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  • Tags: verbal communication
Our tree named Steve
Zweibel, Alan
In a letter to his children, a father reflects upon the importance of a good friend and the value of a place to feel safe and secure. The father recalls various memories of his family as it has grown in relationship to a favorite tree that had been part of their lives since they built their home. The tree seems to help the family through many events but does not withstand a huge storm. The father uses the wood to build a tree house to continue its importance to the family.

When the wind stops
Zolotow, Charlotte
A little boy questions the beginning and end of nature, and his mother helps him to understand that there truly is no end.

Who is ben?
Zolotow, Charlotte
On a dark night, Ben contemplates where he came from and where he will go after he dies.

Do you know what i'll do?
Zolotow, Charlotte
A sister tells her younger brother all the different things that she will do for him. She will bring him things that will apply to his five senses. Most of all, she brings her brother her love and attention.

The quarreling book
Zolotow, C.//Lobel, A.
The inclement weather causes a father to be in a bad mood. He takes his feelings out on the mother, then the mother takes it out on the children. The quarreling continues with other characters, but is resolved at the end of the book.

A rose, a bridge, and wild black horse
Zolotow, C.
A small boy describes all the marvelous things he will do for his sister when he is grown up, such as bringing her coral from the bottom of the sea and building her the biggest bridge in the world.

The quiet mother and the the noisy boy
Zolotow, C.
Sandy is a boy who talks loud all of the time. One day, he meets a boy Roger who talks even louder. This bothers Sandy so he has a talk with his mom about when noise is okay.

My grandson lew
Zolotow, C.
Lew misses his grandfather who died when he was two. Although Lew was young, he can still remember his grandfather's beard and eyes. Together, Lew and his mother reminisce about someone they both loved very much.

Over and over
Zolotow, C.
A little girl begins to learn about months, seasons, and holidays. When she wakes up, it's a different season or holiday. On the last day, it is her birthday. She wishes for it to all happen again.

The hating book
Zolotow, C.
A little girl stops speaking to her friend without telling her why. Her mother tells her to go to her friend's house and ask her what the problem is. She does and finds out that it was just a misunderstanding.

Mr. rabbit and the lovely present
Zolotow, C.
A girl looks for a birthday present for her mother. She has no money so she asks Mr. Rabbit for help. She tells Mr. Rabbit the various colors that her mom likes. In the end, her mother receives a beautiful fruit basket.

The sky was blue
Zolotow, C.
As a little girl looks through old pictures in a photo album, her mom explains to her that the sky will always be blue, the grass will always be green, and everything will be just the same when she grows up.

The seashore book
Zolotow, C.
A mother's story helps a little boy imagine the sights and sounds of the seashore, even though he's never seen the ocean.

Not a little monkey
Zolotow, C.
A little girl tries to get her busy mother to play with her by doing a series of silly things, from pouring water on her head to climbing into the big wastebasket.

One step, two
Zolotow, C.
A little girl takes her mother for a walk and shows her all the wonderful things to see.

The moon was best
Zolotow, C.
A mother reflects about her trip to Paris as she shows her daughter beautifully enlarged photos of her favorite places.

The park book
Zolotow, C.
A little boy who lives in the country asks his mother what a park is like.

The meanest squirrel i ever met
Zion, Gene
Nibble, a squirrel, plans his Thanksgiving dinner of acorns, but a mean squirrel comes up and cons the food from Nibble. Through a series of strange circumstances, Nibble is able to get his family's acorns back and even get back at the mean squirrel.

No roses for harry
Zion, Gene
Harry's grandmother gives him a sweater with roses on it for his birthday. He doesn't like it and tries to lose it. He finally does and grandma gives him a new sweater that has black and white spots!

Harry by the sea
Zion, Gene
On a hot day at the beach, Harry cannot stay cool. He suddenly is covered with seaweed and everyone mistakes him as a sea monster, even his family!

Cricket boy
Ziner, Feenie
Hu Sing's father is asked to come to the emperor's palace to fight his champion cricket against the emperor's own champion. In trying to protect the cricket, Hu Sing accidentally kills it, and then kills himself, until he has a strange dream.

I love my mother
Zindel, P.
A boy describes things his mother does and does not do. He explains why he loves his mother.

Trashy town
Zimmerman, Andrea//Clemesha, David
Mr. Gilly gets up every morning to go to work. He drives the trash truck which cleans up the garbage all around town. When he is finished he has to clean up one more thing...himself!

Treed by a pride of irate lions
Zimelman, Nathan
An animal likes his Mother but not his Father -- so off he goes to Africa where he hopes to find some loving animals. In the end, the Dad returns home, telling his family that no animal will ever be like him. Dad is happy that his family still loves him.

A good morning's work
Zimelman, Nathan
When Mitsuo hoes his garden, he finds rare things in nature which he tries not to harm. All the while, his dad makes sure he's working.

So you shouldn't waste a rhinoceros
Zimelman, Nathan
Maxel's family tries to find a way to get Maxel out of a bubble. Someone suggests getting a rhinoceros to pop it, but by the time the animal gets there, Maxel is already out. His grandmother tells him he shouldn't waste a rhinoceros, so he should blow more bubbles.

