Stories in the Park
By Alison Murray
New York, NY : Little, Brown and company, Hachette Book Group, 2018. Picture Book.
A funny and touching celebration of difference, based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling. Dino Duckling can dive, swim and fish just like his duckling brothers and sisters. But when the time comes for the family fly south for the winter, Dino Duckling finds he really is different! --Editor
Stories in the Park
By Tom Fletcher
New York: Random House Children's Books, 2025. Picture Book.
The reader helps Little Dino make new friends while avoiding the task of waking up the Big Dinosaur. --Editor
Canopy Capers and Summer Story Time
Written by John Schu
Illustrated by Lauren Castillo
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2023. Picture Book.
Children's literacy advocate John Schu and Caldecott Honor recipient Lauren Castillo celebrate the power of finding the perfect book--in a story that's more relevant than ever. With a sea-horse kite in hand, a child heads out with Dad to the library. On the way they stop at a park, joining lots of people, some of whom are flying kites, too. At the library, a person toting a big pile of books hands over a story on a favorite subject: the sea horse. All around, there are readers poring over books, each with their own questions, ideas to explore, hopes for the future, and imaginations ready to spark. With a warm, lyrical text and tenderly expressive illustrations, John Schu and Lauren Castillo invite us to imagine the myriad ways that books can foster connection and understanding -- and how they can empower children, through their own passions, to transform the world. --Publisher
Canopy Capers and Summer Story Time
Written by Mark David Smith
Illustrated by Lily Snowden-Fine
Toronto, ON: Owlbooks Kids, 2021. Picture Book.
A recent heavy rain has exposed a bit of something in the yard, which Caden notices and resolves to dig up. He attempts to enlist the help of the adults in his life, who humorously dismiss his discovery. His classroom teacher jokes, "If you had found one of those, I'd eat my hat." Well, against all odds Caden has found "one of those," namely the bones of a woolly mammoth. And the story does wrap with some hat-eating (albeit with a twist). Martha, Caden's next-door neighbor, is the only adult who encourages him to keep digging. Working together and using Martha's truck winch, they haul the biggest bones out of the earth and try to assemble the pieces, which results in several funny combinations. In the end, Caden succeeds in getting his parents' attention, and they're amazed by the giant mammoth skeleton inexpertly pieced together in their own backyard. Even more so, they're amazed and impressed by the tenacity and drive of their young son. Not only has he connected the pieces of the mammoth, Caden has also brought his family together, which is the real treasure Caden finds by the end. The rich-but-restrained illustrations perfectly complement the book's deadpan humor in this kid-empowering story that is also a celebration of scientific inquiry and discovery. --Publisher
Book Babies
Written by Eleni Tassopoulos Wehner
Illustrated by Danamarie Hosler
Concord, MA: Barefoot Books, 2025. Board Book.
Come along with Roscoe & Ivy as Roscoe transitions to a new pair of shoes! Roscoe really, really loves his puppy shoes. They're so soft! So comfy! So ... PERFECT! When his puppy shoes get to be too small, it's time for a new pair of dinosaur shoes. Dinosaur shoes?! Those shoes are different, and new things can be scary. It's a good thing Roscoe's gentle big sister Ivy knows how to help him get used to his new shoes. --Publisher
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