Children's and Young Adult Literature

A mouse is taking a stroll when along comes a hungry fox, then an owl, and then a snake. The mouse is good enough to eat but smart enough to know this, so he invents . . . the gruffalo! As Mouse explains, the gruffalo is a creature with terrible claws, and terrible tusks in its terrible jaws. But Mouse has no worry to show. After all, there's no such thing as a gruffalo. . . .

A child discovers a parade of animals in this picture book filled with playful humor and rhyme. This simple, funny read-aloud follows a boy's exciting stroll through the countryside. The boy sees a black cat, then a brown horse, then a red cow, and so on, and before he knows it, he's being trailed by the entire menagerie! Big type, repetition, lively art, and the visual guessing game created by introducing each animal only partially at first, make this beloved tale a winner at story time.

Gerald the giraffe longs to dance but his knees seem to buckle whenever he tries to twirl. Will he learn to sway to his own sweet tune? Find out in this gentle ode to dancing to the beat of your own drum.

A feisty grandmother and her family struggle to get an assortment of farm animals out of the road so the family can pass in their T-Model Ford.

An unsuspecting man is suddenly surrounded by hordes of pigs in various costumes engaged in a variety of activities.

This new version of the beloved children's song "The Wheels on the Bus" will have young readers errping and roaring and honking along. Two children and their parents board a city bus on their way to a party. At the next stop, who should get on but a group of seals, who holler "errp, errp, errp" at the top of their lungs. Each time the bus stops a new kind of animal joins the passengers and adds to the din, to the children's delight and the parents' annoyance.

Featuring a sing-song rhyming text and humorous illustrations. When the child gets caught painting everything from the ceiling to the floor, Mama says "Ya ain't a-gonna paint no more!" But nothing will keep this artist from painting! Written to the familiar tune "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More," page-turns offer up a fun read-aloud guessing game.

In this infectious rhyming read-aloud, Baby Llama turns bedtime into an all-out llama drama! Tucked into bed by his mama, Baby Llama immediately starts worrying when she goes downstairs, and his soft whimpers turn to hollers when she doesn't come right back. But just in time, Mama returns to set things right.

Llama Llama, morning light. Feeling yucky, just not right. Uh-oh, Llama Llama's nose is feeling tickly, his throat is feeling scratchy, and his head is feeling stuffy. Back to bed, no school today for Llama Llama! Instead, he's home with Mama. By lunchtime, though, he's beginning to feel a tiny bit better. But now someone else has the sneezes . . . Mama! And who will help her feel better? Why, Llama Llama, of course!

If you were a fuzzy caterpillar crawling through the tall, tall grass on a sunny afternoon, what would you see? To find out, just follow the tiny tour guide as he inches his way through the pages of this book. You'll see ants and bees and birds--hip-hopping bunnies too. You'll even hear the sounds some of them make. Crunch, munch, caterpillars lunch... Crack, snap, wings flap...

When a thunderstorm hits a city street, children and grown-ups dash to the subway for shelter -- and an impromptu friendly gathering. With quirky wordplay and infectious rhymes, Elizabeth Bluemle crystallizes an unexpected moment of community, while G. Brian Karas's warm illustrations show the smiles to be had when a storm brings strangers together as friends.

The all-time classic picture book starring the world's favorite caterpillar! Generations of children have grown up on this beautifully dramatized story of a caterpillar who eats his way to becoming a butterfly. An innovative, entertaining story that teaches little ones about counting and the days of the week, this book doubles as the perfect way to introduce change as a positive and necessary part of life.

The rainbow fish with its iridescent scales is the most beautiful fish in the whole ocean. But since he is also vain and proud, he becomes more and more lonely over time. Then he realizes that you can't win friends through beauty. He overcomes his pride and begins to distribute his glitter scales to the other fish.

Fritz was not beautiful. He didn't have a braided mane or a glossy coat. He couldn't prance with long, graceful strides like the elegant horses who carried lords and lovely ladies to the city-a city that allowed only the most beautiful horses within its walls. The citizens laughed at the short-legged pony's attempts to be like their own horses. But Fritz was dependable and hard-working. He proved to the citizens that there are things more important than being beautiful. He earned a special place for himself in the walled city just as he'll earn a special place in every reader's heart.

