School Age Read Alouds

2010-02-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

SILLY

Always Listen to Your Mother by Florence Parry Heide, 2010. Ernest, a boy who always listens to his mother, learns to have fun with his new neighbor.

Best Pet Ever by Victoria Roberts, 2010. When her mother tarries in buying her a pet, a little girl satisfies her desire with a pet rock, a pet glove, a pet balloon, etc.

Chicken of the Family by Mary Amato, 2008. Henrietta’s older sisters convince her that she is really a chicken, so she runs away to live in a chicken coop.

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown, 2010. When a young bear discovers a boy in the woods, she asks her mother if she can keep him - only to discover that he is impossible to train.

Chip Wants A Dog by William Wegman, 2003. All Chip has ever wanted was a dog, and he can't understand why his parents won't allow it.

DogFish by Gillian Shields, 2008. Aoy longing for a dog decides to train his fish to catch sticks and wag its tail.

Dogs Don't Do Ballet by Anna Kemp, 2010. Biff has bigger dreams than other dogs...

Don’t Be Silly, Mrs. Millie! by Judy Cox, 2005. Silly teacher Mrs. Millie is always confusing words like stepping in a poodle instead of a puddle or hanging up goats instead of coats.

My Cat, The Silliest Cat in the World, 2006. An artist describes his "cat," who can usually be found either sleeping or eating.

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, 2009. Wilbur horrifies his peers by wearing clothes.

Peanut by Linas Alsenas, 2007. Mildred names her new “puppy” after his favorite food.

Pie Went By by Carolyn Dunn, 2000. One fine day, Good King Bing walked along the path to the castle - with a pie on his head!

Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep! by Maureen Wright, 2010. A bear with a hearing problem misunderstands the words of Old Man Winter, so he drives a jeep, sweeps a house, and climbs a steep mountain.

You're Finally Here! by Melanie Watt, 2011. A rabbit is glad that children are reading this book, but has several complaints regarding what on earth took them so long.

2009-03-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

CLOTHING

Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judy Barrett, 1990. Pictures of animals wearing clothes demonstrate why this would be a ridiculous custom for them to adopt.

Aunt Lucy Went to Buy A Hat by Alice Low, 2004. Rhyming tale of a woman who sets out to replace her lost hat, but ends up with a cat and a succession of other items instead.

Ducks Don’t Wear Socks by John Nedwidek, 2008. A serious girl meets a duck with a wacky wardrobe, and learns how to play.

Kettles Get New Clothes by Dayle Ann Dodds, 2002. When the small town store where they usually buy their clothes changes hands, the Kettles are in for a surprise on their annual shopping trip.

Mad About Plaid by Jill McElmurry, 2000. After she finds a lonely little purse in the park and takes it home, a young girl’s entire world turns plaid.

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach by Carmen Deedy, 2007. Martina's grandmother advises her to deliberately spill coffee on the shoes of her many suitors as a test.

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, 2009. Wilbur horrifies his peers by wearing clothes.

2009-01-27T11:51:00.001-08:00

JUNK FOOD and SWEET TREATS

Badger’s Fancy Meal by Keiko Kasza, 2007. A ravenous Badger yearns for yummy meals like mole taco, rat burger, and rabbit-banana split.

Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum by Lisa Wheeler, 2004. A pink glob of bubblegum causes a series of animals to get stuck in the "chewy-gooey icky-sticky" mess.

Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells, 1997. To Max, a birthday cake isn't complete without red-hot marshmellow squirters.

Burger Boy by Alan Durant, 2006. A boy eats so many burgers that he turns into one.

Chocolatina by Eric Kraft, 1998. Tina eats so much chocolate that she wakes up one morning and finds that she has turned into chocolate.

Cook-a-Doodle-Doo! by Janet Stevens, 1999. With the questionable help from his friends, Big Brown Rooster manages to bake a strawberry shortcake.

Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson, 2010. The horse nays for his hay, and the geese flip for corn - but the cow has a sweet tooth!

Froggy Bakes A Cake by Jonathan London, 2000. Froggy insists on helping his father bake a cake for his mother's birthday - with hilarious results!

Gladys Goes Out to Lunch by Derek Anderson, 2005. A gorilla who is tired of eating nothing but bananas goes in search of a sweet treat.

