The biggest snake, the anaconda, can swallow a deer or goat whole. The smallest mammal, the Etruscan shrew, could easily sleep in a teaspoon. In a striking full-color collage, each spread of Biggest, Strongest, Fastest portrays an animal that stands out in the animal world as the largest, slowest, longest lived. Readers can see the animal's size in relation to something familiar, and a chart on the last page indicates the size, weight, and diet of each animal, as well as where it can be found in the wild. Biggest, Strongest, Fastest is an entertaining, informative introduction to the "world records" held by fourteen members of the animal kingdom.
The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach
When a group of caterpillars scamper up a tree to metamorphose, one of them is still learning about this whole “transformation” thing. Who knew that with a little time and patience, he could become a beautiful butterfly? But the two-week wait inside his chrysalis feels interminable—"Can I get a comic book?" "What if I need the bathroom?" "Anyone want to play a game?" His fellow caterpillars all tell him to be patient and let nature take its course, but the waiting is just so hard. Can he do it?
With warmth, wit, and a flair for hilarious cartooning, Ross Burach turns a relatable feeling and an evergreen curriculum topic into an endearing picture book that has all the hallmarks of a modern classic.
Ruby Finds A Worry by Tom Percival
When Ruby finds a “worry” she doesn’t know how to make it go away, until she realizes everyone has worries sometimes, and the best way to get rid of a worry is to tell someone about it.
Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae
All the jungle's got the beat, but Gerald the giraffe has four left feet. Such is the dilemma in this British team's bouncy (if didactic) picture book about self-esteem. As a multitude of fleet-footed beasts eagerly "skip and prance" at the annual Jungle Dance in Africa, Gerald feels sad "because when it comes to dancing, he was really very bad." Jeered by waltzing warthogs and cha-cha-ing chimps when he attempts to cut a rug, Gerald hangs his head and leaves the celebration behind. Luckily, a friendly cricket appears in the moonlight, chirping a morale boosting song of self-confidence that soon sets Gerald in graceful motion.
Rita & Ralph's Rotten Day by Carmen Agra Deedy
Every day, best friends Rita and Ralph travel "down the hill, and up the hill, and down the hill, and up the hill" to meet under the apple tree between their houses. Then, one fateful day, an ill-conceived game of Sticks and Stones results in a head bump. It’s not until the rotten day ends and a new day dawn that the friends figure out how to “meet in the middle.”
Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed
Six-year-old Bilal is excited to help his dad make his favorite food of all-time: daal! The slow-cooked lentil dish from South Asia requires lots of ingredients and a whole lot of waiting. Bilal wants to introduce his friends to daal. They’ve never tried it! As the day goes on, the daal continues to simmer, and more kids join Bilal and his family, waiting to try the tasty dish. As time passes, Bilal begins to wonder: Will his friends like it as much as he does?
The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier
Ruby's mind is always full of ideas.One day, she finds some old boards and decides to build something. She invites her brothers to help, but they just laugh and tell her she doesn't know how to build."Then I'll learn," she says.And she does!When she creates a dazzling fort that they all want to play in, it is Ruby who has the last laugh.With sprightly text and winsome pictures, this modern spin on the timeless favorite The Little Red Hen celebrates the pluck and ingenuity of young creators everywhere!