Children's Literature : Picture Books by Topics

Julián is a mermaid by Jessica Love While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes -- and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?

Introducing Teddy by Jessica Walton Errol's best friend and teddy, Thomas, is sad because he wishes he were a girl, not a boy teddy, but what only matters to both of them is that they are friends

El cuento de Ferdinando / por Munro Leaf by Munro Leaf Ferdinand likes to sit quietly and smell the flowers, but one day he gets stung by a bee and his snorting and stomping convince everyone that he is the fiercest of bulls.

Los tres cochinitos by Yuri Salzman Related the adventures of three little pigs who leave home to seek their fortunes and how they deal with the big bad wolf.

Lóng is a dragon : Chinese writing for children by Peggy Goldstein Explains how Chinese writing developed and demonstrates how to write seventy-five Chinese characters, using detailed instructions and examples.

Babar en famille by Jean de Brunhoff With the birth of triplets, King Babar and Queen Celeste experience the pleasures and pains of parenthood.

Les vacances de Zéphir by Jean de Brunhoff

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson; Jane Chapman (Illustrator) One by one, a whole host of different animals and birds find their way out of the cold and into Bear's cave to warm up. But even after the tea has been brewed and the corn has been popped, Bear just snores on! See what happens when he finally wakes up and finds his cave full of uninvited guests -- all of them having a party without him!

The Big Snow by Berta Hader (Illustrator); Elmer Hader; Hader Elmer (Illustrator) Despite their elaborate preparations for the winter, the animals and birds are delighted by a surprise banquet after a big snow.

The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming (Illustrator) A snowman comes alive as the child building it adds pieces during the first ten days of winter.

Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak (Illustrator) "In a simple, cheerful conversation with nature, two young children witness how the season changes from autumn to winter"-- Provided by publisher.

White Snow, Bright Snow by Roger Duvoisin (Illustrator); Alvin R. Tresselt When it begins to look, feel, and smell like snow, everyone prepares for a winter blizzard.

Winter Dance Board Book by Marion Dane Bauer; Richard Jones (Illustrator) A fox wonders how he should prepare for the coming winter, but what other animals advise will not work for him until another fox comes to his aid.

Winter Is Here by Kevin Henkes; Laura Dronzek (Illustrator) "Snow falls, animals burrow, and children prepare for the wonders winter brings"-- Provided by publisher.

Spring for Sophie by Yael Werber; Jen Hill (Illustrator) Sophie listens and watches for the signs of spring--the melting ice, the blue sky--until one day the raindrops come and spring is here.

Pig and Goose and the First Day of Spring by Rebecca Bond (Illustrator) On the first day of spring Pig sets out to have a picnic by the pond, meets Goose, and so discovers a new friend.

The Happy Day by Ruth Krauss; Marc Simont (Illustrator) In the middle of winter, different forest animals awake and run sniffing through the trees to discover a single flower growing in the snow.

When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes; Laura Dronzek (Illustrator) Watch the world transform when spring comes! In a starred review, School Library Journal called this delightful picture book "A must-have, joyful seasonal title for the youngest listeners." In this beautiful book for young children, Caldecott Medalist and Newbery Honor author Kevin Henkes uses striking imagery, repetition, and alliteration to introduce basic concepts of language and the changing of the seasons. And acclaimed artist Laura Dronzek's gorgeous, lush paintings show the transformation from quiet, cold winter to the newborn spring. Before spring comes, the trees are dark sticks, the grass is brown, and the ground is covered in snow. But if you wait, leaves unfurl and flowers blossom, the grass turns green, and the mounds of snow shrink and shrink. Spring brings baby birds, sprouting seeds, rain and mud, and puddles. You can feel it and smell it and hear it--and you can read it! In a starred review, The Horn Book said, "This joyful reflection is as welcome as spotting the first brave crocus." In the Middle of Fall, Winter Is Here, When Spring Comes, and Summer Song make for a beautiful quartet of seasonal-theme picture books to share at home or in the classroom. Ideal for introducing the season, for story time, and for bedtime reading.

Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson (Illustrator) How do you make a garden grow? In this playful companion to the popular Tap the Magic Tree and Touch the Brightest Star, you will see how tiny seeds bloom into beautiful flowers. And by tapping, clapping, waving, and more, young readers can join in the action! Christie Matheson masterfully combines the wonder of the natural world with the interactivity of reading. Beautiful collage-and-watercolor art follows the seed through its entire life cycle, as it grows into a zinnia in a garden full of buzzing bees, curious hummingbirds, and colorful butterflies. Children engage with the book as they wiggle their fingers to water the seeds, clap to make the sun shine after rain, and shoo away a hungry snail. Appropriate for even the youngest child, Plant the Tiny Seed is never the same book twice--no matter how many times you read it! And for curious young nature lovers, a page of facts about seeds, flowers, and the insects and animals featured in the book is included at the end. Fans of Press Here, Eric Carle, and Lois Ehlert will find their next favorite book in Plant the Tiny Seed.

Up, down, and Around Big Book by Katherine Ayres; Nadine Bernard Westcott (Illustrator) A garden produces a variety of edible plants, such as corn that grows up, onions that grow down, and tomato vines that twine all around.

Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert A father and child grow vegetables and then make them into a soup.

