(2022) Watercress by Andrea Wang
The illustrator is Jason Chin.
Gathering watercress by the side of the road in Ohio brings a girl closer to her family's Chinese Heritage. At first, she's embarrassed. Why can't her family get food from the grocery store? But when her mother shares a story of her family's time in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. (This book was named the Caldecott Medal winner and a Newbery Medal Honor book in 2022.)
(2021) We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
The illustrator is Michaela Goade.
Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all. When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people's water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth's most sacred resource.
(2020) The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
The illustrator is Kadir Nelson.
This poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world's greatest heroes, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present.
(2019) Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
The illustrator is Sophie Blackall.
Step back in time to experience life in a lighthouse. Outside the wind blows, the fog rolls in, and icebergs drift by. Inside, the daily life of a lighthouse keeper and his family unfolds.
(2018) Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
The illustrator is Matthew Cordell.
A 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.
(2017) Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe
The illustrator is Javaka Steptoe.
A picture book biography about modern art phenomenon Jean-Michel Basquiat who became famous for his unique, collage-style paintings in the 1980s. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City.
(2016) Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick
The illustrator is Sophie Blackall.
Before Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie. Rescued by veterinarian Harry Colebourn on his way to World War I, Winnie eventually made her way to the London Zoo where she made another new friend, a real boy named Christopher Robin. Here is the remarkable true story of the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh.
(2015) The Adventures of Beekle, the Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat
The illustrator is Dan Santat.
On an island far away an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and-at long last-is given his special name: Beekle.
(2014) Locomotive by Brian Floca
The illustrator is Brian Floca.
It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and family are traveling together, riding America's brand-new transcontinental railroad. These pages come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to ocean.
(2013) This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
The illustrator is Jon Klassen.
A tiny fish is enjoying wearing a hat, but the trouble is...it's not his hat.
(2012) A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka
The illustrator is Chris Raschka.
A wordless picture book about all the fun a dog can have with her ball.
(2011) A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
The illustrator is Erin E. Stead.
Amos McGee, a friendly zookeeper, always made time to visit his good friends: elephant, tortoise, penguin, rhinoceros, and owl. But one day he woke up with a cold. Though he didn't make it into the zoo that day, he did receive some unexpected guests.
(2010) The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
The illustrator is Jerry Pinkney.
In this wordless retelling of an Aesop fable set in the African Serengeti, an adventuresome mouse proves that even small creatures are capable of great deeds when she rescues the King of the Jungle.
(2009) The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson
The illustrator is Beth Krommes.
A spare, patterned text and glowing pictures explore the origins of light that make a house a home in this bedtime book for young children. Naming nighttime things that are both comforting and intriguing to preschoolers—a key, a bed, the moon—this timeless book illuminates a reassuring order to the universe.
(2008) The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
The illustrator is Brian Selznick.
When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.
(2007) Flotsam by David Wiesner
The illustrator is David Wiesner.
A wave deposits an old-fashioned contraption at the feet of an inquisitive young beachcomber. Its a Melville underwater camera, and the excited boy quickly develops the film he finds inside.
(2006) The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster
The illustrator is Chris Raschka.
On the title page, a little girl springs away from her parents; turn the page, and the reader sees only her arms on the gate, the reader taking her perspective as she looks over to the white clapboard house where her Nanna and Poppy's faces stare equally eagerly out of the Hello, Goodbye Window.
(2005) Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
The illustrator is Kevin Henkes.
When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk, she ends up tired, wet, and hungry trying to reach it.
(2004) The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein
The illustrator is Mordicai Gerstein.
In 1974, French aerialist Philippe Petit threw a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and spent an hour walking, dancing, and performing high-wire tricks a quarter mile in the sky.
(2003) My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann
The illustrator is Eric Rohmann.
Something always seems to go wrong when Rabbit is around, but Mouse lets him play with his toy plane anyway because he is his good friend.
(2002) The Three Pigs by David Wiesner
The illustrator is David Wiesner.
The pigs escape the wolf by going into another world where they meet the cat & the fiddle, the cow that jumped over the moon, and a dragon.
(2001) So You Want To Be President? by Judith St. George
The illustrator is David Small.
