Seasonal - Spring

Food and Cooking

Dreamscape

Little Star's soft feet tiptoed to the Big Mooncake. Little Star loves the delicious Mooncake that she bakes with her mama. But she's not supposed to eat any yet! What happens when she can't resist a nibble? In this stunning, heartwarming original story that shines as bright as the stars in the sky, Newbery Honor author Grace Lin explains the phases of the moon.

This gorgeous, whimsical origin story of the phases of the moon explains those phases in an easy-to-understand way that will comfort and educate children of all ages.

A Big Mooncake for Little Star

Dragons love tacos. They love chicken tacos, beef tacos, great big tacos, and teeny tiny tacos. So if you want to lure a bunch of dragons to your party, you should definitely serve tacos. Buckets and buckets of tacos. Unfortunately, where there are tacos, there is also salsa. And if a dragon accidentally eats spicy salsa...oh, boy. You're in red-hot trouble. The award-winning team behind Those Darn Squirrels! has created an unforgettable, laugh-until-salsa-comes-out-of-your-nose tale of new friends and the perfect snack.

This scrumptious New York Times bestseller has a whole lot of kick...and is now on video!

Dragons Love Tacos

Family 

Everyone in the neighborhood dreams of a taste of Omu's delicious stew! One by one, they follow their noses toward the scrumptious scent. And one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself? Debut author-illustrator Oge Mora brings to life a heartwarming story of sharing and community in colorful cut-paper designs as luscious as Omu's stew, with an extra serving of love. An author's note explains that Omu (pronounced AH-moo) means queen in the Igbo language of her parents, but growing up, she used it to mean Grandma.

Omu shares her stew with everyone in the neighborhood until there's nothing left in this incredibly heartwarming story where a generous woman is rewarded by her community.

Thank You, Omu!

Creative Play

Today would be special. Today would be splendid. It was Saturday! But sometimes, the best plans don't work out exactly the way you expect...In this heartfelt and universal story, a mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong—ruining storytime, salon time, picnic time, and the puppet show they'd been looking forward to going to all week. Mom is nearing a meltdown...until her loving daughter reminds her that being together is the most important thing of all. Oge Mora's highly anticipated follow up to Caldecott Honor Thank You, Omu! features the same magnificently radiant celebration of sharing so beloved in her debut picture book.

In this tender story from a Caldecott-winning author, a mother and daughter embark on a journey that reminds them of what's best about Saturdays: precious time together.

Saturday

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Elementary

Early Childhood

Zora is bored. Or at least, she was bored until she decided to plant zucchini in her summer garden. When the zucchinis start to grow, her family makes all kinds of recipes out of them: zucchini bread, zucchini soup, zucchini marinated, grated, and barbecued. They eat the vegetables for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Zora can’t get enough!

But the zucchini patch keeps growing, and growing—and growing. Soon, Zora finds herself with more zucchini than her family can hope to cook. She decides to start a garden swap. Will her neighbors show up to trade produce? Or will Zora get buried under a mountain of fresh zucchini?

Published by Readers to Eaters, Zora’s Zucchini is about discovering not only the wonder of growing food, but the satisfaction of growing a community. The story also demonstrates an important truth: Children are more interested in eating the foods they have a hand in growing, preparing, and cooking. Written by Katherine Pryor and illustrated by Anna Raff.

For Zora, the first zucchini of her summer garden is exciting. But what happens when the plants grow out of control?

Zora's Zucchini

Familius Presents

Bilingual Books

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage

Vooks A to Z

Celebrate Latino food and culture! Narrated in Spanish and English, this bilingual title is brimming with tasty eats and fun facts. Proud to Be Latino: Food/Comida shows little ones how different Latino countries use similar ingredients to create regional dishes that are as delicious as they are unique! Children will also learn some fun and surprising facts—did you know that there are over 5,000 types of potatoes sold in South America?

Proud to Be Latino: Food/Comida takes readers beyond a basic language primer and into the rich world of Latino culture. Proud to Be Latino: Food/Comida is written by Ashley Marie Mireles, illustrated by Edith Valle and published by Familius.

Celebrate Latino food and culture with this bilingual title full of tasty eats and fun facts!

