Award Winners LibGuide: Honor

Caldecott Honor 1929
Once upon a time, there was an old man and an old woman who were very lonely. They decided to get a cat, but when the old man went out searching, he found not one cat, but millions and billions and trillions of cats! Unable to decide which one would be the best pet, he brought them all home. How the old couple came to have just one cat to call their own is a classic tale that has been loved for generations. Winner of a Newbery Honour, this collector's edition-featuring a heavy interior stock, spot gloss and embossing on the cover, and a thread-sewn binding-will bring this beloved tale to a whole new generation of readers. Millions of Cats is a short and fun story about the dangers of cat addiction, and how it's seemingly so illogical by showing the destructive side of cats, and how they're generally mean and unfriendly and awful pets.

Caldecott Honor 1934
Follows a little bunny as it scampers through the alphabet. This ABC book follows a rabbit on a walk, the illustrations are in black and white but they are so beautiful and engaging. There is some sheet music in the endpapers for an ABC song. This is an alphabet book that follows the journey of Bunny. Bunny is awoken by a falling apple and heads Elsewhere. He meets other animals along the way and gets stuck in a gale. Every page shows an illustration of Bunny doing or experiencing something new. The letters that are the focus of each page are large and red, for example, an "A for Apple, big and red". The letter "A" is shown in red. Not only is the intended reader learning the alphabet, but they are also learning how words rhyme. The last word of each sentence rhymes with the one before, such as "red" and "bed", "Dash!" and "flash". The lettering was uniquely done by hand. The illustrations are black and white but are still detailed. The lack of coloring in the illustrations gives them a dramatic feel. Lines in the grass give it texture and portray movement. When the gale comes, the wind is evident by lines showing motion. Bunny's facial expressions are realistic; without words to describe how he's feeling you can tell Bunny is scared, sleepy, or wary. It's interesting how the author incorporated words with letters. "W" is for "We welcome you!" and there is "X for eXit-off, away!" The last two letters of the alphabet, Y and Z, have nothing to do with Bunny. The focus there is on the reader taking one last glance at the book and then closing it. The ABC song is written down musically in the front and back of the book. Perfect for helping young children memorize and recognize the alphabet.

Caldecott Honor 1935
Blending myth and reality, Constance Rourke aimed to get at the heart of Davy Crockett, whose hold on the American imagination was firm even before he died at the Alamo. Davy Crockett, published in 1934, pioneered in showing the backwoodsman's transformation into a folk hero. It remains basic in the Crockett literature. A mix of biography with hunting, fighting (Indians and at the Alamo), tall-tales about the man. An enjoyable biography of one of my favorite American heroes. The author did an excellent job of balancing facts with folklore so that the book was both informative and entertaining.

Caldecott Honor 1937
While her parents take a long sea voyage in 1830, ten-year-old Phebe Fairchild lives in the Connecticut countryside with her father's family, Puritans who even forbid reading her treasured Mother Goose book. A truthful and absorbing narrative of life in Connecticut in 1830. Phebe Fairchild travels alone by stagecoach from her home in New Haven to spend a year with her country cousins, while her sea-captain father has taken her mother on a long voyage. Through the many adventures of that year and her struggles to keep her greatest treasure, a beloved book, she learns to understand her father’s parting advice, “You’ll need patience and courage a-plenty, but do as you’re told and never be afraid.” Lois Lenski devoted many months of enthusiastic research to making her story rich and accurate in background. She brings to life for young people as well as older readers a fascinating period of New England life. The book is noteworthy as to format, being designed by the artist, and generously illustrated in a manner suggestive of the period.

Caldecott Honor 1938
Based on the real-life adventures of Laura Ingalls Wilder, On the Banks of Plum Creek is the Newbery Honor-winning fourth book in the Little House series, which has captivated generations of readers. This edition features the classic black-and-white artwork from Garth Williams. This middle-grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 6, especially during homeschooling. It's a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom. The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they leave their little house on the prairie and travel in their covered wagon to Minnesota. They settle into a house made of sod on the banks of beautiful Plum Creek. Soon Pa builds them a sturdier house, with real glass windows and a hinged door. Laura and Mary go to school, help with the chores around the house, and fish in the creek. Pa's fiddle lulls them all to sleep at the end of the day. But then disaster strikes, on top of a terrible blizzard, a grasshopper infestation devours their wheat crop. Now the family must work harder than ever to overcome these challenges. The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura's real childhood as an American pioneer and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family sticking together through thick and thin.

Caldecott Honor 1939
Wee Gillis couldn't decide whether he wanted to be a Highlander like his father and stalk stags, or a Lowlander like his mother, and raise long-haired cows. Wee Gillis lives in Scotland. He is an orphan, and he spends half of each year with his mother's people in the Lowlands, while the other half finds him in the Highlands with his father's kin. Both sides of Gillis's family are eager for him to settle down and adopt their ways. In the Lowlands, he is taught to herd cattle, learning how to call them to him in even the heaviest of evening fogs. In the rocky highlands, he stalks stags from outcrop to outcrop, holding his breath so as not to make a sound. Wee Gillis is a quick study, and he soon picks up what his elders can teach him. And yet he is unprepared when the day comes for him to decide, once and for all, whether it will be the Lowlands or the Highlands that he will call his home. Robert Lawson and Munro Leaf's classic picture book is a tribute to the powers of the imagination and a triumph of the storyteller's and illustrator's art.

Caldecott Honor 1940
The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they move from their little house on the banks of Plum Creek to the wilderness of the unsettled Dakota Territory. Here Pa works on the new railroad until he finds a homestead claim that is perfect for their new little house. Laura takes her first train ride as she, her sisters, and their mother come out to live with Pa on the shores of Silver Lake. After a lonely winter in the surveyors' house, Pa puts up the first building in what will soon be a brand-new town on the beautiful shores of Silver Lake. The Ingallses' covered-wagon travels are finally over. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts

Caldecott Honor 1941
To Janey Larkin, the blue willow plate was the most beautiful thing in her life, a symbol of the home she could only dimly remember. Now that her father was an itinerant worker, Janey didn't have a home she could call her own or any real friends, as her family had to keep moving, following the crops from farm to farm. Someday, Janey promised the willow plate, with its picture of a real house, her family would once again be able to set down roots in a community. Blue Willow is an important fictional account of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression and has been called The Grapes of Wrath for children. It won a Newbery Honor and many other awards.

Caldecott Honor 1941
The sixth book in Laura Ingalls Wilder's treasured Little House series, and the recipient of a Newbery Honor. This edition features the classic black-and-white artwork from Garth Williams. The fledgling town of De Smet in the Dakota Territory is hit hard by the brutal winter of 1880-1881. Laura, Pa, Ma, Mary, Carrie, and little Grace face the winter as best they can, but soon, blizzards have covered the town in snow that piles up to the rooftops, cutting the town off from supplies and trade. Food stores begin to run dangerously low. To save the town from starvation, young Almanzo Wilder and a friend brave the conditions, set off across the prairie in search of wheat, and return victorious. The town is saved, and the townspeople share in an unusual, but joyful, Christmas celebration. The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura's real childhood as an American pioneer and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family.

Caldecott Honor 1944
The eighth book in Laura Ingalls Wilder's treasured Little House series. This edition features the classic black-and-white artwork from Garth Williams. Laura is teaching school, and it's terrifying! Most of the students are taller than she is, and she must sleep away from home for the first time. Laura is miserable, but the money is needed to keep Mary in a college for the blind. And every Friday, no matter what the weather, Almanzo Wilder arrives to take Laura home to her family for the weekend. Laura and Almanzo are courting, and even though she's not yet sixteen, she knows that this is a time for new beginnings. The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura's real childhood as an American pioneer and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family.

Caldecott Honor 1948
Nobody could capture the Phantom. She was the wildest mare on Assateague Island. They said she was like the wind, that the white "map" on her shoulders was her mark of freedom. Paul and Maureen Beebe had their hearts set on owning her. They were itching to buy and tame her and worked hard to earn the money that she would cost. But the roundup men had tried to capture her and for two years she had escaped them. Pony Penning Day holds a surprise for everyone, for Paul not only brings in the Phantom but her newborn colt as well. Can Paul and Maureen possibly earn enough to buy them both? This tells the history of how the wild horses ended up on Assateague Island, to begin with. It's fascinating. It was written in the 40s and some of their thinking comes through of course. Paul and Maureen are children living on a horse farm. Paul gets to go to the horse round-up on Assateague. Maureen can't go. Then during the race, Paul could have let her race the Phantom and they let a wishbone decide and of course, it's Paul for the win.

Caldecott Honor 1948
Three soldiers came marching down the road towards a French village. The peasants seeing them coming, suddenly became very busy, for soldiers are often hungry. So all the food was hidden under mattresses or in barns. There followed a battle of wits, with the soldiers equal to the occasion. Stone soup? Why, of course, they could make a wonderful soup of stones but of course, one must add a carrot or two, some meat, so it went. Marcia Brown has made of this old tale a very gay book, a carnival of activity, of dancing and laughter. So much goes on in the pictures that children who have once heard the story will turn to them again and again, retelling the story for themselves. A French version of the story is available under the title Une Drôle de Soupe.

Caldecott Honor 1949
What happens when Sal and her mother meet a mother bear and her cub? A beloved classic is born! Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk! Sal and her mother a picking blueberries to can for the winter. But when Sal wanders to the other side of Blueberry Hill, she discovers a mama bear preparing for her own long winter. Meanwhile, Sal's mother is being followed by a small bear with a big appetite for berries! Will each mother go home with the right little one? With its expressive line drawings and charming story, Blueberries for Sal has won readers' hearts since its first publication in 1948. The adventures of a little girl and a baby bear while hunting for blueberries with their mothers one bright summer day. All the color and flavor of the sea and pine-covered Maine countryside.

Caldecott Honor 1949
Mr. Bontemps introduces a long and varied procession of heroes, like Antar, the black warrior-poet of the desert; the blessed Martín de Porres of old Lima, Peru; Phillis Wheatley, the slave girl poet who charmed Boston and London and won the praise of George Washington; the orator Frederick Douglass; the educator Booker T. Washington; and the scholar and writer, W. E. B. Du Bois. Its scope is wide, for he traces the history of the Negro people from "as far back as it goes" down to the present. But the rich and colorful picture of the Negro in Africa is merely the background for what was to follow when boatloads of stolen men were brought to the shores of America to be sold as slaves. "Along the way," he says, "I tried to make clear how American slavery came about and what causes lay behind the present attitudes toward Negroes on the part of some people." The long, hard struggle that ensued is a story filled with courage and heroism. What adventure stories can rival the tales of the slave ships "Le Rodeur" and the "Saint Leon"; the mutiny of the "Amistad" captives; the insurrection of the Haitian slaves; the accounts of the escapes via the Underground Railroad? What success story can match that of the hotel waiter, Henri Cristophe, who became a "king" and built the Citadel in Haiti that is considered the eighth wonder of the world? But aside from the drama and excitement that fill every chapter, there is an inherent dignity throughout the book, the dignity of a people fighting for freedom, a people about whom too little is known. In writing this much-needed story dispassionately and without bias, Mr. Bontemps has made a significant contribution to the education of the young people of America.

Caldecott Honor 1951
It presents the life and legend of John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, in nine stories, each named for a variety of apple such as those Johnny planted in the Midwest river valleys. Each story takes him westward from the Youghiogheny to the Mississippi. The first edition was illustrated by James Daugherty. The life and legend of Johnny Appleseed presented in nine stories, each named for a variety of apples that Johnny may have planted in the Midwest river valleys. Each story takes him westward from the Youhioheny to the Mississippi.

Caldecott Honor 1952
In the book, Elizabeth Chesley Baity talks about the history of the tribes of people in South and Meso-Americas from the time of the Ice Age when they crossed the Bering Strait up until Spain's arrival. The author gives insight through the archaeologist's findings on how each individual culture of American Indians lived, what their history was, and what became of them. Focusing on the Aztecs, the Mayans, the Iroquois, the Incas, and the different important builders and people throughout the continents, she teaches about each individual group and compares them to the reader's modern life. Though some of the information is outdated now, it is inundated with information and written for children to begin them on the path towards history and archaeology.

Caldecott Honor 1953
An assortment of animals introduces the letters of the alphabet. In 1952 "Ape in a Cape," by Fritz Eichenberg was published using simple text and imaginative drawings to illustrate an alphabet book about all sorts of animals. The short, rhyming phrases not only teach children about the 26 letters used in the English language but help beginning readers learn about the sounds of those letters. The pages are filled with such animals as a carp with a harp, a jay in May, and a vulture with culture. The illustrations are reminiscent of the early 1950s and are not only charming but interesting to look at. Done with pencils, the artwork could easily be displayed in a children's playroom decorated in a retro style. Each picture is done in no more than three or four colors, which are subdued in their tones.

Caldecott Honor 1953
Are there bears on Hemlock Mountain? One boy is about to find out in this classic tale. People have always told Jonathan that there are no bears on Hemlock Mountain, no bears at all. So he isn't afraid to set out alone over the mountain. But as Jonathan discovers one cold winter night, people aren't always right...There are bears on Hemlock Mountain! Jonathan and his family live at the foot of the big hill that is called Hemlock Mountain. One spring, expecting many relatives for a feast, his mother sends him over Hemlock Mountain to fetch a large iron pot from his aunt. All of the adults (except his Uncle James, who has taught him how to observe wildlife) believe that there are no bears on Hemlock Mountain, but Jonathan isn't so sure. Still, he makes it across without meeting any. At his aunt's house he eats too many cookies and falls asleep, starting home just as the sun begins to set. There he sees some bears, and hides under the pot. His father and uncles come to rescue him just in time, and he proudly presents the pot to his mother. This brief book is masterfully crafted, and through Dalgiesh's easy-to-read prose the young reader gets a picture of Jonathan's close-knit, loyal, and sometimes overwhelming colonial family. In one day Jonathan experiences the pleasures of the outdoors, the comforts of the hearth, and the terror of a small child alone at night.

