Pretty Cool Books for Preschoolers

Picture Books

• Anderson, Peggy. Chuck's Band. 2008.
  Chuck and his barnyard friends form a band, but they have trouble finding an instrument for Fat Cat Pat to play, since all the cat wants to do is sleep all day.
  
• Beaty, Andrea. Doctor Ted. 2008.
  After bumping his knee one morning, Ted decides to become a doctor, but he has only one problem-he has no patients!
  
• Billingsley, Franny. Big Bad Bunny. 2008.
  When Baby Boo-Boo, a mouse dressed in a bunny suit, becomes lost in the forest, his mother follows the sound of his cries to locate him.
  
• Casanova, Mary. Utterly Otterly Day. 2008.
  Little Otter thinks he's a big otter now, big enough to take care of himself. But watch out, Little Otter, because no matter how big you get, it's good to have loved ones looking out for you.
  
• Clarke, Jane. Stuck in the Mud. 2008.
  In this cumulative, rhyming story, a little chick needs help from all his farmyard friends to get out of the mud.
  
• Elliott, David. On the Farm. 2008.
  From the bull to the barn cat to the wild bunny, the farmyard bustles with life.
  
• Gorbachev, Valeri. Christopher Counting. 2008.
  When Christopher Rabbit learns to count in school, he enjoys it so much that he counts everything in sight.
  
• Gravett, Emily. Monkey and Me. 2008.
  A little girl and her monkey act like several different kinds of animals. Can you guess which animal she is trying to be?
  
• Ji, Zhaohua. No! That's Wrong! 2008.
  A serendipitous breeze starts off this playful journey which begs the seemingly simple question, "When is a hat, not a hat?" Along the way, Rabbit manages to learn a little bit about friendship, fashion and the importance of believing in himself.
  
• Levine, Joan. Topsy-Turvy Bedtime. 2008.
  Arathusela does not like to go to bed, but one night she has an idea. She puts her parents to bed instead. However, after her parents complain, Arathusela gets the feeling this job might not be as easy as she thinks.
  
• Lorig, Steffanie. Such a Silly Baby! 2008.
  Rhyming text and illustrations follow the adventures of a baby who, on excursions to the zoo, the circus or the farm, manages to get switched with an animal.
  
• Lund, Deb. Monsters on Machines. 2008.
  Construction crew monsters arrive on the scene with tractors, cranes and grader machines, and after a gruesome site is created as their routine, they straighten it up and leave everything clean.
  
• Martin Jr., Bill. Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Are You Waking Up? 2008.
  Kitty Cat is distracted by many things as she gets ready for school in the morning.
  
• Nedwidek, John. Ducks Don't Wear Socks. 2008.
  Emily is a serious girl. She enjoys serious things like bird-watching, math and playing the cello. But one day while she's taking a walk, Emily runs into Duck, who is anything but serious .
  
• Pullen, Zachary. Friday My Radio Flyer Flew. 2008.
  A father and son find an old Radio Flyer wagon when cleaning out the attic and, through the course of a week, turn it back into a wonderful toy.
  
• Rosoff, Meg. Wild Boars Cook. 2008.
  Besides being naughty, greedy, stinky and rude, wild boars Boris, Morris, Horace and Doris are also very hungry. Luckily, Doris finds the perfect recipe for them to make.
  
• Schertle, Alice. Little Blue Truck. 2008.
  A small blue truck finds his way out of a jam, with a little help from his friends.
  
• Schwarz, Viviane. Timothy and the Strong Pajamas. 2008.
  After his mother mends his favorite pajamas, Timothy discovers he has super strength and he uses it to help others, but when the pajamas rip, he loses his strength just when he needs it most.
  
• Schwarz, Viviane. There Are Cats in This Book. 2008.
  The reader is invited to lift flaps and play along with three cats.
  
• Seder, Rufus. Swing! 2008.
  A fun scanimation book about sports.
  
• Shannon, David. Too Many Toys. 2008.
  Although he finally agrees he has too many toys and needs to give them away, there is one toy Spencer absolutely cannot part with.
  
• Sherry, Kevin. I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean. 2008.
  A giant squid brags about being the best artist in the entire ocean.
  
• Soman, David. Ladybug Girl. 2008.
  After her brother tells her she is too little to play with him, Lulu, dressed as Ladybug Girl, makes her own fun.
  
• Staake, Bob. The Donut Chef. 2008.
  In this delicious tale, a baker hangs out his shingle on a small street and soon the line for his donuts stretches down the block. But it's not long before the competition arrives and a battle of the bakers ensues.
  
• Sutton, Sally. Roadwork. 2008.
  There are many big machines and busy people involved in building a road, and this picture book, with its rambunctious rhymes and noisy fun, follows them every step of the way.
  
• Thomas, Jan. Rhyming Dust Bunnies. 2008.
  As three dust bunnies, Ed, Ned and Ted, are demonstrating how much they love to rhyme, a fourth, Bob, is trying to warn them of approaching danger.
  
• Willems, Mo. The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! 2008.
  The pigeon really, really wants a puppy, but when a puppy arrives the pigeon changes its mind.
  
• Willis, Jeanne. Cottonball Colin. 2008. 2007.
  Afraid Colin will be hurt if he goes outside, a mother mouse insists he sit indoors until his grandmother suggests wrapping him in cotton wool, which is effective, but in an unexpected way.
  
• Wilson, Karma. Bear Feels Scared. 2008.
  Bear's animal friends come to his rescue when he becomes lost and frightened in the woods.
  

revised May 2009