Gulps by Rosemary Wells, 2007. A family of junk food junkies try their first taste of salad.

Gumdrop Tree by Elizabeth Spurr, 1994. When her father gives her a bag of gumdrops to eat, a little girl decides to plant them instead.

Ice Cream Bear by Jez Alborough, 1997. Bear dreams that it is snowing ice cream.

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff, 1996. If you give a mouse a cookie, he will need a glass of milk to go with it...

Isaac the Ice Cream Truck by Scott Santoro, 1999. An ice cream truck develops an inferiority complex.

Jake Goes Peanuts by Michael Wright, 2010. Everything new makes Jake's list of books he doesn't like. Everything except peanut butter.

Lawrence by Janet Stoeke, 1990. This hedgehog's favorite dessert is coconut cream pie.

Little Mouse and the Big Cupcake, 2010. When Mouse finds a delicious cupcake, all his friends ask if they can have a taste.

My Pop Pop and Me by Irene Smalls. Pop Pop and his grandson transform baking a lemon cake into a magical mystery tour of sound and rhythm.

On Top of Spaghetti by Paul Brett Johnson, 2006. Yodeler Jones is a hound dog who serves nothing but meatballs and spaghetti at his restaurant.

Oodles of Noodles by Diana Hendry, 2008. Mom's new pasta-making machine has a mind of its own!

Pie Went By by Carolyn Dunn, 2000. One fine day, Good King Bing walked along the path to the castle - with a pie on his head!

Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann,2006. A little girl eats so many pink cupcakes that she turns pink.

Rodeo Ron and His Milkshake Cows by Rowan Clifford, 2005. A cowboy rides into town and proposes a "shake off" contest of milkshakes vs. soft drinks.

Simply Delicious! by Margaret Mahy, 2000. Mr. Miky rides home on his bicycle, carrying a double-dip-chocolate-chip-and-cherry ice cream cone for his son.

Thelonius Monster’s Sky-High Fly Pie by Judy Sierra, 2006. A good-natured monster thinks a pie made out of flies would be a good dessert, and invites all his friends and relatives over to try it.

Ugly Pie by Lisa Wheeler, 2010. 'Ol Bear has a hankering that nothing can satisfy - except ugly pie.

Wild Boars Cook by Meg Rosoff, 2008. Doris discovers a recipe for the messiest, stickiest, gooiest, chewiest, most delicious pudding in the whole wide world!

2009-01-22T14:58:00.001-08:00

FOWL PLAY

Big Chickens by Leslie Helakoski, 2006. While trying to escape from a wolf, four frightened chickens keep getting themselves into the very predicaments they are trying to avoid.

Chicken and Cat by Sarah Varon, 2006. When Cat feels sad about living in the hustle and bustle of the city, Chicken finds colorful ways to make Cat feel better.

Chicken of the Family by Mary Amato, 2008. Henrietta’s older sisters convince her that she is really a chicken, so she runs away to live in a chicken coop.

Coriander the Contrary Hen by Dori Chacanas, 2007. A hen sits in the middle of the road, refusing to move, until a girl comes up with a wise solution.

Duck & Goose by Tad Hills, 2004. Duck and Goose find what they think is an egg, and fight over who gets to sit on it until it hatches.

Ducks Don’t Wear Socks by John Nedwidek, 2008. A serious girl meets a duck with a wacky wardrobe, and learns how to play.

Four Hens and a Rooster by Lena Landstrom, 2005. When a rooster turns into a bully, four hens take a class in self-esteem and learn to stand up for their rights,

Gus, the Pilgrim Turkey by Teresa Bateman, 2008. When Gus learns what happens to turkeys on Thanksgiving, he decides to head South for the winter.

Hungry Hen by Richard Waring, 2001. A greedy fox watches a hungry hen growing bigger every day, knowing that the longer he waits to eat her, the bigger she will be.

Mr. Duck Means Business by Tammi Sauer, 2011. Unexpected noisy visitors show up at the pond and ruffle Mr. Duck's feathers.

The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett. All of the other birds have an egg - except for Duck, who goes out and finds an enormous egg with a surprise inside.