Caldecott Honor 1953
Don't miss one of America's top 100 most-loved novels, selected by PBS's The Great American Read. This beloved book by E. B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature that is "just about perfect." This paper-over-board edition includes a foreword by two-time Newbery winning author Kate DiCamillo. Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter. E. B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. It contains illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E. B. White's Stuart Little and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, among many other books.

Caldecott Honor 1955
Young Sarah learns how to be brave even when the world is strange and new. In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father traveled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family. "Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble," her mother had said, but Sarah found that it was not always easy to feel brave inside. The dark woods were full of animals and Indians, too, and Sarah was only eight! The true story of Sarah's journey is inspiring. And as she cares for her father and befriends her Indian neighbors, she learns that to be afraid and to be brave is the greatest courage of all. The New York Times Book Review described this book as one "to be long remembered for its beautifully written simplicity and dignity."

Caldecott Honor 1957
Count from one to twenty with this treasured classic and Caldecott Honor book, now available in a Classic Board Book edition. 1 is one duckling swimming in a dish 2 is two sisters making a wish 3 is three swallows up in the sky 4 is four sheep nibbling rye. From beloved author-illustrator and Caldecott honoree Tasha Tudor, this sweet counting book is now available as a Classic Board Book! Young ones will delight in the simple text that counts from one to twenty, and they'll be captivated by the charming illustrations of animals, children, and nature. This mathematical picture book explains numbers through twenty by showing an example, telling the numeral value, and telling the word meaning of each number. This book includes detailed illustrations of number examples within nature. This story can help the reader better understand the concept of numbers, visually see what the values mean, and strengthen their comprehension abilities.

Caldecott Honor 1959
An old tramp, adopted by three fatherless children when their mother hides them under a bridge on the Seine, finds a home for mother and children and a job for himself. This is the delightfully warm and enjoyable story of an old Parisian named Armand, who relished his solitary life. Children, he said, were like starlings, and one was better off without them.
But the children who lived under the bridge recognized a true friend when they met one, even if the friend seemed a trifle unwilling at the start. And it did not take Armand very long to realize that he had gotten himself ready-made family; one that he loved with all his heart, and one for whom he would have to find a better home than the bridge. Armand and the children's adventures around Paris, complete with gypsies and a Santa Claus, make a story which children will treasure.

Caldecott Honor 1959
What do you say when: You bump into a crocodile on a crowded city street? Does a nice gentleman introduce you to a baby elephant? The Queen feeds you so much spaghetti that you don't fit in your chair any more? This is the funniest book of manners you'll ever read! This book tries to teach manners (no idea if it's successful) and avoids being totally condescending and didactic by putting them all in the case of bizarre, childish make-believe scenarios. What do you say when you're walking back to town (because you like to do that) and bump into an alligator? What do you say when you're flying your plane and remember the Duchess asked you to drop in, so you do and break her roof? A handbook of etiquette for young ladies and gentlemen to be used as a guide for everyday social behavior.

Caldecott Honor 1960
A young boy relates his adventures during the year he spends living alone in the Catskill Mountains including his struggle for survival, his dependence on nature, his animal friends, and his ultimate realization that he needs human companionship. Every kid thinks about running away at one point or another; few get farther than the end of the block. Young Sam Gribley gets to the end of the block and keeps going, all the way to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a huge hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. In a spellbinding, touching, funny account, Sam learns to live off the land and grows up a little in the process. Blizzards, hunters, loneliness, and fear all battle to drive Sam back to city life. But his desire for freedom, independence, and adventure is stronger. No reader will be immune to the compulsion to go right out and start whittling fishhooks and befriending raccoons.

Caldecott Honor 1961
Tucker is a streetwise city mouse. He thought he'd seen it all. But he's never met a cricket before, which really isn't surprising, because, along with his friend Harry Cat, Tucker lives in the very heart of New York City, the Times Square subway station. Chester Cricket never intended to leave his Connecticut meadow. He'd be there still if he hadn't followed the entrancing aroma of liverwurst right into someone's picnic basket. Now, like any tourist in the city, he wants to look around. And he could not have found two better guides, and friends, than Tucker and Harry. The trio has many adventures, from taking in the sights and sounds of Broadway to escaping a smoky fire. Chester makes a third friend, too. It is a boy, Mario, who rescues Chester from a dusty corner of the subway station and brings him to live in the safety of his parents' newsstand. He hopes at first to keep Chester as a pet, but Mario soon understands that the cricket is more than that. Because Chester has a hidden talent and no one, not even Chester himself, realizes that the little country cricket may just be able to teach even the toughest New Yorkers a thing or two.

Caldecott Honor 1963
Mr. Rabbit helps a little girl find a lovely present for her mother, who is especially fond of red, yellow, green, and blue. The author of such classics as My Granson Lew, Williams's Doll, and Over and Over needs no introduction. Neither does her collaborator Maurice Sendak, who has illustrated so many of today's best-loved, as well as most distinguished, books for children. The heroine of their book has a problem. And at first, it does not look as though Mr. Rabbit is going to be much help in solving it. For everyone knows you cannot give your mother a red roof, a yellow taxi-cab, a green caterpillar, or a blue lake for her birthday. But then all the little girl had said was that her mother liked red, yellow, green and blue, and so Mr. Rabbit was trying. How he and the little girl come up with the absolutely perfect present makes a story the youngest reader will love. And the wondrously bright full-color pictures will bring hours of pleasure to readers and lookers of all ages.

Caldecott Honor 1965
"Chee! Chee!" Inside Jay's dark pocket Cricket began fiddling. The talking stopped. Everybody listened. A Caldecott Honor classic that celebrates friendship and new experiences-back in print on its 40th anniversary One afternoon late in August, before the start of a new school year, Jay finds Cricket. Cricket fits just right in small spaces-like under a tea strainer or in Jay's very own pocket-and Cricket makes the most exciting sounds. But what happens when it's time to go back to school? Will Cricket come too? Forty years after its original publication, this charming tale continues to capture the imaginative world of a child.

Caldecott Honor 1966
A variation on the Rumpelstiltskin story as an old woman's beautiful daughter is married to a king who covets her skills at the spinning wheel. Like his distant cousin Rumplestiltskin, Tom Tit Tot is a small, magical creature who offers to help a young woman with her impossible sewing requirements. In the kind of comedy of errors that can only occur in English folk tales, the heroine eats too many pies, marries a king who has eyes only for her spinning wheel and makes a deal to save her life. The only question is, can she guess her benefactor's name and prevent trading one form of servitude for another? The late Caldecott medalist Evaline Ness's charming illustrations are appropriately fantastic and strange; each page appears to have been carved in wood, complementing the historical feel of the narrative's language. In a time when many classic folk tales and fairy tales are being distilled into unrecognizable forms, Tom Tit Tot, a Caldecott Honor Book, keeps this classic story as refreshingly pure and unrefined as it was 100 ago or more.

Caldecott Honor 1968
Winter is coming, and all the mice are gathering food, except for Frederick. But when the days grow short and the snow begins to fall, it's Frederick's stories that warm the hearts and spirits of his fellow field mice. While other mice are gathering food for the winter, Frederick seems to daydream the summer away. When dreary winter comes, it is Frederick the poet-mouse who warms his friends and cheers them with his words. A cute little beginning book story about making it through hard times. Sometimes, it’s not only about the physical things you need like food, but it’s also about hope and stories. 5 little mice are gathering food for the winter to come. Frederick soaks up the sun, colors, and words. He knows those things are needed throughout the winter. When they run out of food, Frederick shares his gifts and it makes the mice feel better.

Caldecott Honor 1969
Sun and his wife, the moon, lived on Earth and built a large house so that the water people could visit. But so many poured in that they were forced to move to the sky. Sun and Water are friends and Sun always goes to visit water. Sun wants water to come to visit him and water warns the sun that he has to build an extra big house. Sun does this and invites water over and water brings all his family with him. He keeps asking if it’s ok to let more family in and the Sun says yes. Eventually, water floods the home, and the Sun and Moon must go up in the sky as there is no room left. It’s another world story about the great flood.

Caldecott Honor 1970
Generations of children have read, re-read, and loved Ezra Jack Keats's award-winning, classic stories about Peter and his neighborhood friends. Now, for the first time, Peter's Chair, A Letter to Amy, and Goggles! are available in paperback exclusively from Puffin. This story is a tale about Peter and his friend Archie finding some cool-looking motorcycle goggles and then, of course, running into some over-aggressive preteens. It will take some bravery, ingenuity, and a really clever dog to make it out in one piece. “Goggles” is a Caldecott Honor Book by Ezra Jack Keats and it is about how Peter and Archie manage to outwit a gang of bullies who tried to steal their goggles. “Goggles” is a great book about how to deal with bullies, but it does have a scene of violence that might worry small children.

Caldecott Honor 1970
A rhythmical nonsense tale, illustrated in watercolors, tells of love, tears, laughter, and family life. Pop Corn and Ma Goodness are going about their way when a rainy day and a slippery path cause them to take a tumble - right into one another. The rest, as they say, is history. The smitten couple marries, build a house, start a farm, defeat a bear, get a hound dog, and have children. The season's pass and their family flourishes. Her story takes place in the late 1700's early 1800's. A tale of the human experience all told in a whimsical wordy way. When two people meet during a head bumping tumble down the hill, the circle of life happens as the story proceeds.

Caldecott Honor 1971
Celebrate the power of friendship in these five adventurous stories starring Frog and Toad. This classic I Can Read story is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It's a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children. From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to find lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other, just as best friends should be. Frog and Toad Are Friends is a Level Two I Can Read a book, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help. Why do I love Frog and Toad? I'm not really sure. Not much really happens in these stories. The illustrations are beautiful but rather small. The eponymous friends carry on their friendship through mild misunderstandings and misadventures, always ready to forgive each other and forget. These gentle stories are among my favorite kids' books.

Caldecott Honor 1971
From the acclaimed author-artist, Maurice Sendak comes a tale of a fantastical dream world. This comic fantasy will delight readers of all ages with playful illustrations and an imaginative world only Sendak could create. In the Night Kitchen is the classic story of Mickey's adventures in the bakers' kitchen as they prepare our morning cake. "Milk in the batter! Milk in the batter! We bake a cake and nothing's the matter!" the bakers sing. The bakers in the night kitchen need more milk for their batter, but then Mickey falls into the cake! They decide to put him in the oven anyway, but Mickey has different plans. He escapes in a plane made of bread dough and helps the bakers find the milk at last. "A celebration of the primal, sensory world of childhood and an affirmation of its imaginative potency," proclaimed Children's Books and Their Creators.

Caldecott Honor 1972
An old lady who hates everything about night tries all sorts of methods to chase it away. In this Caldecott Honor picture-book, an old woman named Hildilid lives high in the hills and hates the night above all things. She tries capturing the night in a sack, tying it up with vines, shaking her fist at it, but the night takes no notice - until it disappears. Hildilid hated the night, and she did everything she could think of to be rid of it. From tying it up, to feed it to her dog, to finally spitting at it in disgust, there was nothing she didn't try. Despite these efforts, the night remained indifferent and immovable, going nowhere. Until, that is, the coming of the dawn. Unfortunately for Hildilid, by that time she was worn out, going to bed and missing the bright day.

Caldecott Honor 1973
Anansi the Spider is one of the great folk heroes of the world. He is a rogue, a mischief-maker, and a wise, lovable creature who triumphs over larger foes. In this traditional Ashanti tale, Anansi sets out on a long, difficult journey. Threatened by Fish and Falcon, he is saved from terrible fates by his sons. But which of his sons should Anansi reward? Calling upon Nyame, the God of All Things, Anansi solves his predicament in a touching and highly resourceful fashion. In adapting this popular folktale, Gerald McDermott merges the old with the new, combining bold, rich color with traditional African design motifs and authentic Ashanti language rhythms.

Caldecott Honor 1974
Readers worldwide recognize Caldecott Medal winner David Macaulay's imaginary Cathedral of Chutreaux. This critically acclaimed book has been translated into a dozen languages and remains a classic of children's literature and a touchstone for budding architects. Cathedral's numerous awards include a prestigious Caldecott Honor and designation as aNew York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year for Macaulay's intricate pen-and-ink illustrations. Journey back to centuries long ago and visit the fictional people of the twelfth-, thirteenth-, and fourteenth-century Europe whose dreams, like a cathedral, stand the test of time.

Caldecott Honor 1975
Jambo Means Hello introduces children to the Swahili alphabet with helpful pronunciation keys, while presenting East African culture and lifestyles through an easy-to-understand narrative and vivid illustrations. This Caldecott Honor book is very informative in a way that is still easy for students to understand and enjoy. At the beginning of the book, there is an introduction to the language of Swahili and a map showing the countries in which Swahili is spoken. On each page of the book, there is a Swahili word that starts with each letter of the English alphabet. For example, on the "A" page the word "arusi" is introduced. The pronunciation of the word is provided along with a brief description of what the word means. The author chooses words that elementary students would be familiar with such as "school" and "friend." This book would be great to use with lower elementary students. Not only does it reinforce the English alphabet and introduce a new language, but it also teaches a great deal of African culture as well. It would be a great read-aloud in a classroom when learning about African culture. The illustrations in the book are all done in black and white but are large and detailed. The pictures reinforce the word that is introduced on that particular page.

