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Baby Elephants

Betsy Rathburn

Elephant calves have a special bond with their mom. They stay with her for an average of 16 years! This title for young readers uses simple, leveled text and crisp photos to show these big babies eating, playing, and growing up with their herd. A list of sight words helps readers spot familiar words, while a picture glossary introduces new terms. The book concludes with facts about an elephant calf's life stages and daily activities.

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S Is for Sea Glass

Richard Michelson

The tickle of sand on the bottom of bare feet... the taste of salt from a spray of water... the rumble-roar as waves come ashore. These are just a few of the many sensory experiences a day at the beach can bring. S is for Sea Glass: A Beach Alphabet uses a variety of poetry forms such as free verse, haiku, and ode in this celebration of the beach and seaside life. From a walk down the boardwalk to collecting sea glass to imagining the life of a shell's former occupant, poet Richard Michelson reminds beach-lovers of all ages the many reasons why we're drawn to the shore.

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If You Plant a Seed

Kadir Nelson

Kadir Nelson, acclaimed author of Baby Bear and winner of the Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Author and Illustrator Awards, presents a resonant, gently humorous story about the power of even the smallest acts and the rewards of compassion and generosity.

With spare text and breathtaking oil paintings, If You Plant a Seed demonstrates not only the process of planting and growing for young children but also how a seed of kindness can bear sweet fruit.

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Beach Day

Karen Roosa

In this charming picture book, a cheerful family tumbles out of the car and onto the beach, ready for a perfect day. Buoyant verse just right for reading aloud and bright, playful illustrations capture the singular feeling of a hazy, lazy day by the ocean, complete with a ball game with new friends, water-skiers and sailboats, and a picnic lunch of fried chicken and deviled eggs. This book is a captivating introduction to the beach for young children and an irresistible gift for beach lovers of any age.

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Summer Song

Kevin Henkes

"A vibrant and sophisticated ode to nature." --Kirkus (starred review)

From Caldecott Medalist and Newbery Honor author Kevin Henkes and acclaimed painter Laura Dronzek, the bestselling and award-winning creators of Winter Is Here, When Spring Comes, and In the Middle of Fall, this book about summer celebrates the sights, sounds, and smells of the season.

Bees buzz, birds sing, and children roll in the grass and feel the heat of the summer sun. With striking verbal imagery, repetition, and alliteration, Kevin Henkes introduces basic concepts of language and the summer season. Laura Dronzek's glowing paintings beautifully illustrate the wonders of summer.

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.

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Summer Color!

Diana Murray

A celebration of the wonder and colors of every child's favorite season--summer!

In this celebration of the outdoors, two rambunctious children take off on an adventure from their own backyard. In each new scene they discover the wondrous details--and beautiful colors--of nature. Even when a little summer rain threatens to dampen their grand adventure, the fun continues as woodland scenes come to life in a whole new way.

Diana Murray's spirited verse paired with Zoe Persico's charming illustrations hits a wonderful balance of sophisticated and sweet, with details that young children will immediately relate to and layered verse that will enchant readers of all ages.

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Our Pool

Lucy Ruth Cummins

On a hot day, people come from all over the city to spend the day at the pool in this joyful picture book that’s a love song to summer, the city, community, and staying cool!

Today is a pool day in the city! The sun is shining, so what are you waiting for? Friends and family. Kids and grandparents. Big bodies and small bodies. Everybody is welcome at our pool! Get ready for swimming and splashing, zigzagging and dunking, and racing and laughing.

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Together We Swim

Valerie Bolling

A joyful, encouraging ode to a mother and son's relationship and the unforgettable experience of a child's first swimming lessons.

Jumping into the water can be more than a little scary! But with Mom's steady arms there's no fear of sinking. With a kick, a splash, and his family's cheers of encouragement, one determined boy finds his groove, making waves in this fun-filled day at the pool.

Embrace the feeling of accomplishment in this joyous, reassuring story about perseverance and new experiences. With lyrical rhyming text and vibrant illustrations, Together We Swim is destined to become a family read-aloud favorite!

VIBRANT & JOYFUL: Rhythmic text paired with dynamically illustrated kicks, flutters, and splashes against a palette of deep blue create a bright portrait that is both encouraging and warm for any child learning to swim.

A HELPFUL GUIDE FOR NEW SWIMMERS: The perfect book for any child facing nervous excitement or trepidation about learning to swim!

THE JOY OF A FIRST SWIM LESSON: Who can forget the first time they learned how to swim? This book is a nostalgic nod for parents and one they will be eager to share with their young one learning how to swim.

A GREAT READ ALOUD: This lyrical, upbeat text is a great fit for story time in any household.

PERFECT GIFT FOR MOM: If you're looking for a Mother's Day gift or a birthday gift for mom, look no further! She will love the child/parent relationship portrayed in these pages!

Perfect for:

  • Mother's Day gift giving
  • Going-to-the-pool book for little ones approaching the big milestone of learning to swim
  • Parents, grandparents, and caregivers looking for books about swimming for kids
  • Teachers, educators, and librarians
  • Readers who enjoyed Jabari Jumps, Llama Llama Learns to Swim, and Hair Love
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Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom!

Kelly Starling Lyons

A 2021 Geisel Honor Book

Ty can't wait to ride his brand-new scooter at the park. Other kids zip and zoom by like race cars, but all Ty can do is wobble Ty wants to give up, but a new friend helps Ty give it another try.

Celebrate imagination and the power of persistence in Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom by the acclaimed author and illustrator team Kelly Starling Lyons and Nina Mata.

With simple, rhythmic text and joyful, bright art, this Guided Reading Level I and My First series I Can Read is perfect for shared reading with a child. Books at this level feature basic language, word repetition, and whimsical illustrations, ideal for sharing with emergent readers. The active, engaging stories have appealing plots and lovable characters, encouraging children to continue their reading journey.

A Chicago Public Library Best Fiction Book for Young Readers 2020 * Listed as one of 2021 Here Wee Read Ultimate Diverse Children's Book * Author Kelly Starling Lyons selected as the 2021 Piedmont Laureate

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Uni and the 100 Treasures

Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Uni the Unicorn for early readers! This exciting Step 2 Reader centers on the treasure of friendship and the 100th day of school!

Tomorrow is the little girl's 100th day of school! Uni's best friend needs to bring in one hundred special treasures, but she runs out of things to collect. It's up to Uni the Unicorn to help with the treasure hunt by exploring the wonders of nature all around them--with a touch of sparkly unicorn magic along the way!

Fans of the picture books and early readers, as well as new Uni fans, will be excited to join this bighearted unicorn on a new adventure that teaches friendship is the greatest treasure of all.

Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories. They are perfect for children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help.

Look for all the Uni stories, including:
Uni the Unicorn Bakes a Cake
Uni the Unicorn Goes to School
Uni's First Sleepover
and more!

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The Glitter Bug

Rebecca Elliott

Bo and the unicorns of Sparklegrove Forest can't stop sneezing glitter in this early chapter book from the New York Times bestselling author of Owl Diaries!

 

Pick a book. Grow a Reader!

This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

In this ninth book in the USA Today bestselling Unicorn Diaries series, unicorn Bo Tinseltail and friends get sick with a cold and can't stop sneezing glitter! So their teacher invites a friendly kitsune named Dr. Cloudberry to the forest. Kitsunes are magical creatures known to have special healing powers. Will this kitsune be able to help the unicorns find the perfect cure for the Glitter Bug? With full-color artwork throughout and plenty of smiles, your young reader won't be able to put this book down!

 

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Super Pancake

Megan Wagner Lloyd

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a... pancake? Here is a delightfully clever and endearingly funny graphic novel about a pancake named Peggy, who accidentally develops superhero abilities and must defend her home of Breakfast Town.

Life in Breakfast Town is pretty uneventful for Peggy Pancake. Her parents are always on her case, she's stuck in her perfect brother's shadow, and she just can't seem to avoid the Bacon Bullies at school. That is until one day, after an accidental mixup, Peggy finds herself with superhero abilities... Now, Peggy can flip! She can fight! She can FLY!
With the help of her new friend, Luc Croissant, Peggy must master her newfound skills. But danger is lurking in the Maple Mountains where Dr. Evil Breakfast Sandwich and his evil Henchtoasts are plotting something sinister. Can Peggy harness her powers and save all that is dear? Find out in: SUPER PANCAKE!

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We Both Read: Trucks

Sindy Mckay

Winner of two Teacher Choice Awards and a Mom's Choice Award, the We Both Read series now has over 100 titles and 6 million copies in print! This unique series features a shared-reading format designed to invite parents and children to take turns reading aloud. With 6 different reading levels, these innovative books for reading together offer an easy way for parents to support beginning and struggling readers.

Trucks: Trucks are amazing, and there are so many different types of trucks: monster trucks, big rigs, tow trucks, food trucks, tankers, and lots, lots more! Get ready to climb aboard and take this book about trucks for a drive down the road!

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We Both Read: Penguins

Sindy Mckay

Winner of two Teacher Choice Awards and a Mom's Choice Award, the We Both Read series now has over 100 titles and 7 million copies in print! This unique series features a shared-reading format designed to invite parents and children to take turns reading aloud. With 6 different reading levels, these innovative books for reading together offer an easy way for parents to support beginning and struggling readers.

Penguins: In this book, you'll meet lots of different kinds of penguins. Some live where is it always freezing, but others prefer warm sandy beaches! Most penguins are black and white, but you'll discover one type of penguin that is blue. And while some penguins hatch their eggs in a nest, you'll learn how other penguins, instead of using a nest, keep their eggs warm on the top of their feet. Have fun learning all about penguins, amazing birds that fly through the water instead of the air!

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Pinkalicious: Kittens! Kittens! Kittens!

Victoria Kann

 

 

Cute, colorful, and very lively kittens star in this Level One Pinkalicious I Can Read.

 

 

Pinkalicious and Peter get a big surprise when their foster cat has kittens! Caring for six rambunctious kittens is a huge challenge. Will Pinkalicious and Peter be able to convince Mommy and Daddy to let them keep them

Pinkalicious: Kittens! Kittens! Kittens! is a Level One I Can Read which means it's perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the short sentences, familiar words, and simple concepts of Level One books support success for children eager to start reading on their own.

Readers can watch Pinkalicious and Peter on the funtastic PBS Kids TV series Pinkalicious & Peterrific!

 

 

 

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We Both Read: Dragons Do Not Go to School! - ¡Los Dragones No Van a la Escuela! (Bilingual in English and Spanish)

D J Panec

Winner of two Teacher Choice Awards and a Mom's Choice Award, the We Both Read series now has over 120 titles and 7 million copies in print! The books in this innovative series are designed to invite parents and children to take turns reading aloud, and with the bilingual editions they can choose to read in English or Spanish. Parents read the left-hand pages, and children read the right-hand pages, which are shorter and easier to read. With many different reading levels, these innovative books for reading together offer an easy way for parents to support beginning and struggling readers.

Dragons Do NOT Go to School! / ¡Los dragones NO van a la escuela!: In this bilingual English/Spanish read-aloud book, Rex is supposed to start school in two days, but he doesn't think dragons should go to school. He would much rather run through the hills pretending to fly. With gentle encouragement from his mother, he goes to the first day of school. At school, not only does he find that he enjoys learning, but he also finds a new friend.

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Maribel's Year

Michelle Sterling

 

 

Celebrate the special connection between father and daughter in this gorgeously evocative picture book, recounting the year a little girl and her mother spend in America while waiting for her father to join them from the Philippines. From acclaimed author Michelle Sterling and illustrator Sarah Gonzales, a poignant story perfect for fans of Joanna Ho, Linda Sue Park, and Matt De La Peña.

 

 

New country, new school, new friends.

A lot can happen in a single year. But one thing's for certain: Maribel won't forget her Papa, even when he's 8,000 miles away in the Philippines.

After all, Papa is all around. He is the memory of feeding koi fish in their pond every morning. He is the constellation map as Maribel dreams of showing him her new world. He is the packages and letters sent back and forth.

He is everywhere except the place he's wanted the most. But the bond between Maribel and Papa transcends oceans. So as the snow melts and turns to rain, as flowers blossom and welcome sun-kissed days, and as the leaves start to change and snow begins to fall once more, can Maribel wait just a little bit longer

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In the Night Garden

Carin Berger

A gentle, collage-illustrated bedtime read about the often mysterious and always beautiful experiences to be found in nighttime spaces.

In the night garden fireflies look like fallen stars.
Moonflowers unfurl and release their intoxicating perfume.

In the night garden you can lie
on the cool grass and look up to the
millions and trillions of stars…

In the night garden, nothing is as it seems and everything is made new. Blinking stars and pale moonlight might reveal a lone cat tiptoeing across a roof, luminous flowers unfurling in the cool air, a mama fox escorting her sleepy cubs home. Listen closely and you might hear the wind blowing through the trees, the murmur of a slow stream, or the gentle song of crickets and bullfrogs, lulling you to sleep.

Carin Berger is the award-winning author of The Little Yellow Leaf, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book. With soothing words and spectacularly detailed, hand-cut collage artwork, she has fashioned a bedtime book like no other. Curious readers will be rewarded when they look for the mysterious cat that appears on every page!

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

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In Every Life

Marla Frazee

This Caldecott Honor picture book is a simple and profound meditation on the many wonders of life from three-time Caldecott Honor recipient Marla Frazee.

In every life, there is love and loss, hope and joy, wonder and mystery. With glowing art and spare, powerful text, Caldecott Honor–winning creator Marla Frazee celebrates the moments, feelings, and experiences, both big and small, that make up a life.

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If I Was a Horse

Sophie Blackall

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER!​



A gift for any child with an unbridled imagination, this bestseller from award-winning creator Sophie Blackall captures the astonishing spectacle of life as a horse. And with a cover adorned with glitter, this romp really sparkles!




If you were a horse, what would you do? Could you fit in your clothes? Would you give your little sister a ride? Would your brother even notice?



Gallop along with two-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall through this riotous day in the life of a child who imagines their life as a horse. What ensues are uproarious, resonant episodes that feature a giant horse in familiar settings offering both a visual feast, a grand dose of joy, and a celebration of the real power of imagination to help us navigate the world.

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Henry, Like Always

Jenn Bailey

A Schneider Family Book Award Winner
A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
A NPR 2023 Books We Love Pick
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2023
A 2023 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book

A beginning chapter book series based on the award-winning picture book, A Friend for Henry!

Henry likes Classroom Ten. He likes how it is always the same. But this week, Henry's class will have a parade, and a parade means having Share Time on the wrong day. A parade means playing instruments that are too loud. A parade means this week is not like always.

Join Henry as he navigates the ups and downs of marker missiles, stomach volcanoes, and days that feel a little too orange. From the creators of the Schneider Family Honor-winning picture book A Friend for Henry, this warmly funny book starring a child on the autism spectrum is a reassuring read for school-bound kids of all stripes.

 

GREAT FOR BEGINNING READERS: With short chapters and simple text, this book is perfect for newly independent readers who are just moving into longer books.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Familiar school scenarios--from new schedules to making new friends--are portrayed with humor and understanding in this series that will appeal to and reassure any child starting or continuing in school.

DIVERSE STORIES: Representing neurodivergent kids is a vital aspect of expanding diverse representation across books for all ages. Henry, Like Always provides a mirror and a window for kids on the autism spectrum and their friends to see themselves in the stories they read.

AN AWARD-WINNING TEAM: Jenn Bailey and Mika Song were awarded a Schneider Family Honor Award for their picture book A Friend for Henry. See how the story continues in this classic-feeling early reader series based on the same character!