Problem With Chickens by Bruce McMillan, 2005. When women in Iceland buy chickens to lay eggs, the chickens try to behave like humans, until the ladies hatch a clever plan.

Shelly by Margie Palatini, 2006. A late-bloomer learns to come out of his shell.

Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza, 1996. A hungry wolf’s attempts to fatten a group of chicks have unexpected results.

2009-01-22T14:54:00.001-08:00

HEALTHY FOOD

I’d Really Like to Eat A Child by Syliane Donnio, 2004. A young crocodile decides one morning that he is tired of his diet of bananas. But the first child he encounters finds him absolutely adorable.

I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato by Lauren Child, 2000. A boy tries to convince his sister to sample her carrots by telling that they are really orange twiglets from Jupiter.

Jake Goes Peanuts by Michael Wright, 2010. Everything new makes Jake's list of foods he doesn't like. Everything except peanut butter.

Little Pea by Amy Rosenthal, 2005. Little Pea hates eating candy for dinner, but his parents won't let him have his spinach dessert until he cleans his plate.

The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster by Alice Flaherty, 2007. When a little girl who is forced to eat oatmeal three times a day decided to dump it off of a ship, the results are enormous!

Muncha Muncha Muncha by Denise Fleming, 2002. Mr. McGreely tries to find a way to keep rabbits out of his vegetables.

Pickin’ Peas by Margaret Read MacDonald, 1998. A little girl captures a rascally rabbit who has been picking the peas from her garden.

Stop That Pickle! by Peter Armour, 1993. The pickle-version of the Gingerbread Boy.

Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens, 1995. A clever rabbit strikes a deal with a rich but very lazy bear.

Trouble At the Dinosaur Cafe by Brian Moses, 2006. Vegetarian dinosaurs can no longer enjoy their meals when a ravenous Tyrannosaurus stomps in looking for meaty dinosaur stew.

Trouble With Cauliflower by Jane Sutton. Mortimer, the careful koala, will not eat cauliflower because he always has bad luck on the following day.

Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin, 1998. A little girl thinks her mother's garden is the ugliest in the neighborhood until she discovers that flowers might look and smell pretty but Chinese vegetable soup smells best.

2009-01-21T12:08:00.000-08:00

DOGS

Alfred's Nose by Vivienne Flesher, 2008. A French bulldog feels insecure about his appearance.

Bertie Was a Watchdog by Rick Walton, 2002. Can a dog as small as a watch outsmart a burglar?

Chip Wants A Dog by William Wegman, 2003. All Chip has ever wanted was a dog, and he can't understand why his parents won't allow it.

Dog Breath by Dav Pilkey, 2004. The Tosis family dog has such bad breath that they consider giving her away, until she proves to be a good watchdog.

DogFish by Gillian Shields, 2008. A boy longing for a dog decides to train his fish to catch sticks and wag its tail.

Dog Who Cried Wolf by Keiko Zasza, 2005. A puppy suffers from wolf-envy.

How to Be A Good Dog by Gail Page, 2006. Illustrations invite children to comment on Bobo’s behavior.

Juggling Pug by Sean Bryan, 2008. A celebrity pug wears out his welcome.

Mutt Dog by Stephen King, 2005. Sweet story about a mangy mutt trying to find a home.

My Dog Is As Smelly As Dirty Socks by Hanoch Piven, 2007. A child creates collages that illustrate the characteristics of his family.

My Father the Dog by Elizabeth Bluemle, 2008. A tongue-in-cheek tribute to the traits that dads and dogs share.

Never Cry Woof by Jane Wattenberg, 2005. A dog, who has applied for the job as sheep-protector, gets bored one day and decides to create his own brand of excitement.

Nobody’s Diggier Than A Dog by Susan Bartoletti, 2005. Fun with adjectives.

Peg Leg Peke by Brie Spangler, 2008. A Pekingnese puppy with a boo-boo imagines being a pirate with a peg leg sailing the seven seas.

Some Dog! by Mary Casanova, 2007. A basset hound named George is overshadowed by the new puppy in his household.

Stanley's Wild Ride by Linda Bailey, 2006. A dog on wheels is in for a night of adventure!