Caldecott Honor 1976
Strega Nona, "Grandma Witch", is the source for potions, cures, magic, and comfort in her Calabrian town. He is supposed to look after her house and tends her garden but one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit Strega Amelia, Big Anthony recites the magic verse over the pasta pot, with disastrous results. In this retelling of an old tale, author-illustrator Tomie dePaola combines humor in the writing and warmth in the paintings as he builds the story to its hilarious climax. Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola is the first book in a classic children's literature series from the 1970s and 1980s. Strega Nona is the town witch or healing woman. People come to see her for any ails they have. She is getting older, so she hires Big Anthony to help her out with chores. Big Anthony sees her using her magic pasta pot and he is so excited he has to tell everyone and they laugh at him. So, when Strega goes to visit a friend Big Anthony fires up the pot. The town is so impressed with him, but he didn’t see the full details to turn it off. A blob of pasta begins to threaten the city and Strega Nona has to save the town.

Caldecott Honor 1977
Determined to learn to fly, Rudy adopts a hawk hoping that their kinship will bring him closer to his goal. Baylor introduces us to a boy with a passion, but it's not a real passion and he deceives himself into believing that he just might be closer to his dream if he had a hawk of his own, a hawk he could call "brother." The picture book, Hawk, I'm Your Brother, by Byrd Baylor was an interesting depiction of a boy named, Rudy Soto. Rudy Soto has always had the dream of flying. He steals a hawk from Santos Mountain thinking that if he becomes this bird's brother he too will be able to learn how to fly. Rudy soon finds out that this is not possible, but he learns many things about himself when deciding to free his red- tail hawk.

Caldecott Honor 1978
The word itself conjures up mystery, romance, intrigue, and grandeur. What could be more perfect for an author/illustrator who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern man? With typical zest and wry sense of humor punctuating his drawings, David Macaulay traces the step-by-step planning and construction of both castle and town. This book explains the creation and construction of Lord Kevin’s castle. This is a progressional tale and it explains the tools, materials, and workers used and needed to build the castle. Through this book, readers will see and experience the amount of time and methodical work put into the construction of a castle.

Caldecott Honor 1980
The story of Ben is fiction, but it could be the story of more than one jazz musician who grew up in the twenties. Using the art-deco style of the period, Rachel Isadora not only captures the poignancy and yearning of youthful talent but in page after page of striking art seems to convey the very sound of music. Ben lives close to the zig-zag jazz club and he loves the music. He has his imaginary trumpet and he is always playing that for his family. He plays sitting everywhere and he is always hanging around the jazz club listening. He loves the trumpet most. The trumpet player sees him and takes a liking to him.

Caldecott Honor 1980
Sometimes that very thin line between illusion and reality is not as clearly defined as we would like it to be. It certainly wasn't the day that Alan Mitz stumbled into the garden of Abdul Gasazi. For in this bizarre and eerie place, where strange topiary trees loomed, the evil visage of Gasazi casts its shadow. And even after Alan escaped, the spell of Gasazi still seemed to penetrate into his everyday world. In this extraordinary, unusual, and unique picture book, Chris Van Allsburg explores both the real and surreal worlds with incredible deftness. In doing so, he has created exquisite and beautiful images that will continue to haunt readers long after they have left the enchanted garden of Abdul Gasazi.

Caldecott Honor 1980
Three times a voice comes to Isaac in his dreams and tells him to go to the capital city and look for a treasure under the bridge by the royal palace. Feeling a little foolish perhaps, but determined to see for himself if the dream is true, Isaac sets out on his long journey. What he finds makes a surprising and heart-warming ending to this retelling of a well-known folk tale. In a few words, Caldecott Medal winner Uri Shulevitz draws a man who is innocent enough to have faith in a dream, and wise enough to understand the greatest reward of all. Isaac's solitary journey, his arrival at the vast city, and his discovery there are all enriched by Mr. Shulevitz's beautifully detailed illustrations, which masterfully capture the spirit of the original tale while keeping it simple enough for the very youngest reader. The Treasure is a 1980 Caldecott Honor Book and a 1979 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year.

Caldecott Honor 1981
The Grey Lady loves strawberries. But so does the Strawberry Snatcher, and unfortunately for the Grey Lady, he is not far away and getting closer all the time. Past flower shops and bakeries he stalks her, silently, steadily, biding his time. He pursues her by foot along haunting red-brick paths, and then by skateboard into the mysterious depths of a swamp both beautiful and terrifying. Closer and closer he gets, and yet the Grey Lady escapes him, in fantastic and marvelously improbable ways, until, in the heart of the forest the Strawberry Snatcher discovers instead blackberries! In this wordless allegory, author-illustrator Molly Bang has created a visual feast full of surprise and wonder. Her lively tale skillfully blends fantasy, suspense, and humor, and the magnificent illustrations are a treat for young and old alike.

Caldecott Honor 1981
The truck is written and illustrated by the celebrated creator of Freight Train, Bigmama's, School Bus, and many other classic and award-winning picture books for young children. The truck was named a Caldecott Honor Book by the American Library Association and was also named an ALA Notable Book for Children. It is an ideal book to share with preschoolers, both at home and in the classroom, especially those who love books about transportation! In this wordless picture book, a large, bright red trailer truck packed with tricycles moves through pages of fog, truck stops, and crowded highways. In this wordless book, we see a large truck on its journey from loading up through to final destination. Neo was able to notice the truck’s trip and those it encountered along the way, including all the signs and different sorts of vehicles that share the road. Weather also changes along the journey, which will surely help determine how well the TRUCK can do their job.

Caldecott Honor 1982
Have you ever seen a man dressed entirely in playing cards? Or a girl wearing a lollipop dress? Then take a stroll through a most unusual market in this Caldecott Honor Book created by Anita Lobel and Arnold Lobel. Here is a world of wonders, from A to Z. Inspired by seventeenth-century French trade engravings, Anita Lobel's brilliant paintings of the shopkeepers on Market Street, each composed of his or her wares, will provide blissful hours for all who join the Lobels on an unforgettable shopping spree. In a delightful and unusual book, a boy trots down Market Street buying presents for a friend, each one starting with a letter of the alphabet. Every letter is illustrated by a figure ingeniously composed of, for instance, apples or wigs or quilts. The notion is original, and the sum total enjoyable and unique.

Caldecott Honor 1982
With Papa off to sea and Mama despondent, Ida must go outside over there to rescue her baby sister from goblins who steal her to be a goblin's bride. This book is dark, mysterious, magical. The father is away at sea. The mother is depressed, aloof, sitting alone in the arbor, most likely experiencing postpartum depression. Ida, the older sister, is the one who must watch over her baby sister but turns away while playing her horn, neglectful. With her back turned, faceless goblins enter through the window stealing away the baby and leaving an ice version of a baby in its place. Ida scoops up the changeling that the goblins left behind which then melts in her arms. In pursuit of her sister, Ida goes out the window backward to “outside over there,” off to a baby goblin wedding, where the only real baby is her sister. Ida is eventually successful in recovering her sister by putting the goblins into a dancing frenzy with her tune. When she safely returns home with the baby, her mother reads a letter from her father asking her to watch over her baby sister “which is just what Ida did.”

Caldecott Honor 1982
Over the blazing campfires, where the wind moaned eerily through the thickets of juniper and fir, they spoke of it in the Indian tongue, the strange lake to the southward whose waters never rest. And Nawa, the medicine man, who had lived such countless moons that not even the oldest member of his people could remember a time when Nawa was not old, declared that, if only you arrived at the right time, on the right night, you would see the buffaloes rise out of the middle of the lake and come crowding to the shore; for there, he said, was the sacred spot where the buffaloes began. Ten-year-old Little Wolf, an imaginative and courageous boy, is determined to observe this spectacle, and his quest leads not only to a miraculous vision but also to the salvation of his tribe. This Caldecott Honor picture book and National Book Award nominee was hailed by Booklist as "an eminent picture book and, incidentally, one that proves that black and white can move as forcefully as color." The New York Times praised artist Stephen Gammell for his spectacular scenes of tumbling clouds, of earth churned by flying hoofs, of teepees in the early dawn. But most of all he conveys the hulking, surging, rampaging strength of the shaggy buffaloes as they rise out of a shadowy mist, the mist of legend or dream.

Caldecott Honor 1982
Inspired by William Blake's Songs of Innocence andSongs of Experience, this delightful collection of poetry for children brings to life Blake's imaginary inn and its unusual guests. This is a book that tells the tale of a young boy who is sick and his nanny tells him a tale of an Inn where William Blake stays and the adventures of the tenants through poetry. In this poetic Fantasy, there is an Inn that William Blake owns. His staff is filled with all kinds of animals who hold very important tasks. These tasks are things such as baking, washing the sheets, and showing people to their rooms. Dragons, rabbits, and angels are some of the staff that fulfill the roles in this place. This story is written as a poem, giving great adventure and advice to all travel.

Caldecott Honor 1983
This classic and award-winning picture book was written and illustrated by the celebrated Vera B. Williams and was named a Caldecott Honor Book by the American Library Association. This picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It's a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children. After their home is destroyed by a fire, Rosa, her mother, and grandmother save their coins to buy a really comfortable chair for all to enjoy. A Chair for My Mother has sold more than a million copies and is an ideal choice for reading and sharing at home and in the classroom. A superbly conceived picture book expressing the joyful spirit of a loving family.

Caldecott Honor 1983
For twenty years, Cynthia Rylant's story of childhood in the Appalachian Mountains has been an enduring favorite. Growing up in the mountains is depicted with a spare, lyrical text and beautiful, tender illustrations by Diane Goode. This seems like a memoir of a girl's time growing up in the coal mining mountains and all the good times she had there. It is nice to see what a loving environment she had to grow up in. She had a dark water hole that snakes would be in and they would jump in anyway. Their grandma killed a long black snake and they took a picture with it draped over the shoulders of 4 kids to show how big it was. A small girl describes her simple life in the mountains, from the title we know that she is looking back to a life a long time ago. Daily routines are described through the eyes of a child.

Caldecott Honor 1984
This spectacular reimagining of one of Grimm's most beloved cautionary tales is brought to life by Caldecott Medal-winning artist Jerry Pinkney. In this inspired rendering of the classic Grimm Brothers folktale, Caldecott Medal-winning artist Jerry Pinkney introduces two favorite children's characters to a new generation: the sly, scary wolf and the sweet little girl in her famous red hood. Readers will squeal with delight all over again during that most memorable scene when Little Red Riding Hood declares, "Oh, Grandmamma, what great teeth you have!" Pinkney's charming, masterfully-wrought illustrations, as warm and cozy as Little Red's cloak and as captivating as the clever wolf himself, are sure to lure you into the heart of this treasured tale.

Caldecott Honor 1984
This is a simple and sweet beginning number book counting down from 10 to 1 and then going to bed. A gentle rhyming bedtime/counting book, with colorfully expressive illustrations, Molly Bang's Ten, Nine, Eight is a soothing lullaby for young children (about their various bedtime routines), whilst also counting down from the numbers ten to one. This backward countdown takes place in the room of a little girl, whose father is preparing her for bed. First shown are ten toes; second, come nine toys; third, come eight squares on the window panes; fourth come seven shoes; fifth come six seashells; sixth come five buttons; seventh come four eyes; eighth come three kisses; ninth come two arms; lastly comes one big girl.

Caldecott Honor 1985
Paul O. Zelinsky gives us a unique, fascinating interpretation of one of the most enduring of all Grimm tales, Hansel and Gretel. His paintings here will captivate readers with their mysterious beauty, emotional power, and brilliant originality. Each spread brings to life a world as detailed, colorful, and sensual as our own, yet filled with the unearthly shadowed magic of the tale. Whether portraying the fear and anguish of abandoned children, the delight over a sumptuous candy house, or the joy of being reunited with one's family, the artist captures both physical and emotional nuance. Poet Rika Lesser's spare retelling, based on the tale's first transcription and first appearance in print, preserves the Grimm story in all its elemental power.

Caldecott Honor 1985
An anxious mother duck leads her brood around the pond as she searches for one missing duckling. This almost wordless book is great for very young children, as they try to find the wayward duckling in each picture. Mama Duck spends some time looking for her eighth duckling, and asking other pond-dwelling creatures if they have seen it; while the reader is encouraged to locate the missing duckling in each double-page illustration. Children can also count the ducklings in each picture. The pictures are well-executed, but the artist keeps them simple and large, so very young children can understand what is going on.

Caldecott Honor 1985
Based on a Native American legend, this is the tale of a compassionate, courageous mouse who journeys to a far-off land and becomes a magnificent soaring eagle. "You will reach the far-off land if you keep hope alive within you." The words of Magic Frog give courage to the young mouse on his long and perilous journey to reach the wonderful land of legend. He faces many obstacles on his quest and sacrifices much to help others in need. But the mouse's compassion and faith in himself prove to be a source of great power, and bring him rewards even beyond his dreams.

Caldecott Honor 1986
When a carload of their relatives pays a visit, a beleaguered family cannot tell one cousin from another. In a rainbow-colored station wagon that smelled like a real car, the relatives came. When they arrived, they hugged and hugged from the kitchen to the front room. All summer they tended the garden and ate up all the strawberries and melons. They plucked banjos and strummed guitars.
When they finally had to leave, they were sad, but not for long. They all knew they would be together next summer.

