4.60 avg rating — 3,695 ratings

"What a story of courage, determination, and victory. Mary Walker lived a full life, born into bondage, gained freedom at age 15, experienced a rich family life but worked hard all along the way, and then at age 116 when life slowed down for her a little, she learned to read. The illustrations are a mixture of paint, color, and collage of paper and print - which is so effective!
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4.49 avg rating — 1,690 ratings

"What a heartfelt story about an old man who has retired to the sea and likes having NOBODY to bother him. One day, a young mom and little girl move in next door. They so want to be his friend. Slowly, he sees the value of their friendship. He leaves messages for the family and the sea tampers with them, of course. This is so humorous! The pictures are a pure delight! What a great book! "

4.36 avg rating — 2,384 ratings

"Lift is the perfect title! In this case, it has a double meaning and that’s what makes this story so special. Minh Le and Dan Santat have teamed together again for another tender, heartwarming book. They are the creators of Drawn Together, a book that I suggest everyone read!

Lift is somewhat a graphic novel, cartoon book, and basically a wordless story. The pictures are essential to understanding the story. Iris gets upstaged one day when her toddler brother gets to push the elevator button. The parents are so proud of the toddler, but, hey that has always been Iris’s job, and to show her displeasure, she pushes all the buttons. This breaks the elevator lift mechanism. When the repair man repairs the elevator, he discards the broken button control. Of course, Iris goes immediately to the retrieve the device, and so begins her child’s play with the LIFT button. For some time, her imagination grows wild taking her to places unknown, but then over time, she hears her little brother calling her and she begins to sense the importance of inclusion play with her little brother. Lifting his spirits, of course. That is how child’s play works the best – team spirit. Until one day, the cat gets involved. Read and see what magically happens! "

4.19 avg rating — 1,055 ratings

"The author – illustrator team has created an energized story about children in creative play. The story is told as first person by a child. It is one long sentence throughout the book. Capital letters are not present. Why? Maybe to emphasize the fact that there are two best friends at play, but they don’t know each other’s name. The i is not important, as this could be anyone’s story. Chalk-like illustrations in shades of green and brown have the look of a vintage 40s or 50s reader. These illustrations are happy and imaginative, perfect for little creative minds.

My favorite quote “she is my best friend i think – i’ve never had a best friend so I’m not sure” This is so true of childhood play. I think back to neighborhood, summer camps, and play wherever I lived. I made friends and some were besties, but time fades their names and details. Who they are is replaced by the whats and wheres. Sensory play…smells, tastes, sounds, feels – it’s those memories that often last a lifetime. Healthy play builds life skills, good character, and warm memories. "

4.33 avg rating — 1,587 ratings

"What a delightful read aloud! This is a fresh new take on helping others and making the most unlikely friendships! What a funny read! The artwork makes the story come alive...from the soft, slimy snail trails while crossing the road, to the perspective of highway and clouds and raindrops falling. Getting to take a look around inside of a snail's shell is delightful! And getting to explore the grassy spots beside the highway just might bring readers good luck! The story has a perfect ending! A must read for all ages! It will brighten your day! "

4.35 avg rating — 1,899 ratings

"A picture book about a long, long day in the life of a father and son who take a hiking trip to the mountains. The words flow naturally as the reader flips the pages. The illustrations play so well with light and shadows. The forest scenes seem to grow up and out of the pages of this book. The double page spreads are incredible for nature lovers! Dad and son's purpose for this trip is incredible and multi-leveled!

Children will probably spend countless hours with this book, telling their own stories. This book is bound to spark imaginary play opportunities for children - for instance, rock climbing, hiking through the forest and along mountain streams.

Look for Caldecott contention! "

4.39 avg rating — 2,751 ratings

"Magical story. Great character building story. The illustrations will keep readers captivated for hours!"