Wet Dog by Elise Broach, 2005. A rhythmic tale of a dog’s quest to cool off on a hot day.

2008-06-14T08:29:00.000-07:00

WEIRD, WILD
& WACKY

Encyclopedia of Immaturity by Klutz Editors, 2007. Learn how to shrink heads, snort rubber bands, take off your thumb, break your nose, and make radio-controlled underwear!

Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex, 2006. Dracula walks around with spinach in his teeth, because everyone is afraid to tell him about it, and the Phantom of the Opera can't get 'It's a Small World' out of his head.

Gallop: A Scanimation Book by Rufus Butler Seder. Children are amazed by the way the animals in the illustrations move while they turn the page.

Imagine by Norman Messenger, 2005. This book is filled with interactive puzzles, such as shape-shifting animals.

Ribbit: Flip and See Who Froggy Can Be by Bender & Bender, 2007. An ingenious flip-book with unlimited combinations.

Science Verse by Jon Scieszka, 2004. A sing-along, rhyme-along introduction to science that is guaranteed to get children engaged. My favorite is the version of Mary Had A... that refers to a parasite in her belly.

2008-06-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

SUPERHEROES
& VILLAINS

Another Perfect Day by Ross MacDonald, 2002. What started out as another perfect day for a superhero performing heroic feats suddenly goes awry.

Atomic Ace: He's Just My Dad by Jeff Weigel, 2004. In this rhyming story told in comic book format, a boy considers his family normal, though his dad is a superhero.

Batman: The Story of the Dark Knight by Ralph Cosentino, 2008. Finally, a Picture Book about Batman that can be read aloud!

Baron Von Baddie and the Ice Ray Incident! by George McClements, 2008. An evil genius becomes bored without the challenge of his nemesis, the superhero.

Bertie Was a Watchdog by Rick Walton, 2002. A dog as small as a watch outsmarts an overconfident robber.

Captain Pajamas: Defender of the Universe by Bruce Whatley, 2000. In the middle of the night, Brian transforms himself into Captain Pajamas, Defender of the Universe, to save his older sister Jessie from attacking aliens.

Chickens to the Rescue! by John Himmelman, 2006. Six days a week the chickens help the Greenstalk family and their animals recover from mishaps that occur on the farm, but they need one day to rest.

Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey, 1993. A monstrous mutt terrorizes the residents of Mousopolis.

He Saves the Day! by Marsha Hayes, 2002. In plane or race car, on the high seas, in a jungle or before a castle, a brave and daring champion saves the day, but sometimes he needs help.

How I Became Champion of the Universe by Kenny Harrison, 2002. A pint-sized wrestling fan is surprised to become the new champion of the universe after he uses his secret weapon.

Just Another Morning by Linda Ashman, 2004. A little boy imagines that the everyday objects around him are fantastic creatures as he goes about his day.

Kapow! by George O'Connor, 2004. A boy and his friend pretend they are superheroes. Children might find this book a little confusing, because the protagonists are depicted as adult superheroes on every other page, and then they go back to being kids again.

Loretta: Ace Pinky Scout by Keith Graves, 2002. An unrelenting perfectionist, is devastated when she fails to earn the Golden Marshmallow Badge, but her grandmother's picture gives her a new perspective on things.

Max by Bob Graham, 2000. The son of superheroes is a late bloomer when it comes to flying, until he is inspired by the plight of a falling baby bird.

Mighty Max by Harriet Ziefert, 2008. Despite discouragement from grownups, Max is determined to be the superhero he was born to be!

Phooey! by Marc Rosenthal, 2007. No superheroes in this book, although with all the accidents, the townspeople sorely need one! However, the comic book style appeals to children.

SuperHero ABC by Bob McLeod, 2006. Silly superheroes such as Goo Girl and The Volcano represent the letters of the alphabet from A to Z.

Superhero Max by Lawrence David, 2002. A second-grade boy has trouble fitting in at his new school, until he wears his Captain Crusader costume.

Supermoo by Babette Cole, 1992. A bovine superhero crusades against the evil spreaders of filth and pollution.

2007-07-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

FISH, FROGS & TURTLES

Anansi’s Party Time by Eric Kimmel, 2008. After Anansi invites Turtle to a party just to play a trick on him, Turtle exacts his revenge.

