Storytime & Early Literacy

"Playful . . . Claudia McGehee's scratchboard illustrations--similar in style to woodcuts--emphasize contrasts of light and texture: between snow and soil, fox and field, bird and birch tree." -- The Wall Street Journal

"It's a counting book. It's a winter animal book. It's a just plain beautiful book! . . . The prettiest nondenominational winter book seen in ages." -- Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)

An atmospheric tribute to the beauty of winter and its creatures.

​One red fox walks across the white snow--quietly stalking winter. Two ravens croak and gurgle--raucously talking winter. Three snowshoe hares hop on big paws--silently tracking winter. Four red squirrels feast at their midden full of cones--hungrily cracking winter. Wherever you look, another creature is making its mark on the snow-covered season.

Inspired by the author's years in Alaska, this lyrical book celebrates the rhythms of the tundra and its inhabitants. Poetic lines and stunning scratchboard art create the perfect read for chilly days--whether winter is just beginning or just starting to melt into spring.

From award-winning author Laura Gehl, a sparkling, lyrical picture book about the magic of an early snow.

It’s dawn and there is snow all around. The wonder of winter’s first snowfall brings the magic of changing seasons and sees a family sharing the perfect snow day with coziness and togetherness from dawn to dusk.

Clang, clang, clang! Grrrriind! Where is the water coming from? When the pipes spring a leak, Plumber Pearl arrives to save the day!

Plumber Pearl just got a call.
“Our building has a waterfall!”
SSSShhhhhhh!

Plumber Pearl comes in to fix their overflowing sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and pipes one floor at a time! Each floor has a problem that needs to be solved with her skills and tools. But where is this waterfall coming from?! Plumber Pearl is determined to find out with the help of squeaky mice and fun onomatopoeia on the way.

The Big Jobs, Bold Women series introduces kids to strong women in tough hands-on jobs. Don’t miss Firefighter Flo! and Crane Jane!

With dynamic artwork from Dan Yaccarino, Nickelodeon character designer for The Backyardigans, and energetic verse from Andrea Zimmerman, best-selling author of Trashy Town, Plumber Pearl is the perfect book for the kids who love tinkering with tools and solving problems!

Anthony Browne lends his singular talent for rendering primates to a lovingly detailed concept book that will captivate readers both young and old.

What's the opposite of old? Young! What's the opposite of sad? Happy! Big or small, alone or together, the primates in this book of opposites are wonderfully unique, from gorillas to white-faced capuchins to orangutans. With Anthony Browne's striking palette and flair for facial expressions, this celebration of the world of primates is sure to charm and entertain.

An enterprising rat discovers the joy of being true to himself

At the park, people give squirrels free peanuts. And nobody screams when a squirrel crosses their path. But for Rat, it's all screams and no nuts ... until he comes up with a plan: be more like a squirrel--squirrel-ish!

When his attempts at adopting a squirrel-ish posture and pinning his ears down don't make a difference, Rat considers his tail. And after a few crafty but failed squirrel-ish tail prototypes made from cotton balls, feathers, and spaghetti, he lands on a winning material: straw from a broom!

Finally, Rat can walk through the park without getting shooed. Free peanut in hand, he daydreams about building a re-tail empire ... until the dogs in the park spot him and give chase. All of a sudden, Rat understands why squirrels do so much scampering! Maybe his rat tail isn't so
bad after all ...

Brightly illustrated and packed with hilarious details and hidden gags, this laugh-out-loud ode to self-love reminds readers that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

This lyrical environmental picture book introduces readers to some of the most beautiful and fascinating cold climate creatures and habitats all over the world.

Cold is a morning dappled in dew; an ocean, swirling and deep; a desert shrouded by night; and tiny tracks on hills of snow. No matter where or how, life finds a way even in the coldest weather. From an octopus to an arctic hare, meet animals who thrive in chilly environments and learn about the climate phenomena that shape their homes.

What's a pair of bears to do when they can't decide who get dibs on the perfect nap spot? Find out in this playful picture book with fun graphic novel-style art!

When a bear named Orson goes for a walk in the forest one day, he finds a big rock that's the perfect place to take a nap. The only problem is that another bear named Izzy has also found the rock, and she wants to take a nap there, too.

Everyone knows that bears don't share. But can the duo come up with a resolution to resolve their rocky relationship anyway?

The picture book Hello Day presents a whimsical kid's-eye view of a day, filled with wonders big and small . . . which sometimes clashes with their parent's more practical plans.

Hello apple, 
hello shelf 
I can reach you 
all by myself.

When a father and child finally get out of the house, the toddler says "hello" to everything from a snack to a squirrel to a sidewalk puddle. Meanwhile, Dad stays focused on getting the duo from point A to point B. But the eager and enthusiastic "hellos" from his kid remind Dad to pay attention to the here and now.

Told entirely in the child's voice, and boldly illustrated in vibrant colors and joyful lines, this picture book from Charlie Mylie celebrates gentle parenting and invites kid and adult readers alike to get curious about the small wonders hiding in everyday moments.

A monkey hides in a game room. A mitten hides in a garden. A hammer hides in a kitchen. Do you see the dragonfly on the sewing table? Can you find them in this fun book of photo puzzles?

An elephant hides on the beach. A strawberry hides at a campsite. A ghost hides in the snow. Do you see the giraffe on the mountain? Can you find them in this fun book of photo puzzles?