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What planet are you from, Clarice Bean?
Child, Lauren
Clarice Bean is having a hard time coming up with an idea for her project on the environment. To make matters worse, she is paired up with her tag-along neighbor, Robert Granger. Her situation looks hopeless until her brother becomes an ecowarrior in an effort to free the tree from being cut down in their neighborhood. Robert and Clarice become ecowarriors themselves, saving the tree and their project.

Slowly, slowly, slowly, said the sloth
Carle, Eric
Slowly, slowly, slowly... the sloth moves through the day. Many animals are curious as to why the sloth is so slow, quiet, boring, and lazy!? In a short description of the sloth written and provided by Jane Goodall at the beginning of the book, she states that sloths are delightful, gentle, peace-loving creatures.

The day I had to play with my sister
Bonsall, Crosby
A boy has a hard time dealing with his younger sister while teaching her the rules of hide-and-seek. She just won't listen! Uggh...being a big brother can be tough!

I like me!
Carlson, Nancy
A very fine pig lists all the good qualities she sees in herself, along with what helps her cope when she's feeling low. She points out that nothing is better than being yourself. She paints, rides her bike, reads good books, and takes care of herself.

Ruby's wish
Bridges, Shirin Yim
Ruby is known for wearing red and being an exceptionally bright student. Even during a time in China when ...most girls were never taught to read and write. However, Ruby's grandfather hires a teacher to come to the house, making it possible for any grandchild living in the house to learn. This initiates a desire in Ruby to attend university, a place that women in China were not encouraged to go.\r\n*Based on a true story of the author's grandmother.



Four famished foxes and fosdyke
Edwards, Pamela Duncan
A mother fox leaves her four children at home for five days. They must feed themselves. Three of the siblings plan different ways to catch meat. The fourth fox is a vegetarian and saves the day by cooking a feast for all of them.

If you're happy and you know it!
Ormerod, Jan
A young girl and a collection of different animals make up their own versions of the popular song, If you're happy and you know it! Characters do their own thing and express themselves in different ways while participating in a social activity.

Chipper's choices
Boegehold, Betty
Chipper makes up five stories, riddles, and songs for his friends so they can have something to do when the winter season comes.

Elvira
Shannon, Margaret
Instead of eating princesses, Elvira the dragon would rather dress like them. She is independent and wants to live life in her own unqiue way.

The wide-mouthed frog
Faulkner, Keith
One day, a wide-mouthed frog ventures around his pond asking all the animals he meets what they like to eat. He's having a wonderful time until he meets a alligator who likes to eat wide mouthed frogs! Thinking quickly, the wide-mouthed frog makes his mouth as small as possible and makes a quick escape before the alligator can eat him.

Dancing in the wings
Allen, Debbie
Sassy uses her unique characteristics and height to become a great ballet dancer. Sassy does not allow bullying from the other students to prevent her from trying out for a summer dance festival. Sassy learns the benefits of perseverence and self-esteem.

The two Tyrones
Hudson, Wade
Tyrone Rashon Williams goes to school on the first day, excited about his new sneakers that he bought himself. He is disappointed when he gets there and finds that everyone has the same ones, and there is a new student, Tyrone Rashon Williams. Tyrone must deal with both of his problems, and get things back to normal.

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.

Big al and shrimpy
Clements, Andrew
Shrimpy learns that he is special in his own way, despite being different. He gets involved in a social activity then contributes his idea to solve a problem to help a friend in need.

Arrowville
Boedoe, Geefwee
In the town of Arrowville disagreement and frenzy is a way of life, but a young girl named Barb wants to agree and get along. She gets in trouble for this and runs away. At the same time the Targets make a wrong turn and end up in Arrowville. The Arrows think they are invaders. It is Barb who helps the Arrows and Targets come together and understand each other.

Cork and fuzz: Short and tall
Chaconas, Dori
Cork and Fuzz are best friends, but there's one problem, and it's not that one is an opossum and the other is a muskrat. The problem is that Cork is older than Fuzz, but shorter than him. Bothered by this difference, the pair try to make Fuzz shrink and Cork grow. Fortunately, they realize that friendship is more important than a difference in height.

Ella Sarah gets dressed
Chodos-Irvine, Margaret
A young girl named Ella knows what she wants to wear and no one in her family can convince her otherwise. She refuses each person's suggestions for alternative clothing choices. Ella shows confidence and determination as she chooses her own style and presentation.

Me and you
Cote, Genevieve
A rabbit and a pig both want to be like their friend. They try changing color, including their ears and tail in order to be like the other. After seeing each other, they realize that they like themselves just like they are.

Stellaluna: A pop-up book and mobile
Cannon, Janell
After being separated from Mother Bat, Stellaluna falls into a nest of baby birds. The family of birds adopt Stellaluna as one of their own, while Stellaluna does her best to eat bugs without making faces, sleep during the night, and stop hanging upside down. In the end, Stellaluna rejoins her mother.

A. lincoln and me
Borden, Louise
A young boy discovers that he shares a birthday on the same day as Abraham Lincoln's. Learn how many other common characteristics a boy shares with a past president.

Clive eats alligators
Lester, Alison
This book depicts several children's daily routines and each has a different favorite activity, food, work, etc.

The night shimmy
Strauss, Gwen//Browne, Anthony
Eric is a quiet boy who is often teased by his peers. He tends to only speak to his imaginary friend, the Night Shimmy. This continues until he meets an unexpected friend in the park one afternoon.

