Core English Picture Books

“Shiny happy people laughing Everyone around, love them, love them Put it in your hands, take it, take it There’s no time to cry, happy, happy . . .” Shiny Happy People is a heartwarming picture book whose story is...

Take a hike with this father-daughter adventure that’s sure to inspire you to get outside. When a young child reminds her dad about the hike they planned, her father is hesitant —To the tippy top? It’s a great day to...

Based on a true story, the author humorously recounts the time his grandfather got stranded with a friend on Surtsey, a brand new volcanic island in Iceland. The adventurers face epic challenges like molten lava, melted eyeglasses and scant supplies...

A modern spin on “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” this warm-spirited, woodland tale celebrates the power of community and coming together to share in times of need. Winter is fast approaching the forest and everyone is storing food for a...

A true classic with a timeless message, The Story of Ferdinand has enchanted readers since it was first published in 1936. All the other bulls would run and jump and butt their heads together. But Ferdinand would rather sit and...

Fantastic plants cover our world. But which ones are the smelliest, thorniest, or largest? Through easy-to-read text, amazing photos, and a fun activity, beginning readers will learn all about the most extreme plants growing on our planet.

Your dreams can change the world! Colorful mosaics, playful flowing forms, imaginative facades—Barcelona shines with the buildings of Antoni Gaudí. How did the son of a Catalan blacksmith become a world-famous architect? The first years of Gaudí’s life were challenging....

This autobiographical picture book by the multiple Grammy Award-winning singer Roberta Flack recounts her childhood in a home surrounded by music and love: it all started with a beat-up piano that her father found in a junkyard, repaired, and painted...

In a quiet neighborhood, a single note trills through the air. Another note joins, and then another. One by one, curious people are drawn to their windows, doorways, and balconies to support the medley. Professional musicians play instruments from around...

“Lean on me When you’re not strong And I’ll be your friend I’ll help you carry on . . .” Lean on Me is an endearing children’s picture book that beautifully demonstrates the power of friendship, based on Bill Withers’s...

Lali has worked hard to earn money for a special treat—but should she spend her earnings on herself or her friends? Lali works hard to earn some money while her animal friends watch. She stirs. She stokes. She pounds. She...

The New York Times New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books Award (2023) A stunningly illustrated fable about cultural humility and the transcendent power of stories. A young teacher sets out for the Amazon rain forest, eager to share...

Aarav loves his grandfather very much, but they’re as different as water and molasses. Where Aarav runs and races, Thatha likes to saunter and stroll. Every day at five o’clock, Thatha makes masala chai for the family, and no matter...

Mrs. Mallard was sure that the pond in the Boston Public Gardens would be a perfect place for her and her eight ducklings to live. The problem was how to get them there through the busy streets of Boston. But...

Another hilarious picture book from actor Max Greenfield, author of I Don’t Want To Read This Book and This Book Is Not a Present, dedicated to introverts of all ages, about the horrors of reading aloud. Nobody in the world...

All it takes is a loving teacher to help a boy get control of his sizzling superpowers, in this vibrant picture book by bestselling author Derrick Barnes. Bobby Beacon’s got fire flowing through his veins. And now he’s psyched to...

From New York Times bestselling Joanna Ho, of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, and award-winning educator Liz Kleinrock, comes a powerful companion picture book about adoption and family. A young girl who is a transracial adoptee learns to love...

Trees are the tallest living things on Earth. But how do they grow to be so tall? Science writer Rebecca E. Hirsch presents a poetic introduction to the tree life cycle in Rise to the Sky. Accompanied by Mia Posada’s...

“I remember We were walking up to strawberry swing I can’t wait till the morning Wouldn’t wanna change a thing . . .” Strawberry Swing is a tenderly illustrated picture book of one of Coldplay’s best known songs. It was...

An empowering reflection on the many things we are and the ways we relate to the world. Poet Bob Raczka’s You are a Story highlights all of the nuance and potential of a growing person’s identity, delighting in the things...

Spirited Away meets Where the Wild Things Are by way of yokai mythology in this enchanting picture book by debut author J. P. Takahashi and illustrator Minako Tomigahara. The night parade is about to begin . . . The ground...

Celebrate the holidays with twelve adorable cats—and one kitten—with this festive feline take on the classic carol The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave me cats: FOUR on the gifts, THREE dressed...

New York Times bestselling author Joanna Ho, of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, creates a meaningful and diverse picture book about how names define us. