Books! Books! Books!

Raymond Rabbit’s Early Morning What do you do when you get up before anybody else? Raymond did lots of things—then went back to sleep, this time in his parents’ bed!
Lynne Dennis
2–4 years

Have You Seen My Duckling? The duckling appears for the reader to find on every two-page spread of this gentle story. The only words are the title, and beginning counting skills are strengthened.
Nancy Tafuri
3–6 years

Small Plays for You and a Friend These five very short plays for just two people use almost no costumes or props. The speaking parts are easy to learn by little children, who will love to perform them again and again.
Sue Alexander
3–6 years

Happy Birthday, Moon An echo helps Little Bear “learn” that the moon wants a hat for its birthday. This little book has already become a preschool classic, and deservedly so.
Frank Asch
3–7 years

Bunny Rabbit Rebus Little Rabbit has eaten everything at home, and Mother Rabbit takes him with her to get more food. He eats and eats along the way—but she doesn’t know it! Also told without rebuses.
David A. Adler
4–7 years

Those Terrible Toy-Breakers Convinced that jungle animals have broken his toys, Walter and his friend Bernie dig a pit to trap them in—and they succeed! A just-for-fun, never-meant-to-be-serious story.
David McPhail
4–7 years

The Baker’s Dozen Van Amsterdam baked wonderful things. He even invented a Santa Claus cookie. Everyone from miles around came to his shop—until he started to cheat on his ingredients, and the things that he made didn’t taste right. …
Heather Forest (reteller)
4–8 years

The Rose in My Garden A bee, a mouse, and a cat provide a brief, humorous story after the flowers are beautifully illustrated one by one with “House That Jack Built” rhymes.
Arnold Lobel
4–8 years

You Can’t Make a Move Without Your Muscles Can you count to six hundred? There are that many muscles in your body, and this book shows why you can’t make a move without them.
Paul Showers
5–8 years

Hotel Boy Henri’s clothes, toys, and books were all lost when his apartment burned down, and he, his brother, and his mother had to live in a hotel. This is the story of how they lived there when all they had was each other. An easy-to-read book with lots of photos.
Curt and Gita Kaufman
5–9 years

The World of Pooh All the stories about Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh, which he called, most lovingly, “Silly old Bear” are in this volume, which deserves to be on your family’s bookshelf—and shared and shared and shared.
A. A. Milne
5 years and up

Poinsettia & Her Family Poinsettia loves her home, but she thinks that seven brothers and sisters are too many for it. On moving day she stayed at her old home so that she could have it all to herself. An easy-to-read book.
Felicia Bond
6–8 years

Gobs of Glue Greasy, sticky, or slimy, goo is made by all living things, even you!
Vicki Cobb
6–9 years

Animals That Migrate Not only birds but also reptiles, fish, insects, and mammals—even people—migrate. This easy-to-read book tells what, when, why, where, and how.
Caroline Arnold
6–9 years

Red Ribbon Rosie Tired of always coming in second to her best friend, Rosie cheats and wins a race—but loses her friend, even after saying that she was sorry. Now what will happen on Field Day? An easy-to-read book.
Jean Marzollo
7–9 years

The Kids Handbook In this humorous etiquette book for kids, you get a good look at general rules in life (especially family life), reasons why they exist, and ideas on how you can live with them.
Kelly Adachi
7–12 years

The Most Beautiful Place in the World Juan has a life that is probably much different from yours. He must work very hard just to survive. But there is one person who loves him, and that makes where he lives “the most beautiful place in the world.”
Ann Cameron
7 years and up

Heroes of the Book of Mormon Stories of sixteen heroes of the Book of Mormon are presented in just one to three pages each. This paperback is packaged with a dramatized version of the stories on an audiotape.
Mabel Jones Gabbott
8–11 years

Raggin’: A Story About Scott Joplin Composer Scott Joplin was born in a little town half in Texas, half in Arkansas. For a while, he traveled up and down the Mississippi River as a one-man musical show. In those years, he was what one of his most famous songs was titled: “The Entertainer.”
Barbara Mitchell
8–11 years

What If You Couldn’t … ? Are those people you know who are “different” really that different? They might turn out to be another Thomas Edison … or your best friend!
Janet Kamien
8–12 years

Draw 50 Horses Whether you’re an artist, a doodler, or just a horse lover who wants to draw horses, the step-by-step directions in this book will help develop your efforts into real talent. Action drawings as well as portraits of the different breeds are included.
Lee J. Ames
8 years and up

Blue Feather’s Vision: The Dawn of Colonial America Blue Feather is an old chief, the revered Keeper of the Wampum. But his wisdom is rejected by the young braves of his village—even by his own children.
James E. Knight
9–12 years

The Cat’s Elbow and Other Secret Languages An explanation of how each secret language works and a simple example of it are given from basic pig latin to tricky Boontling, which was used by a whole town in California.
Alvin Schwartz (compiler)
9–12 years

The Case of the Indian Curse Inspector Wyatt of Scotland Yard—Andrew’s father—was out of town when Beasley was drugged, so Sara and Andrew had to take on the case themselves. And they have the case pretty much solved—except how to get away from their kidnappers!
Robert Newman
9–14 years

Outside the Gates Little Vren was cast outside the Gates because the Villagers feared his Shadow: kinship with the animals. Too young to even hide from the monsters and giants of the UnderReach, he was cared for by Rusche, whose own Shadow was control of the weather around him. Slowly Vren learned to be happy. Then the evil Spell-binder carried Rusche away. A compelling allegory.
Molly Gloss
10–13 years

Yellow Bird and Me Doris’s best friend has moved away, the class clown is pestering her, and she’s in trouble at home. As you hold your breath, laugh, cry, and rejoice with her, you’ll understand why this is one of those rare books that deserves the acclaim that it gets.
Joyce Hansen
10–14 years

Wonders of How Animals Learn Did you know that play is probably the most important way in which animals—including humans—learn? And, like humans, other animals also learn by making mistakes, imitating others, and communicating with others.
Jacquelyn Berrill
10 years and up

Maggie By My Side Beverly, still struggling with grief over the death of her previous guide dog, must cope with being retrained herself with Maggie. Along with “accompanying” Beverly at the training school, we are with her to see Maggie’s introduction to the family cats, and her reaction to snow and the “monsters” that result when people dress for severe Wisconsin winter weather.
Beverly Butler
11 years and up

Christmas Is Love A tiny book with a large heart, to be enjoyed during those quiet, peaceful moments of this special time of year.
Joan Walsh Anglund
all ages