Caldecott Honor 1987
The village of Tos is like no other village in the world, for in this village the women live in roundhouses and the men live in square ones. The story of how this came to be is told from the point of view of a young girl who grew up there. In this village, the woman and children live in the roundhouses and the men live in the square houses. The men come and visit in the roundhouse. Each enjoys the company they keep and they are happy with this arrangement. We later find out that this was done after the volcano went off one night long ago. Only two houses were left standing - around and a square. So everything started from there and the village grew.

Caldecott Honor 1988
This memorable retelling of Cinderella is perfect for introducing children to the fairy tale as well as the history, culture, and geography of the African nation of Zimbabwe. Inspired by a traditional African folktale, this is the story of Mufaro, who is proud of his two beautiful daughters. Nyasha is kind and considerate, but everyone, except Mufaro, knows that Manyara is selfish and bad-tempered. When the Great King decides to take a wife and invites the most worthy and beautiful daughters in the land to appear before him, Mufaro brings both of his daughters, but only one can be queen. Who will the king choose? Award-winning artist John Steptoe's rich cultural imagery of Africa earned him the Coretta Scott King Award for Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters. The book also went on to win the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. This stunning story is a timeless treasure that readers will enjoy for generations.

Caldecott Honor 1989
A young boy dreams of daring adventures in the company of imaginary creatures inspired by the things surrounding his bed. When he falls asleep with a book in his arms, a young boy dreams of an amazing dream, about dragons, about castles, and about an unchartered, faraway land. And you can come along. This wordless picture book has won the Caldecott Honor in 1989 and is intended for children in the third-fifth grade. This story is about a boy who falls asleep with an atlas in his arms. He then has a dream where his bedspread turns into an aerial view of the earth. On his journey, he plays chess on an enormous chessboard complete with mortal playing pieces. This medieval welcoming party leads the boy to a castle with dragons where he continues his search for an elusive map.

Caldecott Honor 1989
"Once upon a time, there lived a little girl named Goldilocks, who was very, very good, except that sometimes she forgot to do things that her mother told her to do. Yes, she did... " But worse is when she forgets not to do what she is told not to do. For sometimes that can lead to much more serious trouble....like what happened the day of this story. McClintock's art, which is reminiscent of 19th Century children's book art, perfectly compliments Aylesworth's playful, original, and very involving rendition of the classic Three Bears story. Goldilocks and the Three Bear by Jim Aylesworth and illustrated by Barbara McClintock is a retelling of a classic folktale. Aylesworth sticks to the traditional tale but adds in his personal writing style. McClintock’s art also sticks to a traditional style, but she adds in humorous expressions, especially on Goldilock's face.

Caldecott Honor 1989
To win first prize in the Junior Cakewalk, Mirandy tries to capture the wind for her partner. Mirandy wants to dance with brother Wind. She heard if you can catch the wind, you can have it do your bidding and Mirandy knew she was a good dancer, she just needed an excellent partner and who better than the wind. She tries all kinds of things to catch the wind. Her friend Ezel just laughs at her. He wants to dance with her.

Caldecott Honor 1990
Shapes and colors in your zoo, lots of things that you can do. Heads and ears, beaks and snouts, that's what animals are all about. I know animals and you do too; make some new ones for your zoo. Color Zoo, by Lois Ehlert, is a creative book that introduces children to a variety of shapes and colors by using them to create animals. The thick and brightly colored pages feature cut-outs of shapes that allow one animal to transform seemingly into another with just the turning of a page. A tiger becomes a mouse and a goat becomes a snake, all by changing just one shape. Although there isn't much storyline to speak of, the book is a bold and engaging demonstration about the power of colors and shapes in our world, and children will be amazed to see some of their favorite animals transform into others right in front of their eyes. The book closes with a recap of all the shapes and colors used and the animals that we were able to create with them.

Caldecott Honor 1990
A traveler rids a village synagogue of goblins by outwitting them. Kimmel tells a tale of the Jewish village of Ostropol in Eastern Europe similar to Isaac Bashevis Singer's tales of the village of Chelm. Supernatural occurrences especially haunt by goblins are the norm, and in this situation, the goblins have stolen Chanukah from the village. Even the rabbi is fearful of countering these goblins and the villagers are resigned each year to live without a Chanukah celebration. That is until Hershel appears and agrees to spend the entire eight nights and days of Chanukah in the old shul atop the hill in order to defeat the goblins and bring about a miracle.

Caldecott Honor 1990
A Southern folktale in which kind Blanche, following the instructions of an old witch, gains riches, while her greedy sister makes fun of the old woman and is duly rewarded. This is a spellbinding tale of two sisters, their mother, an old witch-woman, some very odd animals, and a whole lot of talking eggs. Based on a Creole folktale first collected by Alcee Fortier in the 19th century Louisiana, The Talking Eggs is the story of two sisters - the lazy, unpleasant Rose, and the hard-working, kindhearted Blanche - and the very different rewards they are given, for their very different behavior, while a guest in the home of a powerful old witch-woman. Blanche, who is much put upon by her mother and sister, follows the witch's instructions to the letter, politely refraining from laughing at the old woman's two-headed cow and colorful chickens, cooking the dinner just as she is told to do, and taking the magical eggs (the ones that say "take me") she has been offered. Rose, on the other hand, is pointedly rude about the witch's odd animal companions, complains about the dinner (which doesn't turn out nearly as well as Blanche's), and grabs the jeweled eggs she has not been given leave to take. Predictably, one sister is rewarded with wealth and fortune, and the other with a retinue of snakes, wasps, and wolves, that pursues her home.

Caldecott Honor 1991
Here are Little Guy, Little Pumpkin, and Little Bird. Their grownups love them. So will you. From beneath the tickles, kisses, and unfettered affection showered on them by grownups, the children in Vera B. Williams' Caldecott Honor Book cry out for more more more! The stars of three little love stories - toddlers with nicknames like "Little Pumpkin" - run giggling until they are scooped up by adoring adults to be swung around, kissed, and finally tucked into bed. Quirky watercolor drawings and colorful text feature multiethnic families, and young readers will rejoice in seeing the center of all the attention: the wiggly, chubby, irresistible toddlers.

Caldecott Honor 1991
A beautifully illustrated retelling of the beloved fairy tale from Caldecott Medal-winning author Jerry Pinkney. For generations, children have been enchanted by the tale of the clever cat in fancy boots who outsmarts a king and a sorcerer to win a castle and a bride for his penniless master. The humor, the magic, and a lush Renaissance setting are all on glorious display, and a well-placed gatefold adds to the drama. This elegant new edition of Charles Perrault's folktale is essential for every child's library. Read it in tandem with other Pinkney classic picture books like The Little Red Hen and The Lion and the Mouse.

Caldecott Honor 1992
Ringgold recounts the dream adventure of eight-year-old Cassie Louise Lightfoot, who flies above her apartment-building rooftop, the 'tar beach' of the title, looking down on 1939 Harlem. Part autobiographical, part fictional, this allegorical tale sparkles with symbolic and historical references central to African-American culture. The spectacular artwork resonates with color and texture. Children will delight in the universal dream of mastering one's world by flying over it.

Caldecott Honor 1993
"It's a pillar," says one. "It's a fan," says another. One by one, the seven blind mice investigate the strange Something by the pond. And one by one, they come back with a different theory. It's only when the seventh mouse goes out-and explores the whole Something-that the mice see the whole truth. Based on a classic Indian tale, Ed Young's beautifully rendered version is a treasure to enjoy again and again. Seven Blind Mice retells the story of the three blind men who mistake an elephant for a tree, a snake, and a rope. There are apparently numerous versions of the story throughout history as it's a perfect way to explain the danger of misconceptions. Ed Young's version seems to follow most closely a Buddhist rendering of the tale which involves nine interpretations of the elephant.

Caldecott Honor 1993
The entire book, with its unconventional page arrangement and eclectic, frenetic mix of text and pictures, is a spoof on the art of book design and the art of the fairy tale. The individual tales, such as The Really Ugly Duckling and Little Red Running Shorts, can be extracted for telling aloud, with great success. A wonderfully wacky selection of tales. Scieszka so effortlessly twists the traditional to the strange and unconventional, sprinkled with just the right amount of humor for good measure. The narrative defies all kinds of orders and would be a superb postmodern picturebook to use within KS1 and LKS2. From characters taking control, overwhelming the rather intrusive narrator, and popping up in stories where they do not belong, all structure is lost and the book becomes carnage in the best kind of way.

Caldecott Honor 1993
This child's view of the long day's work in the cotton fields, simply expressed in a poet's resonant language, is a fresh and stirring look at migrant family life. This is a story of one girl's family and a day in the life of picking cotton. They get to the fields before the sun comes up and then they pick cotton all day long until the sun goes down. With beauty and a sense of both pain and pleasure, Sherley Anne Williams describes the typical backbreaking day of a family of African American iterant migrant farmworkers (who are harvesting cotton). Narrator Shelan (who is one of the children, and all of the children, except for baby Leanne, must in fact help with the harvesting) describes how the whole family arrives before dawn and labors until nightfall to fill their sacks with cotton, with fluffy white clouds that might smell like morning and sweetness but still require much toil and effort to collect, to glean. Both poetic and at times also realistically harsh, Shelan’s narration is entirely presented in her dialect, her family’s vernacular, and although especially the phrasing and the verb endings (or rather, the lack thereof) may indeed require careful reading (for not only children but potentially also for adults reading Working Cotton with or to children), this most definitely and appreciatively adds necessary authenticity and color, as a difficult way of life is depicted.

Caldecott Honor 1994
Award-winning author/illustrator Denise Fleming gives young readers a frog's eye view of life in a pond throughout the seasons in the Caldecott Honor Book, In the Small, Small Pond. A child explores the wonders of the natural world in this rhyming, beautiful bright colored picture storybook about the lives of small animals and insects living around a freshwater pond. It's Springtime and a bright green frog leaps out of the tall, tall grass and lands in a small, small pond. Splash! Tadpoles and minnows scatter. Summer passes, turtles drowse in the sun and dragonflies hover in the air above. Fall arrives as ducks paddle by and the colors change. Finally, snowfalls. The little frog burrows deep into the pond and waits for spring to come again.

Caldecott Honor 1994
Retells the life of the legendary African American hero who raced against a steam drill to cut through a mountain. With his two sledgehammers pulverizing boulders, John Henry races a steam drill tunneling through a mountain. It's a deadly contest of man-vs-machine written with such power that this African-American folk hero becomes as awesome as a force of nature, yet as familiar as an older brother. Pinkney's stunning art shows John Henry's energy bursting from nature.

Caldecott Honor 1994
Owen had a fuzzy yellow blanket. "Fuzzy goes where I go," said Owen. But Mrs. Tweezers disagreed. She thought Owen was too old for a blanket. Owen disagreed. No matter what Mrs. Tweezers came up with, Blanket Fairies or vinegar, Owen had the answer. But when school started, Owen't mother knew just what to do, and everyone, Owen, Fuzzy, and even Mrs. Tweezers, was happy. Owen loves his blanket and he’s getting big, so his parents are trying to take it or have him give it up. He’s about to start school and he can’t take it with him. There are many cute scenes of him and his blanket. They come up with a great ending to the story of how Owen does give up the blanket. It’s a smart idea. That blanket is very gross after all it goes through.

Caldecott Honor 1994
In the tradition of Lois Lowry and Paul Fleischman, Elisa Bartone's Caldecott Honor-winning book gives children a glimpse into American history and the immigrant experience. This is the story of Peppe, who becomes a lamplighter to help support his immigrant family in turn-of-the-century New York City, despite his papa's disapproval. Peppe's family is very poor, and though he is just a boy he needs to find work. Being a lamplighter is not the job his father had dreamed of for Peppe, but when Peppe's job helps save his little sister, he earns the respect of his entire family. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

Caldecott Honor 1994
Raven, the Native American trickster, feels sorry for those who must live in darkness, and he decides to help. He flies over mountains, valleys, and lakes and discovers that light is being kept hidden inside the house of the Sky Chief. Using his cleverness, Raven finds a way to bring light to the world. Raven, the trickster, wants to give people the gift of light. But can he find out where Sky Chief keeps it? And if he does, will he be able to escape without being discovered? His dream seems impossible, but if anyone can find a way to bring light to the world, wise and clever Raven can!

Caldecott Honor 1994
Two strangers on a street meet. One boy starts with Yo! Two kids meet on a street. "Yo!" says one. "Yes?" says the other. And so begins a conversation that turns strangers into friends. With vibrant illustrations, Chris Raschka's rhythmic read-aloud is a celebration of differences, and how it just takes a few words to overcome them. This is a beginning little story about an introvert and an extravert. Each page has one or two words for each character going back and forth. The extravert is asking to be friends by getting his attention with ‘Yo’ and the introvert doesn’t get what’s going on. He is unsure of what’s happening. Eventually, they get there and they do become friends.

Caldecott Honor 1995
Working in an American primitive style animated by the humor and storytelling genius for which he is renowned, Caldecott Winner artist Paul O. Zelinsky puts oils to cherry and maple for this tall-tale competition between a Tennessee woods-woman extraordinaire and a hungry, fearsome bear. Thundering Tarnation has a bottomless appetite for settler's grub. When word goes out about a competition to hunt this four-legged forest of stubble, a young woman, second to none in buckskin bravery, signs up. "How about baking a pie, Angel?" the other hunters taunt. "I aim to," says Swamp Angel. "A bear pie."What follows is as witty a round of roughhousing as ever jostled the ranks of Americana. Anne Isaacs' original text unfolds in a crackling combination of irony, exaggeration, and bold image-making. Zelinsky's paintings respond with deft yet hilarious expressions, rhythmic shapes, and a sense of monumental motion, as benefits a heroine who can wield a tornado-like a lasso, drink a lake dry, and snore down a forest. In the course of these grand shenanigans, the Great Smoky Mountains are stirred up, Montana's short-grass prairie laid down, and Thundering Tarnation's fate proves to have no less a reach than the starry heavens. Swamp Angel marks the debut of a promising new storyteller and adds to the tall-tale traditions a pictorial counterpart that will entertain and endure for a long time to come.

