4.43 avg rating — 12,317 ratings

"The Day You Begin is a great book to show children how unique everyone is and that everyone has a story to tell. Getting children to understand that they don't have to be just like everyone else is important. Equally, important, children need to learn to listen to others, find unique traits in others, be respectful, and learn how to make others feel valued and special. Many discussion points can come from sharing this book in a group of students.

The artwork is cheerful and includes every color in the rainbow. "

4.40 avg rating — 6,281 ratings

"Drawn Together by Minh Le - Literally, this book will pull at your heartstrings! Lovely story; phenomenal illustrations! Great work by Minh Le and Dan Santat! One day the grandson visit his grandfather and becomes very bored, as they struggle with language differences. Until, through the power of art, the day becomes an incredible experience for both grandparent and child. Both share, play, and build on each other's imaginations! Outstanding memories for both! Tell me this is a true story!
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4.43 avg rating — 7,021 ratings

"True story of how Yuyi Morales and her 2 month old baby came to be immigrants in 1994. She tells her story in this beautiful book that combines painting, drawing, and real-life photographs! Excellent illustrations. Bright and colorful. She asks readers to tell their stories of courage, kindness, and success! "

4.44 avg rating — 4,675 ratings

"Looking for a story that speaks of kindness, sharing, giving, community spirit, cultural diversity, and saying thank you. Thank You, Omu! is that book plus some. Oge Mora gives tribute to all of the women in her life, especially her grandmother. This story will cause readers to pause and think of their grandmothers and other important women who have shaped their lives. The text and illustrations are incredible. The collage work is fascinating, especially the old book cuttings. What a gentle spirit-filled story."

4.37 avg rating — 7,618 ratings

"Wonderful book! A history lesson for all ages. The format of this book is appealing. It's a tall book, of course; lighthouses are tall. The front flap looks like a treasure chest of memories from this time in history and the back of the book is a great history lesson! Meet the brave families who cared for the lighthouses. Blackhall's story and illustrations will have you wanting to learn more about lighthouses. "

3.80 avg rating — 941 ratings

"Quiet, in all its simplicity, has much to offer readers. Yes, life is busy, but at times it is well worth stopping, sitting, listening, seeing, and thinking about the nature of our world around us. Tomie dePaola has mastered a beautiful, powerful story in a dialogue between a grandfather and his grandson and granddaughter. One of the best books dePaola has ever created! Wisdom well spoken and illustrated! Ranks in the likes of Henry David Thoreau!"

4.51 avg rating — 11,835 ratings

"Penelope learns that she should do unto others as she would have them do unto her! Even though she eats the school children and must spit them back up, slime and all, the school kids are eventually forgiving. The class pet intends to keep Penelope in line. Why? Because dinosaurs are delicious!

Higgins uses the golden rule in this story, “ Once Penelope found out what it was like to be someone’s snack, she lost her appetite for children.” Great lesson for children to apply to their own situations."

4.50 avg rating — 10,546 ratings

"Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love - A gender identity story where a little boy is allowed to pretend to be a mermaid. He receives his grandmother's affirmation and they join a mermaid's parade down by the waterfront. This is a gender neutral story.

Julian and his Abuela are traveling on the eL rail. As Julian is reading, his imagination fills the car with water and fish. He turns into a mermaid on a beautiful adventure. The illustrations are so gorgeous. The browns and aqua blues are so realistic in portraying the characters, sea creatures, and bodies of water in this story. "

4.30 avg rating — 3,852 ratings

"Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan - A little boy and his grandfather, once upon a time, had many adventures together in storytime and play. Now, it's grandfather's 90th birthday. Though he has passed away, the little boy visits grandfather in his imagination and dreams. The little boy builds a boat in his honor and while dreaming, he sets sail to where the ocean meets the sky. He visits grandfather in this fantastic place until he hears someone calling for him...to wake up!

