order to teach shapes, colors, numbers, letters, and opposites. Readers can learn these skills while being entertained by the creative use of healthy foods.

Apples to oregon
Hopkinson, Deborah
Loosely based on a true pioneer story, this tale describes the trip of apples across the country. When Papa decides to travel the Oregon Trail, he refuses to leave his beloved fruits, especially the apples. Building a wagon to carry his trees, the family forges rivers, endures hailstorms and droughts, and deals with nasty Jack Frost. Papa has the help of his children (and their clothing) to save his trees.

Sometimes my mommy gets angry
Campbell, Bebe Moore
When Annie wakes up in the morning, she is relieved to find her euphoric mother in the kitchen. They share a healthy breakfast, then her mother helps her get ready for school. After a fun day at school, Annie comes home to an angry and yelling mother. Annie copes by calling her grandmother to talk about her feelings. She takes care of herself and maintains a positive attitude with happy thoughts. She uses effective strategies to accept her motherメs bipolar disorder.

Jazzy Miz Mozetta
Roberts, Brenda C.
One night Miz Mozetta decided that she felt like dancing. Her friends outside made excuses not to dance and the children across the street would not let her. Miz Mozetta sulks to her room, but soon enough her friends and the children show up in her memories ready to dance the jitterbug all night long.

Monster and the toy sale
Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann
Monster and the little boy see an ad in the newspaper that reads モTOY SALE TODAY!ヤ Together, they bicycle to the store. On their journey, they are very helpful to others. Monster and the little boy serve as policemen to direct traffic, and as mangers at the toy store. They are so busy that they run out of time to shop for their own toys. Everyone is grateful for their unselfish behavior.

Desser the best ever cat
Smith, Margaret
A little girl learns all about the hardships of losing a pet. However, her love for Desser is not lost in his death. Instead, she chooses to keep her memories of Desser alive. Even after Ginger, the new kitten, joins the family the little girl still chooses to remember Desser as the best ever cat

Monster goes to the beach
Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann
On a nice sunny day, Monster and the little boy and little girl go to the beach. While relaxing near the water, all the children came over to ask Monster to play hide and seek. Monster hides, but the children always find him. They tell Monster to hide where he cannot be found, so he covers himself with sand. When the children canメt find him, they play on a sand hill. Soon, a boy begins to dig in the sand and found Monster.

Monster meets lady monster
Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann
Monster and the little boy are cleaning the house when the little boy sees a lady monster outside. Monster is happy and freshens up before asking the lady monster if he can play with her. The two monsters play together and fall in love.

Elephant prince:  The story of Ganesh
Novesky, Amy
In this mythical story, that takes place in India, a girl grows up listening to her motherメs and grandmotherメs stories. As a princess, she meets her love and is married. He promises her a baby and has one within a year. When gods gather around the babyメs head vanishes. Another god helps save the baby with the help of an elephant offering his life. The little boy was saved and became the elephant prince, listening to his motherメs stories everyday.

Cluck's clock
Gray, Kes
Day begins on the farm at 4 o'clock in the morning. The chickens stretch and begin breakfast followed by laying their eggs from 6 to 8 oメclock. At 2 o'clock, they play a game of hide-and-seek, and then visit the horses before dinner. As the sun sets, the chickens return to the coop and await the fox. When the fox arrives, a chicken lures him to a hole in the door then dirt is thrown on him to scare him away. At midnight, the chickens say good night.

My sister's wedding
Mkatshaw, Dumazile
Nhlanhla is getting married and her cousin, Priscilla, is going to sing at the ceremony. The day before the ceremony Priscilla loses her voice. Priscilla's family comes up with many different remedies, including eating raw eggs and drinking hot garlic. Upset, Priscilla cries over her lost voice and sits down on a box of pins! With a hearty scream, her voice returns and she can sing for the wedding.

The lighthouse cat
Stainton, Sue
In an old lighthouse, the keeper strives to keep the twenty-four candles burning, by tending to them every half hour. He was lonely until the day he was nose to nose with a cat. They both tended to the lighthouse together. On a dark and stormy night, the rapid wind blew the candles out. The cat called for other cats to help light the lighthouse with their yellow bright eyes.