Caldecott Honor 1995
Time Flies, a wordless picture book, is inspired by the theory that birds are the modern relatives of dinosaurs. This story conveys the tale of a bird trapped in a dinosaur exhibit at a natural history museum. Through Eric's use of color, readers can actually see the bird enter into a mouth of a dinosaur, and then escape unscathed. Eric Rohmann's Caldecott Honor-winning debut is now available as a Dragonfly paperback. It is at once a wordless time-travel adventure and a meditation on the scientific theory that dinosaurs were the evolutionary ancestors of birds. The New York Times Book Review called Time Flies "a work of informed imagination and masterly storytelling unobtrusively underpinned by good science, and entirely absorbing narrative made all the richer by its wordlessness."

Caldecott Honor 1996
The urban landscape will never look the same again. As Stephen T. Johnson demonstrates in a series of strikingly realistic pastels and watercolors, a simple sawhorse can contain the letter "A" while lampposts alongside a highway can form a row of elegant, soaring Ys. A 1996 Caldecott Honor book, this sophisticated, wordless alphabet book is sure to appeal to young and old alike. This is a unique and artistic alphabet book, especially good for children from preschool through early elementary, who will have fun picking out the shapes of familiar letters in everyday objects, some of which are less obvious than others. From the side of a sawhorse that resembles the letter A to the fire-escape that looks like a Z, each page shows the photorealistic painting of the letter in its urban setting with no text to distract the reader.

Caldecott Honor 1996
A friendship is tested by love and magic in this beautiful retelling of a traditional tale from the French West Indies. On the lush tropical island of Martinique live Clement and Hippolyte, two inseparable friends. When Clement falls in love with the beautiful Pauline, Hippolyte agrees to join his best friend on his journey to propose marriage. But when Pauline accepts Clement's proposal, it enrages her uncle Monsieur Zabocat, reputed to be a quimboiseur, a wizard. To prevent the wedding, the old wizard lures Hippolyte into a deadly trap, forcing him to choose between his friend's safety and his own.

Caldecott Honor 1996
Hare solves his family's problems by tricking rich and lazy Bear in this funny, energetic version of an old slave story. With roots in American slave tales, Tops & Bottoms celebrates the trickster tradition of using one's wits to overcome hardship. Bear’s father worked hard, but now bear just sleeps. He sleeps through the growing season. One day Hare comes over and makes a deal. He’ll do the planting and split the crop ‘tops and bottoms’. Bears call tops, so Hare plants carrots and beets and tubers. So the bear only gets the tops of those things and the rabbit gets the most vegetables. Bear is upset and he next wants the bottoms. Hare agrees and he plants lettuce and all kinds of good vegetables. Bear is left with the roots and Hare, again, gets most of the good vegetables. Next Bear wants a new crop and he gets the tops and bottoms. Hare agrees and plants corn. Hare keeps the middle and bears again lose out. As usual, Stevens' animal characters, bold and colorful, are delightful. It's all wonderful fun, and the book opens, fittingly, from top to bottom instead of from side to side, making it perfect for story-time sharing.

Caldecott Honor 1996
The perfect introduction to musical instruments and a counting book that redefines the genre. When this book begins, the trombone is playing all by itself. But soon a trumpet makes a duet, a french horn a trio, and so on until the entire orchestra is assembled on stage. Written in elegant and rhythmic verse and illustrated with playful and flowing artwork, this unique counting book is the perfect introduction to musical groups. Readers of all ages are sure to shout "Encore!" when they reach the final page of this joyous celebration of classical music. This fun and a delightfully engaging picture book about musical instruments and the various sounds they make is truly a small but mighty gem. Featuring an engaging, poetic text (Lloyd Moss has really captured the essence of each of the presented instruments with his delightful, fun onomatopoeic verses) and combined with Marjorie Priceman's bright and lively, descriptive, and me dancing illustrations.

Caldecott Honor 1997
Letters of the alphabet are pictured in various imaginative positions. An incredibly sophisticated take on the ABC book. At the best of times, the illustration of letters did play with the letter shape such as in the case of "i" "d" and "x". But even with the weaker letters, a lot is going on that is made to look simple. Most of the vocabulary could work for early readers (like "circle", "knot", "fire" and "noddles".) "Avalanche" and " Universe" might be a little more difficult. Every page in this book has a different letter of the alphabet. The illustrations are each based on a word that starts with that letter. This unique presentation is suitable for younger children that are still learning the alphabet, but it is also interesting enough to grab the attention of older kids.

Caldecott Honor 1997
This book contains a lullaby which asks animals such as a lizard, monkey, and water buffalo to be quiet and not disturb the sleeping baby. In this sweet and enchantingly lyrical marriage of text and images, in Minfong Ho's Hush! A Thai Lullaby, a Thai mother repeatedly admonishes the fauna in both her domicile and the neighboring woods to "hush" (as her baby is supposedly sleeping). The presented onomatopoeic diverse animal sounds (from the wee-wee of a tiny mosquito to the hoom-praa of a massive elephant) combined with the soothing cadence and rhythm of the author's repetitive verses become increasingly soothing and almost somniferous (although ironically and very much humorously, even after all of the animals, as well as the mother, are indeed and finally fast asleep, the baby alone remains awake, his eyes bright, round and alert).

Caldecott Honor 1997
A boy and his dog savor the silence of the early morning as they deliver papers. A quiet mood piece that depicts the bond between a paperboy and his dog. Human and canine both struggle to rouse themselves, eat breakfast from bowls and have an intimate knowledge of their route. Pilkey paints their shared experiences with a graceful economy of language. This book (originally published in 1996) is the very simple story of the morning routine of a young boy who delivers the morning papers. The process is nicely delineated, we see the truck deliver the piles of paper to the boy's house, the boy gets them ready for his bag, and the boy and his dog ride around their small town delivering them before anyone is awake. After their job is done, the two head home for some more sleep.

Caldecott Honor 1997
"If they had seen what we see, they would have judged as we judge.", Galileo Galilei. In every age, there are courageous people who break with tradition to explore new ideas and challenge accepted truths. Galileo Galilei was just such a man, a genius, and the first to turn the telescope to the skies to map the heavens. In doing so, he offered objective evidence that the earth was not the fixed center of the universe but that it and all the other planets revolved around the sun. Galileo kept careful notes and made beautiful drawings of all that he observed. Through his telescope he brought the stars down to earth for everyone to see. By changing the way people saw the galaxy, Galileo was also changing the way they saw themselves and their place in the universe. This was very exciting, but to some to some, it was deeply disturbing. Galileo has upset the harmonious view of heaven and earth that had been accepted since ancient times. He had turned the world upside down. In this amazing new book, Peter Sís employs the artist's lens to give us an extraordinary view of the life of Galileo Galilei. Sís tells his story in language as simple as a fairy tale, in pictures as rich and tightly woven as a tapestry, and in Galileo's own words, written more than 350 years ago and still resonant with truth. This title has Common Core connections.

Caldecott Honor 1998
By the author-and-illustrator team of the bestselling, The Library Lydia Grace Finch brings a suitcase full of seeds to the big gray city, where she goes to stay with her Uncle Jim, a cantankerous baker. There she initiates a gradual transformation, bit by bit brightening the shop and bringing smiles to customers' faces with the flowers she grows. But it is in a secret place that Lydia Grace works on her masterpiece, an ambitious rooftop garden, which she hopes will make even Uncle Jim smile. Sarah Stewart introduces readers to an engaging and determined young heroine, whose story is told through letters written home, while David Small's illustrations beautifully evoke the Depression-era setting. Colored by a Depression-era setting, The Gardener introduces readers to a winsome young heroine, whose generosity will reward all who meet her.

Caldecott Honor 1998
A poem celebrating the people, sights, and sounds of Harlem. Walter Dean Myers calls to life the deep, rich, and hope-filled history of Harlem, this crucible of American culture. Christopher Myers' boldly assembled collage art resonates with feeling and tells a tale all its own. Words and pictures together connect readers of all ages - to the spirit of Harlem in its music, art, literature, and everyday life, and to how it has helped shape us as a people. Harlem: “A promise of a better life. A place where a man didn’t have to know his place simply because he was black.” Those who came to Harlem brought with them a song, first heard in the villages of Ghana and Senegal, and now left flowing through this city: “a new sound, raucous and sassy.” Religion, music, and art fill the souls of the people of this city as they hope, and pray, and sing, and paint, and write. The voices of Langston, Countee, Du Bois, and Baldwin shape this city. And on the streets you can see “a carnival of children, stickball heroes, hide-and-seek knights, and ladies, waiting to sing their own sweet songs, living out their own slam dunk dreams, listening for the coming of the blues.” Barbecues, fried fish joints, Sunday Night Gospel, collard greens. A collective “sound, a celebration, memories of feelings, a place”. A journey that has not ended: Harlem.

Newbery Honor 1998
An old favorite as you've never seen it before! Everyone knows the song about the old lady who swallowed a fly, a spider, a bird, and even worse, but who's ever seen what's going on inside the old lady's stomach? With this inventive die-cut artwork, Simms Tabak gives us a rollicking, eye-popping version of the well-loved poem. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly is a goofy lyrical book that was rewritten from a 1940s American folk poem by Simms Taback and is also a Caldecott Honor Book. It's bold, whimsical and the illustrations are awesome. There is a hole that's cut out of each page to reveal the eaten animal in the old ladies' belly. The artwork is really bright and colorful. It's such a fun and silly book that kids love.

Caldecott Honor 1999
The award-winning author/illustrator team of Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, creators of the popular picture book Alvin Ailey, present a swinging, vibrant picture title about the jazz composer Edward Kennedy Ellington, better known as Duke. His name was Duke. Duke Ellington. As a child, he said piano made an umpy-dump sound that was headed nowhere worth following. But, years later, he heard the piano played a whole new way. People called the music "ragtime", and soon the sound had Duke's fingers riding the piano keys. Duke began to compose his own melodies, which led him to form a band, The Washingtonians. Before long, the group was performing at the swankiest hangouts in Harlem, including The Cotton Club, but under a new name: Duke Ellington and His Orchestra. Soon the whole country swung to Duke's beat.

Caldecott Honor 1999
When David Shannon was five years old, he wrote and illustrated his first book. On every page were these words: NO, DAVID! and a picture of David doing things he was not supposed to do. Now David is all grown up. But some things never change. Over fifteen years after its initial publication, NO, DAVID! remains a perennial household favorite, delighting children, parents, and teachers alike. David is a beloved character, whose unabashed good humor, mischievous smile, and laughter-inducing antics underline the love parents have for their children--even when they misbehave. When author and artist David Shannon was five years old, he wrote a semi-autobiographical story of a little kid who broke all his mother's rules. He chewed with his mouth open (and full of food), he jumped on the furniture, and he broke his mother's vase! As a result, all David ever heard his mother say was "No, David!" Here is his story.

Caldecott Honor 1999
"It's snowing, said the boy with dog. "It's only a snowflake," said grandfather with a beard. No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. Not even the television or the radio forecasters. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it. Uri Shulevitz's playful depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, poetic text and lively watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations. The book starts off with an image of a gray city and then suddenly, one snowflake starts falling towards the city and the boy with a dog tells everyone that it is snowing, but no one believes him. Then more snowflakes start falling and the radio and television said that there would be no snow, but…

Caldecott Honor 1999
A father's diary, an artist's memoir. By the author of the best-selling Three Golden Keys. While my father was in China and Tibet, he kept a diary, which was later locked in a red box. We weren't allowed to touch the box. The stories I heard as a little boy faded to a hazy dream and my drawings from that time make no sense. I cannot decipher them. It was not until I myself had gone far, far away, and received the message from my father that I became interested in the red box again. In New York, Peter Sis receives a letter from his father. "The Red Box is now yours," it says. The brief note worries him and pulls him back to Prague, where the contents of the red box explain the mystery of his father's long absence during the 1950s. Czechoslovakia was behind the iron curtain; Vladimir Sis, a documentary filmmaker of considerable talent, was drafted into the army and sent to China to teach filmmaking. He left his wife, daughter, and young son, Peter, thinking he would be home for Christmas. Two Christmases would pass before he was heard from again: Vladimir Sis was lost in Tibet. He met with the Dalai Lama; he witnessed China's invasion of Tibet. When he returned to Prague, he dared not talk to his friends about all he had seen and experienced. But over and over again he told Peter about his Tibetan adventures. Weaving their two stories together - that of the father lost in Tibet and that of the small boy in Prague, lost without his father - Sis draws from his father's diary and from his own recollections of his father's incredible tales to reach a spiritual homecoming between father and son.

Caldecott Honor 2000
Only the person who gave us Tuesday could have devised this fantastic Caldecott Honor-winning tale, which begins with a school trip to the Empire State Building. There a boy makes friends with a mischievous little cloud, who whisks him away to the Cloud Dispatch Center for Sector 7 (the region that includes New York City). The clouds are bored with their everyday shapes, so the boy obligingly starts to sketch some new ones. The wordless yet eloquent account of this unparalleled adventure is a funny, touching story about art, friendship, and the weather, as well as a visual tour de force.

