[Grades PK-K] Great Books to Read in January

Winner of the 2018 Caldecott MedalA girl is lost in a snowstorm. A wolf cub is lost, too. How will they find their way home?Paintings rich with feeling tell this satisfying story of friendship and trust. Here is a book set on a wintry night that will spark imaginations and warm hearts, from Matthew Cordell, author of Trouble Gum and Another Brother.

Snow comes in the night, and Iggy and Martina make a snowbear. But then a sledge ridge takes them deep into the woods. How will they get back home again? The Snowbear is a spellbinding story about the magic of snow and the power of a child's imagination. With a simple text and beautiful illlustrations, it will be read again and again. Themes of friendship, loyalty, and bravery make it a great choice for story time, as a bedtime read or on car trips. Children will love the crisp, wintry setting brought to life by Claire Alexander’s art.

Named one of the 10 Best Children’s Books of 2016 by Parents Magazine!What if you found a giraffe in your soup, an alligator in your entreé, an elephant on the table, or even an ostrich in your dish?In this debut picture book from author-illustrator Ross Burach, an assortment of hairy, scary animals pop out from under the lid at a restaurant!Jam-packed with adorable illustrations and an assortment of animal puns, this kid-friendly story is sure to delight fans of books by Jon Klassen and Oliver Jeffers!

Pinkerton doesn't understand his owner’s commands. When told to come, he jumps out the window. When asked to fetch, he destroys the slippers instead. Pinkerton’s desperate owners take him to obedience school, but he flunks out in record time. Then one night a burglar breaks into their house, and Pinkerton is able to put his bad habits to good use. This silly charmer of a story was included on the Booklist and Horn Book best of the year lists and inspired four sequels about the impossibly clueless but irresistibly sweet Pinkerton. Now, in honor of its 35th anniversary, Steven Kellogg has updated the art and text (most notably removing the gun that appeared in the original edition), and has written an introductory note about the book’s history.

Follow along as one sneeze turns a town upside down! Just one "KA-CHOO" causes a whole chain of hilarity, from a splashing turtle to a wet hen, to a flying policeman, a sinking boat, and just about everyone crashing a circus parade! Readers young and old will be entertainedby this silly story. So turn the page and find out what could possibly happen next! Originally created by Dr. Seuss himself, Beginner Books are fun, funny, and easy to read. These unjacketed hardcover early readers encourage children to read all on their own, using simple words and illustrations. Smaller than the classic large format Seuss picture books like The Lorax and Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, these portable packages are perfect for practicing readers ages 3-7, and lucky parents too! “Pretty much all the stuff you need to know is in Dr. Seuss.” –President Barack Obama

Sam’s Halloween party is popping—with a massive amount of popcorn! Find out how he and his friends handle the delicious surplus in this reissue of a classic picture book from celebrated and award-winning author and illustrator Frank Asch.On Halloween night, Sam invites all of his friends to his house for a costume party. As his guests arrive, each one brings the same treat—popcorn! They make it all, and soon the house is overflowing with popcorn. What will Sam and his friends do with so much of this tasty treat? This refreshed edition of a beloved classic features the original text and art with an updated cover.

An enchanting picture book by beloved author Charlotte Zolotow, celebrating the coming holidays, changing seasons, and rhythm of time. A little girl remembers a snowman, a pumpkin, and birthday cake. But she doesn’t understand time. Summer, winter, autumn, and spring are all mixed up in her mind. What comes next?Garth William’s classic illustrations beautifully complement this sweet tale as a little girl begins to understand the circular passing of seasons and her excitement when it begins all over again.

Handpicked by Amazon kids’ books editor, Seira Wilson, for Prime Book Box – a children’s subscription that inspires a love of reading.This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great—the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. In this new board book format, the very youngest readers can learn about one of America's icons in the series's signature lively, conversational way. The short text focuses on drawing inspiration from these iconic heroes, and includes an interactive element and factual tidbits that young kids will be able to connect with. This volume tells the story of Martin Luther King, Jr., the civil rights leader.

Wombats are cuddly-looking, slow-moving Australian animals. Their favorite activities are eating, sleeping, and digging holes. Here, in the words of one unusually articulate wombat, is the tongue-in-cheek account of a busy week; eating, sleeping, digging holes . . . and training its new neighbors, a family of humans, to produce treats on demand. This entertaining book, with its brief, humorous text and hilarious illustrations, will endear the wombat to young children, who may recognize in the determined furry creature some qualities that they share.

Meet Betty Bunny, a loveable handful nobunny can resist. From author Michael B. Kaplan, creator of Disney’s T.V. show Dog with a Blog, comes the debut picture book of the Betty Bunny series. It's a story about patience—seen through the eyes of a precocious preschooler. Betty Bunny is the youngest in her family of rabbits and she’s just discovering the important things in life, like chocolate cake. She declares, “I am going to marry chocolate cake” and takes a piece to school with her in her pocket. Mom values healthy eating and tells Betty Bunny she needs patience when it comes to dessert. But Betty Bunny doesn’t want patience, she wants chocolate cake! In this funny tribute to chocolate lovers (and picky eaters), Betty Bunny’s charming perspective on patience will be recognizable to anyone with a preschooler in their life.

Greg Pizzoli's Geisel Honor-winning, giggle-worthy favorite teases readers with an interactive, bedtime read-aloud!Will Owl ever get a good night's sleep? He's ready for bed, but as soon as he settles in, he hears a strange noise. He looks everywhere--in his cupboard, underneath the floorboards--even in his walls. He'll never get to sleep unless he can figure out what's going on! But as he's busy tearing his house apart, he doesn't notice one tiny, squeaky, mouse-shaped detail--the culprit!Every observant young reader will point again and again to the answer to Owl's persistent question, laughing all along the way. From the creator of The Watermelon Seed comes another pitch-perfect tale that's empowering, engaging, and entertaining."Entertaining bedtime drama that works equally well for new readers and for sharing aloud."--Horn Book"A funny tale about stress and an ever-upping ante, with a comforting end."--Kirkus ReviewsDon't miss these other favorite books by Greg Pizzoli:The Book HogThe Watermelon SeedNumber One SamTempleton Gets His WishThis Story is For YouThe Twelve Days of Christmas

Percy the Park Keeper helps his animal friends in this popular story from highly-regarded, best-selling author-illustrator Nick Butterworth. Includes a fabulous fold-out poster!Percy the Park Keeper always feeds the animals in the park where he lives. But one cold winter’s night Percy discovers that his little friends need more than food and he must find a way to help them find a warm place to sleep for the night.Percy’s hut is nice and warm but Percy discovers that if you invite one animal in you’ll have to invite them all in and his hut is only small – it’s certainly going to be a squash!

You can be a King. Stamp out hatred. Put your foot down and walk tall.You can be a King. Beat the drum for justice. March to your own conscience.Featuring a dual narrative of the key moments of Dr. King's life alongside a modern class as the students learn about him, Carole Weatherford's poetic text encapsulates the moments that readers today can reenact in their own lives. See a class of young students as they begin a school project inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and learn to follow his example, as he dealt with adversity and never lost hope that a future of equality and justice would soon be a reality. As times change, Dr. King's example remains, encouraging a new generation of children to take charge and change the world . . . to be a King.