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Vooks Originals

Family 

Ocean

Mindfulness

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Vooks A to Z

Zayn loves going on adventures with his dad. After a particularly great day, he asks his dad what made the day so perfect. “We had Free Fun,” his dad answers. Zayn’s dad tells him that Free Fun is a magical thing, something that you must find on your own. So, off Zayn goes on a quest to find Free Fun for himself.
 
After a day of searching in every place he can think of, Zayn worries he might never find Free Fun. He awakes the next morning with his dad’s words buzzing in his brain: “Every answer in life can be found while looking at waves.” That’s it—the ocean! Zayn and his dad grab their surfboards and race to the beach. When a powerful wave crashes down, forcing Zayn below the surf, he opens his eyes underwater and finally finds what he’s been looking for.

A Vooks Original, Finding Free Fun is a mindful, meditative story about slowing down and finding fun in life’s everyday moments and places. Written by Yogi Roth and illustrated by Roxanne Rainville.

Zayn is on the hunt for Free Fun, but where could it be? What does it look like? Is it short or tall, yellow or green? Is it inside or outside? How do you find Free Fun?

Finding Free Fun

Sick Day Stories

Vehicles

Vooks at a Glance

Bedtime

Before bedtime, Big Truck tells Little Truck, “I love you with all of my heart”—but what does that mean? What if Little Truck lets Big Truck down, or makes mistakes, or has a bad day?

In this universal story of the unbreakable bond between parent and child, Little Truck tests the limits of Big Truck’s devotion and reassuringly learns that a parent's love is unconditional and everlasting. Adorable illustrations and sweetly personified vehicles add a silly dynamic to a dramatic and emotional poem.

“‘All of my heart’ means
That I’ll be with you —
Wherever you go
And whatever you do.”
 
Children will be profoundly comforted by the lovingly steadfast Big Truck who continually assures Little Truck that no matter what—or where—their love is eternal.

A Vooks Original, I Love You, Little Truck is a poetic bedtime story about a parent’s love for their child, no matter what their child may do. Written by David and Stephanie Miles, and illustrated by Natasha Molins.


“I love you with all of my heart.” A sweet bedtime story about the unconditional love between parent and child.

I Love You, Little Truck

A little girl and her dog Buddy are waiting for their new baby brother or sister. To pass the time, she makes crayon drawings of the baby. It helps her tell Buddy a story about how the whole process works. How sometimes, there are mothers who love their babies but know it’s better for them to live with another family. Those mothers look for a family that’s waiting for a baby. A family like hers and Buddy’s.

Buddy isn’t very patient. But the little girl knows the big day is coming soon. When it finally gets here, she’ll draw a big welcome picture. The “maybe baby” will be someone they can love forever—and the baby can love them too!

From Maybe to Forever gently explains the complex adoption process for younger readers. Told from the perspective of an older sibling, the endearing narrative shows how many different kinds of families there can be, and how much love they all have to give. Written by M.L. Gold and her granddaughter N.V. Fong, From Maybe to Forever is illustrated by Jess Hong and published by Creston Books.

Waiting for a new brother or sister is hard to do. How does a “maybe baby” become a part of a loving adoptive family?

From Maybe to Forever

Familius Presents

Elementary

Kid at Heart

Build Confidence

Early Childhood

Friendship

Foundational Reading

Of all the children that ever could be, you are the one made just for me. From a child's first uttered "Dada" to his or her first unsteady steps, nothing can adequately convey the joy and awe of watching the birth and growth of a new child. Filled with adorable illustrations and the refrain, "You are the one made just for me," Made for Me is a winning presentation of tender moments that tie a father and his new child together—forever.

Made for Me is written by Zack Bush and illustrated by Gregorio De Lauretis. The bestselling book is published by Familius.

Of all the children that ever could be, you are the one made just for me.

Made for Me

Food and Cooking

Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage

Cora loves being in the kitchen, though she always gets stuck with the kid jobs, like licking the spoon. But today, when her older siblings go out, Cora will finally get the chance to be Mama's assistant chef. Mama even lets her pick which delicious Filipino dish she wants to make. Cora chooses her favorite noodle recipe: pancit!

With Mama’s help, Cora does all the grown-up jobs, like shredding the chicken and soaking the rice noodles. She even stirs the pot while Mama supervises. But when dinner is served, will Daddy and her siblings know Cora did the cooking? Will they think the pancit is as good as usual?

A tale of cultural heritage, Cora Cooks Pancit brings the joyful art of cooking to life. The story walks through the steps for cooking Filipino pancit, highlighting themes of family, trust, and learning through experience. Written by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, illustrated by Kristi Valiant, and published by Shen’s Books.

When her older siblings go out for the day, Cora finally gets the chance to be Mama’s assistant chef.

Cora Cooks Pancit

Be Brave

All Seasons

There are few things as powerful to a child as the kind and affirming words from a loved one. In I’ll Love You For Always, little ones are encouraged to carry these words with them wherever they go. Whether in sunshine or in shadow, in peaks or in valleys, in places unfamiliar or in places well-known—nothing can stop the love of a parent or guardian for their child.