Caldecott Honor 2000
A gorgeous, Caldecott Honor-winning version of the classic story. For over one hundred years The Ugly Duckling has been a childhood favorite, and Jerry Pinkney's spectacular adaptation brings it triumphantly to new generations of readers. With keen emotion and fresh vision, the acclaimed artist captures the essence of the tale's timeless appeal: The journey of the awkward little bird, marching bravely through hecklers, hunters, and cruel seasons--is an unforgettable survival story; this blooming into a graceful swan is a reminder of the patience often necessary to discover true happiness. Splendid watercolors set in the lush countryside bring the drama to life in this hardcover picture book.

Caldecott Honor 2000
This beautifully designed book tells the story of a little girl named Sophie, who learns that it's okay to be angry. Everybody gets angry sometimes. For children, anger can be very upsetting. Parents, teachers, and children can talk about it. People do lots of different things when they get angry. In this Caldecott Honor book, kids will see what Sophie does when she gets angry. What do you do? Sophie handles it in a great way. She explodes and then runs outside and climbs a big tree to look at the world.

Caldecott Honor 2001
The quirky, hilarious farmyard tale that started it all from New York Times bestselling duo of Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin! Now the inspiration for a new Christmas special, CLICK, CLACK, MOO: Christmas on the Farm. Farmer Brown has a problem. His cows like to type. All-day long he hears Click, clack, MOO. Click, clack, MOO. Clickety, clack, MOO. But Farmer Brown's problems REALLY begin when his cows start leaving him notes. Doreen Cronin's understated text and Betsy Lewin's expressive illustrations make the most of this hilarious situation. Come join the fun as a bunch of literate cows turn Farmer Brown's farm upside down.

Caldecott Honor 2001
Have fun with Olivia... -dressing up -singing songs -building sand castles -napping (maybe) -dancing -painting on walls -and whew! going to sleep at last. Olivia is good at many things such as wearing people out and dressing herself up in different types of clothes. Olivia also has a little brother named Ian, a mom and dad, a dog named Perry, and a cat named Edwin that she lives with. Olivia loves going to the beach and building sandcastles and she loves going to museums and imagining herself as a ballerina dancing on stage. After Olivia has a day of strenuous activities, she goes off to bed, dreaming of doing more things.

Caldecott Honor 2002
Can you fathom a time when almost no one in the world knew what a dinosaur looked like? That was true in the mid-nineteenth century, until Victorian artist Waterhouse Hawkins built the first life-size models of dinosaurs, first in his native England and later in New York City, and dazzled the world with his awe-inspiring creations. With impeccable attention to detail, Barbara Kerley unearths a story of consuming passion, triumph, loss, and courage, and ultimately, of an extraordinary legacy that lives on today. Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick celebrates this complex and fascinating individual through luminous, soul-stirring paintings that form a visual masterpiece.

Caldecott Honor 2002
Illustrated by Bryan Collier Winner of the 2001 NY Times Best Illustrated Children's Book Award, Rappaport weaves her simple and graceful text and the words of Martin Luther King Jr. into a captivating narrative, telling the story of Dr. King's life in a way that is entirely accessible for young readers. A chronology and bibliography offer the resources for exploring his life further, and stunning, full-color collage art by the 2001 Coretta Scott King Medal winner Bryan Collier offers an unforgettable portrait of a man who helped change the world forever. By using simple, direct language, much of it King's, the text offers young readers an accessible yet profound introduction to King's legacy. It explains that as a child, he listened to his minister father's "big words" and vowed to inspire others with such words when he grew up. The book's final sentence: "His big words are alive for us today," testifies to King's success, and to the timeless importance of this great leader's ideals. As further inspiration for interested readers, Martin's Big Words includes a list of significant dates as well as a bibliography of resources for them to explore.

Caldecott Honor 2002
This picture book has all the earmarks of a classic. Simont gets it all right. Caldecott Medalist Marc Simont's heartwarming tale of a stray dog is told with tender simplicity and grace. When a little dog appears at a family picnic, the girl and boy play with him all afternoon, and they name him Willy. At day's end, they say good-bye. But the dog has won their hearts and stays on their minds. The following Saturday the family returns to the picnic grounds to look for Willy, but they are not alone, the dog catcher is looking for him, too! A heartwarming story of a stray dog and the family who meets him on a picnic one day. They leave him after their day of fun, thinking he must have a family (or using this as an excuse not to worry about him) but the children, and even Mom and Dad!, can't stop thinking about him. Will he be there when they go back?

Caldecott Honor 2003
Hondo the dog has a fun day at the beach while Fabian the cat stays home. " Wake up, Hondo. Time to go!" Hondo will have an adventure. Fabian will stay home. A dog named Hondo and his friend Fred is going to the beach for a day of excitement. Fabian the cat is left behind at home to play with the baby. Who will cause more trouble? And who will have more fun? Peter McCarty's exquisite illustrations and understated wit turn an ordinary day in the lives of two pets into a rare delight.

Caldecott Honor 2003
Trixie, Daddy, and Knuffle Bunny take a trip to the neighborhood Laundromat. But the exciting adventure takes a dramatic turn when Trixie realizes some bunny was left behind? Using a combination of muted black-and-white photographs and expressive illustrations, this stunning book tells a brilliantly true-to-life tale about what happens when Daddy's in charge and things go terribly, hilariously wrong.

Caldecott Honor 2003
"'Will you walk into my parlor,' said the Spider to the Fly..." is easily one of the most recognized and quoted first lines in all of the English verse. But do you have any idea how the age-old tale of the Spider and the Fly ends? Join celebrated artist Tony DiTerlizzi as he takes drawing inspiration from one of his loves, the classic Hollywood horror movies of the 1920s and 1930s shines a cinematic spotlight on Mary Howitt's warning, written to her own children about those who use sweet words to hide their not-so-sweet intentions.

Caldecott Honor 2004
When a bus driver takes a break from his route, very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place-a pigeon! But you've never met one like this before. As he pleads, wheedles, and begs his way through the book, children will love being able to answer back and decide his fate. In his hilarious picture book debut, popular cartoonist Mo Willems perfectly captures a preschooler's temper tantrum.

Caldecott Honor 2004
Ella Sarah may be little, but she has a BIG sense of style, and it isn't at all like that of her mother, father, and older sister. Yet they all want her to dress just like them! Ella Sarah will have none of it, and when she flamboyantly dressed friends arrive, it's clear that Ella Sarah's favorite outfit is just right for her. Written and illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine, this spirited, Caldecott Honor-winning story will gently nudge young children toward independence, providing plenty of exuberant colors and patterns to identify along the way.

Caldecott Honor 2004
A nose for digging? Ears for seeing? Eyes that squirt blood? Explore the many amazing things animals can do with their ears, eyes, mouths, noses, feet, and tails in this interactive guessing book, beautifully illustrated in cut-paper collage, which was awarded a Caldecott Honor. Readers can explore the many amazing things animals can do with their ears, eyes, mouths, noses, feet, and tails in this beautifully illustrated interactive guessing book.

Caldecott Honor 2005
This book is about a book. A magical red book without any words. When you turn the pages you'll experience a new kind of adventure through the power of story. Winning a Caldecott Honor for its  illustrations of rare detail and surprise, The Red Book crosses oceans and continents to deliver one girl into a new world of possibility, where a friend she's never met is waiting. And as with the best of books, at the conclusion of the story, the journey is not over.

Caldecott Honor 2006
The first "manned" hot-air balloon is about to take off! But what are those noises coming from the basket? Based on the (POSSIBLY) true report of a day in 1783, this is the story of (PERHAPS) the bravest collection of flyers the world has ever seen, as (SORT OF) told to Marjorie Priceman. What happened on the first hot air balloon ride? Well, no one really knows because the first passengers were a duck, sheep, and rooster. Marjorie Priceman gives some background about the first flight in France and then creates a nearly wordless story about the adventures of these three animals. They get tangled in the laundry, fill their basket with water, and quack, baaa, and cock-a-doodle-doo their way safely to the ground. The end pages include details about the Montgolfier brothers' early balloon flights.

Caldecott Honor 2006
She had not sought this moment but she was ready for it. When the policeman bent down to ask "Auntie, are you going to move?" all the strength of all the people through all those many years joined in her. She said, "No." An inspiring account of an event that shaped American history Fifty years after her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus, Mrs. Rosa Parks is still one of the most important figures in the American civil rights movement. This picture- book tribute to Mrs. Parks is a celebration of her courageous action and the events that followed. Award-winning poet, writer, and activist Nikki Giovanni's evocative text combine with Bryan Collier's striking cut-paper images to retell the story of this historic event from a wholly unique and original perspective. Rosa is a 2006 Caldecott Honor Book and the winner of the 2006 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award.

Caldecott Honor 2006
From spring's first thaw to autumn's chill, the world of the pond is a dramatic place. Though seemingly quiet, ponds are teeming with life and full of surprises. Their denizen, from peepers to painted turtles, duckweed to diving beetles, lead secret and fascinating lives. A unique blend of whimsy, science, poetry, and hand-colored woodcuts, this Caldecott Honor-winning collection invites us to take a closer look at our hidden ponds and wetlands. Here is a celebration of their beauty and mystery.

Caldecott Honor 2006
Jon J Muth, the author of the best-selling book, The Three Questions, has crafted another profound and winning picture book." Michael," said Karl. "There's a really big bear in the backyard." This is how three children meet Stillwater, a giant panda who moves into the neighborhood and tells amazing tales. To Addy, he tells a story about the value of material goods. To Michael, he pushes the boundaries of good and bad. And to Karl, he demonstrates what it means to hold on to frustration. With graceful art and simple stories that are filled with love and enlightenment, Jon Muth, and Stillwater the bear, present three ancient Zen tales that are sure to strike a chord in everyone they touch.

Caldecott Honor 2007
Feast your eyes on these amazing creatures before they disappear. This stampede of wild animals, from Chinese Alligator to Grevy's Zebra, are so rare, they're all endangered. David McLiman's bold and playful illustrations transform each letter into a work of art, graphically rendered with animal characteristics. Scales, horns, even insect wings transform the alphabet into animated life. Once you take this eye-opening safari, you'll never look at letters or animals in the same way again. A striking work of art and a zoological adventure, Gone Wild is sure to be loved by children and adults alike.

Caldecott Honor 2007
Born into slavery, Harriet Tubman hears these words from God one summer night and decides to leave her husband and family behind and escape. Taking with her only her faith, she must creep through the woods with hounds at her feet, sleep for days in a potato hole, and trust people who could have easily turned her in. But she was never alone. In the lyrical text, Carole Boston Weatherford describes Tubman's spiritual journey as she hears the voice of God guiding her north to freedom on that very first trip to escape the brutal practice of forced servitude. Tubman would make nineteen subsequent trips back south, never being caught, but any as profound as this first one. Courageous, compassionate, and deeply religious, Harriet Tubman, with her bravery and relentless pursuit of freedom, is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. This is a unique and moving portrait of one of the most inspiring figures of the Underground Railroad. Kadir Nelson's emotionally charged paintings embody strength, healing, and hope.

Caldecott Honor 2008
WHICH CAME FIRST? The chicken or the egg? Simple die-cuts magically present transformation-- from seed to flower, tadpole to frog, caterpillar to butterfly. The acclaimed author of Black? White! Day? Night!and Lemons Are Not Red gives an entirely fresh and memorable presentation to the concepts of transformation and creativity. The seed becomes a flower, paint becomes a picture, the word becomes a story, and the commonplace becomes extraordinary as children look through and turn the pages of this novel and winning book. First, the Eggby bestselling author and illustrator Laura Vaccaro Seeger is a 2008 Caldecott Honor Book and a 2007 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year.

Caldecott Honor 2008
A stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist. Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves' birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom, but that dream seems farther away than ever when he is torn from his family and put to work in a warehouse. Henry grows up and marries, but he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Then one day, as he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows exactly what he must do: He will mail himself to the North. After an arduous journey in the crate, Henry finally has a birthday, his first day of freedom.

Caldecott Honor 2008
Trixie can't wait to bring her one-of-a-kind Knuffle Bunny to school and show him off to everyone. But when she gets there, she sees something awful: Sonja has the same bunny. Suddenly, Knuffle Bunny doesn't seem so one-of-a-kind anymore. Chaos ensues until the bunnies are taken away by Ms. Greengrove. After school, Trixie finally gets her beloved bunny back. But in the middle of the night, Trixie realizes something. She has the wrong bunny! Daddy comes to the rescue again as a midnight swap is arranged with the other bunny, the other little girl, and the other daddy. Needless to say, the daddies are not very happy. By the end of the story, Trixie has her beloved bunny back, but she has also gained something new: her very first best friend. In the tradition of the Caldecott Honor-winner KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE, this is another heartfelt, hilarious picture book that children (and their parents) will love.

Caldecott Honor 2008
"I was born at the beginning of it all, on the Red side--the Communist side, of the Iron Curtain." Through annotated illustrations, journals, maps, and dreamscapes, Peter Sís shows what life was like for a child who loved to draw, proudly wore the red scarf of a Young Pioneer, stood guard at the giant statue of Stalin, and believed whatever he was told to believe. But adolescence brought questions. Cracks began to appear in the Iron Curtain, and news from the West slowly filtered into the country. Sís learned about beat poetry, rock 'n' roll, blue jeans, and Coca-Cola. He let his hair grow long, secretly read banned books, and joined a rock band. Then came the Prague Spring of 1968, and for a teenager who wanted to see the world and meet the Beatles, this was a magical time. It was short-lived, however, brought to a sudden and brutal end by the Soviet-led invasion. But this brief flowering had provided a glimpse of new possibilities, creativity could be discouraged but not easily killed. By joining memory and history, Sís takes us on his extraordinary journey: from an infant with a paintbrush in hand to young man borne aloft by the wings of his art. This title has Common Core connections. The Wall is a 2007 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, a 2008 Caldecott Honor Book, a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year, the winner of the 2008 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction, and a nominee for the 2008 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids.