Beware of the Frog by William Bee, 2008. In this very British tale, a little old lady lives at the edge of the woods, with only her pet frog to protect her from all of the monsters nearby.

Dogfish by Gillian Shields, 2008. A boy longing for a dog decides to train his fish to catch sticks and wags its tail.

Epossumondas Saves the Day by Coleen Salley, 2006. A trip to the store to buy baking soda is interrupted by a great big Louisiana snapping turtle!
Faucet Fish by Fay Robinson, 2005. When all sorts of fish start plopping out of her bathroom faucet, Elizabeth has a hard time getting her parents to believe her.

Froggy Learns to Swim by Jonathan London, 1995. Froggy is afraid of the water until he puts on his flippers, snorkle and other swimming gear.

Little Red Fish by Taeeun Yoo, 2007. A boy loses his fish in the library.

Look Out for the Big Bad Fish by Sheridan Cain, 1998. Tadpole meets all sorts of friends who know how to jump, and wishes he could jump like them.

My Goldfish by Barroux. A child's detailed accoounting of characteristics and eccentricities of his/her pet goldfish might inspire children to write pet stories of their own!

Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen, 2008. Fish swims about with his face in a pout.

Race of the Century by Barry Downard, 2008. A race between Tom Tortoise and Flash Harry Hare becomes a world-wide media event.

Ribbit by Chad Bender. Froggy changes the top of his head, the middle of his head, or his body to become different character.

Stick by Steve Breen, 2006. When a frog’s tongue is stuck to a dragonfly, he is pulled out of the swamp and into an exciting adventure.

Tadpole's Promise by Jeanne Willis, 2005. A caterpillar falls in love with a tadpole, and begs him never to change.

Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus, 2008. A tiny tadpole grows up to fearlessly face a world of dinosaurs.

Ugly Fish by Kara LaReau, 2006. Whenever Ugly Fish gets a new tankmate, he eats him/her, which doesn’t leave him with a lot of friends.

2007-07-20T12:08:00.002-07:00

JOY OF READING

Bored Bill by Liz Pichon, 2006. He solves his problem of boredom by reading books and other activities.

Do Not Open This Book by Michaela Muntean, 2006. This silly story dares the reader to keep going, until in the end they discover that they have helped write the book!

Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers, 2006. The more books Henry eats, the smarter he gets!

Library Lion by Michelle Knudson, 2006. Can a misbehaving lion learn library rules?

Little Red Fish by Taeeun Yoo, 2007. A boy loses his fish in the library.

Max’s Words by Kate Banks, 2006. Max’s older brothers collect stamps and coins, so Max decides to collect words.

Taming Horrible Harry by Lili Chartrand, 2005. When a horrible monster learns to read, his life is changed forever.

Winston the Book Wolf by Marni McGee, 2006. Winston likes to eat words. This wolf is so notorious that he is banned from the library, until he learns to devour books with his eyes.

Wolves by Emily Gravett, 2006. When rabbit picks up a book to read at the library, the subject matter truly comes alive.

2007-01-23T18:35:00.002-08:00

WHAT A MESS!

Down the Back of the Chair by Margaret Mahy, 2006. Dad desperately searches for the car keys -- and finds everything his family needs down the back of the chair!

Look What the Cat Dragged In by Gary Hogg, 2005. A cat gets revenge on the Lazybones family when he gets tired of caring for them during the winter.

Mama Robot by Davide Cal'i, 2008. A robot mother would never make you clean up your room.

Moose Tracks by Karma Wilson, 2006. When mysterious moose tracks appear all over the house, the narrator of this tale is determined to find out how they got there.

Oink! by Margie Palatini, 2006. Two pigs watch as their discontented neighbors take it upon themselves to clean up the pig pen.

What’s With This Room? by Tom Lichtenheld, 2005. Parents express their dismay at their son’s room, which is littered with gnu poo and has underwear hanging from the ceiling fan.

2007-01-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

LETTER WRITING

Boris and the Snoozebox by Leigh Hodgkinson, 2008. A sleepy cat is mistakenly mailed to a series of outlandish destinations.