Proud to Be Latino: Food/Comida

Nature

Sylvia Spivens always says no to spinach. So, what happens when her teacher gives her a packet of spinach seeds to plant for the school garden? She tries to trade them for something better, of course. When that fails, Sylvia has no choice but to plant her spinach seeds. At first nothing happens, but little by little the spinach grows, and Sylvia’s curiosity grows with it. In the end, growing her own food might just be the thing Sylvia needs to finally say yes to spinach.

There’s something magical about growing your own food. From a school garden to a garden in the community or at home, when kids grow their own food, their minds are opened to a whole new world. Follow along with Sylvia as she discovers how fun and exciting a garden can be—even (especially!) when it’s growing spinach.

Sylvia’s Spinach is written by Katherine Pryor, illustrated by Anna Raff, and published by Readers to Eaters, whose mission is to promote food literacy from the ground up.

A picky eater discovers the joy of growing food and the pleasure of tasting something new.

Sylvia's Spinach

Language and Vocabulary

It's food for thought! Nom Nom Colors makes learning colors (and foods) more fun than ever before. Children will love repeating the names of bright colors, tasty sweets, and delicious fruits and veggies - as the foods come to life right before their eyes! The silly puns throughout the book will have little ones giggling along.

This tasty treat of a book is published by Familius, a values-driven publisher on a mission to teach, inspire, and bring families together. Nom Nom Colors is written and created by Forrest Everett.

Nom Nom Colors makes learning colors (and foods) more fun than ever before!

Nom Nom Colors

New Books

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

Animals

In the City

Meet Chip, the boss of a bodega in New York City. What’s a bodega? It’s a grocery store—but it’s also more than that. It’s a place to see friends, have fun, and grab the best Dominican food in the city. Throughout the day, Chip is there to make sure nothing gets missed, and everyone feels welcome. Sometimes, that means counting bottles of soap. Sometimes, it means playing hide-and-seek with the regulars.

Come see the world through the eyes of a kitty who never rests… unless he’s chasing pigeons with his human brother Damian or taking a nap on a bag of potato chips. Day or night, in a rush or on a delivery, Chip will never let you down.

Bodega Cat is an ode to New York’s feline friends and the people who give the city heart. The slice-of-life narrative explores themes of diversity, inclusion, community, and the richness to be found in shared experiences. Written and illustrated by Louie Chin, the book is published by POW! (a division of powerHouse Packaging & Supply, Inc.). Chip is based on a real, playful orange tabby named Simba.

Chip is the boss of a bodega in New York City. He also happens to be a cat. How does a feline keep the place humming?

Bodega Cat

5 Minutes or Less

Brightly Storytime Presents

Bear meets sandwich, adventure ensues. . . .
 
So begins Julia Sarcone-Roach’s delicious tale of a bear, lost in the city, who happens upon an unattended sandwich in the park. The bear’s journey from forest to city and back home again is full of happy accidents, funny encounters, and sensory delights. The story is so engrossing, it’s not until the very end that we begin to suspect this is a TALL tale.
 
The wonderfully told story, spectacular illustrations, and surprise ending make this Julia Sarcone-Roach’s best book to date. You’ll want to share it with your friends (and keep a close eye on your lunch).

Read with Ms. Linda! Bear meets sandwich, adventure ensues. . . .

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich

Poetry

There is a gaggle of hens that live on Jack’s farm. They’re fluffy and feathered, and they lay eggs in the chicken coop every day. Jack’s kids collect those eggs and bring them home in a basket. What do they do with those eggs?

Well, the eggs get cooked in a bunch of different ways—scrambled, fried, sunny-side up. The yolks can be separated from the whites, and the whites get whipped into a meringue. (That’s a kind of dessert.) The eggs are used as an important ingredient for cake and other pastries. And the eggshells get crushed and used to feed the soil. And isn’t there something else that eggs are used for—a holiday that’s all about eggs?

The Hens That Live on Jack’s Farm explains the many uses for our foods, from nutrition to fertilizer to holiday fun. It also helps connect the circle of consumption, showing gratitude for the plants, animals, and people who nurture our lives. Written by Margo Linn, illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald, and published by Blue Apple Books.

What can you do with the eggs from the hens that live on Jack’s farm? Dye them, hide them, fry them, and more!