The illustrations are phenomenal and compliment a beautiful story and concept of the love and respect a little boy has for his grandfather. "

4.45 avg rating — 4,754 ratings

"Story of an immigrant child, Lola, encouraged by a teacher, sets out in her local American neighborhood to learn about where her family came from. This book will give readers a glimpse of life in a former country of Dominican Republic. The little girl is to draw a glimpse into her country's life. Even though she didn't grown up there, the roots are there. She draws the good and the bad...happy memories but also thoughts of a monster...a dictatorship and dark period. Eye opener story!"

4.05 avg rating — 1,829 ratings

"The Big Umbrella, a wonderful collaboration between an author / illustrator and her 12-year-old daughter, is an amazing story that suggests the importance of accepting others and learning to work and live together in a kinder world. The big umbrella is a character in the story that welcomes and invites everyone and everything to join under it's wide open arms during a rainstorm. There is always room for one more! Great interview: http://picturebooking.libsyn.com/096-..."

4.18 avg rating — 1,153 ratings

"Blue by Laura Vaccaro Seeger – At first you might ask, is this a concept dictionary on the word blue? It is so much more than that! From sweet to funny to sad to happy, the book will tug at the reader’s heartstrings! The story begins as “baby blue” and shows a baby with a new puppy peacefully sleeping side-by-side! From “baby blue” to “new blue”, this book is a warm and fuzzy glimpse at love in life. The author uses big bold acrylic paints on canvas to tell the story. It’s an emotional look at the word blue. Each look at the word blue is a two-page spread, with a hole (s) somewhere on the page that gives readers a glimpse at the coming turn of a page. Try as hard as you might, it is hard to predict how that hole will be used on the flip of the page!"

3.85 avg rating — 2,191 ratings

"They Say Blue by Jillisan Tamaki - Reading this story will make anyone feel happy! The colors and illustrations flow across the pages and on again with the turn of a page. A little girl questions the colors of her world throughout the changes of seasons. She invents playful ways to sail across the colors in her day. The soft swirling illustrations will draw readers back to this book over and over again. Excellent choice for Caldecott gold!
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4.42 avg rating — 1,790 ratings

"What If... addresses that age old statement, made by children, "There's nothing to do. I am bored!" Berger and Curato team together in this picture book to show readers how to live a fulfilling, creative, and boredom-free life through movement. That is, movement of hands, feet, body, voice, and mind! The text flows like a song, and what if.... The pictures combine real objects, photos, and paint. There is a centerfold that will open your mind!
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4.27 avg rating — 1,221 ratings

"Kindness, compassion, understanding, forgiveness - all shared in this book. Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse features a poor child that loves to talk at school about his horse. This upsets one girl that he's not telling the truth to the point she tells the whole class and to mom, too. Gentle parental & school guidance teach her and the others understanding and patience. Illustrations are vibrant & brilliant, accentuating a spectacular message! "

4.16 avg rating — 1,439 ratings

"The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall & Isabelle Arsenault - Making honey is quite a miracle. This book uses rhyming text to look at the process. The author shares that honey bees are endangered. The story hopes to give readers an appreciation of how hard bees work. And the author includes important information at the book's end. Illustrations are cheerful & whimsical. The illustrator created a 'honeybee' font for the text! "Buy local honey to support beekeepers & bees!" says the author!"

4.32 avg rating — 2,718 ratings

"Follows a family throughout the seasons as they celebrate their Cherokee culture. Traci Sorrel consulted experts in her Cherokee culture to tell the story & includes Cherokee language. She says, "Every day, every season. Otsaliheliga. We are grateful." Frane Lessac's illustrates each season as families work hard & play together. A woodpecker on each spread had me curious. I researched Native American nature resources and learned that spotting a woodpecker encourages you, no matter the storm! More information is found at book's end. "

4.36 avg rating — 5,925 ratings

"Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez - Neal is a heartwarming story paying tribute to the author's Peruvian heritage. Alma is self-conscious about her long name. Her dad explains who she was named after and the amazing accomplishments each gave in life. When asked why she was named Alma. Dad explains that she is the first in the family with this name and that she would be able to make her own story. The pictures are spectacular and help tell this beautiful story in a very lovely way. "

4.33 avg rating — 518 ratings

"Martin Rising is a wonderful book about Martin Luther King. Andrea Davis Pinkney used "docu-poems" to discuss the final weeks in King's life. The book flows from bright times to dark & back to brightness. It leaves readers visualizing hope & a positive future. Brian Pinkney's illustrations accentuate the power of home, family, church, animals and weather. His use of bright & dark swirls of color accentuated a spiritual aspect rather than the sad details of King's death.
There's an extensive section in the back of the book with notes from the author and illustrator, a history of King's life, a timeline, and resources used to create this book. Well done!!!"