Click Clack Moo by Doreen Cronin, 2000. When Farmer Brown's cows find a typewriter in the barn they start making demands, and go on strike when the farmer refuses to give them what they want.

Dear Little Lamb by Christa Kempter, 2006. Mama Sheep has cause to worry about her lamb's new pen pal, Wolfgang.

Gardener by Sarah Stewart, 1997. Lydia Grace goes to live with her Uncle Jim in the city for a while, and takes her love for gardening with her.

I Wanna Iguana by Karen Orloff, 2004. Alex and his mother write notes back and forth as he tries to persuade her to let him have a baby iguana for a pet.

Long, Long Letter by Elizabeth Spurr, 1996. A long letter brings Aunt Hetta surprise and adventure, as the loose pages bury her house and keep her warm during the winter.

Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett, 2007. A meerkat goes on an adventure, and sends home letters to his parents.

Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel, 2005. A tree serves a family as their swing holder, laundry line, third base, hiding place, and much more!

Plantzilla by Jerdine Nolan, 2002. A series of letters discuss the progress of a very unusual plant that becomes frighteningly more human as the summer progresses.

Raising Sweetness by Diane Stanley, 1999. An orphan learns to read and is able to better her living situation.

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, 2001. The legacy of all she has learned from her grandmother helps Molly succeed in a new school.

2007-01-23T18:30:00.001-08:00

WORRYWARTS

Big Chickens by Leslie Helakoski, 2006. While trying to escape from a wolf, four frightened chickens keep getting themselves into the very predicaments they are trying to avoid.

Chicken Chickens by Valeri Gorbachev, 2001. In order to have fun on the playground, two little chicks need to let go of their fears.

Chicken Little by Ed and Rebecca Emberley, 2009. A witty retelling of this story of how chicken with a scrambled noggin and his fellow bird brains overreact to a small incident.

Clarice Bean, Don’t Look Now! by Lauren Child, 2008. As her worries multiply, Clarice begins listing them in a notebook.

Disappearing Desmond by Anna Alter, 2010. Shy Desmond prefers to blend into the background. Can his new friend Gloria help him overcome his fear of the spotlight?

"I Have A Little Problem," Said the Bear by Heinz Janisch. His friends are in such a hurry to help that they forget to listen to Bear in order to find out the source of his worries...

Is A Worry Worrying You? by Feride Wolffe, 2005. This book addresses common and uncommon fears in a creative and humorous way.

Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears by Emily Gravett, 2008. Little Mouse faces her fears by writing them down in her journal, researching and illustrating them.

Loretta, Ace Pinky Scout by Keith Graves, 2002. A perfectionist is devastated when she fails to earn the Golden Marshmallow Badge, but her grandma reassures her that it's nothing to worry about.

Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt, 2006. A squirrel never leaves his tree because he's afraid of the unknown - until something unexpected happens that changes his outlook.

Silly Billy by Anthony Browne, 2006. A young boy is overwhelmed with anxiety, so his grandmother gives him Guatemalan worry dolls. Then, he worries that he is overburdening the dolls!

Walter Was Worried by Laura Seeger, 2005. The letters that spell out Walter's feelings also form his facial characteristics, as well as his expression.

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes, 2000. A shy mouse who worries about everything, finds that she has an entire list of things to worry about when she faces the first day of school.

2007-01-23T18:30:00.000-08:00

DRAGONS & ROYALTY

Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle, 2004. When his mother refuses to get him a dog, a young boy asks for a dragon instead.

Elvira by Margaret Shannon, 1993. A gentle dragon dislikes fighting other dragons and gobbling up princesses.

George and the Dragon by Chris Wormell, 2002. A fierce and scary dragon is only afraid of one thing… a mouse.

Friend for Dragon by Dav Pilkey, 1991. Dragon becomes such close friends with an apple that he deeply mourns its loss and is overjoyed when more grow to take its place.

Frog Prince, Continued by Jon Scieszka, 1991. After the frog turns into a prince, he and the Princess do not live happily ever after and the Prince decides to look for a witch to help him remedy the situation.

Hiding Hoover by Elise Broach, 2005. Two children must find a way around their father's "no pets" rule when a friendly dragon appears in their backyard.

Max’s Dragon by Kate Banks, 2008. Max impresses his big brothers by using rhyming words to tame a dragon.

