Skip to main content
Lobo and the rabbit stew (El lobo y el caldo de conejo)
Schwartz, Marcia
Lobo is a wolf who must eat a succulent rabbit stew while the moon is full or he will go cuckoo. He tries a variety of temptations to entice a bunny out of his burrow. The little rabbit uses his wits to escape becoming an entree.

Chidi only likes blue: An African book of colors
Onyefuln, Ifeoma
Nneka and Chidi, two children of a Nigerian village, play a game called Colors. Chidi only likes the color blue, so Nneka shows him all the other colors in the village. She shows Chidi how beautiful and colorful their African lifestyle is. The colors yellow, pink, red, gold are seen, but Chidi only likes blue best of all!

Dear Willie Rudd
Gray, Libba Moore
Elizabeth remembers a wonderful woman named Willie Rudd that had an extraordinary impact on her childhood. Elizabeth writes a letter to Willie Rudd to tell her that she loves her and apologizes for any wrongs committed due to Willie's race.

The black snowman
Mendez, Phil
Jacob, a young African American boy, lives with his poverty striken family in the city. He dislikes his culture, life and heritage and is filled with hate. It takes some special magic to change his ideas.

I love my hair!
Tarpley, Natasha Anatasia
Although she is often teased by her classmates about her Afro hair, Kenyana learns her hair makes her unique. Both her mother and teacher help show Kenyana why her hair is so special. Kenyana learns that it only matters what she thinks, not others.

Hue boy
Mitchell, Rita Phillips
Hue Boy is very concerned about his height. Everyone thinks that he is too short. He and his mother try every possible remedy, but nothing works. Finally, Hue Boy's father returns, and Hue Boy loses his feelings of smallness through his pride of being with his father.

A helpful alphabet of friendly objects
Updike, John
Poems are provided with various pictures of objects which begin with each letter of the alphabet such as apple, bird, jam, egg, nickel, oatmeal, toy and zero.

Be bop-a-do walk
Hamanaka, Sheila
Emi and Martha go on a very long walk with Emi's dad. After many stops they reach Central Park, where Emi's dad makes them paper sail boats and hats. They are too tired to walk home so they take the bus. Emi's dad makes paper cranes for everyone.

Satchmo's blues
Schroeder, Alan
Louis Armstrong loves to watch the musicians play jazz music. He dreams of playing the cornet someday just like Bunk Johnson who plays in the Eagle Band. One day, Louis spots a cornet in a pawn shop and discovers that it costs five dollars. Louis works very hard for two weeks earning money any way that he can. Once the cornet is his, Louie begins living out his dream of becoming a musician.

Dancing with the indians
Medearis, Angela Shelf
An African American family watches a Seminole Indian celebration. After watching and learning of this culture and its customs, the family joins in the dancing.

One round moon and a star for me
Mennen, Ingrid
A young boy looks at the stars and the sun as it warms his father's land. His mother has a new baby and his father explains that he is his papa too. Then he shows the boy his own moon and star.

Birthday
Steptoe, John
A little girl's family moves to Africa from America because of racism. The little girl's birthday is celebrated by the whole town.

Brian's bird
Davis, Patricia
Brian receives a bird for his birthday. The two quickly become friends after Brian overcomes his fear. When Brian's brother Kevin carelessly lets the bird escape, Brian becomes upset. Will he ever see Scratchy again?

Richard wright and the library card
Miller, William
Due to segregation in the 1920s, African Americans are not allowed to check out books from the library. Richard Wright discovers his passion which becomes a road to his freedom - books.

Sofie's role
Heath, Amy
One day before Christmas, Sofie goes to work at her family's Broadway Bakery. The store is filled with many customers and Sofie's help is greatly needed.

I need a lunchbox
Caines, J.
A little boy wants a lunchbox very badly. He feels sad because he can't have one until he starts school like his sister. In the end, his father surprises him with a lunchbox.

Red dancing shoes
Patrick, Denise Lewis
A little girl's Grandmama brings her a new pair of red dancing shoes. She is so excited she dances all around town showing them to everyone she knows.

Dawn and the round-to-it
Smalls, Irene
Dawn wakes up early every day, but everyone in her family is too busy to play with her. She is sad, but figures out a way that they can make time for her, and it works.

Always my dad
Wyeth, Sharon
A girl does not get to see her father often and she misses him very much. One summer at her grandparents' farm, she and her three brothers spend some very nice moments with their father. She realizes that no matter where he is, he will always be her father and loves her.

Tar beach
Ringgold, Faith
A young, 8 year old, African American girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home and having the many things she sees. She speaks of her wish to have money and liberation for her family and herself.

A million fish...more or less
McKissack, Patricia C.
Hugh Thomas lives in a place where weird things happen and people spin tales. Elder Abbajon and Papa-Daddy tell Hugh Thomas a tale about Bayou Clapateaux. On the way home from fishing, Hugh Thomas makes up his own spin tale.

Stevie
Steptoe, John
A young African American boy feels jealous and angry when his mother accepts a new babysitting job for a younger child. It is only until the boy moves away that he realizes how much fun he had with him.

Jo Jo's flying sidekick
Pinkney, Brian
Jo Jo is worried about her flying sidekick test in Tae Kwon Do. Her grandfather and mother give her advice but she is still worried. When the test begins, she freezes. But then she realizes just what to do.

At the mall
Loomis, Christine
Three children and their mother find new and fun things at the mall. As they walk and shop, they notice the candy store, white mice, teens gathering and more. They eventually find the perfect gift to complete their trip.

Grandpa's face
Greenfield, Eloise
Tamika loves her grandpa and she especially loves the way she can tell how he is feeling by looking at his face. One day when her grandpa is rehearsing for a play, Tamika sees his angry, mean face. Tamika misbehaves at dinner by playing with her food, because she is afraid that he will make that face at her.

