Clock strikes five. Shop is closed. Donuts sleep (so we suppose)…
Get ready for a delicious and hilarious journey through a world filled with (and made of) everyone’s favorite treat: donuts! Pirate donuts, dog donuts, striped donuts, jelly filled—donuts of every shape and size make an appearance in this whacky, fun-filled tale. But it’s not all fun and games in the donut shop! When the donuts realize they are going to be eaten the next morning, they band together to plan their escape. Will they make a great escape? Or will they become breakfast?

Donuts: The Hole Story brings donuts to life like never before! Written by David Miles and published by Familius, this story is fun, funny, and full of puns. It’s sure to be a hit with the hole family!

A whacky tale filled with (and made of) everyone’s favorite deep-fried treats...it’s a hole in one!

Donuts: The Hole Story

Lines are everywhere you look. Some are short, some are long. Some are wavy, some are straight. There are lines that curve and lines that bend. Everywhere around us there are lines to discover! 

Follow the lines that run all through this book, and see what interesting shapes they make! With clever rhymes and of course lots of wiggly lines, Lines That Wiggle is as creative as it is fun. This adorable introduction to lines, shapes, and form is written by Candace Whitman, illustrated by Steve Wilson, and published by Blue Apple Books.

Lines are everywhere you look. Short, long, wavy, straight; see if you can follow them all!

Lines That Wiggle

Max can't sleep! Max can't eat! He calls for her, plasters posters all over town, and searches everywhere for his beloved pet. It's not until both Max and Puppy have the same idea that they finally find each other.

Published by Blue Apple Books, Puppy is Lost is written by Harriet Ziefert and illustrated by Noah Woods.

Max's dog, Puppy, is lost! She was here, and now she's gone. Where can Puppy be? 

Puppy Is Lost

When the lion comes, the tiger goes. The toucan is up in a tree, while the anteater is down on the ground. The flamingo is sure she’s nicer than the gorilla—who is really pretty grouchy. And did you know the giraffe is tall? He knows it. He’s happy to lean over the arctic exhibit to let the penguins know how short they are.

In this zoo, the animals are opposites in a whole lot of ways. If the elephant is big, what does that make the lizards? And if the cheetah is fast, what does that make the turtle? Come along for a tour through the exhibits as we find out just how different these creatures can be.

In this lighthearted book about opposites, the playful artwork hints at the emotional quirks and differences that sometimes accompany our physical traits. Written by Harriet Ziefert, You and Me: We’re Opposites is illustrated by Ethan Long and published by Blue Apple Books.

If the elephant is big, what does that make the lizards? And if the cheetah is fast, what does that make the turtle?

You and Me: We're Opposites

Can you guess what each animal does with their eyes, ears, nose, feet, or tail? You might be surprised! A nose for digging? Ears for seeing? Knees for hearing? Explore the many amazing things that make these critters unique, as you journey through their fascinating animal world.   

This Caldecott honor winning picture book is written by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? is published by HMH Books for Young Readers. 

Can you guess how each animal uses their eyes, ears, nose, feet, or tail? You may be surprised! 

What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?

Animals live all over the world, in all kinds of interesting places. Travel the globe to six very different habitats, on an adventure to find camouflaged critters hiding in their native landscapes. Visit scorching deserts and steamy rainforests, muddy ponds and salty oceans, lush savannas and dense forests. Have fun learning interesting facts about all kinds of animals and the places they live.

I See a Kookaburra! is a fun and informative scavenger hunt that teaches little ones about animals and the environments they live in. Created by award winning duo Steve Jenkins and Robin Page, I See a Kookaburra! is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Travel the world to find all kinds of animals, and learn a little about the places they live!

I See A Kookaburra!

It be the first day of kindergarrrten. It also be the bus driver’s first day drivin’ a bus. No, don’t be scared. Pirates don’t get scared. There be rules here to keep things in ship shape—the Pirate’s Code. First, ye’ll meet the driver’s parrot, Polly. Then ye’ll stay in yer seat. There’ll be no yellin’. And ye’ll keep yer hooks—er, hands—to yerself!

But when Polly goes missin’, what then? What will ye do when the bus driver starts blubberin’? Because it’s not okay for a pirate to be scared, not even if his Polly has flown away. Right? Or maybe… maybe bein’ brave doesn’t mean bein’ fearless, but doin’ what needs doin’ even when yer scared. Eh? Blimey.

Kindergarrrten Bus is a hilarious and clever tale about how we deal with fears and uncertainties, and how our children are impacted by the coping skills we do (or do not) possess. The book not only makes the transition to kindergarten feel fun and exciting, it also shows that anxieties are a normal part of new experiences. Written by Mike Ornstein, illustrated by Kevin M. Barry, and published by Sleeping Bear Press.

It be the first day of kindergarrrten. High time for little scoundrels to board the ship—err, the bus. All aboard!