Pet Dragon by Christoph Niemann, 2008. A story about a girl and her pet dragon is enhanced by Chinese characters superimposed over each two-page spread.

A Pie Went By by Carolyn Dunn, 1999. King Bing plans to offer a pie to Queen Bea when he asks her to marry him, but the animals he passes on the way have other ideas.

Prince Cinders by Babette Cole, 1992. A fairy grants a small, skinny prince a change in appearance and the chance to go to the Palace Disco.

Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole, 1991. Not wishing to marry any of her royal suitors, Princess Smartypants devises difficult tasks at which they all fail, until the multi-talented Prince Swashbuckle appears.

Waking Beauty by Leah Wilcox, 2008. The prince tries to wake Sleeping Beauty up by
jumping on the bed and shooting her out of a cannon.

2007-01-23T18:29:00.001-08:00

MANNERS

Bill In A China Shop by Katie Weaver, 2003. After Bill the bull accidentally destroys much of the contents of a china shop, three old ladies help him acquire the teacup he had hoped to buy.

Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller, 2007. This interactive “punny” book on manners teaches readers to say please and thank you in Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Pig Latin.

Eat, Cried Little Pig by Jonathan London, 2003. "Eat!" was Little Pig's first word. He loves food. He loves to squish it and squash it and wear it in his hair. He slurps it, slops it and gets it everywhere!

Good Thing You’re Not An Octopus! by Julie Markes, 2001. A boy finds that his life is pretty easy compared to how it might be.

Mary Louise Loses Her Manners by Diane Cuneo, 1999. When Mary Louise starts saying things like "fleas" and "spank you" instead of "please" and "thank you," she realizes that she has lost her manners and goes in search of them.

Me First by Helen Lester, 1992. Pinkerton the pig always manages to be first until he rushes for a sandwich and it turns out to be not the edible kind.

My Dog Never Says Please by Suzanne Williams, 1997. Tired of having to mind her manners, clean her room, and wear shoes, Ginny Mae wishes she could trade places with the family dog.

2007-01-23T18:27:00.001-08:00

UNWANTED HOUSEGUESTS & NOISY NEIGHBORS

Always Listen to Your Mother by Florence Parry Heide, 2010.
Ernest, a boy who always does what his mother tells him learns to have fun with his new neighbor.

Bertie Was A Watchdog by Rick Walton, 2002.
Burglars are definitely unwanted guests - but they are no match for Bertie,a tiny dog the size of a watch.

Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle, 2004.
When his pet dragon becomes a nuisance, a boy comes up with the perfect plan.

Duck At the Door by Jackie Urbanovic.
A duck wants to come into the house in order to escape the winter cold.

Hubbub Above by Arthur Howard, 2005.
Sydney loves living in her apartment on the fifty-second floor, until a group of noisy neighbors move in upstairs.

Meet Wild Boars by Meg Rosoff, 2005.
It is very hard to be friends with wild boars because they are dirty and smelly, bad-tempered, and rude.

Mrs. Crump's Cat by Linda Smith.
Mrs. Crump is determined to get rid of the stray cat she found on her doorstep - isn't she?

Moose Tracks by Karma Wilson, 2006.
When mysterious moose tracks appear all over the house, the narrator of this tale is determined to find out how they got there.

Mr. Duck Means Business by Tammi Sauer, 2011.
Unexpected noisy visitors show up at the pond and ruffle Mr. Duck's feathers.

Never Ask A Bear by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud, 2009.
You can ask a bear over to play, but don't expect him to know the rules...

Read to Tiger by S. J. Fore, 2010.
A boy who wants to read his book keeps being distracted by a tiger who is chomping on gum, growling and practicing karate kicks.

There’s An Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer, 1987.
The alligator under his bed makes a boy's bedtime hazardous operation, until he lures it out of the house and into the garage.

Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin. A grumpy old man is no match for friendly, mischievous squirrels.

Tiger Can’t Sleep by S. J. Fore, 2006.
A young boy is kept awake by a noisy tiger in his closet that is busy dancing, eating, and making music.

Very Boring Alligator by Jean Gralley, 2001.
Silly rhymes describe what happens when an alligator comes to play and won't go away.