Presents an assortment of facts about the qualifications and characteristics of U.S. presidents, from George Washington to Bill Clinton.
(2000) Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
The illustrator is Simms Taback.
A very old overcoat is recycled numerous times into a variety of garments.
(1999) Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
The illustrator is Mary Azarian.
A biography of a self-taught scientist who photographed thousands of individual snowflakes in order to study their unique formations.
(1998) Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky
The illustrator is Paul O. Zelinsky.
A retelling of a folktale in which a beautiful girl with long golden hair is kept imprisoned in a lonely tower by a sorceress.
(1997) Golem by David Wisniewski
The illustrator is David Wisniewski.
A saintly rabbi miraculously brings to life a clay giant who helps him watch over the Jews of sixteenth-century Prague.
(1996) Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
The illustrator is Peggy Rathmann.
The children at Napville Elementary School always ignore Officer Buckle’s safety tips, until a police dog named Gloria accompanies him when he gives his safety speeches.
(1995) Smoky Night by Eve Bunting
The illustrator is David Diaz.
When the Los Angeles riots break out in the streets of their neighborhood, a young boy and his mother learn the values of getting along with others no matter what their background or nationality.
(1994) Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say
The illustrator is Allen Say.
A Japanese American man recounts his grandfather’s journey to America which he later also undertakes, and the feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries.
(1993) Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully
The illustrator is Emily Arnold McCully.
Mirette learns tightrope walking from Monsieur Bellini, a guest in her mother’s boarding house, not knowing that he is a celebrated tightrope artist who has withdrawn from performing because of fear.
(1992) Tuesday by David Wiesner
The illustrator is David Wiesner.
Frogs rise on their lily pads, float through the air, and explore the nearby houses while their inhabitants sleep.
(1991) Black and White by David Macaulay
The illustrator is David Macaulay.
Four brief "stories" about parents, trains, and cows, or is it really all one story? The author recommends careful inspection of words and pictures to both minimize and enhance confusion.
(1990) Lon Po Po : a Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young
The illustrator is Ed Young.
Three sisters staying home alone are endangered by a hungry wolf who is disguised as their grandmother.
(1989) Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman
The illustrator is Stephen Gammell.
Grandpa demonstrates for his visiting grandchildren some of the songs, dances, and jokes he performed when he was a vaudeville entertainer.
(1988) Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
The illustrator is John Schoenherr.
On a winter's night under a full moon, a father and daughter trek into the woods to see the Great Horned Owl.
(1987) Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks
The illustrator is Richard Egielski.
Al is a janitor who lives with his dog Eddie. One day, a funny-looking bird sticks its head through Al's bathroom window and proposes a journey to a terrific place where there are "no worries" and "no cares." Al agrees and takes Eddie with him. What the two experience is paradise, but it soon gives way to the uncertainties of being away from home.
(1986) The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
The illustrator is Chris Van Allsburg.
A magical train ride on Christmas Eve takes a boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa Claus.
(1985) Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges
The illustrator is Trina Schart Hyman.
Adapted by Margaret Hodges from Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene, this is the story of George, the Red Cross Knight, who slays the dreadful dragon that has been terrorizing the countryside and brings peace and joy to the land.
(1984) The Glorious Flight : Across the Channel with Louis Blériot by Alice and Martin Provensen
The illustrators are Alice and Martin Provensen.
A biography of the man whose fascination with flying machines produced the Bleriot XI, which crossed the English Channel in thirty-seven minutes in the early 1900's.
(1983) Shadow by Blaise Cendrars
The illustrator is Marcia Brown.
Translated from the French original by Marcia Brown, this is a free verse evocation of the eerie, shifting images of Shadow which represents the beliefs and ghosts of the past and is brought to life wherever there is light, fire, and a storyteller.
(1982) Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
The illustrator is Chris Van Allsburg.
Left on their own for an afternoon, two bored and restless children find more excitement than they bargained for in a mysterious and mystical jungle adventure board game.
(1981) Fables by Arnold Lobel
The illustrator is Arnold Lobel.
Twenty original fables about an array of animal characters from crocodile to ostrich.
(1980) Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall
The illustrator is Barbara Cooney.