Kindergarrrten Bus

In the village, everyone is sleeping. Well, everyone except for Paul. Paul is a farmer. Out in the fields, he mows, and rakes, and sows, and draws water. Paul works until he’s exhausted. Every day, he watches, checks, and inspects. He does everything he can to give his seeds a chance to flourish. And soon, beautiful plants and flowers begin to spring up around him.

But what happens when the dry season arrives, and the sun beats down without mercy? Will the rain come fast enough? Will the plants wither in the heat? Join Paul as he does the careful work all farmers must do: tending, nurturing, watching, and—most importantly—waiting.

Taking a look at the unseen work (and worries) a farmer undertakes with their land, The Farmer shows the cycle of both nurturing and trusting the earth. Written and illustrated by Ximo Abadia and published by Holiday House, the narrative emphasizes the importance of perseverance.

In the village, everyone rests except for Paul. He mows, rakes, digs, and waters. And then, the plants begin to grow.

The Farmer

Rabbit wants to know why flowers grow. But Frog doesn’t have an answer, and neither does Piggy. They ask Horse, and he tells them to ask Sheep. Finally, they ask Mole. Mole says flowers grow so he can eat them—and then he eats their whole bouquet. Unsatisfied, the friends decide to consult Butterfly, Bee, and a young girl who happens upon their picnic.

Can flowers grow for more than one reason? Do flowers need a reason to grow in the first place? Come along with Rabbit and her forest friends as they set out to solve this seemingly simple mystery. It might be more challenging than they think!

Why Do Flowers Grow? is an easy-reading story about how even simple things can be seen through a spectrum of perspectives. Written by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by A.G. Jatkowska, and published by Brain Food Kids.

Rabbit and her friends set out on a quest to figure out why flowers grow. But the answer isn’t easy to find.

Why Do Flowers Grow?

Every creature on Earth has a dance all its own. The hippos are down with hip-hop. The wallabies perform a waltz. The camels are known to cancan in a chorus line, and the sloths slow dance one toe at a time. But when all the tapping tigers have pranced, and the ballerina bears have finished their final spin, is any dance quite as remarkable as the flamingo’s flamenco?

Clap your hands, wings, and claws. Tap your shoes, hooves, and talons. The flamingo is about to show the animal kingdom how it’s done.

A silly celebration of the traditional Spanish flamenco, Flamingo Flamenco lightly touches on themes of self-expression and diversity. Written by Brooke Jorden and illustrated by Alex Zhdanov, the story is published by Familius.

Every creature on Earth has a dance all its own—but is any so well known as the flamingo’s flamenco? Let’s find out.

Flamingo Flamenco

Spork sticks out. In his kitchen, utensils have a single purpose. Even though he tries to act more spoonish or look more forkish, he never gets picked at mealtime. Instead, he sits and watches while the forks twirl knots of noodles and the spoons scoop up mountains of peas. They even get to enjoy a bubbly bath in the sink when dinner is over.

He seems destined for a life in the drawer … until one day, a messy guest arrives. This guest doesn’t seem to care about cutlery customs. Spork wonders—could this be his chance to find his way to the table? Could his uniqueness make him the best solution for this problem?

A metaphor-rich celebration of hybrid identities, Spork is a “multi-cutlery” tale for anyone who’s ever felt like a misfit. Exploring themes of purpose, conformity, diversity, and finding your place in the world, Spork is written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. Published by Kids Can Press.

Spork never gets picked during mealtime. He seems destined for a life in the drawer… until an unexpected guest arrives.

Spork

"And the People Stayed Home tells the story of the global Coronavirus pandemic, from a very different point of view. In a time of uncertainty and fear, this thought provoking story focuses instead on hope and beauty. This thoughtful poem about the pandemic, quarantine, and the future suggests there is meaning to be found in our shared experience of the Coronavirus. It also joyfully conveys an optimistic message about the possibility of profound healing for people and the planet.

And the People Stayed Home is the uplifting poem that swept the world during the global Coronavirus pandemic. Written by Kitty O’Meara in March of 2020, the poem immediately went viral. In a time where millions of people were undergoing quarantine, many feeling distant and unsure, O’Meara’s interesting perspective helped many see a brighter side. The poem has been so widely shared through social media, news media, and by influencers such as Deepak Chopra, Kate Winslet, O, The Oprah Magazine, and many others, that O’Meara, a former teacher and chaplain and currently a spiritual director, has been called “the poet laureate of the pandemic.”

And the People Stayed Home is written by Kitty O’Meara and voiced by Kate Winslet. The best selling book is illustrated by Stephano Di Cristofaro and Paul Pereda, and published by Tra Publishing."

In a time of uncertainty, this story focuses on the hope and beauty of our shared experiences.

And the People Stayed Home

Stories that are just right for ages 5 - 8 years

Age: Elementary

Age: Elementary