Caldecott Honor 2009
When James and Eamon go to a week of Nature Camp and stay at Eamon's grandparents' house, it turns out that their free time spent staying eating waffles, and playing video games is way more interesting than nature. But sometimes things work out best when they don't go exactly as planned. This Caldecott Honor-winning book is a moving and hilarious celebration of young boys, childhood friendships, and the power of the imagination, where Marla Frazee captures the very essence of summer vacation and what it means to be a kid.

Caldecott Honor 2009
Having fled from war in their troubled homeland, a boy and his family are living in poverty in a strange country. Food is scarce, so when the boy's father brings home a map instead of bread for supper, at first the boy is furious. But when the map is hung on the wall, it floods their cheerless room with color. As the boy studies its every detail, he is transported to exotic places without ever leaving the room, and he eventually comes to realize that the map feeds him in a way that bread never could. The award-winning artist's most personal work to date is based on his childhood memories of World War II and features stunning illustrations that celebrate the power of imagination. An author's note includes a brief description of his family's experience, two of his early drawings, and the only surviving photograph of himself from that time. How I Learned Geography is a 2009 Caldecott Honor Book and a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Caldecott Honor 2009
When he wrote poems, he felt as free as the Passaic River as it rushed to the falls. Willie's notebooks filled up, one after another. Willie's words gave him freedom and peace, but he also knew he needed to earn a living. So he went off to medical school and became a doctor, one of the busiest men in town! Yet he never stopped writing poetry. In this picture book biography of William Carlos Williams, Jen Bryant's engaging prose and Melissa Sweet's stunning mixed-media illustrations celebrate the amazing man who found a way to earn a living and to honor his calling to be a poet.

Caldecott Honor 2010
All the world is here. It is there. It is everywhere. All the world is right where you are. Now. Following a circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning till night, this book affirms the importance of all things great and small in our world, from the tiniest shell on the beach, to warm family connections, to the widest sunset sky. The illustrations are beautiful, big, and beautiful. The rhyme that makes up the story is excellent and the story expresses lovely sentiments about the world and about loved ones. The story of a (not perfect but wonderful) day with family, and maybe friends too, is told fully but with very few words. Made me a bit melancholy: those extended families look like fun! But, overall, it’s a very uplifting book.

Caldecott Honor 2010
With original and spot-on perceptions, Joyce Sidman's poetry brings the colors of the seasons to life in a fresh light, combining the senses of sight, sound, smell, and taste. In this Caldecott Honor book, illustrator Pam Zagarenski's interpretations go beyond the concrete, allowing us to not just see color, but feel it. Move through the seasons with the colors built into verses dedicated to color and the season. Delight in the fact that spring is more than just green as Sidman weaves all of the colors into spring some in quite surprising and insightful ways. The whimsical paintings of Zagarenski also offer complexity and uniqueness to the title. This is much more than spring is green and filled with flowers. Here spring is red with cardinals, white with lightning, blue sky, yellow goldfinches, and pink with baby birds. Summer, autumn, and winter follow each with all of the colors found and celebrated in different ways.

Caldecott Honor 2011
Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter living in South Carolina in the 1800s. He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved onto his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave. In this inspiring and lyrical portrayal, National Book Award nominee Laban Carrick Hill's elegantly simple text and award-winning artist Bryan Collier's resplendent, earth-toned illustrations tell Dave's story, a story rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty.

Caldecott Honor 2011
A favorite joke inspires this charming tale, in which a little chicken's habit of interrupting bedtime stories is gleefully turned on its head. It's time for the little red chicken's bedtime story, and a reminder from Papa to try not to interrupt. But the chicken can't help herself! Whether the tale is Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, or even Chicken Little, she jumps into the story to save its hapless characters from doing some dangerous or silly thing. Now it's the little red chicken's turn to tell a story, but will her yawning papa make it to the end without his own kind of interrupting? Energetically illustrated with glowing colors, and offering a humorous story-within-a-story view, this all-too-familiar tale is sure to amuse (and hold the attention of ) spirited little chicks.

Caldecott Honor 2012
One hot summer night in the city, all the power goes out. The TV shuts off and a boy wails, "Mommm!" His sister can no longer use the phone, Mom can't work on her computer, and Dad can't finish cooking dinner. What's a family to do? When they go up to the roof to escape the heat, they find the lights, in stars that can be seen for a change, and so many neighbors it's like a block party in the sky! On the street below, people are having just as much fun, talking, rollerblading, and eating ice cream before it melts. The boy and his family enjoy being not so busy for once. They even have time to play a board game together. When the electricity is restored, everything can go back to normal, but not everyone likes normal. The boy switches off the lights and out comes the board game again. Using a combination of panels and full bleed illustrations that move from color to black-and-white and back to color, John Rocco shows that if we are willing to put our cares aside for a while, there is party potential in a summer blackout.

Caldecott Honor 2012
From the creator of the national bestseller's a Book comes a Caldecott Honor-winning timeless story of family history, legacy, and love. Grandpa Green wasn't always a gardener. He was a farmboy and a kid with chickenpox and a soldier and, most of all, an artist. In this captivating new picture book, readers follow Grandpa Green's great-grandson into a garden he created, a fantastic world where memories are handed down in the fanciful shapes of topiary trees and imagination recreates things forgotten. In his most enigmatic and beautiful work to date, Lane Smith explores aging, memory, and the bonds of family history and love; by turns touching and whimsical, it's a stunning picture book that parents and grandparents will be sharing with children for years to come.

Caldecott Honor 2012
Patrick McDonnell-beloved, the bestselling author-artist, and creator of the Mutts syndicated comic strip shares the inspiring story of young Jane Goodall, the legendary and inspiring conservationist featured in the hit documentary film Jane. In his characteristic heartwarming style, Patrick McDonnell tells the story of the young Jane Goodall and her special childhood toy chimpanzee named Jubilee. As the young Jane observes the natural world around her with wonder, she dreams of "a life living with and helping all animals," until one day she finds that her dream has come true. With anecdotes taken directly from Jane Goodall's autobiography, McDonnell makes this very true story accessible for the very young, and young at heart. One of the world's most inspiring women, Dr. Jane Goodall is a renowned humanitarian, conservationist, animal activist, environmentalist, and United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 1977 she founded the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), a global nonprofit organization that empowers people to make a difference for all living things.

Caldecott Honor 2013
Die-cut pages bring surprise after surprise in this magical new book from the "Queen of the concept book" - an intricate and satisfying homage to green, the color of all creation. How many kinds of green are there? There's the lush green of a forest on a late spring day, the fresh, juicy green of a just-cut lime, the incandescent green of a firefly, and the vivid aquamarine of a tropical sea. In her newest book, Caldecott and Geisel Honor Book author Laura Vaccaro Seeger fashions an homage to a single color and, in doing so, creates a book that will delight and, quite possibly astonish you.

Caldecott Honor 2013
On a spontaneous visit to the aquarium, straight-laced and proper Elliot discovers his dream pet: a penguin. When he asks his father if he may have one (please and thank you), his father says yes. Elliot should have realized that Dad was probably thinking of a toy penguin, not a real one. Clever illustrations and a wild surprise ending make this sly, silly tale a kid-pleaser from start to finish.

Caldecott Honor 2014
In this innovative wordless picture book with interactive flaps, Flora and her graceful flamingo friend explore the trials and joys of friendship through an elaborate synchronized dance. With a twist, a turn, and even a flop, these unlikely friends learn at last how to dance together in perfect harmony. Full of humor and heart, this stunning performance (and splashy ending!) will have readers clapping for more of this fun flamingo story! For more feathery fun with the flamingo girls, pick up more preschool wordless books like flora and the Penguin, Flora, and the Peacocks, Flora, and the Chicks, Flora, and the Ostrich, or flora, and Friends Matching Game.

Caldecott Honor 2014
Follow a girl on an elaborate flight of fancy in a wondrously illustrated, wordless picture book about self-determination, and unexpected friendship. A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart's desire? With supple line, luminous color, and nimble flights of fancy, author-illustrator Aaron Becker launches an ordinary child on an extraordinary journey toward her greatest and most exciting adventure of all.

Caldecott Honor 2014
In a near wordless masterpiece that could only have been devised by David Wiesner, a cat named Mr. Wuffles doesn't care about toy mice or toy goldfish. He'smuch more interested in playing with a little spaceship full of actual aliens, but the ship wasn't designed for this kind of rough treatment. Between motion sickness and damaged equipment, the aliens are in deep trouble. When the space visitors dodge the cat and take shelter behind the radiator to repair the damage, they make a host of insect friends. The result? A humorous exploration of cooperation between aliens and insects, and of the universal nature of communication involving symbols, "cave" paintings, and gestures of friendship.

Caldecott Honor 2014
Sam and Dave are on a mission. A mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all. Attentive readers will be rewarded with a rare treasure in this witty story of looking for the extraordinary, and finding it in a manner you'd never expect. It’s a great book. It has some excellent broad humor, as well as one heck of a challenging ending that will make readers think.

Caldecott Honor 2015
In this magical picture book, a young boy spends an overnight visit with his nana and is frightened to find that the city where she lives is filled with noise and crowds and scary things. But then Nana makes him a special cape to help him be brave, soon the everyday sights, sounds, and smells of the city are not scary, but wonderful. The succinct text is paired with watercolor illustrations that capture all the vitality, energy, and beauty of the city. An energetic book in NYC. Nana lives in the big apple and her grandson comes to visit her, but he is scared of the loud and scary city. Nana comforts him and makes him a cape to feel brave in. Then she shows the child the wonderful things about the city. They go to the central park and listen to music and have fun. Now, the child loves to visit Nana.

Caldecott Honor 2015
Vasya Kandinsky was a proper little boy, he studied math and history, he practiced the piano, he sat up straight and was perfectly polite. And when his family sent him to art classes, they expected him to paint pretty houses and flowers-like a proper artist. But as Vasya opened his paint box and began mixing the reds, the yellows, the blues, he heard strange sound-the swirling colors trilled like an orchestra tuning up for a symphony! And as he grew older, he continued to hear brilliant colors singing and see vibrant sounds dancing. But was Vasya brave enough to put aside his proper still lifes and portraits and paint, music? In this exuberant celebration of creativity, Barb Rosenstock and Mary GrandPre tell the fascinating story of Vasily Kandinsky, one of the very first painters of abstract art. Throughout his life, Kandinsky experienced colors as sounds and sounds as colors-and bold, groundbreaking works burst forth from his noisy paint box. Backmatter includes four paintings by Kandinsky, an author's note, sources, links to websites on synesthesia, and abstract art.

Caldecott Honor 2015
For shy young Peter Mark Roget, books were the best companions, and it wasn't long before Peter began writing his own book. But he didn't write stories; he wrote lists. Peter took his love for words and turned it to organizing ideas and finding exactly the right word to express just what he thought. His lists grew and grew, eventually turning into one of the most important reference books of all time. Readers of all ages will marvel at Roget's life, depicted through lyrical text and brilliantly detailed illustrations. This elegant book celebrates the joy of learning and the power of words.

Caldecott Honor 2015
Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Avago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. One of the local teens - just a couple of years older than Rose and Windy - is caught up in something bad. Something life-threatening. It's a summer of secrets and sorrow, and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other.

Caldecott Honor 2015
Frida Kahlo, one of the world's most famous and unusual artists is revered around the world. Her life was filled with laughter, love, and tragedy, all of which influenced what she painted on her canvases. Distinguished author/illustrator Yuyi Morales illuminates Frida's life and works in this elegant and fascinating book. Viva Frida is an enchanting introduction to the phenomenal Frida Kahlo. Yuyi Morales’s illustrations were created using stop-motion puppets, acrylic paint, and photography and pay homage to the artist’s extraordinary, surreal style. The text is spare, just a few words per page in both English and Spanish, and hints at Kahlo’s creative, colorful and complicated life. Since Kahlo’s life and art were so intense, Morales’s Viva Frida is a gentle and imaginative book that makes the artist accessible in a manner appropriate for children. It’s also filled with visual elements of Mexican culture which children of Latin American heritage may relate to and any child may find delightful. For more information, Morales has also included a brief biography of Kahlo at the end.

Caldecott Honor 2016
Stirring poems and stunning collage illustrations combine to celebrate the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, a champion of equal voting rights."I am sick and tired of being sick and tired." Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life, Fannie Lou Hamer was a champion of civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. Integral to the Freedom Summer of 1964, Ms. Hamer gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention that, despite President Johnson's interference, aired on national TV news and spurred the nation to support the Freedom Democrats. Featuring vibrant mixed-media art full of intricate detail, Voice of Freedom celebrates Fannie Lou Hamer's life and legacy with a message of hope, determination, and strength.