4.12 avg rating — 1,708 ratings

"The Stuff of Stars is a lyrical and visual reminder of the story of the universe and a story of the importance of every single living creature that has ever lived in this world or ever will. Love through the ages of time has made each of us. This is a beautiful abstraction of a spectacular story. Excellent work, Marion Dane Bauer and Ekua Holmes."

4.20 avg rating — 3,977 ratings

"So good! It really has the feel of an old Chinese legend! Grace Lin has always loved the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar, and the many stories of how the moon was made. With this in mind, she created her own original story to keep this festival alive in the hearts of her own family as well as the rest of the world! The golden moon and stars in A Big Mooncake for Little Star and the vivid white text shine lovely on the black pages. Nibble away readers. You will want to taste your own mooncakes!"

4.33 avg rating — 11,834 ratings

"I Am Enough - nice book for current thoughts on girl empowerment and diversity. Great positive message for girls. Wishing there were more books like this for all genders. The message in this story rings true for all children."

3.97 avg rating — 793 ratings

"Imagine! Based on his own childhood love of art & museums, Raul Colon shows, in a wordless story, a boy going to an art museum one day. While there, famous art by Picasso, Rousseau, & Matisse come alive & interact with him. When it is time to go home, he escorts each characters back to its original work. On the way home, he creates a mural of these characters interacting. Isn't that what an artist hopes? Inspire us to IMAGINE & create! Raul includes an inspirational note at the book's end!"

3.96 avg rating — 3,859 ratings

"My three and a half year old grandson thought this was the funniest book ever! He went right away to investigating everything outdoors...mostly pebbles around his playground area!
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4.42 avg rating — 3,112 ratings

"Life can be rough. But, resiliency can help you move on and see brighter days. So, it is in The Rough Patch. It offers readers joy, friendship, sadness, and lots of surprises. Gardeners and nature lovers, pet owners and animal lovers, and fair goers will certainly enjoy this book. A great story for when a pet passes in the family, too!"

3.68 avg rating — 573 ratings

"A well-thought nature book that covers a lot of ground for an early science learner and enthusiast! Fleming explains the process of robin building a bird's nest all the way through to the little fledglings leaving the nest. This is an excellent educational tool! The use of collage & print-making techniques makes this an appealing picture book. See which friends in nature help Robin build her nest. It's up to the reader to determine how & why they are helpers! "

4.10 avg rating — 1,117 ratings

"A wordless book showing how people, through the ages, deal with the loss of a loved one or possession and how to cope with grief. It is a powerful read to be pondered and read again and again. I would like to see an author / illustration note to accompany the story. However, the end pages do this in pictorial form. And so, it is a stepping stone for readers to further study the named civilizations on their own."

3.94 avg rating — 912 ratings

"Katherine Applegate & Jennifer Black Reinhardt teamed to make a charming children's book, Sometimes you Fly. It starts with a 1 year old's party & explores many monumental stages of growing up. Great choice for a graduate, new parents or a birthday child. Booklist reviews this as a natural successor to Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places You'll Go! I agree. The illustrations are whimsical & sweet. This book is a positive journey through life's lessons, some delightful and some difficult, on growing up."

3.81 avg rating — 330 ratings

"Who Eats Orange is a fun read (and read-aloud) for little ones and primary students. The story flows with a rhythmic pattern, as it introduces the name of an animal on one page, asking if this animal eats a certain color. The answer is NO, of course. This peaks a child's interest. Well what color does this animal eat! Turn the page to find out! This is like a game. Two pages of notes are included at the back on eating patterns of animal and humans around the world. The full-page illustrations are beautiful. It's what one might call, a Healthy Read! "

3.82 avg rating — 957 ratings

"Treehouses can be real or they can be as big as one's imagination allows. This book looks at all kinds of treehouses and will surely provide the reader many hours of pure joy just looking at the illustrations and enjoy the lyrical, poetic language. A sure winner for any child's library!"

