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Welcoming babies
Knight, Margy Burns
People celebrate the gift of a new baby in different ways around the world. Babies are welcomed into their families using different customs like singing, kissing, touching, blessing, naming, and other special actions.

Do like Kyla
Johnson, Angela
A little girl looks up to her older sister Kyla. Anything Kyla does, her little sister mimics. Her adoration for her sister is evident from waking up to bedtime.

I dream of trains
Johnson, Angela
A young boy from Mississippi listens for the sound of the train whistle while doing his work as a sharecropper. As he picks cotton, he dreams of someday leaving on a train. He refers to the train whistle as a call to his soul.

Maria's comet
Hopkinson, Deborah
A little girl dreams of being an astronomer like her father. She daydreams of catching a comet by the tail to sweep the sky and stars. She tries hard to hold onto her dreams while being forced to the forefront of reality.

The storm
Harshman, Marc
A young boy confined to a wheel chair because of an accident, doesn't like the way people see and talk about him. He wants people to see past the wheelchair and see him. A tornado comes through Indiana and he shows how strong and able he truly is.

Nutik, the wolf pup
Gearge, Jean
As Eskimo girl brings a sickly wolf pup home to her brother who cares for it until it's old enough to rejoin the pack. The two grow close, so when it is time for the pup to leave, they can't say good-bye.

Gerald Mcboing boing
Dr. Suess
A little boy makes unique noises instead of talking. He doesn't seem to fit in anywhere and is lonely. He is found by a man who has a radio station. He appreciates the boy's abilities.

Miss Bridie chose a shovel
Conner, Leslie
In 1856, Miss Bridie traveled to America with only her family shovel. She finds many uses for her shovel and it proves to be the right choice. She carves her path through life with a simple everyday shovel.

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.

Whales passing
Bunting, Eve
A father and his son go to the beach to whale watch through binoculars. The father teaches his son about the lives of an orca whale and how they communicate. They talk about what they see in vibrant words, colors, and pictures.

Goldilocks and the three bears
Aylesworth, Jim
A curious little girl sometimes forgets what her mother tells her. Sometimes this gets her into trouble. One such time found her deep into the woods at a cottage belonging to three bears. You probably know the rest of the story.

Soap, soap, soap/ Jabon, jabon, jabon
Dulemba, Elizabeth
Hugo's mama sends him to the store to buy soap. As a result of his comical adventures, soap is exactly what Hugo needs when he returns home.

Animalogy: Animal analogies
Berkes, Marianne
Compare and contrast different animals through predictable analogies that rhyme. Find the similarities between even the most incompatible animals....bat is to flit as eagle is to soar; dog is to bark as lion is to roar. Comparisons include sounds, physical adaptations, behaviors, and animal classifications.

First comes spring
Rockwell, Anne
The seasons are described through the activities of the bears, the weather, the changes in the environment, and the attire of Bear child.

Looking for Luna
Myers, Tim
When Luna is lost, it is up to a little girl and her father to search for their feline friend. Quiet illustrations rendered digitally by Mike Reed follow the narrative as father and daughter meet many cats along the way.

Pumpkin day!
Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth
A rabbit goes to a farm to learn about pumpkins. The parents teach their children how they grow, how to carve them, and how to cook multiple recipes with this great vegetable.

Grandpa's gamble
Michelson, Richard
A brother and sister are tired of always having to be quiet so as not to interrupt Grandpa Sam while he is praying. The children think they have a very boring grandfather. Grandpa Sam overhears the children and tells them the story of his life. He was born a Jew in Poland and to escape persecution he came to the United States. He learns to gamble to make a living but when his daughter becomes very ill he decides to lead an honest, humble life and pray every morning and night. The children are now amazed by their Grandpa Sam's story and respect his prayer time.

Hello baby!
Rockwell, Lizzy
It is such a special time when there's a new baby on the way. This little boy has been involved in his new sister's life since the beginning. He went to the doctor with his mommy and helped unpack baby clothes. When his baby sister is born, he is the happiest boy in the world!

Start saving Henry
Carlson, Nancy
Henry gets $5 every week for his allowance, but he spends it immediately on something that catches his eye. One day he sees Super Robot Dude, but his mother won't buy it for him and tells him he has to save his allowance. Whenever Henry is close to $30, something happens to make him lose his money again. One day, his grandma has a surprise for Henry, and he learns that working hard to save money will pay off in the end!