A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker, 2008.
The sign Bear posted outside his house to warn away visitors does not dissuade a small, gray, bright-eyed mouse.

2007-01-23T18:27:00.000-08:00

SECURITY OBJECTS

Bunny's Lessons by Harriet Ziefert, 2011.
A stuffed rabbit learns from his owner how to be loud, how to be messy, how to take a time-out -- and how to be friends.

Flora’s Blanket by Debi Gliori, 2001.
Flora, a little rabbit, does not want to sleep without her missing blanket, so her family helps her look for it.

Geraldine’s Blanket by Holly Keller, 1988.
When her mother and father insist that Geraldine get rid of her baby blanket, she finds a new way to keep it with her all the time.

I Lost My Bear by Jules Feiffer, 1998.
When she cannot find her favorite stuffed toy, a young girl asks her mother, father, and older sister for help.

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems, 2004.
After Trixie and daddy leave the laundromat, something very important turns up missing.

Mary Had A Little Lamp by Jack Lechner, 2008.
Rather than carrying around a blanket or being followed by a little lamb, Mary is attached to an appliance.

Olivia and the Missing Toy by Ian Falconer, 2003.
When her best toy mysteriously disappears, Olivia the feisty pig is determined to find out who is responsible.

Owen by Kevin Henkes, 1993.
Owen's parents try to get him to give up his favorite blanket before he starts school.

Plaidypus Lost by Janet Stevens, 2004.
Each time a young child takes his favorite toy along to the park, the market, the lake, and for a car ride, he mistakenly leaves him behind.

That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell, 2007.
Emily Brown's rabbit is not for sale - not even to Queen Gloriana, who keeps sending her minions to barter for (and eventually steal) him.

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes, 2000.
A mouse named Wemberly worries about everything, including the safety of her stuffed animal, Petal.

Where’s My Sock? by Joyce Dunbar, 2006.
Pippin’s favorite socks are yellow with clocks – and one of them is missing!

Where’s My Teddy? by Jez Alborough, 1992.
When a small boy named Eddie goes searching for his lost teddy in the dark woods, he comes across a gigantic bear with a similar problem.

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Ballerino Nate by Kimberly Bradley, 2006. Nate's dream of being a ballerina is initially discouraged by his older brother.

Belinda the Ballerina by Amy Young, 2002. Are Belinda’s feet too big for her to be a dancer?

Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln by Mike, Reiss, 2003. Benjy, who resembles Abraham Lincoln, is tired of always being Lincoln in the school play, but a special camp helps him to appreciate his appearance.

Courage of the Blue Boy by Robert Neubecker. A young boy learns first to accept, and then to add to, all the colors of the world.

Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen, 2000. Sassy tries out for a summer dance festival in Washington, D.C., despite the other girls' taunts that she is much too tall.

Fair Cow by Leslie Helakoski, 2010. Effie is determined to win a ribbon at the state fair, despite Petunia the Pig's discouragement.

Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester, 1999. Classmates make fun of Rodney because he can’t pronounce his name, but it is Rodney’s speech impediment that drives away the class bully.

Hurty Feelings by Helen Lester, 2004. It looks like trouble when Fragility, a hippo whose feelings are easily hurt, meets Rodney, a rude elephant, on the soccer field.

I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont, 2004. In rhyming text, a child expresses her self-esteem and exults in her unique identity.

Loretta, Ace Pinky Scout by Keith Graves, 2002. Loretta, unrelenting perfectionist, is devastated when she fails to earn the Golden Marshmallow Badge, but her grandmother's picture gives her a new perspective on things.

Alfred’s Nose by Vivienne Flesher, 2008. A dog longs for a ‘better’ nose.

The OK Book by Amy Krouse, 2007. A fabulous message that being "okay" at various different activities is enough.

Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill, 2002. Mean Jean is the biggest bully on the school playground until a new girl arrives and challenges Jean’s status as the Recess Queen.

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, 2001. Even when the class bully at her new school makes fun of her, Molly remembers what her grandmother told her and feels good about herself.

Wow, It Sure Is Good to Be You! by Cynthia Jabar. This jazzy story reaffirms that even when people you love are far away, they are thinking about you all the time and loving you.