Honey by David Ezra Stein (Illustrator) "After a long winter sleep, Bear wakes up with one thing in mind--honey! But it's too soon for honey, so he must wait. Fortunately, the world around him is also waking up, reminding Bear of other things he loves and allowing him to take pleasure in the passage of time."--Page 2 of cover.

My Busy Green Garden by Terry Pierce; Carol Schwartz (Illustrator) Takes a close look at a garden, describing the plants, insects, and birds and their activities throughout the day.

Andy (That's My Name) by Tomie DePaola Andy's friends construct different words from his name: "an" words, "and" words, and "andy" words.

Up, Tall, High by Ethan Long Through illustrations and simple text, birds demonstrate the meanings of the words up, tall, and high.

Ball by Mary Sullivan While searching for someone to play ball with him, a dog dreams of fantastical adventures he could have with his ball.

Knick Knack Paddy Whack by Christiane Engel An illustrated version of the traditional counting song that tells of the ten things "this old man" played before he came rolling home.

Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke Join Baby and his doting mama at a bustling southwest Nigerian marketplace for a bright, bouncy read-aloud offering a gentle introduction to numbers

Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker Big Fat Hen counts to ten with her friends and all their chicks.

Over in the Meadow by Jane Cabera A variation of the counting rhyme that introduces a variety of animals and their activities.

One Leaf, Two Leaves Count with Me! by John Micklos Jr Illustrations and simple, rhyming text tell the story of a year in the life of a tree.

The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall Illustrations and rhyming text follow endangered honeybees through the year as they forage for pollen and nectar, communicate with others at their hive, and make honey

The Honeybee Man by Lela Nargi Fred, a beekeeper whose hives are on the roof of his Brooklyn, New York, apartment building, tends his bees and distributes their honey to his neighbors. Includes facts about bees and beekeepers

Hello Honeybees by Hannah Rogge A pair of busy honeybees takes the reader on a tour of a flower garden and their beehive.

Thank you bees by Tony Yuly This gentle message of gratitude and connection, enhanced by beautifully simple collage illustrations, makes for a charming gift. Sun gives us light. Thank you, sun. Clouds bring the rain that makes puddles to splash in. Sheep give us wool for our sweaters and hats. The honey that sweetens our bread comes from bees (thank you, bees). With spare, repetitive text and bright, torn-paper collage artwork, this picture book gives even the youngest readers a subtle sense of how everyday things are related-- and inspires an appreciation for life's simple gifts.

Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper There was a cat who lived alone. Until the day a new cat came ... And so a story of friendship begins, following two cats through their days, months, and years until one day, the older cat has to go. And he doesn't come back. Big Cat, Little Cat is a poignant story, told in measured text and bold black-and-white illustrations about life and the act of moving on, from award-winning author Elisha Cooper

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk, she ends up tired, wet, and hungry trying to reach it.

They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel An ordinary housecat is seen from the different perspectives of a child and various animals.

Georgie's Best Bad Day by Ruth Chan Georgie and his friends are all having a bad day, so the cat and his crew of animal buddies decide to do their favorite things to turn their day around.

Mr. Wuffles by David Weisner "Mr. Wuffles ignores all his cat toys but one, which turns out to be a spaceship piloted by small green aliens. When Mr. Wuffles plays rough with the little ship, the aliens must venture into the cat's territory to make emergency repairs."

Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey Pig is a selfish pug who does not want to share his toys with his canine housemate, Trevor--until an accident teaches him the value of friendship.

Arthur’s New Puppy by Marc Brown Arthur's new puppy causes problems when it tears the living room apart, wets on everything, and refuses to wear a leash

King and Kayla and the Case of the Lost Tooth by Dori Hillstead Butler Kayla places her tooth in a Tooth Fairy pillow, but it disappears before the Tooth Fairy has a chance to visit--can her dog King help Kayla find the missing tooth?

Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari A student who uses a wheelchair finds a way to see her dog each day in school. Includes author's note about therapy dogs.

Rescue & Jessica : a life-changing friendship by Jessica Kensky, Patrick Downes When he is paired with a girl who has lost her legs, Rescue worries that he isn't up to the task of being her service dog.

Our Very Own Dog by Amanda McCardie A human family prepares their home for Sophie, their new dog companion, in a picture book guide for young prospective pet owners that introduces dog-related topics ranging from food and training to walks and dog shows.

Duck For President by Doreen Cornin When Duck gets tired of working for Farmer Brown, his political ambition eventually leads to his being elected President.

Gorillas In Our Midst by Richard Fairgay Reveals that gorillas, those masters of disguise and experts at hiding, are all around us and invites the reader to seek gorillas of all ages in the illustrations while carrying a banana just in case.

Fox and the Bike Ride by Corey R Tabor Fun-loving, mischievous Fox from Fox and the Jumping Contest is back in this charming and hilarious tale of friendship, adventure and snacks. It's the day of the animals' annual bike ride, and Fox is not excited. Every year it's the same old, same old.

Tiger vs Nightmare by Emily Tetri Tiger always has been protected from nightmares by her friend, the monster under her bed, but some nightmares are so big they require teamwork.

Professional Crocodile by Giovanna Zoboli In this book without words, Mr. Crocodile gets up every morning and carefully gets ready for work--but just what is his job?