3.96 avg rating — 700 ratings

"What a wholesome book! Remember backyard and sandlot sports play in the local neighborhoods? This is a great book to show kids how to simply pick up a game in the neighborhood with the friends. Will a little rain or mud hurt? Probably not! Life's full of challenges! This is an exciting game of football (soccer) played out in a Caribbean island neighborhood. But when Mama calls come home, you best listen to her! Game's over! The endnotes include an author's note from Baptiste Paul and a list of creole words and phrases used in the story. Jacqueline Alcantara uses vivid colors in full-page spreads to bring action to this story! "

4.25 avg rating — 907 ratings

"Nothing Stopped Sophie is a biography about a brave young girl who loved math and followed her dreams even when this was taboo for women. The author and illustrator team extensively researched the life & times of Sophie Germain. They've included a section in the back of the book about their research. This book is a stepping stone to learning about science & math as well as history & literature. The book will inspire children to work hard at their passions & be trailblazers! "

4.23 avg rating — 1,924 ratings

"Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel has a good urgent message to share with Earth's inhabitants. Many animals in the wild that we love to know about are endangered, and near threatened. Readers will see the beauty of these animals in the pictures and silhouettes within this book. "

4.23 avg rating — 5,573 ratings

"Love - Matt de la Pena & Loren Long team to define love. They show love as seen, heard, smelt, touched, & tasted, but also between the lines of text & in the faces of the book. Love is burnt toast because of who prepared it for the child. Love is fishing with grandpa because he has all the time in the world for his grandchild. Even when times are hard & dreams are dark, love will soothe and comfort. It is in the air & in nature. Family love, love for others, and love of self shine in this book."

3.82 avg rating — 365 ratings

"Hawk Rising is an excellent book to introduce children to raptor birds. Maria Gianferrari addresses the search for food in a gentle manner. And Brian Floca has many full two-page spreads to illustrate these magnificent birds in action. Notes in the end are useful to help teach readers about these beautiful creatures. On a side note, I once looked up at my picture window to see a hawk, not looking at me, but instead investigating the shrubs for a possible sparrow - just like in this story! "

4.21 avg rating — 1,489 ratings

"I Am a Cat by Galia Bernstein will please cat lovers! The open spread pages easily captivate readers' attention. The book differentiates nicely between wild cats across the globe! At first, the wild animals do not think the kitty is like them. But, when they see the similarities, it is an accepting, playful scene. And maybe children will think that people, as well, are different but can learn to accept and appreciate each other."

4.06 avg rating — 660 ratings

"Pie is for Sharing - a super fun story about sharing with family and friends. Children will want to read this book, over and over, looking at the many different playtime pictures about sharing. What a great way to discuss "sharing" with children. The last picture is just perfect. It's the 4th of July, after all! Fireworks and sharing pie with your very best friend. Ruff! Ruff!"

4.12 avg rating — 220 ratings

"Jennifer Ward talks about a variety of animals and how the mama prepares a den and other similar nests for her young. This is a nice addition to an animal collection in any library or location that young children gather. The collage-type illustrations are very realistic and complimentary to a variety of world environments. A Note from the Author provides further learning and ideas at the back of the book. "

4.59 avg rating — 9,134 ratings

"When a child tries to do something and things just don't go right, there are many feelings that might surface....quit, give up, take revenge, hide, and so on. What might just be needed is someone to listen....not talk...just listen. The rabbit in this story models listening with big ears as a kind way to help others. The author wrote and illustrated this book with a lot of heart!"