Caldecott Honor 2016
What are you waiting for? An owl, a puppy, a bear, a rabbit, and a pig, all toys arranged on a child's windowsill, wait for marvelous things to happen in this irresistible picture book by the New York Times-bestselling and Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes. Five friends sit happily on a windowsill, waiting for something amazing to happen. The owl is waiting for the moon. The pig is waiting for the rain. The bear is waiting for the wind. The puppy is waiting for the snow. And the rabbit is just looking out the window because he likes to wait! What will happen? Will patience win in the end? Or someday will the friends stop waiting and do something unexpected? Waiting is a big part of childhood, waiting in line, waiting to grow up, waiting for something special to happen, but in this book, a child sets the stage and pulls the strings.

Caldecott Honor 2016
Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, CJ wonders why they don't own a car like his friend Colby. Why doesn't he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging answer from grandma, who helps him see the beauty and fun in their routine and the world around them. This energetic ride through a bustling city highlights the wonderful perspective only grandparent and grandchild can share and comes to life through Matt de la Pena's vibrant text and Christian Robinson's radiant illustrations.

Caldecott Honor 2017
The creator of Home turns a droll eye to the natural world, with gorgeous art and a playful invented language. Du iz tak? What is that? As a tiny shoot unfurls, two damselflies peer at it in wonder. When the plant grows taller and sprouts leaves, some young beetles arrive at gander, and soon with the help of a pill bug named Icky, they wrangle a ladder and build a tree fort. But this is the wild world, after all, and something horrible is waiting to swoop down--booby voobeck! only to be carried off in turn. Su! With exquisitely detailed illustrations and tragicomic flair, Carson Ellis invites readers to imagine the dramatic possibilities to be found in even the humblest backyard. Su! Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis is a children's picture book about a group of bugs and how they discover a new sprouting plant. They watch it grow and change through the seasons.

Caldecott Honor 2017
This poetic, nonfiction story about a little-known piece of African American history captures a human's capacity to find hope and joy in difficult circumstances and demonstrates how New Orleans' Congo Square was truly freedom's heart. Mondays, there were hogs to slop, mules to train, and logs to chop. Slavery was no way fair. Six more days to Congo Square. As slaves relentlessly toiled in an unjust system in 19th century Louisiana, they all counted down the days until Sunday, when at least for half a day they were briefly able to congregate in Congo Square in New Orleans. Here they were free to set up an open market, sing, dance, and play music. They were free to forget their cares, their struggles, and their oppression. This story chronicles slaves' duties each day, from chopping logs on Mondays to baking bread on Wednesdays to plucking hens on Saturday, and builds to the freedom of Sundays and the special experience of an afternoon spent in Congo Square. This book includes a forward from Freddi Williams Evans (freddievans.com), a historian and Congo Square expert, as well as a glossary of terms with pronunciations and definitions.

Caldecott Honor 2017
Leave Me Alone! is an epic tale about one grandmother, a giant sack of yarn, and her ultimate quest to finish her knitting. One day, a grandmother shouts, "LEAVE ME ALONE!" and leaves her tiny home and her very big family to journey to the moon and beyond to find peace and quiet to finish her knitting. Along the way, she encounters ravenous bears, obnoxious goats, and even hordes of aliens! But nothing stops grandma from accomplishing her goal, knitting sweaters for her many grandchildren to keep them warm and toasty for the coming winter. Leave me Alone! by Vera Brosgol is a children's picture book about a granny who just can't seem to get away from everything so she can finish her knitting. She encounters everything from noisy grandchildren to aliens in this cute story.

Caldecott Honor 2017
The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws. In this glorious celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination, Brendan Wenzel shows us the many lives of one cat, and how perspective shapes what we see. When you see a cat, what do you see? “The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws.” In that walking, it is seen. It is seen by a child, a dog, and a fox. It is seen by a fish, a mouse, and a bee. It is seen by a bird, a flea, a snake, a skunk, a worm, and a bat. And what's important is that this “seeing” changes with every creature. For mice and dogs, the cat is perceived through the lens of their own interactions with it. For worms and bats, the cat is only visible through the ways in which it moves through space (vibrations through the ground and the ways in which echolocation shape it). By the end, we see a hodgepodge cat, a mix of how each animal sees it. Then the cat comes to the water, viewing its own reflection, “and imagine what it saw?”

Caldecott Honor 2018
There was a cat who lived alone. Until the day a new cat came. And so a story of friendship begins, following the two cats through their days, months, and years until one day, the older cat has to go. And he doesn't come back. This is a poignant story, told in measured text and bold black-and-white illustrations about the act of moving on. The story at its most basic: Big Cat trains Little Cat on how to cat. Little Cat grows up to be a Big Cat. The two enjoy each other very much. My favorite line, "For five minutes each day they went wild." Everyone is sad when 'Big Cat' dies. But a new kitten joins the family a while later. And so once again there's a Big Cat, a Little Cat, and a whole lot of lessons to be learned. A simple yet profound book on life, love, and legacy.

Caldecott Honor 2018
A Different Pond is an unforgettable story about a simple event - a long-ago fishing trip. Graphic novelist Thi Bui and acclaimed poet Bao Phi deliver a powerful, honest glimpse into a relationship between father and son - and between cultures, old and new. As a young boy, Bao and his father awoke early, hours before his father's long workday began, to fish on the shores of a small pond in Minneapolis. Unlike many other anglers, Bao and his father fished for food, not recreation. A successful catch meant a fed family. Between hope-filled casts, Bao's father told him about a different pond in their homeland of Vietnam. Thi Bui's striking, evocative art paired with Phi's expertly crafted prose has earned this powerful picture books six starred reviews and numerous awards.

Caldecott Honor 2018
The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother's hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices. A fresh cut makes boys fly. This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber's chair, a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That's where it all begins. Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.

Caldecott Honor 2019
What's in a name? For one little girl, her very long name tells the vibrant story of where she came from, and who she may one day be. If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel; José, the grandfather who was an artist; and other namesakes, too. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all, and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell. In her author-illustrator debut, Juana Martinez-Neal opens a treasure box of discovery for children who may be curious about their own origin stories or names.

Caldecott Honor 2019
A gorgeous picture book that tells a whimsical origin story of the phases of the moon, from award-winning, bestselling author-illustrator Grace Lin Pat, pat, pat. 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 picture book that shines as bright as the stars in the sky, Newbery Honor author Grace Lin creates a heartwarming original story that explains the phases of the moon.

Caldecott Honor 2019
A breathtakingly beautiful and luminescent book that is pitch-perfect for anyone of any age who has experienced any type of loss or disappointment, from New York Times-bestselling picture book creator Brian Lies. New York Times-bestselling author-illustrator Brian Lies has created a beautiful, accessible, and deeply personal story about friendship, loss, and renewal. The Rough Patch was awarded a Caldecott Honor and features stunning paintings from the award-winning creator of Bats at the Beach. Evan and his dog do everything together, from eating ice cream to caring for their prize-winning garden, which grows big and beautiful. One day the unthinkable happens: Evan's dog dies. Heartbroken, Evan destroys the garden and everything in it. The ground becomes overgrown with prickly weeds and thorns, and Evan embraces the chaos. But beauty grows in the darkest of places, and when a twisting vine turns into an immense pumpkin, Evan is drawn out of his isolation and back to the county fair, where friendships, old and new await. A deeply hopeful and positive book, The Rough Patch was awarded a Caldecott Honor and is a story about love, loss, and hope, and the healing power of friendship and nature.

Caldecott Honor 2019
In this remarkable author-illustrator debut that's perfect for fans of Last Stop on Market Street and Extra Yarn, a generous woman is rewarded by her community. 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." This book was inspired by the strong female role models in Oge Mora's life.

Caldecott Honor 2013
What is the scariest vegetable of all time? Broccoli? Rutabaga? Black olives, perhaps? Kids have been debating this question for centuries. If you asked Jasper Rabbit, however, he would tell you that you’re barking up the wrong produce aisle. Everyone knows that the scariest vegetable of all time is any vegetable that follows you home. Creepy Carrots! chronicles the harrowing journey of Jasper Rabbit, a young bunny whose greed for carrots proves to be his own undoing. Jasper loves carrots. He can’t get enough of them, especially the ones from Crackenhopper field. But one day, as Jasper is about to help himself to another snack, he hears it – “The soft, sinister tunktunktunk of carrots creeping.”From there it goes from bad to worse. Paranoid Jasper sees the creeping carrots everywhere: in his bathtub, in the garden shed, and even in his bedroom at night. Or does he? Every time a grown-up enters the picture it seems that Jasper is just suffering from an overactive imagination. There’s nothing to be worried about or so it seems. Good, non-scary "scary" book that is lots of fun to read.

Caldecott Honor 2013
A young girl and her box of magical yarn transform a community in this stunning picture book. With spare, gently humorous illustrations and a palette that moves from black-and-white to a range of color, this modern fairy tale has the feel of a new classic. This looks like an ordinary box full of ordinary yarn. But it turns out it isn't. A sweet story about a generous girl who has a magical box full of endless yarn. She knits for her whole town! There's an unnecessary bad guy who nevertheless raises some good questions about how the magic yarn box works, but he's comical enough (an archduke!) that he isn't too scary and doesn't get in the way.

Caldecott Honor 2020
A cheerful and action-packed adventure about the importance of friendship and community from a successful author and illustrator duo! Once there was a river flowing through a forest. The river didn't know it was capable of adventures until a big bear came along. But adventures aren't any fun by yourself, and so enters Froggy, Turtles, Beaver, Racoons, and Duck. These very different animals take off downstream, but they didn't know they needed one another until thankfully, the river came along. This hilarious picture book and heartfelt message celebrates the joy and fun that's in store when you embark together on a ride of a lifetime.

Caldecott Honor 2020
A joyous celebration of family, community, and the unifying power of music, perfect for fans of Last Stop on Market Street. Nic is an aspiring musician whose life spans two different worlds--his suburban school where he wows his friends in orchestra, and the busy city streets of his home where he's jostled by the crowd. Nic makes his way home from a busy day at school with a double bass on his back, the symphony of his surroundings in his heart, and a sweet surprise for the reader at the end of his journey. This is a sweet, melodious picture book about how dedication, music, and family can overcome any obstacle.

Caldecott Honor 2020
Set at one young boy's annual family reunion, this Caldecott Honor-winning picture book by Kelly Starling Lyons and Daniel Minter is a rich and moving celebration of Black history, culture, and the power of family traditions.
On reunion morning, we rise before the sun. Daddy hums as he packs our car with suitcases and a cooler full of snacks. He says there's nothing like going down home. Down home is Granny's house. Down home is where Lil Alan and his parents and sister will gather with great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Down home is where Lil Alan will hear stories of the ancestors and visit the land that has meant so much to all of them. And down home is where all of the children will find their special way to pay tribute to their family history. All the kids have to decide what they?ll share, but what will Lil Alan do? Kelly Starling Lyons' eloquent text explores the power of history and family traditions, and stunning illustrations by Coretta Scott King Honor- and Caldecott Honor-winner Daniel Minter reveal the motion and connections in a large, multi-generational family. Discussion Guide and Teacher's Guide available.

Caldecott Honor 2021
The true story of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who in the midst of the Syrian Civil War courageously offered safe haven to Aleppo's abandoned cats. Aleppo's city center no longer echoes with the rich, exciting sounds of copper-pot pounding and traditional sword sharpening. His neighborhood is empty--except for the many cats left behind. Alaa loves Aleppo, but when war comes his neighbors flee to safety, leaving their many pets behind. Alaa decides to stay--he can make a difference by driving an ambulance, carrying the sick and wounded to safety. One day he hears hungry cats calling out to him on his way home. They are lonely and scared, just like him. He feeds and pets them to let them know they are loved. The next day more cats come, and then even more! There are too many for Alaa to take care of on his own. Alaa has a big heart, but he will need help from others if he wants to keep all of his new friends safe.

Caldecott Honor 2021
From the New York Times best-selling author behind The Quiet Book comes a mindful contemplation on the many ways nature affects our everyday lives, even when we're stuck inside. Perfect for fans of Joyce Sidman and Julie Fogliano, Outside In reminds emerging readers of the ways nature creates and touches our lives in homes, apartments, and cars, and is the perfect homeschooling tool to reflect on the world's connectedness. Outside is waiting, the most patient playmate of all. The most generous friend. The most miraculous inventor. This thought-provoking picture book poetically underscores our powerful and enduring connection with nature, not so easily obscured by lives spent indoors. Rhythmic, powerful language shows us how our world is made and the many ways Outside comes in to help and heal us, and reminds us that we are all part of a much greater universe. Emotive illustrations evoke the beauty, simplicity, and wonder that await us all outside.

Caldecott Honor 2021
In this powerful, affirming poem by award-winning author Zetta Elliott, a Black child explores his shifting emotions throughout the year.

There is a place inside of me
a space deep down inside of me
where all my feelings hide.

Summertime is filled with joy--skateboarding and playing basketball--until his community is deeply wounded by a police shooting. As fall turns to winter and then spring, fear grows into anger, then pride and peace.
In her stunning debut, illustrator Noa Denmon articulates the depth and nuances of a child's experiences following a police shooting--through grief and protests, healing and community--with washes of color as vibrant as his words. Here is a groundbreaking narrative that can help all readers--children and adults alike--talk about the feelings hiding deep inside each of us.

Caldecott Honor 2021
Mama's love is brighter than the sun, even on the rainiest of days. This celebration of a mother-daughter relationship is perfect for sharing with little ones! On a rainy day when the house smells like cinnamon and Papa and Luca are still asleep, when the clouds are wearing shadows and the wind paints the window with beads of water, I want to be everywhere Mama is. With lyrical prose and a tender touch, Mama and Me is an ode to the strength of the bond between a mother and a daughter as they spend a rainy day together.