This beautiful title encourages parents, guardians, or loved ones to not only speak words of affirmation to their child, but to write them down as well—to put their words into physical form, however simple or elaborate they may be.

I’ll Love You For Always is written by Peter Hinckley and illustrated by Lu Green, and is published by Familius, a values-driven publisher on a mission to teach, inspire and bring families together.

"Where'er you go, whatever you do... My love will keep surrounding you. It does. It always will."

I'll Love You For Always

When the WiFi goes down, mommy and daddy are devastated. Their daughter, on the other hand, is not. She’s brimming with ideas and plans for things to see, places to explore. So, with her adventurous nana’s help, the girl drags her parents outside. They ride bikes. They buy pastries and coffee. They play soccer at the park. It’s a beautiful, internet-free day. Maybe a perfect day.

But what happens when the family gets home and the WiFi is still down? And how did the WiFi go out in the first place? Come along for a day unplugged from screens and find out just how much fun is waiting when we pick up our heads and put down the devices.

A wry look at the value of internet-free family time, The Manic Panic reminds us that a whole world is waiting outside of our screens. By inverting the parent/child relationship, the story explores screen addiction in an approachable, kid-centric way. Written by Richa Jha, illustrated by Mithila Ananth, and published by Creston Books.

When the WiFi goes out, a young girl drags her parents outside to remind them how to have screen-free fun.

The Manic Panic

Everyone's Reading

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

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage

Storytime Favorites

Brightly Storytime Presents

When Carmela wakes up on her birthday, her wish has already come true–she’s finally old enough to join her big brother as he does the family errands. Together, they travel through their neighborhood, past the crowded bus stop, the fenced-off repair shop, and the panadería, until they arrive at the Laundromat, where Carmela finds a lone dandelion growing in the pavement. But before she can blow its white fluff away, her brother tells her she has to make a wish. If only she can think of just the right wish to make . . .

With lyrical, stirring text and stunning, evocative artwork, Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson have crafted a moving ode to family, to dreamers, and to finding hope in the most unexpected places.

Join Ms. Linda in reading! Carmela is finally old enough to join her big brother as he does the family errands. Together, they travel through their neighborhood, until Carmela finds a lone dandelion. But before she can blow its white fluff away, her brother tells her she has to make a wish.

Carmela Full of Wishes

Be Creative

Aneel loves when his grandparents visit. Most of all, he loves their stories. Today, Dada-ji tells Aneel the story of a lad from a village far, far away. The lad could wrestle water buffalo, tie two hissing cobras in a knot, spin trumpeting elephants by their tails, and touch the sky with his feet. The source of the lad’s tiger power? Hot, hot roti, prepared by Aneel’s Badi-ma herself!

Aneel asks his mother, father, Dadi-ma, and sister for help making roti for Dada-ji. But when no one can help, Aneel is left to make the recipe on his own. Will the roti turn out alright? And if it does, can it still give Dada-ji the power of the tiger? There’s only one way to find out!

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-Ji tells the story of a bond between grandson and grandfather. The narrative features themes of cultural heritage, traditions, belief in one’s self, and the expression of love through cooking. Written by F. Zia, illustrated by Ken Min, and published by Lee & Low Books.

There once was a lad who could tie two cobras in a knot and touch the sky with his feet. His secret? Hot, hot roti.

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-Ji

Language and Vocabulary

In the City

Storybook Genius Publishing

Today is an exciting day. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and Landon is going to visit the Museum of Natural History with his mom. He’s heard so many things about the museum. There’s a room full of butterflies, a huge whale hanging off the ceiling, and even giant dinosaur bones. He can hardly wait to get their tickets and walk inside.

But to get to the museum, Landon will have to do something he’s never done before—something that will open an entire world, hidden right beneath New York City. In the end, Landon might learn an important lesson: That when you open your heart to the world around you, the journey can be as magical as the destination.

Touching on themes of exploration, family bonds, and enthusiasm for trying new things, Landon Rides the Subway is a warm, lighthearted ode to the joys of childhood wonder. Written by Diana Perez, illustrated by Yip Jar Design, and published by Storybook Genius.

Landon is going to the museum with his mom. To get there, he’ll have to do something magical: Ride the NYC subway.

Landon Rides the Subway

Birthday parties are so much fun: the friends, the family, the games, the gifts, and, of course, the food! But what type of food do you serve at a birthday party when your family is from two different cultures? Young Mikey Yam is having a hard time choosing between the Italian food of his mother’s side and the Chinese cuisine of his dad’s. So, he turns to his grannies, Bahboo and Nonna, for advice.
 
“Ravioli or Dumplings? Linguine or Lo Mein? All of these options were hurting his brain.”
 
Join Young Mikey as he decides which type of food to have for his birthday party, and the important life lesson he learns along the way.

A Vooks Original, Fried Rice & Marinara is a rhyming story about two cultures coming together to create something special. Written by Mike Yam and illustrated by Laura Dong.

Young Mikey Yam is about to turn four, but deciding what type of food to have at his party is creating a jumble of possibilities!