4.25 avg rating — 2,777 ratings

"Outside In is a wonderful concept book showing the beauty of Outside and how this beauty is brought inside. The illustrations are amazing and very eye-appealing to the reader. I shared this book with a five-year old. He was inspired by the illustrations and wanted to draw similar ones. He was interested in the story of how nature finds its way into our lives - what we eat, what touches our lives, what we wear, and when to sleep and when to rise.

Nature was used to create some of the illustrations. Dried flowers and thread were dipped in ink to draw some pictures. The illustrator also used watercolors and powdered graphite to create the artwork.

Together, the author and illustrator offer a wonderful tribute to Outside! "

4.04 avg rating — 1,590 ratings

"The Old Truck persists through the generations if given love, attention, and care. The author / illustrator team, Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey, designed over 250 stamps to tell this story. The designs are eye appealing and show a farm that weathers the years, in the nicest of colors. The artwork will be appealing to readers.

The book seems to encourage girl power. There once was a shiny truck that was important to the life of the farm for a hardworking family. On this farm was a little girl. Over time, the owners aged and so did the truck, but the little girl grows up. Persistence pays off, and as the girl ages, she works hard to restore the family farm and its equipment.

The last page spread has this grown girl, now a mom, with her little girl. This looks somewhat like a social statement – where is dad?

This could easily be a wordless story. Maybe with only one sentence: She dreamed and persisted. The book could be a nice steppingstone for children to consider following their dreams and persisting."

4.38 avg rating — 2,491 ratings

"Bunnies, like people, need face-to-face friends. So guess what? One day, Llewellyn heads out…and…makes a new friend. Together they collect magic in the world!!

The words used in this story are beautifully descriptive. These little bunnies collect everything and then some, like the wonders of winter and the cherry syrup color of a sunset. Their collections are gorgeous. Children and readers can spend countless hours pondering about their many collections, the jar shapes, and their importance! Several full-page stories help to magnify the value of these collections. Even the shape of the jars are perfectly magical! The book is DISTINGUISHED!"

4.54 avg rating — 1,952 ratings

"More than a picture storybook. This is a celebration of an important marvel in nature, our honeybees. Readers that love to eat honey will become more appreciative of every bite they take after reading this book! The text flows like poetry. The illustrations are electrifying; just wait, there is a beautiful surprise near the middle of the story. The author offers a complete study on honeybees, even after the story is done. For at the back of the book, there's a descriptive illustration of the bee's body parts, information on how to help our bees, more buzz about bees, online information, and a bibliography of other great resources.

The artwork in the book is done with oil paint. The pictures look like real photographs! "

4.49 avg rating — 8,865 ratings

"As a children's book, I ponder their understanding of the black snake as related to oil lines. Preserving our waters is of utmost importance. For children, perhaps the story could relate to how children can help preserve these waters. The narrative and illustrations pertaining to Earth, its inhabitants, and nature were absolutely gorgeous!"

4.52 avg rating — 417 ratings

"The artwork is magical and beautiful. This biography and anthology of fables credited to Aesop come to life with the magnificent storytelling of Ian Lendler and the artwork by Pamela Zagarenski. The end material includes information about fables, Aesop, and a bibliography of resources. A wonderful collection for anyone's library - of any age! "

4.16 avg rating — 1,359 ratings

"The illustrator has done a great job of depicting the busy life of the city. Also, there are hints that the daytime was quite busy in the office. It’s such a mess!

The little boy cares so much about his parents. After watching them vigorously clean, he ponders growing up and making less work on janitorial teams, like his parents. The little boy asks so many important questions…Why are your tools so dirty? Why is there so much paper in this kingdom? Why do you have to clean the entire kingdom? Why are the dragons that work in the kingdom so messy? When the dad puts a crown on the little boy’s head, the little fellow asks to see the throne room again. Readers will know the little boy is making plans to improve this situation when he is the grown-up leader!