Lilly's purple plastic purse
Henkes, Kevin
Lilly wants to be a teacher like Mr. Slinger. She always says wonderful things about him until one day he takes her purple plastic purse away. For revenge, Lilly draws a nasty picture of Mr. Slinger which makes her feel worse than before. This teaches Lilly that revenge is the wrong way to resolve conflict.

Angry arthur
Oram, Hiawyn
Arthur is angry at his family, so he expresses it and causes destruction in the world.

Noisy Nora (Julieta, estate quieta)
Wells, Rosemary
Nora is always waiting as her parents take care of her siblings, Jack and Kate. To get some attention she decides to knock over and even bring things in the house. Finally, after they tell her to hush, she decides to leave. Will the family notice her absence?

Martha walks the dog
Meddaugh, Susan
Martha is not an ordinary dog. She learns to speak by eating alphabet soup. On her afternoon walk she discovers a new dog in the neighborhood who bullies everything he sees. Through the help of a parrot, Martha learns that kind words can have a large effect-even on a bully.

The drums of Noto Hanto
James, J. Alison
This true story tells the tale of a Japanese village defeating their enemy samurai. The villagers use their minds instead of weapons to scare the samurai. Wearing wild masks, setting fires on the beach, and playing the drums of Noto Hanto, kept the village safe.

The sneetches: And other stories
Seuss, Dr.
One group of sneetches believe they are better than the others. As each changes to become like the other, they realize the unimportance of it. Other stories include The Zax, Too Many Daves, and What Was I Scared Of? Which story teaches you how to get along with others?

What's wrong with julio
Ormsby, Virginia
Julio has just moved to the United States and does not speak English. At school he always causes trouble. When the school realizes his parents did not come to the United States with him, they have a fundraiser so that he can call home.

Mean maxine
Bottner, Barbara
Ralph is tired of being picked on by Maxine, who calls him names. He fantasizes about a showdown with Maxine in which he stands up to her. In the end, he tells Maxine not to mess with him. Finally they reach a mutual understanding and go off to play.

A picnic in october
Bunting, Eve
Tony and his extended family celebrate the birthday of the Statue of Liberty every October. They travel out to Libery Island to have a picnic and show their appreciation to the meaning the statue brings. Tony is embarrassed by his family's dedication, but in the end realizes the meaning of the statue.

Rip van winkle
Moses, Will
Could you sleep 20 years of your life away?Well, Rip Van Winkle didn't think he could. One day he was walking around his old familiar town, talking with his old familiar friends, and hunting with his old familar dog. The next day (or so Rip thinks) his old familiar town, friends, and dog are no longer famliar. Come find out what happens when Rip sleeps for 20 years.

The chanukkah guest
Kimmel, Eric A.
Bubba Brayna, a very old woman, fixes a Hanukkah dinner for the rabbi and friends. She has an unexpected guest when a bear appears instead.

Billy, the condominium cat
Slobodkina, Esphyr
Billy, an old cat, retires with his owner to a condo in Florida. When they visit their former hometown, they reminise about when they were younger. In the end, they appreciate their present place in life.

Millions of cats
Gag, Wanda
An old man and woman live in a very nice, clean house, but they are very lonely until the day the old man brings hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats home.

Captain whiz-bang
Stanley, Diane
Annie and her cat Whiz-bang do everything together. Whiz-bang is lonely when Annie goes away, but he is happy to find a new friend.

Morris brookside is missing
Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman
After having his feelings hurt, Morris the dog is missing. His owners search for him so they can resolve their differences.

Rosalie
Hewett, Joan
Cindy's best friend is her dog, Rosalie. Although Rosalie is old and unhealthy, Cindy still loves to play with her.

The bremen-town musicians
Plume, Ilse
Four animals were growing old and useless to their owners so they decide to run away and become musicians. Along their journey, they chase away robbers and find their place to stay forever.

Another important book
Brown, Margaret Wise
Learn about all of the important things in early childhood from ages one through six. At one, you've found your nose and discovered your toes. By five and six, you've learned some tricks.

Maggie's whopper
Alexander, Sally
Maggie dreams of catching a whopper sized fish to compete with her older brother. With the help of her aging uncle, Maggie catches her fish and confronts an old bear in the mountains.

The king's equal
Paterson, Katherine
An obnoxious prince is very greedy. His father, the King, is dying and says that the son could not become King unless he found an equal in intelligence, beauty, and wealth. Rosamund was a poor girl who was kind and wise. Surprisingly, she changes the ways of the prince and becomes Queen.

The old ladies who liked cats
Greene, Carol
The order of the community is safe and secure until one night the mayor makes a law banning cats outside at night. Due to this, the community order is lost, and the town is invaded. The old ladies who liked cats point out the problem to the mayor who then lets the cats out at night so order can return.

Hard to be six
Adoff, Arnold
This is one little boy's story of coming to accept his age. He feels inferior to his big ten year old sister and he longs to be old like her. It is not until he talks to his grandmother and sees his grandfather's grave that he realizes that life at any age is hard.

A tale of stolen time
Schwartz, Evgeny
Peter is a lazy boy that never does his homework. He soon falls behind all the other students. Peter always thinks he will have time to catch up. Until one day, he becomes an old man.

Mary jo's grandmother
Udry, Janice May
Mary Jo's grandmother lives alone in a house away from town without a phone. Mary Jo gets to spend Christmas vacation with her. During the visit, her grandmother falls and Mary Jo has to find a way to help her.

The cherry tree
McCaughrean, Geraldine
A family tries to recuperate after a war in which they lose their father and their home. The children meet and help an old man take care of a sickly cherry tree. As the tree grows and begins to blossom, so does the village and its people.