Slowly, slowly, slowly . . . that's how the sloth lives. He hangs upside-down from the branch of a tree, night and day, in the sun and in the rain, while the other animals of the rain forest rush past him. "Why are you so slow? Why are you so quiet? Why are you so lazy?" the others ask the sloth. And, after a long, long, long time, the sloth finally tells them!

When curious little Penguin finds a lost pinecone in the snow, their friendship grows into something extraordinary! But Grandpa reminds Penguin that pinecones can't live in the snow--they belong in the warm forest far away. Can Penguin help Pinecone get home? And can they stay friends, even if they're miles apart?

When a mother bird's egg starts to jump, she hurries off to make sure she has something for her little one to eat. But as soon as she's gone, out pops the baby bird. He immediately sets off to find his mother, but not knowing what she looks like makes it a challenge. The little hatchling is determined to find his mother, even after meeting a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a Snort.

This is a simple and nearly wordless picture book for children to explore in a variety of ways. Shared with little ones, the bright pictures showing a small gray mouse's search for the perfect pal help introduce colors, animals, and sounds. Many preschoolers will also be drawn to the idea of looking for a friend.

Pup is missing and the little clown must search the circus to find him. Is he with Jo or Mo? What about Pierre or Claire? On the ground? Up in the air? This clown is searching everywhere! A perfect charmer for younger readers, this sprightly seek-and-find story features a tuneful rhyme, artfully silly characters and scenes-and a fold-up tip-top surprise!

There are red sheep and blue sheep, wind sheep and wave sheep, scared sheep and brave sheep, but where is the green sheep? The search is on in this cozy, sheep-filled story from acclaimed author Mem Fox and popular Australian cartoonist Judy Horacek.

Young children will delight in repeating the refrain "OH, NO!" as one animal after another falls into a deep, deep hole in this lively read-aloud.

When you see a horse, say neigh! The animal sounds tell the story in an infectiously rhythmic picture book that's a delight to read aloud. What mischief do the animals get up to when the farmer's back is turned? Anne Vittur Kennedy lets us know in the animals' own words! There will be boating, of course, and a picnic, a rollercoaster ride, Jet Skiing, a hot-air balloon, ballroom dancing -- oh, no!

Farmer Brown is going on vacation. He asks his brother, Bob, to take care of the animals. "But keep an eye on Duck. He's trouble." Bob follows the instructions in Farmer Brown's notes exactly. He orders pizza with anchovies for the hens, bathes the pigs with bubble bath, and lets the cows choose a movie. Is that giggling he hears?

Farmer Brown has a problem. His cows like to type. All day long he hears Click, clack, MOO. Click, clack, MOO. Clickety, clack, MOO. But Farmer Brown's problems REALLY begin when his cows start leaving him notes....

"Cows in the pasture, moo, moo, moo. Roosters in the barnyard, cock-a-doodle-doo . . ." It's another noisy morning on the farm, and all of the animals are where they should be -- except Goose. And where is Goose? Young children will enjoy clucking, mucking, mewing, and cooing while they search for Goose.

Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar on his creepiest adventure yet as he explores the woods by the light of the moon for Halloween!

Gustavo is good at doing all sorts of ghostly things: walking through walls, making objects fly, and glowing in the dark. And he loves almost nothing more than playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo is shy, and some things are harder for him to do, like getting in a line to buy eye scream or making friends with other monsters. Whenever he tries getting close to them, he realizes they just can't see him. Now that the Day of the Dead is fast approaching, what can he do to make them notice him and to share with them something he loves?

From a sneaky spider to a ghostly chef to a sly mummy and crafty witch, join your favorite spooky creatures as ten orange pumpkins disappear in a countdown to a Halloween surprise. Bright, bold, and fun, Ten Orange Pumpkins is a perfect read-aloud and is sure to capture the imagination of the littlest trick-or-treaters.