There’s a great lesson here: clean up after yourself. Don’t cause extra work on parents and others in the community, at school, or at work. I can see the gears working in little reader's minds on values of kindness, helping others, and doing their best. "

4.29 avg rating — 401 ratings

"Before reading the book, I wondered why the fuzzy look to the art. Upon reading this most informative story about a Civil Rights Movement in Baltimore at an Amusement Park in the late 1960s, I see the importance of the muddled look to the illustrations. This story is "looking back" at a hard, important successful time in history that opened up a fun amusement park to all families, all colors, all races. However, we do not, yet, have a clear view of the issue. This book will help readers better understand the rights of fairness, peace, and happiness for all people.

This story shows how people came together and learned to protest peacefully for what they knew was right. They succeeded. This book is a great example for all ages to read and follow today. Very timely publication!!!

The quotation on page one of the story is beautiful: "But no matter their [carousels] colors, the horses all go at the same speed as they circle round and round. They start together. They finish together, too. Nobody is first and nobody is last. Everyone is equal when you ride a carousel.""

4.45 avg rating — 779 ratings

"What a beautiful story! Very valuable lessons to share with readers, age 4 to 104! Matthew Cordell does a wonderful interview about this book and illustrations at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCEctbyn...
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4.29 avg rating — 949 ratings

"The illustrator uses collage, to recycle beautiful and interesting pieces of paper - given to him as well as scraps he has in a bin! He also takes pictures of real people and families and then draws them for this book. It is interesting to hear him speak about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMluN...

This book will open eyes, for all ages. It is well worth the read. And well worth all awards coming its way!!! Caldecott, yes, perhaps!"

4.19 avg rating — 1,116 ratings

"This is a two-fold powerful ode to a child's personal worth and values as viewed through the eyes of a variety of young girls. Alternately, the pages look at a different girl who is validating her importance as ME and then the following page examines who / what is molding that ME into a person of value. Each girl examines a shade of brown in relation to her life through descriptives - deep brown, feathery, amber, radiant, smooth and creamy, thundering, and cozy. These shades of brown are symbolic of their skin and other body features, laughter, power, and peace. But also, the shades are representative of experiences and events with parents, grandparents and siblings that mold the young women's lives.

With a prepared storyteller and planned questions and discussions, this book can be a valuable teaching and learning tool! It would be best shared with early primary and intermediate ages. Taking a positive look at WHO I AM is powerful and healthy for readers to ponder and discuss. This book glorifies family togetherness and individual self worth. In a final full-spread page, the shades of brown are quilted together to represent a magnificent homespun celebration of one's life."

4.23 avg rating — 1,019 ratings

"Follow Old Rock to see why its life has not been boring. Tall Pine, Spotted Beetle, and Hummingbird listen as Old Rock tells how it came to be. They had no idea! This author/illustrator researched her information and has delivered a picture book with a big impact! Without realizing this, readers are getting a fantastic geology lesson of the Earth! There is even a timeline that recaps rock's history - all rolled into a single page. This page will delight readers and leave them wanting to learn more about the earth's history!"

3.88 avg rating — 376 ratings

"Illustrations make this book special. Anyone who has had a teddy bear will be glued to this story. An older child will love this story for the understanding of how a true story became the backbone for this book. A little toddler will watch the every move of the teddy bear. A nice collaboration between author and illustrator.

Helps readers understand how community gardens get started. Lovely addition to any library! "

3.69 avg rating — 87 ratings

" This book gently asks, where is your station where you can meditate best, yoga-fashion!

Together, award-winning author and former teacher, Susan Katz, and illustrator, Anait Semirdzhyan, have created a self-help story for all ages. The illustrations are gentle and soothing in pen and ink and watercolor.
The story, in verse, is also soothing to read and read-aloud to others. The illustrations are pastel shades of yellow, brown, green, red and blue.

The story suggest that readers, like the little bear in the story, practice breathing, stretching, resting, and thinking techniques to allow happy, relaxing, creative, and positive thoughts and ideas.

