Publisher: Candlewick Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/11/2012
ISBN-13: 9780763654757
ISBN-10: 0763654752

Rabbit has invited his friend Robot to sleep over, and he's made a list of everything he and his buddy will do together. But right away, Robot wants to make some changes -- he'd rather play Old Maid instead of Go Fish, and he's not at all fond of carrots, lettuce, and snow peas as pizza toppings (he prefers nuts and bolts). But in this droll odd-couple story full of visual humor, the two friends are able to compromise and save their fun. With a slightly off-the-wall sensibility and illustrations that Publishers Weekly describes as crisp and cheery, this easy reader is a good pick for fans of Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie books.

Publisher: Nosy Crow
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 08/14/2012
ISBN-13: 9780763661724
ISBN-10: 0763661724

A bear wanders into a busy, noisy city and seeks refuge...in a towering apartment building. But the bear, who only wants some porridge and a place to rest, has trouble finding accommodations that are just right. One chair that he tries (actually a cactus) is "too ouchy," another (a cat) "too noisy," but he finally finds a place for a nap. And then the owners of the apartment return home, putting the poor bear face-to-face with a certain blonde someone from his childhood. This fun and clever addition to the fractured-fairy-tale genre has illustrations that are just as bright and busy as the city they depict.

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/11/2012
ISBN-13: 9780375958830
ISBN-10: 0375958835

Despite the cold and blustery weather (and their parents' doubt about their chances at success), Pauline and her brother John-John set up a stand to sell lemonade on a very snowy day. They don't have many takers, so they try some new tactics: a jingle, acrobatics to attract the attention of passersby, and even a drastic price cut. By the time the day is done, John-John and Pauline have made just enough money for two popsicles -- although not as much as they spent on supplies for their lemonade stand. This warm story includes easy-to-absorb math lessons (including a section at the end titled "Pauline Explains Money to John-John") and is also a cozy, feel-good tale of a brother-and-sister adventure. For more in the way of utterly painless math lessons, check out Ethan Long's The Wing Wing Brothers Math Spectacular!

Publisher: Holiday House
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/24/2012
ISBN-13: 9780823422180
ISBN-10: 0823422186

Dog has had too many naps and not enough activity of late, and he's driving Bird crazy with his attempts to "herd" things around the house (such as chairs and rugs). So, Bird tells Dog to go to the country to "find a cow"; trouble is, Dog's never seen one before. Once he arrives on a farm, Dog mistakes several rather grumpy animals for the cow he seeks...until, finally, a helpful creature guides him back home to the city, where Dog recovers from his journey with a now-much-needed nap. Simple, energetically illustrated, and filled with sound effects that are great fun to read aloud, this playful read is "sure to delight young listeners in on the joke" (Kirkus Reviews).

Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/18/2012
ISBN-13: 9780374325657
ISBN-10: 0374325650

As she travels with her mom, dad, and brother to their new home in the United States, a young girl named Isabel writes letters to her aunt back home in Mexico, who has been teaching Isabel how to read and write in English. Isabel experiences lots of new sights and sounds, some of them overwhelming, and -- after collecting boxes from the birthday parties that her mother caters -- she builds a quiet sanctuary where she can slip away to read and think. But by the time Isabel's own birthday comes around, her quiet place is the center of joyful, boisterous activity. Don't miss this sensitively illustrated, "moving, memorable portrayal of one child's immigrant experience" (Booklist).

These picture books may have slipped under your radar, but they're more than worth a look. Check 'em out!

Publisher: Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/24/2012
ISBN-13: 9781554981786
ISBN-10: 1554981786

Originally published in Colombia, this "poignant, funny" and "bighearted" (Publishers Weekly) book tells the story of Jimmy, a boy who lives in a poor fishing village and is encouraged to take up boxing by Don Apolinar, the owner of the local gym. Inspired by Don Apolinar's old newspaper clippings about Muhammad Ali, Jimmy trains hard and does learn how to box...but he doesn't leave his hometown for the big city like Don Apolinar eventually does. With an unusual ending that affirms the importance of community, Jimmy the Greatest! is an unforgettable book that gets better with repeat readings.

First Chapter  

Publisher: Kids Can Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 03/01/2012
ISBN-13: 9781554537822
ISBN-10: 1554537827

This book doesn't have much of a story, but it does have a fanciful menagerie of animals dressed up for a masquerade party -- and for little ones who mostly like looking at details in a book's illustrations, it'll be a hit. Lion goes to the big party dressed as an elephant, elephant disguises himself as a parrot, and so on and so on. Featuring a number of animals not often seen in picture books, such as a marmoset, a millipede, and a flamingo, this goofy (and lengthy) parade-on-paper will especially entertain kids who love dressing in costume.

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 02/16/2012
ISBN-13: 9780399256110
ISBN-10: 0399256113

Through "captivating" (Kirkus Reviews) illustrations, fold-out panels, and very simple text, the three funny stories in this book demonstrate the concepts of "up," "tall," and "high." Featuring three cartoon birds who outdo and out-boast one another but also help each other out, this is a clever and entertaining book that both toddlers and beginning readers can enjoy. For more fun concept books, check out Leslie Patricelli's Yummy Yucky and Quiet Loud or Saxton Freymann's Food for Thought.

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/14/2012
ISBN-13: 9780803738508
ISBN-10: 0803738501

Bonnie O'Boy has been asking for a bicycle for what seems like forever, and when her parents give her one, she's so excited that she takes off riding "willy-nilly." Although she's really only riding through her backyard, the illustrations show an elated Bonnie pedaling over bridges, up mountains, through a giraffe's legs, and past such landmarks as the Grand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty in a truly epic ride. But, as she realizes partway through her "journey," Bonnie can't stop! With no calamitous consequences (and a wiser-at-journey's-end Bonnie donning a helmet at its conclusion), this book is pure, exhilarating fun.

Publisher: Aladdin
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 05/01/2012
ISBN-13: 9781442450585
ISBN-10: 1442450584

In this "deliciously satisfying romp" (Booklist), young Paul and Sally Small embark on a mission to rescue their teddy bear after he falls from their vantage point on a balcony -- all without being seen by the guests of the posh ball being held at Small Hall. Set in an elaborate mansion the likes of which few children will ever experience (except in stories like this one) and filled with bannister-sliding, chandelier-swinging action and lots of close calls, the siblings' adventure is exciting and also exudes a certain old-fashioned charm.