Describes the day-to-day life throughout the changing seasons of an early 19th-century New England family.
(1979) The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
The illustrator is Paul Goble.
Though she is fond of her people, a girl prefers to living among the wild horses where she is truly happy and free.
(1978) Noah's Ark by Peter Spier
The illustrator is Peter Spier.
Retells in pictures how a pair of every manner of creature climbed on board Noah's ark and thereby survived the Flood. Includes Peter Spier's translation of The Flood, by Jacobus Revius.
(1977) Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions by Margaret Musgrove
The illustrators are Leo and Diane Dillon.
This book explores traditions and customs of 26 African tribes beginning with letters from A to Z.
(1976) Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema
The illustrators are Leo and Diane Dillon.
This West African story reveals the meaning of the mosquito's buzz.
(1975) Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale by Gerald McDermott
The illustrator is Gerald McDermott.
This story is an adaptation of the Pueblo Indian myth which explains how the spirit of the Lord of the Sun was brought to the world of men.
(1974) Duffy and the Devil by Harve Zemach
The illustrator is Margot Zemach.
The spinning and knitting the devil agrees to do for her win Duffy the Squire's name and a carefree life until it comes time for her to guess the devil's name.
(1973) The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel
The illustrator is Blair Lent.
While chasing a dumpling, a little lady is captured by wicked creatures from whom she escapes with the means of becoming the richest woman in Japan.
(1972) One Fine Day by Nonny Hogrogian
The illustrator is Nonny Hogrogian.
After the old woman cuts off his tail when he steals her milk, the fox must go through a long series of transactions before she will sew it back on again.
(1971) A Story, a Story: An African Tale by Gail E. Haley
The illustrator is Gail E. Haley.
Recounts how most African folk tales came to be called "Spider Stories."
(1970) Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
The illustrator is William Steig.
On a rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic pebble that can make wishes come true. But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results.
(1969) The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship by Arthur Ransome
The illustrator is Uri Shulevitz.
When the Czar proclaims that he will marry his daughter to the man who brings him a flying ship, the Fool of the World sets out to try his luck and meets some unusual companions on the way.
(1968) Drummer Hoff by Barbara Emberley
The illustrator is Ed Emberley.
A cumulative folk song in which seven soldiers build a magnificent cannon, but Drummer Hoff fires it off.
(1967) Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness
The illustrator is Evaline Ness.
Samantha (known as Sam) is a fisherman’s daughter who dreams rich and lovely dreams--moonshine, her father says. But when her tall stories bring disaster to her friend Thomas and her cat Bangs, Sam learns to distinguish between moonshine and reality.
(1966) Always Room for One More by Sorche Nic Leodhas
The illustrator is Nonny Hogrogian.
In this Scottish folk song, a generous family always has room for another person and invites in everyone who passes by.
(1965) May I Bring a Friend? by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers
The illustrator is Beni Montresor.
A well-mannered little boy has permission to bring his animal friends to visit the king and queen.
(1964) Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
The illustrator is Maurice Sendak.
A naughty little boy, sent to bed without his supper, sails to the land of the wild things where he becomes their king.
(1963) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
The illustrator is Ezra Jack Keats.
The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day.
(1962) Once a Mouse... by Marcia Brown
The illustrator is Marcia Brown.
A fable from Ancient India about a hermit's pet who changes from mouse, to cat, to dog, to tiger, becoming increasingly vain in the process.
(1961) Baboushka and the Three Kings by Ruth Robbins
The illustrator is Nicolas Sidjakov.
A Russian folktale about an old woman's endless search for the Christ child.
(1960) Nine Days to Christmas by Marie Hall Ets and Aurora Labastida
The illustrator is Marie Hall Ets.
Ceci anxiously awaits her first posada, the special Mexican Christmas party, and the opportunity to select a piñata for it.
(1959) Chanticleer and the Fox by Geoffrey Chaucer
The illustrator is Barbara Cooney.
Adapted by Barbara Cooney from the 'Nun's Priest's Tale' from the Canterbury Tales. A sly fox tries to outwit a proud rooster through the use of flattery.
(1958) Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey
The illustrator is Robert McCloskey.