Happy to be nappy
Hooks, Bell
A whimsical rhythm of sweet jive jumps from watercolored illustrations on different pages to portray portraits of little girls who celebrate their African American culture. Hooray for the frizzy, fuzzy, nappy, twisty hair!Hooray for the sizzling semblance and fantastic flare that shines in every hair on every head. Beauty lies everywhere.

Shy charles (Charles le timide)
Wells, Rosemary
Charles is a very shy mouse who does not like to talk to anyone. He likes to play alone, and he hates talking on the phone. One day, his babysitter gets hurt and Charles becomes her hero.

The very tall little girl
Krasilovsky, Phyllis
A very tall young girl was unhappy about being six inches taller than her friends. Then she realizes that being tall enables her to do many more things then most girls her age. Most of all, she learns that it is fun to be special.

The ice-cream cone coot
Lobel, Arnold
Unusual birds like the waterglass goose, ice cream coot, and highbutton bobolink are described in verse.

Summer wheels
Bunting, Eve
A kid without a father learns from the bicycle man about trust. From other kids he learns honesty and friendship.

Stephanie's ponytail
Munsch, Robert
One day Stephanie shows up at school with her hair in a ponytail. At first all of her friends make fun of her, but she quickly becomes a trend-setter. When Stephanie tricks everyone into shaving their heads, they aren't very happy with her.

Miss spider's tea party
Kirk, David
Miss Spider is planning to have eight for tea. But what is she to do when the bugs are too scared to eat her cake?Ask Miss Spider how she makes friends with every moth, tick, and flea -- just by having cake and tea.

You cheat!
Gilson, Jamie
Two brothers are always putting each other up to things. These two boys begin their day inside playing the game at which the older brother is winning. They end up outside fishing where the younger boy is most comfortable.


Annabell swift, kindergarten
Schwartz, Amy
Annabelle's sister, Lucy, tries to describe to Annabelle what her first day of Kindergarten will be like. It is much better than she thought.

I know about sports
Jaeggi, Chris
There are many different kinds of sports. Sports are games which have rules to follow. Some sports are played alone and others are played with friends. You can enjoy sports by playing or by watching sports.

Pepito's story
Fern, Eugene
Pepito is the only boy in the village who likes to dance, and so he is made fun of because of his dancing. Only his grandmother understands until a girl in the village gets very sick, and only Pepito's singing makes her well.

A special kind of sister
Smith, Lucia B.
Sarah has a five year old brother who is mentally challenged. She has trouble coping with him, but loves him very much.

The easter egg farm
Auch, Mary Jane
Pauline, the hen, is trying to lay eggs, but the henhouse is too noisy!She concentrates very hard and finally lays a very unusual egg. Pauline keeps laying eggs, each with a different design and pattern. The eggs are so beautiful that people come from all around to view her eggs.

Three cheers for tacky
Lester, Helen
Tacky is not like the other penguins that he lives with. One afternoon, they participate in a cheering contest with other penguins. Tacky puts on a great show and his team wins shiny, blue ribbons.

Old henry
Blos, Joan W.
When Henry moves into the old, run down house in the neighborhood, all of the neighbors hope he will fix it up and make it look nice like the other homes. When he doesn't, they petition to make him clean up or get out. It is only after he leaves voluntarily that they discover how much they miss him.

Polar express
Van Allsburg, Chris
On Christmas Eve, one little boy who had not lost the meaning of Christmas went on a train to the North Pole to visit Santa Claus's workshop and his reindeer. The boy was given a bell from Santa's sleigh, but the only ones who could hear it ring were those who still believe in Santa. On the way home he loses it, but when he wakes up the next morning, it is under his pillow.

Swimmy (Nnadarin)
Lionni, Leo
Swimmy was the fastest fish in his school. When all the other fish in his school get eaten by a new big fish, he explores by himself until he finds a new school of fish. He then teaches his new school how to swim close together so that they look like the biggest fish of all and will scare away the other big fish.

The foot book
Seuss, Dr.
There are all kinds of different feet. People use their feet for different things and also their feet can be used for the same things.

Owl babies (Bebes chouettes)
Waddell, Martin
Three young owls become aware of the horror of being alone and learns to cope with the problem differently.

Poppy's puppet
Gauch, Patricia Lee
Poppy is an amazing puppeteer who has the magical ability to listen to wood and carve beautiful marionettes. When he comes across the unique teakwood, Clarinda, he makes the mistake of not listening to what she wants to be. He wants her to be a ballerina, but that is not her passion. Will Poppy help this special marionette achieve her dream and allow her to blossom?

I am not a pest
Sharmat, Marjorie//Sharmat, Mitchell
A girl believes she is not a pest, even though others tell her she is.

Willaby
Isadora, Rachel
Willaby is always drawing in school. When her teacher is absent from school, Willaby draws her a picture instead of writing.

The girl who loved caterpillars
Merrill, Jean
Izumi loves caterpillars and studies them carefully. Everyone in the town thinks she is strange, but Izumi does not pay any attention to them.

The dream of the little elephant
Bornstein, Ruth
A little green elephant finds himself out of place among a herd of large gray elephants. He sets off in search of a belonging place. Finally he finds one.

We're all special
Maguire, Arlene
Children of diverse backgrounds are shown and differences are emphasized. Every child has different interests and strengths and all characteristics should be valued. Everyone is special!