Namaste!
Cohn, Diana
Nima Sherpa lives next to Mount Everest, and her father guides people to the top of the mountains once a year. Before he leaves, he tells Nima that he will have a story for her when he returns and asks Nima if she will have a story for him. As Nima walks around the village thinking of what her story could be, she greets everyone with Namaste, just as her mom taught her. She struggles with her story until she realizes that she spreads sweetness everytime she says Namaste.

Making room
Taylor, Joanne
John William Smith dedicated his life to helping others, especially people in need by inviting them into his very own home! His dedication to family is heart-warming and his marriage is strong. Readers will find a unique meaning of home in this story.

Rocks! Rocks! Rocks!
Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth
Buddy likes looking at and collecting rocks so Mama suggests they visit the local nature center. They hike the Blue Diamond Trail to five learning centers where they meet Roxie, a Rock Ridge Ranger. Buddy learns about bedrock, erosion, and how three types of rocks are formed. He finds out many surprising things about rocks, rocks, rocks!

In jail, Ms. wiz?
Blacker, Terence
Ms. Wiz changes Lizzie Thompson into a cat to foil a gang of catnappers and now she can't turn her back again. Lizzie's mother is panicking, and the evil Mrs. D'Arcy is closing in. But how can Ms. Wiz straighten things out when she's in jail?

Trouble gum
Cordell, Matthew
Ruben is a troublesome piglet. his grandma gives him a piece of gum to keep him quiet. His mom gives him three rules, but each time she leaves, Ruben breaks a rule and gets into trouble. He finally stops, but then they find Julius, his younger brother, making an even bigger mess!

The birthday pet
Javernick, Ellen
Danny can have a pet for his birthday and he knows exactly what he wants. The other members of his family think differently.

Bartleby Speaks!
Cruise, Robin
Bartleby is a very quiet baby. He learns to crawl, walk and explore, but he still doesn't talk. His family and even the dog try to get him to talk by singing, dancing, playing instruments, but Bartleby still won't speak. On his birthday he speaks his first word: listen, and for the first time his family stops and listens.

Clean your room, harvey moon!
Cummings, Pat
Harvey Moon's room is a mess. His mother makes him clean it up all day on Saturday and he must miss his favorite television shows. Although he was upset he had to clean, he feels a sense of accomplishment in the end.

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.

Three names of me
Cummings, Mary
Ada is a Chinese American girl. Ada shares her experiences of being adopted and moving to a new country. She collects new names that melt into one compelling identity for her.

Cool dog, school dog
Heiligman, Deborah
Tinka is a cool dog, a breaking-all-the-rules dog! A hall dog, a ball dog, a crash-into-the-wall dog! Join Tinka, a dandy, sandy Golden Retriever, as she unexpectedly visits her owner at school and helps his class learn to read.

Meet the gizmos
Tocco, John V.
Pong, a young Chinese Gizmo, journeys to the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time. She is welcomed by Gizmos from other parts of the world, such as Russia, Africa and America. The other Pong is given a tour of the station while sharing the creative and imaginary world of the other Gizmos. The Gizmos do a fabulous job in working as a team to welcome Pong into her new space.

Mama Elizabeti
Strure-Bodeen, Stephanie
Elizabeti has been taking care of her rock doll, Eva, and is not worried when it comes time for her to take care of Obedi, her younger brother. Throughout the day, Elizabeti quickly finds out Obedi is a handful compared to her rock doll Eva, but is rewarded with Obedi's love at the end of a difficult day.

Mufaro's beautiful daughters: An African tale
Steptoe, John
The king of Zimbabwe is choosing a new wife. Mufaro sends his two beautiful daughters to be considered. The main difference between the daughters is that one has a kind temperment and the other has a bad temper.

No! No! No!
Rockwell, Anne
It's been a terrible day and nothing has gone this young child's way. Fortunately, Mom knows just what to do and reads a bedtime story which helps the young boy fall asleep.

Count on your fingers African style
Zaslavsky, Claudia
This beautifully illustrated four color picture book takes children through the markets, showing traditional finger counting of various African people - the Maasai, the Kamba, and the Taita in Kenya, the Zulu of South Africa, and the Mende of Sierra Leone. This book examines the role that numbers play in creating a common language across cultural boundaries.

