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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You Can't Take a Balloon Into The National Gallery
While a brother and sister visit the National Gallery of Art with their grandmother, the red balloon they couldn't take in the museum floats around Washington, DC, causing mishaps at various tourist locations.
Matthew Wheelock's Wall
Matthew Wheelock built a stone wall around his New England fields and it has been special to family and animals for over 100 years.
Apple Farmer Annie
After Annie harvests the apples from her orchard she makes applesauce, cider, cakes, pies, and muffins to take to the market in the city.
Mr. Cookie Baker
Follow all the steps that Mr. Cookie Baker takes to concoct his melt-in-your-mouth cookies. Includes recipes.
Did a Dinosaur Drink This Water?
Explains the water cycle and also discusses ocean currents, ocean and lake habitats, hydroelectricity, and water pollution.
Hazel's Amazing Mother
Hazel and her beloved doll Eleanor are set upon by bullies but Hazel's mother comes to the rescue in a surprising way.
Morris’ Disappearing Bag
No one will let Morris play with their new Christmas gifts until they discover that he has disappeared into a magic bag and they each want a turn.
Streets of Gold
Based on Mary Antin's classic memoir written in the early twentieth century, this is the story of a young girl and her life in Russia, her travels to America, and her subsequent life in the United States.
Timothy Goes to School
Timothy is excited about school until his seatmate turns out to be Claude the Perfect Everything.
A to Zen
An alphabet book of Japanese culture
El Otoño
Colorful pictures show a boy and girl in various fall activities; simple text is entirely in Spanish.
Smokey the Bear
Tells the story of the little bear cub who lost his mother in a forest fire and grew up to be a "national spokesbear" for fire safety.
Alphabeasties: and other Amazing Types
From an alligator made of aaa's to a zebra made of zzz's, the alphabeasties in this book are ingeniously built out of multiple typefaces.
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Colorful cartoons illustrate this variation of a traditional play rhyme, including suggested hand and body motions.
Whatley’s Quest: An Alphabet Adventure
Tell your own story with this wordless book of striking double-spread illustrations, each of which revolves around a letter of the alphabet.
My Place
Depicts life in Australia at different times in its development by viewing the same place in different years while moving backwards from 1988 to 1788.
Best Thanksgiving Book ABC Adventures
Retells the story of the first Thanksgiving while introducing the reader to letters of the alphabet.
When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer
Marvelous paintings illuminate this poem of a little boy obsessed with outer space who has been dragged to an astronomy lecture.
Art & Max
A tale of friendship between Arthur, a horned lizard and an artist, and Max, a hyperactive collared lizard who wants to learn to paint, and their adventure through the artistic process.
Flotsam
Flotsam: something that floats. Caldecott Medal-winning illustrations tell a fascinating adventure story generated by finding a unique piece of flotsam.
June 29, 1999
Holly Evans launched seedlings into the atmosphere as part of a science experiment but certainly was not expecting the giant vegetables that started to appear.
Sector 7
A boy makes friends with a mischievous little cloud, who whisks him away to the Cloud Dispatch Center for Sector 7 where the clouds are bored with their everyday shapes.
The Three Pigs
Three little pigs venture outside their traditional story and find new friends and an unconventional but satisfying ending.
Tuesday
Caldecott Medal-winning presentation of an unexpected event--a squadron of frogs soaring through the night air one Tuesday, squatting upon lilypads they use as flying carpets.
Let the Celebrations Begin! A story of hope for the liberation
Amid rumors of liberation, inmates at Germany’s Belsen camp create toys for a celebration in a moving story of hope, based on a true account.
Thank You, Santa
A year of letters between Santa and a curious girl in Australia.
Winter Days in the Big Woods
A picture book adaptation for younger readers from Little House in the Big Woods.
A Christmas Story
A young girl follows Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem in order to reunite a small donkey with its mother and arrives in time to witness the adoration of the baby Jesus.
The Hare and the Tortoise
A delightful variation of the Tortoise and the Hare fable paired with Brian Wildsmith's distinctive illustrations.
Freedom Summer
Joe is white and John Henry is black, and in the South in 1964, that means John Henry isn't allowed to do everything his best friend is. Then a law is passed that forbids segregation but it takes more than that to change people's hearts.
Bunny Trouble
The rabbits of the colony worked all year painting eggs for the Easter Bunny. Except Ralph--the only thing he cared about was soccer!
I Love My Shadow!
A Hello Reader! book for ages 3-6 telling about a dog and his shadow as they frolic at the beach.
Incredible Skeleton Secrets
Magnificant photos extend a simple text to present information about animal and human skeletons.
Simple Pictures Are Best
A shoemaker and his wife being photographed for their wedding anniversary keep adding items to the picture despite the photographer's admonition that "Simple pictures are best."
A Starlit Somersault Downhill
Having made a plan with Bear to spend the winter napping in a cozy home, Rabbit finds himself too energetic to sleep and decides to join the world outside.
A Visit to William Blake's Inn
Inspired by William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, an award-winning collection of poetry for children brings to life Blake’s imaginary inn and its unusual guests.
Baby Farm Animals
What do baby farm animals do all day? What do they eat? How do they play?
The Big Golden Animal ABC
Busy bunnies romp through the alphabet with big animal friends.
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
A little old lady who is not afraid of anything must deal with spooky objects that follow her through the dark woods.
I Went Walking
"I went walking." "What did you see?" By answering this repeated question a child tells about going for a walk and being seen and followed by a number of colorful farm animals.