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

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

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

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

Emily and Alex are twins. They have the same birthday. They have the same last name. But somehow, Emily and Alex are also different—as different as brothers and sisters can be. One likes to be inside, while the other likes to be outside. One likes dots and the other likes stripes. One likes to be plain, and one likes to be fancy.

With so much difference between them, do Emily and Alex have anything in common besides being twins? Well, there might be a few things. They both like many cupcakes rather than none at all. And they both might like to be apart when they’re angry—and to be together again when they’re calm.

A sweet, simple story about self-expression, Plain and Fancy shows how our differences can be just as important as our similarities. The companion story to Naughty and Nice, Plain and Fancy is illustrated by celebrated French artist Barroux. Written and published by Harriet Ziefert.

Emily and Alex are twins. Even though they look the same, they’re as different as brothers and sisters can be.

Plain and Fancy

Late, late at night, Miss Mouse hears a strange sound: A sigh, then a scratch, then a scrape, then an odd little cry. Who’s out there? What’s out there? Is it a ghost? Miss Mouse tells her friends about the noises, and they make a plan. If it is a ghost, there must be a way to catch it. Spider spins a web. Bunny supplies some slippery peas. The trap is set.

But as Goat predicts, the trap doesn’t work. What’s the best way to catch a ghost, Miss Mouse asks? With cheese! Come along as Miss Mouse sets out to solve the mystery of the late-night noises—and maybe makes a new friend along the way.

Written by Susan Pearson and illustrated by Amanda Shepherd, Mouse Mystery shows how things can be a lot more fun—and a lot less scary—with friends. The story focuses on themes of sharing, inclusion, and the importance of everyone having a place to call home. Published by Blue Apple Books.

Late at night, Miss Mouse hears a strange sound. Is it a ghost? Cause if it is, she and her friends plan to catch it.

Mouse Mystery

Miss Mouse wants a house. Not a hole in the ground, or a nest, or a web. A real house, with walls and a door and a dandy new floor. Of course, she can’t do it on her own—but her friends are happy to help out. Beaver gathers wood. Spider spins silky curtains. Duck and Sheep bring feathers and wool for a bed. Bunny and Hen team up to make an eggshell chair.

Come along as Miss Mouse and friends put together her new house one piece at a time. There really is no place like home—and no home is complete without twigs and seeds and honey from the bees, and your neighborhood goat’s most wonderful cheese.

Celebrating how our various talents, resources, and preferences make us unique, Mouse House demonstrates how those differences can bring us together. The story also shows how small contributions can make a big impact in the lives of others. Written by Susan Pearson, illustrated by Amanda Shepherd, and published by Blue Apple Books.

Miss Mouse wants a house. But to make her vision come true, she’ll need help from all of her animal friends.

Mouse House

After Barker goes to bed, he hears a noise outside his window in the dark, dark night. Then he hears another. The noises scare Barker. Who is out there howling? Who is out there hooting? What is out there boom-booming? Mommy and daddy come and turn on the light. They explain where the sounds are coming from, and Barker goes back to sleep.

Later, Barker is again woken in the night. Will he be able to go back to sleep, knowing that his mommy and daddy will come if he needs them? Now he knows what the noises are and who made them. Will that be enough to make him feel safe? Come along for this bilingual story of bravery as Barker learns about the unknown.

A ¡Hola, English! title, Sleepy Barker gently introduces the concept of finding reassurance by confronting (and learning about) our fears. The narrative also reminds kids that parents are never far, and that when needed, adults can be looked to for comfort. Written by Harriet Ziefert in both English and Spanish, illustrated by Elliot Kreloff, and published by Blue Apple Books.


In this bilingual tale, Barker hears a noise in the night. Fortunately, mommy and daddy will come if he needs them.

Sleepy Barker

Emily and Alex are twins. They have the same birthday. They have the same last name. But somehow, Emily and Alex are also different—as different as brothers and sisters can be. One likes to be quiet, and one likes to be noisy. One likes to go slow, and one likes to go fast. One likes to be naughty, and one likes to be nice.

With so much difference between them, do Emily and Alex have anything in common other than being twins? Well, there might be a few things. They both like yummy things rather than yucky ones. And they both might like to work together—even if one does push while the other would rather pull.

A sweet, simple story about varying personalities, Naughty and Nice gives a nod to how our differences can be just as important as our similarities. A companion story to Plain and Fancy, Naughty and Nice is illustrated by celebrated French artist Stephane Barroux. Written and published by Harriet Ziefert.

Naughty and Nice

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

Martha Washington grew up on a farm. Dolley Madison helped her mom rent a boarding house. Eleanor Roosevelt became an orphan when she was nine years old. But like so many women before them, they didn’t let their circumstances determine who they’d be. They read, and they wrote. They taught, and they listened. And they left a mark on the world that we still see today in our parks, schools, and workplaces.

From Washington to Obama, come learn from eleven courageous women who did their best to make change for the better. Will you change the world in your own way? And when you do, will your name be listed next to theirs? The whole world is waiting to find out.

Courageous First Ladies Who Changed the World is an introduction to some incredible women who used their time in the White House to help others. Written by Heidi Poelman and illustrated by Giovana Medeiros, the book explores themes of selflessness, perseverance, humility, and the importance of learning. Published by Familius.

Can anyone change the world? These presidential women thought so—and they’ve got the life stories to prove it.

Courageous First Ladies Who Changed The World

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?

A collection of all the latest releases on Vooks, with many more great titles coming soon!

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