The Ugly Pumpkin has waited all through October for someone to take him home, but no one wants him. He doesn't look like other pumpkins. So the lonely Ugly Pumpkin leaves the patch in search of a place where he'll fit in. By the time Thanksgiving arrives, he discovers the truth about who he is--but it's not what he expected!

The witch has grown the biggest pumpkin ever, and now she wants to make herself a pumpkin pie for Halloween. But the pumpkin is so big she can't get it off the vine. It's so big the ghost can't move it either. Neither can the vampire, nor the mummy. It looks as if there'll be no pumpkin pie for Halloween, until along comes the bat with an idea to save the day. How can the tiny bat succeed where bigger and strong spooky creatures have failed?

The witch and her cat couldn't be happier flying through the sky on their broomstick. That is, until the witch accidentally drops her hat, then her bow, then her wand! Luckily, three helpful animals find the missing items and bring them back to the witch. In return, all they want is a ride on the broomstick. But is there room on the broom for so many new friends?

Only a witch can fly. But one little girl wants to fly--more than anything. So on a special night, with the moon shining bright and her cat by her side, she gathers herself up, she grips her broom tight, and she tries. And she fails. And she's brave. And she tries again. Until . . .

While the other field mice work to gather grain and nuts for winter, Frederick sits on a sunny rock by himself. "I gather sun rays for the cold dark winter days," he tells them. Another day he gathers "colors," and then "words." And when the food runs out, it is Frederick, the dreamer and poet, whose endless store of supplies warms the hearts of his fellow mice, and feeds their spirits during the darkest winter days.

It's autumn. The apples are crisp, the pumpkins are orange, the geese are flying south, and brightly colored leaves are falling everywhere. Finally, as the days get shorter and the nights get colder, a little yellow leaf discovers that it is the very last leaf on the tree. The little yellow leaf does not want to let go . . . not quite yet. Even when the first frost arrives, this little yellow leaf holds on, determined. A powerful story of courage, friendship, and the rewards of embracing change.

Fall has come, the wind is gusting, and Leaf Man is on the move. Is he drifting east, over the marsh and ducks and geese? Or is he heading west, above the orchards, prairie meadows, and spotted cows? No one's quite sure, but this much is certain: a Leaf Man's got to go where the wind blows.

Little ones are introduced to facts about trees. Ehlert blends bold graphics, vibrant colors, and precise details in her watercolor collage alongside found objects like seeds, fabric, wire, and roots. Children and adults will feel inspired to take a closer look at the nature in their own backyards. Celebrate Earth Day, spring, and the basics of trees while improving color recognition with Lois Ehlert's Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf!

This is the diary of a worm. This worm lives with his parents, plays with his friends, and even goes to school. But unlike you or me, he never has to take a bath, he gets to eat his homework, and because he doesn't have legs, he just can't do the hokey pokey--no matter how hard he tries.

Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree. He could encounter tarantulas, green Martians or killer bees. But in his tree, every day is the same and if danger comes along, he's well-prepared. Until one day ... his worst nightmare comes true! Scaredy suddenly finds himself out of his tree, where germs, poison ivy and sharks lurk. But as Scaredy Squirrel leaps into the unknown, he discovers something really uplifting...

Explores concepts of color, shape, and food using only five simple words, as a bear juggles and plays.

Can you eat like a bear? A sleepy bear awakes in spring and goes to find food. But what is there to eat in April? In May? Follow along and eat like a bear throughout the year: fish from a stream, ants from a tree, and delicious huckleberries from a bush. Fill up your belly and prepare for the long winter ahead, when you'll snuggle into your warm den and snore like a bear once again.

Through the year and no matter the weather, workers at the Village Garage are always busy. With the help of their trusty trucks, they clean the streets of sticks and leaves in the spring; patch potholes in preparation for summer traffic; pick up the leaves in the fall; and spray the roads with sand and salt during winter.

Caps for Sale is an excellent easy-to-read book that includes repetition, patterns, and colors, perfect for early readers. This tale of a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth, humor, and simplicity and also teaches children about problem and resolution.