Louanne pig in the talent show
Carlson, Nancy
Louanne's school is putting on a talent show. There's only one problem though: Louanne doesn't have a talent. When an unexpected turn of events causes Louanne to step up to the plate, she discovers her hidden talent: saving the day!

Monster at school
Blance, Ellen // Cook, Ann
Monster goes to school with a little boy one day. Once he arrives, he is a great help and loves to play with all of the children. One child, however, feels sad because Monster is not playing with him. What will Monster do to cheer up his sad friend?

Carnival of the animals
Lithgow, John
A young boy sneaks off from a school field trip. He is left in the history museum overnight where he discovers his classmates, family, and acquaintances take on new forms.

The useful moose:  A truthful, moose-full tale
Robinson, Fiona
Molly loves moose so much that her family vacationed in Alaska, so that she could see them up close; except when they got there the moose had left for a vacation in the city. Once in the city, she saw moose everywhere and befriended three young moose who were tired and needed rest. She invited the moose to stay with them when they cooked, cleaned, and became part of the family. The moose became homesick for their own family, so they went back to Alaska. Molly was sad when she invited the moose to her birthday party and they didnメt respond, but they surprised her by jumping out of an airplane at her party and promised to come back often.

Baxter Barret Brown's bass fiddle
McKenzie, Tim A
Baxter Barret Brown loves to play his bass fiddle. He decides to take it with him wherever he goes and turn it into whatever he needs. However, he soon learns that when he changes the fiddle he can't play the music he loves and must change it back if he wants what really makes him happy.

Be boy buzz
hooks, bell
bell hooks poetically describes the pleasures of being a boy. Boys are beautiful. Sometimes, they are all boy. Sometimes, they like to laugh and talk, and sometimes they like the quietness of being alone. Boys have many moods, actions, and emotions.

The man who called the crocodiles
Mashiri, Pascal
Gyiii-eee! This is the sound that calls a crocodile. In this land, the wealthy king takes Lulaba as his new wife. She eventually has Gobango as her only son. She tells Gobango of stories about her father calling crocodiles. Eventually Gobango has to flee from his mom or the dead kingメs enemies will kill him. He flees to meet Lulabaメs father, his grandfather. He goes on a fishing trip and meets one of the fishermanメs beautiful daughters, Nanjobe. Gobango asks her father if he can marry her. He says no because he isnメt rich enough to take care of his daughter. Therefore, he works to raise money for her. Six months later, Nanjobe is to marry an old man. Gobango and Nanjobe both hate this idea and flee to Gobangoメs boat. Nanjobeメs father sends people after the two, so Gobango calls the crocodiles, Gyiii-eee. Crocodiles surround their boat. The rest of the people search for the lovers and assuming they are dead, take their boats back to the village.

The red book
Lehman, Barbara
A friendship forms when two boys from different parts of the world find a magical red book. The boy from the urban city decides to use balloons to fly to the island where his new friend lives, but he accidentally drops the red book along the way. The boy on the island is disappointed when he can no longer view his city companion in the pages of the book, but is relieved when he lands on the beach instead! Back in the city, the red book is discovered by a man riding his bike on the street (A wordless book).

Ella sets the stage
Amico, Carmela
Ella wants so badly to be in the school talent show, but she has no talent. She decides instead to join the talent show committee and helps make the show the best it can be. During the show, something unexpected happens and Ella comes to the rescue, finding her true talent: helping others.

Wash day
Cole, Barbara H.
Every wash day, Granpa plays his trumpet, keeping the children entertained while Miss. Ett does the wash. This music tradition stays strong until grandpa becomes ill and a tragedy occurs, causing grandpa to pass on his beloved trumpet to begin a new tradition.

The frog who wanted to see the sea
Billout, Gary
One day, a little frog named Alice asks a passing seagull about life beyond her pond. The seagull tells Alice about everything there is to see between her pond and the great sea. Feeling courageous, Alice take up her lilly pad and embarks on a wondrous adventure to the sea and back.

Be quiet, Marina!
DeBear, Kristen
Marina and Moira are very much alike, and yet very different. They like to play with one another, but often have conflicts. They learn to work through their differences and become the best of friends.