This section includes descriptions and links to recommended picture books that make excellent feature books in different themes or are special favorites that can extend and enrich the study of a particular subject.
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Pages
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
Fourteen well-known contemporary children's book artists each offer a new, illustrated punch line to the title question.
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
A retelling of a Nandi tale from Africa relating how Ki-pat cleverly brought rain to the drought-stricken Kapiti Plain.
Song and Dance Man
Grandpa takes the visiting children to the attic where he puts on his old-time vaudeville song and dance act.
The Easter Egg Artists
Although he likes to decorate things Orson Rabbit's parents are worried that he does not have the discipline to become an Easter egg artist like themselves.
The White Nights of Ramadan
This story is centered around Girgian, a Muslim celebration observed during the middle of the month of Ramadan and underlines the gift of sharing during this time dedicated to self-improvement and community welfare.
A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus
Watercolor illustrations enrich this presentation of information about Columbus's early life and later accomplishments.
Picture Book of George Washington
A brief account of the life of “the father of our country”.
A Picture Book of Hanukkah
The story of Antiochus and Judah the Maccabee and of the miracle of the temple from over 2000 years ago.
Picture Book of Thomas Jefferson
Shares the life and achievements of this architect, lawyer, president, and author of the Declaration of Independence.
The Jolly Postman or Other People’s Letters
A cheerful mail carrier goes from home to home in a fairy-tale kingdom, delivering letters to characters from traditional children's stories.
Recess at 20 Below
Join some Alaskan children to see what it's like to live in one of America's coldest places.
Duck in the Truck
A duck in a truck is stuck in some yucky brown muck and three animal Good Samaritans try to help him.
Fix-It Duck
A leaking roof? A window stuck? These are jobs for... Fix-It Duck! The trouble begins with a leaky roof and follows Duck, who fancies himself a repairman, through mishaps and near disasters.
Hit the Ball Duck
Duck is at bat. When the ball he hits gets stuck in a tall tree, he tosses up his bat and a glove to knock it down. With everything now caught in the branches how can they finish the game?
A Possible Tree
A small fir tree becomes a safe haven for a number of different animals and a people who come to see it on Christmas Eve are surprised by what they find.
Christmas Tree Memories
A family remembers Christmases past as they admire heirloom ornaments and decorations on their tree.
Corn is Maize: the Gift of the Indians
A simple description of how corn was discovered and used by the Indians and how it came to be an important food throughout the world.
Miss Nelson Has a Field Day
The Smedley Tornadoes have a big football game coming up, so Miss Nelson calls in dreaded substitute teacher Viola Swamp to whip the team into shape.
Are You a Snail?
Briefly describes life cycle, outstanding physical and behavioral characteristics, diet, habitat, and natural enemies of the common snail.
Changes
"All things go through changes as they grow." Many examples through sequences of colored photographs.
Who Sank the Boat?
A cow, a donkey, a sheep, a pig, and a tiny little mouse decided to go for a boat ride in the bay. Do you know what happened?
Written Anything Good Lately?
A colorful alphabet book that demonstrates many different types of written communication.
Hello My Name is Bob
Bob is a bear who feels he's very boring, especially in comparison to his lively buddy Jack. How could they possibly be best friends?
The Legend of Freedom Hill
During the California gold rush era, Sophie, a Jewish girl, and Rosabel, an African American girl, conspire to save the life of Rosabel's mother, a runaway slave captured by a slave catcher.
An Amish Christmas
An interesting and informative look at the holiday customs of Amish farm families.
Cajun Gingerbread Boy
A freshly baked gingerbread man escapes the oven and gets away from all pursuers until he meets a clever fox
A Wetland Walk
Follows a child on a wetland walk, showing the plants and animals that can be found there.
The Little Match Girl
An American child of the early 1920's who sells matches is visited by visions that bring some beauty to her brief, tragic life.
The Nightingale
The story of a plain little bird whose beautiful songs bring her great fame, even winning her an esteemed place in the king's court. But she is not happy.
The Nightingale
A small bird teaches the Emperor about the value of freedom and the price of friendship.
The Ugly Duckling
Elegant, old-fashioned, richly textured watercolor adaptation of the classic Hans Christian Andersen story.
Over the River A Turkey’s Tale
The words are those of the familiar song but the bright illustrations show problems a turkey family are encountering while traveling to Grandma's house.
River Boy The Story of Mark Twain
A picture book biography including important events in the life of famous American author Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain.
Giraffes Can’t Dance
Gerald the giraffe is too clumsy to dance with all the other animals at the Jungle Dance, until he finds the right music.
Amazing Peace
In this moving poem, a family joins with their community—rich and poor, black and white, Christian, Muslim, and Jew—to celebrate the holidays.
All in a Day
Ten international artists, including Raymond Briggs, Eric Carle and Leo and Diane Dillon, show children in eight different countries around the world over the course of the same day, January 1.
Bats Around the Clock
Telling time on the hour with Click Dark, host of American Batstand.
Bats on Parade
Friendly costumed bats in a counted parade; numbers featured are perfect squares (4-9-16-25, etc.)
Merry Christmas, Merry Crow
A busy crow flies around town picking up all kinds of discarded items and uses them to create a beautiful Christmas tree.
Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers: How a First Lady Changed America
A biography of former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, who reminded citizens of the importance of conserving natural resources.