The little bear is outside of Meditation Station where trains come and go, round and round. The bear watches creatures board the trains and exit, seemingly relaxed. They travel with no baggage, no worries. Little Bear wants to have these relaxed feelings, too! He realizes that his racing thoughts are like fast moving trains. At Meditation Station, little bear watches the trains whiz by and ponders relaxation techniques. Effective train words on the pages allow bear to whoosh out his steamy breath and clickety-clack his thoughts down the track. He pictures the train filled with good wishes, friendship, and nice words to say to others. When the train signal light says, STOP! little bear realizes he must stop, listen, and practice being a happy self.

What a precious story. Children will picture themselves sitting in the middle of a toy train set that’s whizzing by. Everyone loves to watch a train go round and around! This story can help children slow their pace and think positive thoughts.

“Gentle words, gentle thoughts, and gentle illustrations!”"

4.38 avg rating — 1,011 ratings

"All-around fun read and it's poetry! LouAnn is a big bear that lives in the forest. She has a to-do list before winter comes and she needs to hibernates. She wants to cook and eat some sweet treats - doughnuts! However, she is a bear that is well liked by all the other critters in the forest. And so, when good smells come from LuAnn's house, the critters come knocking! Bear is so willing to share to the point that there are simply no doughnuts left for herself. And her tummy is hungry! All of a sudden ROAR! Critters scatter quickly. She is grumpy and sleepy; of course, that is what bears do as winter approaches! So she must sleep hungry! But while she slumbers, the critters plan. What will they do when the big bear awakens?

This book will delight readers of all ages! The illustrations are so sweet and funny! There are 24 delicious doughnuts on the front end-spread. And guess what happens to them on the back end pages? This is a great counting book. There are some nice activities sheets, weblinks, and recipes to go with this wonderful story on the author's webpage."

3.73 avg rating — 240 ratings

"What a powerful book! Educators, of all ages, could use this to kickstart their lessons or units in mathematics or physics. It links well with a study of India and also how educational ideas and communications traveled in the early 1900s around the world.

This is the true story how a little boy dreamed in numbers, day and night. He inspired many others in his lifetime. And his story can inspire learners today. Start by reading the author's note in the back of the book. The story is well-documented and the illustrations by Daniel Miyares are magical and mystical, very fitting for this delightful book.
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4.11 avg rating — 791 ratings

"Nesting is a beautiful black and white sketched book about the life of robins. Blue is occasionally added for sky and to illustrate the robin eggs. Bronze – orange is the only other color and it is used for the cover’s title. Why do you think Henry Cole did so?
This nature book looks at the life cycle of new robins - from their first spring to the next. There are many perils along the way, but if a new robin survives its first year of life, then it will be a strong bird. There are several full-page spreads, usually when the big, old tree is featured. These pictures are spectacular. One of these spreads even shows danger in the midst!
This is a book for all ages. I learned things about the robin that I didn’t know, such as the fact that it is the male robin that sings in my yard as spring approaches. The book works as a picture book for early readers who can tell the story by looking at the pictures. This might be a nice book, for all ages, to color and have as a keepsake. Why not?
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4.11 avg rating — 429 ratings

"Brick by Brick gets the house built. This story takes a look at a young Hispanic family working hard, day by day, at their jobs...Dad is a bricklayer. The little child's job is to learn hard at school. Mama makes a nice home. As the story begins they are in the city living in tall apartments. But in time, daddy has a surprise. Hints are strong. Just look at the illustrations as they drive a distance. The little boy opens his eyes to a big surprise as daddy says when! The illustrations are done with great care using collage and special materials special to the author/illustrator. The skintones come from real brick colors. This is an excellent book to show children how hard work pays off! "

3.76 avg rating — 612 ratings

"What a great book to read aloud! It is sure to have listeners laughing, clapping, and saying SPLASH CRASH right along with the storyteller!

