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My Monster Moofy

2021

by Annie Watson and Eric Zelz

"'There’s a monster under my bed who changes like a chameleon. He can be motionless like a rock with a tail, or he can strike with blinding speed, like a lightning bolt with claws. My monster’s name is Moofy. His ears are as pointy as tortilla chips. His tongue is as pink as bubblegum, and his teeth are as sharp as swords. By day, Moofy is a fur rug in the sunshine. By night, he’s a pair of glowing headlights in the darkness.' With those opening lines, we’ve already encountered similes using like, similes using as, and metaphors. Personifications, idioms, hyperboles, allusions, and much more lie ahead. But this isn’t a writing guide, it’s a picture book story about a little monster who oozes personality. The first pages leave us guessing, but kids will soon figure out, to their delight, that Moofy’s a cat. And what else could this furball of mischief be? Fun is the order of the day, but an unobtrusive banner on each page lets interested readers know which figure of speech is being featured. This is a book a young reader and future writer can grow with." -- publisher

Any Child

My life with autism

2021

by Mari Schuh, Mari C. Schuh and Isabel Muñoz

"Meet Zen! He loves to draw and play video games. He also has autism. Zen is real and so are his experiences. Learn about his life in this illustrated narrative nonfiction picture book for elementary students"--

Any Child

New Year

2021

by Mei Zihan and Qin Leng

"A moving picture book to read when we’re missing family far away, set during Lunar New Year. It’s Lunar New Year, a time when families come together for a wonderful feast, and a father longs to be with his daughter—but she lives in another country. As he imagines how his daughter is spending the festivities, he recalls fond memories of time spent with her, feeling a sense of loss and dislocation. While he misses her deeply, he also recognizes her need to move away, grow up, and become herself. New Year is a stunning portrait of leaving home, finding independence, and loving those who are many miles away. At a time when so many families are unable to gather together, readers will relate to the universal message of missing our loved ones and dreaming of being together again. " -- publisher

Beautiful Life Race/Culture Concepts

No Buddy Like A Book

2021

by Allan Wolf and Brianne Farley

"Calling readers and daydreamers, word mavens and lovers of adventure! This celebration of the power of books is a rallying cry for letting imaginations soar. Have you ever wanted to climb to the top of Everest with one hand behind your back? Kiss a crocodile all by yourself on the Nile River? How about learning how to bottle moonlight, or track a distant star? There are endless things to discover and whole universes to explore simply by reading a book. But books are only smears of ink without the reader’s mind to give their letters meaning and bring them to life. With a rollicking, rhyming text and delightful artwork, poet and storyteller Allan Wolf and illustrator Brianne Farley remind us that books, no matter how they may be consumed, give readers of every background an opportunity to expand their world and spark their imagination. With infectious enthusiasm, No Buddy Like a Book offers an ode to the wonders of language—written, spoken, and everything in between." -- publisher

Any Child

Off to See the Sea

2021

by Nikki Grimes and Elizabeth Zunon

"From the celebrated team of Nikki Grimes and Elizabeth Zunon comes a child’s imagination-fueled adventure out at sea—or maybe it’s just the bathtub! Night has fallen and Mom and Dad need to get their little one in the tub. To make it more fun, Mom brings a magical adventure out at sea to life, where the faucet is a waterfall, a rubber ducky is a sea creature, and the splashing water is a raging sea! In their ocean journey, Mom and Dad manage to get their little one clean just in time to dock for bedtime." -- publisher

Any Child

Oona

2021

by Kelly DiPucchio and Raissa Figueroa

"New York Times bestselling author Kelly DiPucchio teams up with illustrator Raissa Figueroa for a delightfully humorous picture book starring a mischievous black mermaid, her sea creature friends, and their surprising finds during their quest for treasure. Meet Oona. The big sea’s littlest mischief maker. She and her best friend, Otto, love to search for treasure . . . but often find trouble instead. Messy trouble. Tricky trouble. Even shark-related trouble. That’s never stopped them before, though! After all, no proper treasure hunt is without some adventure. But when the grandest treasure yet is stuck in a deep, dark rift, Oona’s not sure if she can dive right in. What might be waiting for her in those unknown waters? With gorgeous underwater scenes from rising new talent Raissa Figueroa and humor and heart abounding in New York Times bestselling author Kelly DiPucchio’s text, this little mermaid’s tale is a celebration of friendship, creativity, and bravery in the face of the unknown." -- publisher

Optometrists and What They Do

2021

by Liesbet Slegers

"An informative non-fiction book for preschoolers about the optometrist and everything he or she does. For little patients ages 4 years and up. In her bestselling Professions series, author and illustrator Liesbet Slegers has explored what teachers do, what pilots do, what chefs do and more! Now let's learn about optometrists and what they do! There are people who can't see very well. Fortunately, the optometrist is there to help. They know everything about eyes and have a lot of instruments to examine them. They can tell you what to do in order to see better. Sometimes, a lovely pair of glasses is the solution!" -- publisher

Cross Group Informational

Peace Train

2021

by Cat Stevens

"Readers are invited to hop on the PEACE TRAIN and join its growing group of passengers who are all ready to unite the world in peace and harmony. Featuring the timeless lyrics of Cat Stevens’ legendary song and illustrations by New York Times bestselling artist Peter H. Reynolds, this hopeful picture book inspires tolerance and love for people of all cultures and identities." -- published

Folklore Incidental

Planting Peace

2021

by Gwendolyn Hooks and Margaux Carpentier

"This picture book tells the inspiring story of Wangari Maathai, women’s rights activist and one of the first environmental warriors. Wangari began the Green Belt Movement in Kenya in the 1960s, which focused on planting trees, environmental conservation, and women’s rights. She inspired thousands across Africa to plant 30 million trees in 30 years and was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize." -- publisher

Beautiful Life Biography

Poem in my Pocket

2021

by Chris Tougas and Josée Bisaillon

"In this fanciful tale depicting the ups and downs of a writer's journey, a child is horrified to discover that all the words from a most carefully written poem have escaped through a ripped pocket. The young writer tries to capture all the escaped words, but they whirl and swirl in the wind -- mingling in mid-air to make fun puns and rhymes and comically mixing up with the signs and activities of a busy city street. Finally managing to gather all the words, the child tries to put the pieces of the poem back together, only for the wind to blow the words away once again. Tired and spent, and caught in a rainstorm, the despairing writer thinks all is lost ... only to discover that the whole arduous process has ended up with the poem growing into something even better than first imagined. The clouds part, and the sun shines down on a new creation: a Poet-Tree."--

Any Child