The Insomniacs

Author	Ted Kooser
ISBN	0763651079

From Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Ted Kooser and rising talent Jon Klassen comes a poignant tale of loss, change, and nature's quiet triumph.

When the house was new, not a single tree remained on its perfect lawn to give shade from the sun. The children in the house trailed the scent of wild trees...

Author	Patrick McDonnell
ISBN	0316045470

Once upon a time, there were three little rascals who thought they were the BIGGEST, BADDEST monsters around. Then along came an even BIGGER monster who changed their minds. And all it took was two little words.
In this playful tale from bestselling picture book author Patrick McDonnell, a very...

Author	Tammi Sauer
ISBN	0152065997

“Royalty does not karate-chop.” –Madame Gertrude
 
Princess Viola is great at skateboarding and karate-chopping, but she’s lousy at the royal wave, walk, and waltz. The king and queen are not pleased. What’s a princess to do? Attend the skill-polishing Camp Princess, of course....

Author	Philip C. Stead
ISBN	1596437111

While out foraging for interesting things, Vernon the toad finds a new friend - a small blue bird who is curiously silent. Vernon shows Bird the river and the forest and some of his other favorite things, but Bird says nothing. Vernon introduces Bird to his friends, Skunk and Porcupine, but Bird still...

Author	Lola M. Schaefer
ISBN	1423137604

Summary: An energetic and imaginative boy becomes a big brother.

Text is short and simple and has a positive big sibling message but isn't preachy.

Endpages are important and valuable to look at. The beginning end pages show all the different things the boy likes to play with on his...

Author	Kelly DiPucchio
ISBN	1442421231

Fancy Nancy meets Martha Stewart in Crafty Chloe, the adorable DIY star of a new picture book series!

When another girl has already purchased the most perfect birthday gift for Chloe’s friend Emma, Chloe decides she’ll make a present—something you can’t buy in a store. But crafting...

Author	Marla Frazee
ISBN	1442422475

Two adorably floppy dogs confront unexpected change in this endearing picture book from two-time Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee.

Boot and Shoe were born into the same litter, and now they live in the same house. They eat out of the same bowl, pee on the same tree, and sleep in the same bed....

Author	Tao Nyeu
ISBN	0803735650

In a series of four short stories and silkscreened illustrations of sea life, this picture book follows the adventures of two friends, Squid and Octopus. Even though they sometimes don't agree, they are always there for each other in the end. My favorite story is "The Hat" in which Octopus spies a boot...

Author	Ari Berk
ISBN	1416978860

A breathtaking picture book by award-winning writer Ari Berk and illustrated by mega-bestseller Loren Long, about a young bat setting off into the world using only his good sense!

Sense is the song you sing out into the world,
and the song the world sings back to you.

With these...

Author	Naoko Stoop
ISBN	0316129461

Red Knit Cap Girl is a little girl with a big dream -- to meet the Moon.
Red Knit Cap Girl lives with her animal friends in an enchanted forest. There is so much to see and do, but more than anything Red Knit Cap Girl wishes she could talk to the Moon. Join Red Knit Cap Girl and her forest friends on a journey...

Author	K.L. Going
ISBN	0803734791

Dog has been such a good boy that his humans leave him in charge of the cats when they go out to run errands. Of course, as soon as they leave, the cats find all sort of mischief to get into. They practically wreck the house and nothing that Dog says can stop them. But when he gets so tired from chasing after them...

Author	Sarah Stewart
ISBN	0374325650

When Isabel and her family move to the United States, Isabel misses all the things she left behind in Mexico, especially her aunt Lupita and hearing people speak Spanish.  But she also experiences some wonderful new things--her first snow storm and a teacher who does not speak Spanish but has a big smile....

Author	Matthew Cordell
ISBN	1423159063

Outside the world is bright and colorful, but Lydia's family is too busy with their gadgets to notice. She says Hello to everyone. Hello? Hello! Her father says hello while texting, her mother says hello while working on her laptop and her brother doesn't say hello at all. The T.V shouts Hello! But she...

Author	Michael Catchpool
ISBN	0375870113

One small boy has a special gift—he can weave cloth from the clouds: gold in the early morning with the rising sun, white in the afternoon, and crimson in the evening. He spins just enough cloth for a warm scarf. But when the king sees the boy's magnificent cloth, he demands cloaks and gowns galore. "It...

Author

Meg McKinlay

Check out more picture book reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

Ruby has decided to craft her own story since she is tired of all the books about bears. It needs to be a story with funny things, exciting things and maybe even a giant but no bears, not one! As the book progresses the illustrations...

Author	K.G. Campbell
ISBN	1554537703

I love the premise of this story and found it hilarious, tinged with a bit of sadness until the very happy and funny ending. The illustrations definitely fit the story and were also properly amusing, but except for the adorable dog, I can’t say I found them aesthetically pleasing. The dog and its expressiveness...

Author	Mary Ann Hoberman
ISBN	0375969519

I like old clothes, / Hand-me-down clothes, / Worn outgrown clothes, / Not-my-own clothes. . . . Originally published by Knopf in 1976 (with illustrations by Jacqueline Chwast), this poem—an exuberant celebration of hand-me-down clothes—is just as relevant and accessible today as it was over...

Author

Birgitta Sif

An imaginative child who doesn’t quite fit in finds a kindred spirit in this utterly charming picture book from a debut author-illustrator.

Oliver is different. He enjoys his solitude. He likes playing with his friends, who are puppets, stuffed animals, and other toys. With his rich imagination,...

Author	Elanna Allen
ISBN	1442406712

NO ONE likes bedtime, and Itsy Mitsy has had quite enough. So tonight's the night she's running away to the perfect place where there are no more bedtimes ever (not even one). But running away isn't as easy as it seems. There's a lot to pack: Mitsy's friendliest dinosaur Mister Roar; a snack for Mister Roar;...

Author	Matthea Harvey
ISBN	0375967737

In a starred review Publishers Weekly raves: "It’s an avant-garde, surrealist story with a Hollywood-style tearjerker lurking within—and a surprisingly charming and affecting one at that."

Award-winning poet Matthea Harvey and illustrator extraordinaire Giselle Potter team...

Author

Kenneth Kraegel

Henry Alfred Grummorson is the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of King Arthur, one of the bravest knights to ever live. On the day Henry turns six years old, he wakes up early, mounts his trusty donkey, Knuckles, and goes out in search of adventure.

Along the way, he...

Author	Bethanie Deeney Murguia
ISBN	0545342155

A story where getting dressed inspires big dreams!

Each day is full of possibilities, and Zoe wants to be ready for everything this one might bring. But that makes getting dressed really, really hard! If it's a twirling day, she'll need to wear the purple skirt. But if it's a cartwheeling day,...

Author	Michael Hall
ISBN	0061915165

From word to word they find their way, Lillian, Tilly, and William J.

Like this:

They spot some ewes.

They use a box.

They box some fleas.

And flee a steer . . .

First they see, then they do.

The only thing missing? You!

Come join the...

Author	Ashley Spires
ISBN	1554537010

No one believes Larf exists, and he likes it that way. Larf, you see, is a sasquatch, the only sasquatch in the world (or so it seems). He has a very pleasant, and very private, life in the woods, where on any given day he might be found jogging, gardening or walking Eric, his pet bunny. But everything changes...

Author	Lindsay Ward
ISBN	0803737181

One cold winter day, Blue returns to her nest to find something wonderful: Egg! Or rather a snowball she mistakes for an egg. Blue puts Egg in a pail and sets off to look for Egg's mother. But as the winter winds down and the temperature goes up, Blue is in for a sad surprise. Not to worry, though. In this sweet...