Awards

Brave. Happy. Loyal. Gentle. When the stray pup in this story sets his eyes (and heart) on a little girl and her mother, readers can’t help but cheer him on as he follows them through their daily tasks. Not everyone he encounters sees him as a good dog, but the reader is privy to all of his wonderful qualities. Each of his emotions and qualities are connected to illustrations that draw readers in and prompt meaningful discussion. At the end of the story, “stray dog” becomes “my dog,” as he joins the family he loves so much.

A delightful twist on the traditional tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Hello, Door introduces the reader to a thieving fox, who slinks his way through an empty house, greeting the goodies he snatches along the way. With simple yet humorous text and rhyme, readers witness Fox successfully collecting his treasures, until he unexpectedly comes face-to-face with the homeowners. Does Fox learn his lesson when caught in the act? Hello, cliffhanger!

When night falls and most are preparing for sleep, a son and his father set out to work the night shift at the local school. As his father cleans the building, the young boy reads aloud to him, plays basketball, and rests on a nearby couch. The connection between them is evident to readers as they complete the important tasks that are part of this shared routine. This quiet yet comforting story illustrates the reality of many families who work at night and shines a light on the companionship of father and son.

Prepare to tour the world of dinosaurs! This book will delight readers with simple text and interesting facts about these prehistoric creatures. With endpapers that provide a pronunciation guide and nicknames for each dinosaur, young readers will devour this book over and over. Which dinosaurs walked on two legs? Which ones shook the ground when they walked? Was an Iguanodon slow-moving or fast? You can find the answers to these wonders and more when you embark on the dinosaur tour! 

When the little girl in the story attends her very first swimming class, she has a stomachache and tentatively watches from the side of the pool. With gentle prompts and support from her instructor Mary, she gradually gains the courage to try scoops, kicks, floating, and bobs. With each small yet courageous step, she builds confidence and independence as a new swimmer. All readers who have had to try something new will be able to identify with the main character’s feelings and experiences.

When Elliot wakes up and smells something stinky, he investigates all of the possible culprits: a skunk outside, the dog’s food, and even his grandma’s cooking. However, nothing he finds seems to be the source of the terrible smell. The mystery continues throughout the story, even showcasing a double-page spread that retraces the steps of Elliot’s search. Readers will love the reveal at the end of the book, especially if they figure out the source of the smell before Elliot does!

Teddy has a variety of cool toys, but his favorite is Bren-Da, Warrior Queen of Pacifica. She is polite, has a unique fashion sense, and displays some fierce moves when called to action. When Bren-Da is in trouble, however, Teddy realizes that she isn’t the only person in his life with warrior qualities. Teddy’s mom leaps into action, and readers will be filled with excitement and emotion as they await Bren-Da’s fate. Readers won’t want to miss out on this heartwarming story of the bond between a mother and son.

There is a mystery to be solved, and Sergeant Blue is on the case! The chalks are distraught when they discover that their drawings have been stolen. Sergeant Blue offers to assist and collects evidence that eventually leads the chalks to the robber. This funny read aloud has such vibrant illustrations that it makes the reader want to brush the chalk dust off the pages. Creative problem-solving eventually captures the thief, but the motivation behind the crime prompts a compassionate turn of events. Despite its contents, this book won’t collect any dust on your shelves!

In 1918, the classic tale of The Little Red Hen was printed in book form. A hundred years later, The Little Red Fort presents a beautiful modern spin on the tale. In this version, Ruby makes up her mind to design and build her own fort. Despite a lack of help from her three brothers, she pairs up with supportive family members who allow her creativity and independence to flourish. With repetitive text, readers watch as Ruby’s idea becomes a reality.

Vibrant illustrations and question and answer text capture the reader’s attention, starting with the title: Who Eats Orange? This book not only covers a variety of colors of foods, but also integrates new vocabulary and less common animals, such as toucans, waxwings, and grunts. At the end of the book, the author includes more details about each featured animal and the foods they eat, using categorization based on where they live. Readers will savor this nonfiction book that encourages them to think about the rainbow of foods that humans eat.

Picture a shining sun, a cool wading pool, ample birdseed, and a golden corncob. Individually, these are the things that cat, dog, chickadee, and squirrel encounter that result in their definition of a perfect day. Little do they know that these small luxuries are the perfect remedies for a hot, hungry, tired bear. Adults and children will love the surprise ending when reading A Perfect Day for the first time, and will enjoy the anticipation of bear’s arrival during each re-read!

Little Bulldozer is ready to lend a hand at the construction site, but there is just one problem: his co-workers think he is too small for the job. After watching the action from the sidelines in disappointment, he is finally given an opportunity to clear and flatten a small area. Bulldozer eagerly gets to work, but abruptly stops when he discovers something in the debris. When the larger trucks find that Bulldozer hasn’t done his job, they also find that, in this case, there is more than meets the eye!

Charlotte has always wanted a pet, so when her parents decide to surprise her with one on her birthday, she should be thrilled. However, Dennis the pet rock is not entirely what she expected. He is a good listener and hypoallergenic…but is a challenge to walk and has a poor appetite. Charlotte looks on the bright side of things, however, and gives Dennis the love and attention he needs until one day, he is finally able to return her affection!

This book does an excellent job of highlighting the unique characteristics of various animals. In addition, by prompting readers to “look closer now,” this book also reveals similarities among the animals. An ant, grasshopper, lobster, and butterfly have differences that are easy to see…but what a wonder to discover that they all have antennae! The back of the book provides a deeper examination of the similarities and differences among the featured animals.