This book is a delightful day at the beach. Mama's given strict orders on which child can swim in the ocean and which is to stay on the shore. So, little Jules has great plans to get her older sister to not swim but to want to play with her by building a most impressive sand castle! However, the ocean keeps messing up her work. Eventually, big sister feels sorry for little sister and comes to help her build a sand castle. They build a MOST EXCELLENT castle until the ocean...Uh-oh! On the way home they are told by Mama that the moon has a hand in controlling the waves. Now, they realize they must watch the ocean and the moon when they build their next sand castle. Too funny! What a great beginning to a complicated science lesson! "

4.09 avg rating — 978 ratings

"Children will enjoy this light-hearted, funny read about a messy Llama. He has such an inventive mind, and thus he clones his cleaning-minded Alpaca friend till his world is overrun with Alpacas! When Llama cooks an aromatic pizza, chaos breaks out. Everyone wants pizza! See how Llama solves this problem. The illustrations are as funny as the story! This would be a great read-aloud story."

3.77 avg rating — 299 ratings

"After feeling rejection at home, a little girl decides to run away to the back yard! She stretches her imagination to find her own space under the lilac tree. But as she does, she begins to plan space for the rest of her family, because they might miss their pet cat, Mango, who has moved in with her! It's a cute story and has incredible full-spread bright illustrations to showcase the little girl's adorable space! "

4.12 avg rating — 584 ratings

"Both the cat and the dog have work to do in this story – hard work. In the beginning of the story we meet Bob. At the end of the story, we see that Bob and Someone are comfortable together and have plans for a long nap. What happens between is rather humorous!
I like the quote, “Someone likes hard work. Hard work pays off.” There is so much truth in this quote! Bob and Someone, both, have hard work to do! The pictures tell what the hard work is for each animal! Shhhhhh is a very big word in this story. Readers can help with the shhhhh sound. In the story, POUNCE is a word that will bring on squeals and peals of laughter from listeners!

The story is filled with emotions! Just look at Bob's eyes. Readers might see determination, surprise, fright, delight, and happiness! The dog seems to be hypnotized as the cat begins to give him a bath. Readers might wonder what is going to happen at the end of the bath.

This is a great read aloud and a good book for beginner readers! "

4.13 avg rating — 372 ratings

"Really nice book about playing with grandfathers and how this play can teach character, confidence, and worthy values in life.

This is a great book for little girls. If a young girl wants to be a pirate, arghhh...so be it!!!"

3.93 avg rating — 859 ratings

"A typical night for a child - putting off bedtime. This story envisions the imaginary play of a child postponing sleep! He compares each step along the way to a different forest animal. Some are noisy and some are quiet. Eventually, the whole forest of animals, rolled into one little child, gets to crawl in bed with mommy and daddy! Then, he falls asleep! What a great story to use when teaching older students how to use similes and metaphors in their writings.

The illustrations include collages and many interesting tribal and nature patterns. "

4.37 avg rating — 745 ratings

"George Washington Carver was an incredible person. This story was good; however, I have read other biographical accountings of George Washington Carver's life that focused more on his education. That is what young picture book readers need. These illustrations are beautiful, especially, in Carver's secret gardens. More about his time exploring with the plants would inspire young to pursue agriculture. Book construction-wise, a glossy page would have made the secret garden shine."

4.21 avg rating — 470 ratings

"A biography of Emily Dickinson. A beautiful look into the thoughts and actions of Dickinson. Would be a wonderful starter for a poetry unit or discussion on Emily's poetry. The illustrations are based on research depicting the world Emily lived in. Bits and pieces of Dickinson's poetry are scattered throughout the book. The illustrator uses beautiful paintings of nature and connects deeply with Emily's words. "

4.06 avg rating — 283 ratings

"Beautiful book about light, natural light, and events and celebrations featuring light. The book reads like poetry and has magnificent illustrations that define these different types of light! A great book to learn about the science of light through the information at the end of the book. Khoa Le, the illustrator, is a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, and painter based in Vietnam. "

4.24 avg rating — 526 ratings

"Life goes full circle in beginning of life for a family welcoming a baby into the home and for a family saying its final goodbyes to the family pet. This is an ordinary day for most around the world but is an extraordinary day for these families featured in this book. A nice book to share with children that may be saying goodbye to their beloved pet. The illustrator, Elizabet Vukovic, is a freelance illustrator born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where she still resides. "