The spell of rain, gulls, a foggy morning, the excitement of sailing, the quiet of the night, the sudden terror of a hurricane, and the peace of a Maine island as a family packs up to leave are shown in poetic language and vibrant, evocative pictures.
(1957) A Tree is Nice by Janice Udry
The illustrator is Marc Simont.
A simple and elegant story about the many pleasures a tree provides.
(1956) Frog Went A-Courtin' by John Langstaff
The illustrator is Feodor Rojankovsky.
An illustrated version of the well-known American folk song about the courtship and marriage of the frog and the mouse.
(1955) Cinderella: Or, the Little Glass Slipper by Charles Perrault
The illustrator is Marcia Brown.
In her haste to flee the palace before the fairy godmother's magic loses effect, Cinderella leaves behind a glass slipper.
(1954) Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans
The illustrator is Ludwig Bemelmans.
A hound rescues a schoolgirl from the Seine, becomes a beloved school pet, is chased away by the trustees, and returns with a surprise.
(1953) The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward
The illustrator is Lynd Ward.
Johnny goes hunting for a bearskin to hang on his family's barn and returns with a small bundle of trouble.
(1952) Finders Keepers by Will and Nicolas
The illustrator is Nicolas (Nicholas Mordvinoff).
Two dogs who have found a bone can't decide who should eat it.
(1951) The Egg Tree by Katherine Milhous
The illustrator is Katherine Milhous.
One Easter morning, Katy and Carl went on an egg hunt through Grandmom's house. When Katy went up to the attic she discovered a very special set of eggs. Grandmom had painted them when she was a little girl. And now, she hung them from the branches of a tiny tree -- an Egg Tree! So began a very special Easter tradition.
(1950) Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi
The illustrator is Leo Politi.
Sad when the swallows leave for the winter, young Juan prepares to welcome them back to the old Calfornia Mission at Capistrano on St. Joseph's Day the next spring.
(1949) The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader
The illustrators are Berta and Elmer Hader.
Despite their elaborate preparations for the winter, the animals and birds are delighted by a surprise banquet after a big snow.
(1948) White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt
The illustrator is Roger Duvoisin.
When it begins to look, feel, and smell like snow, everyone prepares for a winter blizzard.
(1947) The Little Island by Margaret Wise Brown
The illustrator is Leonard Weisgard.
Once there was a little island in the ocean. That little island changed with the seasons and the storms, it changed from day to night. Then one day a kitten visited the little island and learned a secret.
(1946) The Rooster Crows: a Book of American Rhymes and Jingles by Maud and Miska Petersham
The illustrators are Maud and Miska Petersham.
A collection of classic playtime rhymes including "The Bear Went over the Mountain," "Lazy Mary," and "Yankee Doodle."
(1945) Prayer for a Child by Rachel Field
The illustrator is E.O. Jones.
A prayer filled with familiar things - bed, shoes, friends and parents.
(1944) Many Moons by James Thurber
The illustrator is Louis Slobodkin.
Though many try, only the court jester is able to fulfill Princess Lenore's one wish.
(1943) The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
The illustrator is Virginia Lee Burton.
A little house is built in the country, but soon a city is built around it. The little house dreams of someday being out in the country again.
(1942) Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
The illustrator is Robert McCloskey.
The busy Boston streets are too dangerous for eight little ducklings! But with a little help from a friendly policeman Mrs. Mallard and her family arrive safely at their new home in the public garden.
(1941) They Were Strong and Good by Robert Lawson
The illustrator is Robert Lawson.
This is an illustrated history of Robert Lawson's family.
(1940) Abraham Lincoln by Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
The illustrators are Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire.
Text and illustrations depict the life of a boy born on the Kentucky frontier who became one of the most beloved presidents.
(1939) Mei Li by Thomas Handforth
The illustrator is Thomas Handforth.
After spending an eventful day at the fair held on the Chinese New Year's Eve, Mei Li arrives home just in time to greet the Kitchen God.
(1938) Animals of the Bible by Dorothy P. Lathrop
The illustrator is Dorothy P. Lathrop.
Thirty richly detailed black-and-white drawings illustrate the stories of the Creation, Noah's Ark, the first Christmas, and many others. The text is from the King James Bible.
