The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett.
A polar bear family leaves its igloo for a walk to let Baby Bear's soup cool. Aloo-ki, an Inuit girl attracted by the aroma of the soup, wanders into the igloo, and the rest is history.

Ivan the Terrier by Peter Catalanotto.
Ivan, a Jack Russell terrier, makes mincemeat out of four familiar folk tales as its ever-more-exasperated owner tries to tell them. The watercolor and gouache paintings add to the humor of this imaginative story.

Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney.
Llama Llama throws a tantrum at the Shop-O-Rama. She’s really mad at Mama!

Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems.
When Trixie and her beloved Knuffle Bunny go to preschool, Trixie is shocked to learn her bunny is not unique in the world. Classmate Sonja has one, too! After the twin bunnies cause a commotion the teacher confiscates both bunnies, returning them at the end of the day. Guess what happens next.

Help! A Story of Friendship by Holly Keller.
Mouse and Snake were friends, until "Fox told Skunk and Skunk told Mouse that snakes are dangerous to mice." In his terror, Mouse falls into a deep hole from which none of his animal friends can rescue him -- except Snake.

Rabbit’s Gift: A Fable From China
by George Shannon.
When it begins to snow, Rabbit scurries to collect food and is fortunate to find two turnips. Realizing that one turnip is plenty for his own needs, he decides to share. Based on an ancient folktale, this picture book is a gentle story of sharing and friendship.

Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Gregory Christie.
A snappy rhyming text celebrates an extended family's joyous gyrations to the jazz spinning on the turntable and Baby's right in the thick of it.

Annie and Snowball and the Prettiest House by Cynthia Rylant.
While dainty Annie likes her nice, clean house, she longs for it to be pretty. One day, Henry remembers that there are tons of grandma and aunty things in the attic and they go exploring.

Jazz on a Saturday Night by Leo and Diane Dillon.
The mythical Saturday night brings together an all-time great band featuring Charlie Parker and John Coltrane on saxophone, Miles Davis on trumpet, Thelonious Monk on piano, Max Roach on drums, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Ella Fitzgerald doing the vocals. Music CD included.

The Nixie’s Song by Tony DiTerlizzi
Nick Vargas is upset after the death of his mother, and it’s made worse by the fact that his father has moved on and remarried. He also has a new sister, Laurie, who is obsessed with anything fairy. Nick thinks she’s nuts until he picks up a four-leaf clover and spies a wounded nixie in his yard.

Ballerina Dreams by Lauren Thompson.
This photo essay follows 5 little girls who have various physical disabilities, through their dance class, preparation for a dance recital and a performance. They may wear braces on their legs, but there’s no limit on their dreams.

Why War is Never a Good Idea by Alice Walker.
"Though War is Old / it has not / Become wise / It will not hesitate / To destroy / ...Things that / Do not / Belong to it." Walker captures the inexorable march of war in the ceaseless rhythm of her poem.

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate.
Kek, a young Sudanese refugee, is haunted by guilt that he survived. He is brought to Minnesota to live with his Aunt’s family, but he still has hopes of finding his mother alive. As in all immigration novels there are some funny mis-steps as he acclimates to America, but it's Kek’s ability to find emotional grounding in his new country that resonates with the reader.

Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
Peter discovers his identity and saves the universe from being taken over by a villain in this sweeping conclusion to the Starcatchers trilogy.

I Am Not Joey Pigza by Jack Gantos.
Joey's father, Carter Pigza, is back in Joey's life. He's a new man with a new plan, even a new name: Charles Heinz, lottery winner and entrepreneur. But as craziness unfolds, Joey/Freddy begins to realize that "once you give up who you are, you can become anybody," but then how do you ever know who you really are?

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt.
While the other kids study at Hebrew School or Catechism on Wednesday afternoons, Holling, a Presbyterian, is the only child left behind. He is certain he has become the bane of Mrs. Baker’s existence. She makes him read Shakespeare, care for the class rats, and clean the erasers.

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson.
When a white boy shows up in Frannie’s all back 6th grade class, they call him Jesus Boy. He’s not at all bothered by the nickname, and in fact, he becomes a catalyst for a shift among friends and enemies in the classroom.