3.77 avg rating — 1,055 ratings

"Hilarious! An unexpected ABC book. You may be thinking the normal food items, A for Apple, B for Banana, C for Carrot and so forth. No, just wait. This is a must read. It is so funny. Readers will be laughing and wanting to share this book with others! "

4.33 avg rating — 122,111 ratings

"The prince likes to secretly cross-dress. He discovers a young dressmaker with a creative flair to design his magnificent collections. She manages to keep his secret about being genderqueer (as author Jen Wang gives reference) until she begins to rise in fame as an outstanding designer. It is a good story for older readers and a good one for parents to consider as they wish to better understand and accept their own children's stages and choices in growing up."

3.93 avg rating — 482 ratings

"Libba: The Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten by Laura Veirs offers a nice slice of Americana. I began my journey in this book, reading the author's note first. I liked knowing about the main character before reading her story! This is indeed a magnificent story of a musical life. Veirs says, "Her [Cotten] story appeals to me as a musician, as a woman, and as a fan of folk music." Illustrations by Tatyanan Fazlalizadeh are gentle and mellow in shades of graphite and brown."

4.30 avg rating — 772 ratings

"Wonderful book for any reader, any age. Thoroughly enjoyable biography! Shows what and where, a person can go and achieve with perseverance, goal setting, and passion. A story of excellence created by the author and illustrator (Sandra Neil Wallace and Bryan Collier). The back material in this book is, likewise, worthwhile to share with children!"

3.83 avg rating — 858 ratings

"Fox & Chick: The Party: and Other Stories by Sergio Ruzzier - a delightful first chapter book for early readers. There are three stories in this book about two friends, a fox and a chick, one about a party at Fox's house, a second story about the two eating together, and in the third story Fox is supposed to paint a portrait of Chick but he won't sit still. Very funny stories that will keep children laughing and wanting to read over and over again. "

4.42 avg rating — 878 ratings

"Read about 13 extraordinary women throughout time. You'll be inspired. A great book for both girls and boys to be encouraged to do their best, to question, to learn, and to never give up! Susan Hood provides 13 amazing stories, a timeline, and a wealth of information for further study on these women in history. Illustration by 13 amazing illustrators add a spectacular touch to this book."

3.30 avg rating — 488 ratings

"It's time for a bedtime story. Only this one is growing bigger by the minute...it's a whopper of a tale which involves a giant bunny that is very hungry. The caregiver and listener have a dialogue about the story and the events that grow more outlandish by the flip of the page. Until, something very funny is revealed about the characters. Is this a scary story? Could be! "

3.89 avg rating — 514 ratings

"Any child will love this book. Each page opens to a full-spread picture as a little child wishes for a horse. "If I had a horse, I would bring him the biggest apple I could find." And so begins a great friendship between child and horse. The child ponders what qualities are important to care for this animal. The imaginations are vivid, yet dreamy, in all shades of the rainbow. The watercolors splash on the page depicting beautiful landscapes and silhouettes of horse and child, riding together, free in the wind. Great character building story!"

4.14 avg rating — 3,378 ratings

"Square by Mac Barnett - Square is back, in book two! This time, square meets circle (the first story introduced triangle & square.) Circle is intrigued by square's work, calling him a sculptor, which square doesn't understand! Circle asks square to mold a rock in his likeness. Square despairs with this wish. But, surprisingly, circle is pleased with the results! A message lies in this story: we all see things differently. We should listen to others & perhaps, we'd see greater beauty in life!"

3.64 avg rating — 594 ratings

"Is this a dream? The illustrations are at times scary but compelling. The tea party was a delight, bright & cheery! After a sad little boy's night out, the little boy has the tools to make a better day, & his life is better.

Will this cause children to consider a night out on their own, without parental permission? With that in mind, the story flips from imaginary play to real danger. Parents might want to read this story with their children & discuss possibilities."

4.01 avg rating — 1,503 ratings

"A House That Once Was - questions two young adventurers who discover a deserted house - who lived here, what did they enjoy doing, what inventions did they use, & when did they live here. These histories fade, unless documented in the journals of community & family.

I loved the illustrations that flip, to represent past and present times. The lyrical verse is lovely. Families could discuss the danger of exploring like this. Families could also document memories, gather photographs, & archive present & past experiences in a safe location."