Meet Kofi, Maria and Sunita: Family life in Ghana, Peru and India
Simmons, Lesley Anne
Kofi, Maria, and Sunita come from Ghana, Peru, and India. They tell about traditions of their country, their school, and their family.

Welcome dede!: An African naming ceremony
Onyefulu, Ifeoma
Amarlai has a new baby cousin and he can't wait for her to be given a name. A tradtional African name will tell people where she comes from and which child she is in the family.

Buenas noches luna
Brown, Margaret Wise
A small rabbit is getting ready to go to bed. He says goodnight to everything he can see. Each page grows darker and darker until the rabbit falls asleep. (Written in Spanish)

My rows and piles of coins
Mollel, Tololwa M.
What would you buy if your mother gave you some money? Saruni wants a bicycle- a bicycle of his very own! Saruni saves his coins and works hard to help his mother. Unfortunately, Saruni is disappointed because he does not have enough to buy his very own bicycle. Where there is a will, there is a way, so Saruni finally gets a bicycle to help his mother to the Tanzanian market.

Recycle every day!
Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth
Through a poster contest at school, Minna and her family discover many ways they can recycle. Many of the other contestants' posters demonstrate ways to recycle, however Minna ultimately wins the contest through her poster that reminds everyone to re-re-remember, re-re-recycle every day.

A child's day in a Ghanaian city
Provencal, Francis & McNamara, Catherine
Nii Kwei gets up with the sun, and at half past five, he's already hard at work chasing the chickens and sweeping the compound clean with his straw broom. As the city begins to wake up, he washes, changes into his school uniform, and sits down to chocolate milk and sandwiches for breakfast. Photographs capture the lively rhythms of West African daily life, and this delightful dawn-to-dusk journal will encourage young readers, wherever they live, to compare and contrast Nii Kwei's day with their own.

Creativity
Steptoe, John
Charles speaks English and Hector speaks Spanish. They learn that even though they speak different languages, they both come from African ancestors. Charles helps Hector adjust to life in the U.S. through fun activities.

Jamela's dress
Daly, Niki
Jamela's mama has just bought some beautiful fabric for a new dress. While she's watching it dry outside in the South African air, Jamela wraps it around herself and starts parading down the street. Everyone is watching her, she is so proud. When she gets home, Jamela finds her mama very upset because her fabric is ruined. With the help of a friend, Jamela buys her mama more fabric. At this South African wedding, both Jamela and her mama are beautiful in their new dresses.

For you are a Kenyan child
Cunnane, Kelly
Follow a little Kenyan boy through his village on a typical but eventful day in Kenya. He learns an important lesson about listening to his elders as he visits with the neighbors in his village.

One child, one seed: A south african counting book
Cave, Kathryn
Play a simple counting game. Watch a pumpkin grow. Follow young Nothando and discover the rhythms of her daily life in her South African village.

The julia rockhound
Karwoski, Gail Langer
When a girl becomes interested in rocks, she becomes Julia the Rockhound. Julie learns how to dig for minerals and explain the wonder of crystal information from her Dad.

Freedom river
Rappaort, Doreen
John Ripley shows courage and perseverence in Southern Ohio through his actions. John crosses the Ohio River into the slave state of Kentucky to help other African Americans escape to freedom. John listens to nature as he rows a slave family across the Ohio River to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

In my momma's kitchen
Nolen, Jerdine
A young girl's fondest memories happen in her momma's kitchen. Achievements, family, stories, cooking and love are all celebrated in the kitchen. Great-Aunt Caroline, corn-pudding time and nighttime serenades are a few of the special moments in this loving family.

The bus ride
Miller, William
Sara stands up for justice on her city bus. Sara gets tired of sitting in the African American section of the bus. Sara does not undertsand why she does not have the same rights as the white Americans, so she takes a stand to change that law.

Molasses man
May, Kathy L.
A young boy and his family make molasses every summer. This summer the sourghum turns into a recipe that the boy's Grandfather has perfected. The boy spends his summer days helping his family make molasses and playing outside during the cooking process. While some molasses is cooling, Mama and her sisters pour it into glass jars and set up a stand near the road for passers-by.