Mean murgatroyd and the ten cats
Zimelman, Nathan
Arabella takes her ten cats for a walk every day, but Mean Murgatroyd, the dog next door, scares them away. Arabella comes up with a great idea for dealing with Murgatroyd.

So hungry!
Ziefert, Harriet//Nicklaus, C.
A boy and his sister are hungry and look for a snack. They each build a sandwich and race to eat them. They are no longer hungry!

Harry's bath
Ziefert, Harriet
It is time for Harry's bath but he can't get in the tub because it is filled with characters from his imagination. Finally, they leave through the window -- just before his mother comes upstairs!

I won't go to bed!
Ziefert, Harriet
It was time for small boys to be in bed, but Harry said he wouldn't go to bed, so his father let him stay up. As the hours pass and Harry gets bored and tired, his feeling about staying up all night begins to change, and he falls asleep.

To hilda for helping
Zemach, Margot
Hilda's sister gets jealous when her father gives Hilda a medal for helping out around the house. She tells Hilda that she hopes she loses the medal. Hilda says that if she loses it and it gets buried, it will grow into a tree full of medals.

The wheels on the bus
Zelinsky, P.
This pop-up,action book goes along with the song, The Wheels On the Bus. Each page is a different verse of the song and has something on it that moves!

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.

Let's eat!
Zamorano, Ana
Every day Mama cooks a meal for the family to eat together, but usually someone can't be there. But when Mama comes home after having the baby everyone is there to celebrate, and she is happy.

Beni's family treasury: Stories for the jewish holidays
Zalben, Breskin Jane
Beni is so excited because he's finally old enough to really understand his Jewish heritage and the traditions of his faith. In his quest for understanding, he encounters a number of situations, from learning the beauty of togetherness after reconciling with his feuding cousin, Max, to recreating the Pukim in a play with his friends and cousins. Through all of this, Beni truly begins to see the magical feeling of togetherness and heritage that his religion encompasses.

Daisy's taxi
Young, Ruth
Daisy ferries to and from the island all day in her water taxi. Throughout the day, Daisy takes passengers and their valuables to the island and back to shore no matter what kind of weather. After a long day, Daisy wants to go for a row with her husband.

Why does it always rain on sukkot?
Youdoin, S.S.
Each of the Jewish holidays are explained through a story. The chief angel gives each holiday a gift which explains its meaning.

Ugh

Ugh

Yorkins, Arthur
Many, many years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, there was a boy named Ugh who was looked down on and treated like a slave by his siblings. Ugh tells them he will be famous one day. After seeing a wheel, he invents the bicycle, and because of this becomes the boy king.

Harry and lulu
Yorinks, Arthur
Just like any other little girl, Lulu wants a dog. Her parents give her a stuffed poodle named Harry instead of a real pet. At first, Lulu doesn't like Harry at all!But when he comes to life and they have an adventure together, Lulu discovers what a good friend he is.

Bravo minski
Yorinks, A.
Minski was a great scientist whose best invention was his singing. Through this one invention, he becomes a great man.

Hey, al
Yorinks, A.
Al wants a new, more relaxed life. One day, a bird comes and takes him to a little paradise. Al turns into a bird, so maybe his life at home was not so bad afterall.

Christmas in july
Yorinks, A.
Santa Claus's pants are given to a rich man by mistake. While searching for them, Santa is put in jail so Christmas does not occur. In July, when Santa is released, his pants are returned and Christmas occurs in July.

Oh, brother
Yorinks, A.
Milton and Morris are orphaned twins. They try to agree and work to survive. A job as tailors brings them back to their parents whom they thought were dead.

It happened in pinsk
Yorinks, A.
Irv Irving is not happy with his life. He wants fame and fortune. One day, Irv loses his identity and everyone mistakes him for someone else. After he finally retrieves his identity, he realizes what he has and becomes content.

How do dinosaurs say goodnight?
Yolen, Jane//Teague, Mark
Do dinosaurs say goodnight in the same way that people say goodnight?A dinosaur says goodnight to Papa in quite a different way than when Mamma comes in to turn off the light.

An invitation to the butterfly ball
Yolen, Jane
Different creatures are invited to the butterfly ball. Each creature is missing something, which you will find at the end of the journey.

Grandad bill's song
Yolen, Jane
Jon loses his grandad and needs help showing his emotions. He doesn't know if he's reacting in the right way. Jon's family shows him that everyone reacts to the death of a loved one differently, and no reaction is right or wrong.

The seeing stick
Yolen, Jane
A blind princess learns to see the world through her fingertips from an old blind man.

The girl who loved the wind
Yolen, Jane
Danina's father does not want her to experience life's harshnesses or sorrows. She is surrounded only by beauty. Then, the wind comes and tells her of another world. She accepts it's challenge by setting out to discover the real world and broadening her sheltered life.

Eeny meeny miney mole
Yolen, Jane
Eeny, Meeny, and Miney Mole live life underground and they have no idea what life up above is like. One day, Eeny burrows up above ground and discovers day, night, light, darkness, and the four seasons.