Perfect for:

  • Newly independent readers
  • An excellent resource for parents of kids on the spectrum
  • Librarians, teachers, and booksellers looking for a children's book that offers a window into the experience of autism
  • A reassuring read for kids with varying levels of social anxiety
  • Gift-givers looking for a sweet and relatable book about friendship
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Have You Seen My Invisible Dinosaur?

Helen Yoon

The creator of Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover), Off-Limits, and I’m a Unicorn brings her original whimsy to the tale of a child’s special friend who goes missing after a bath—or does he?

Help! This little girl has lost her best friend. He’s a dinosaur (not the extinct kind). He’s enormous (bigger than a panda!). He was last seen before she gave him a bath and washed off all the mud (maybe that wasn’t a good idea?). She’s tried to lure him with snacks and put up Lost Dinosaur posters, but nothing has helped. If only it weren’t such a clear day—if only it were raining, or snowing, or the leaves were falling, or . . . something. Would it help if she drew a picture? With delicate visual sleights of hand and an underlying sweetness, author-illustrator Helen Yoon invites us to see through a child’s eyes.

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Big

Vashti Harrison

Winner of the Caldecott Medal! A Coretta Scott King Award Author and Illustrator Honor book, a National Book Award finalist, and a New York Times bestseller! This deeply moving story shares valuable lessons about fitting in, standing out, and the beauty of joyful acceptance, from an award-winning creator.



The first picture book written and illustrated by award-winning creator Vashti Harrison traces a child's journey to self-love and shows the power of words to both hurt and heal. With spare text and exquisite illustrations, this emotional exploration of being big in a world that prizes small is a tender portrayal of how you can stand out and feel invisible at the same time.

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Fox Has a Problem

Corey R. Tabor

A Geisel Award winner! In his next I Can Read adventure, Fox--the hilarious trickster character featured in previous Geisel Award winners Fox at Night and Fox the Tiger--learns to solve a problem in an unexpected way.

Fox has a problem: His kite is stuck in a tree! But every clever plan creates even more problems for him--and for all his friends. Can they work together to fix things before it's too late?

Carefully crafted using basic language, word repetition, sight words, and whimsical illustrations, Fox Has a Problem is ideal for sharing with your emergent reader. The active, engaging My First I Can Read stories have appealing plots and lovable characters, encouraging children to continue their reading journey. Other Fox books include Fox at Night, Fox versus Winter, Fox the Tiger, Fox Is Late, Fox and the Jumping Contest, and Fox and the Bike Ride.

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Evergreen

Matthew Cordell

A picture book by Caldecott medal winner Matt Cordell about a timid squirrel who makes a brave journey to help a relative who is ill.

Evergreen the squirrel is afraid of many things: thunder, hawks, and the dark paths of Buckthorn Forest. But when her mother tasks Evergreen with delivering soup to her sick Granny Oak, the little squirrel must face her fears and make the journey.

Along the way, Evergreen is met by other forest dwellers – some want to help her, but some want her mother’s delicious soup! It’s up to Evergreen to stay the course, and those who help her will surprise and delight young readers.

Using an art style reminiscent of the work of William Steig and Arnold Lobel, Matthew Cordell creates a classic tale of bravery and love.

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Elena Rides

Juana Medina

Beginning readers—and beginning riders—will be drawn to this bright, buoyant story of a determined elephant and her loyal sidekick, from the award-winning creator of Juana & Lucas.

Elena wants to ride her bike. She steadies, she readies. She wobbles, she bobbles . . . KA-BANG! Learning to ride a bike is hard. But Elena can do it. She just has to try, try again. With this reassuring story of childlike persistence, Juana Medina, creator of the acclaimed Juana & Lucas series, introduces Elena, a plucky elephant, and the little red bird who is Elena’s faithful cheerleader. Simple, energetic text and bold, brilliant artwork convey a relatable tale of the ups and downs of learning something new (not without protest or tears) and the final thrill of mastery that will have children rooting for Elena and ready for her next adventure.

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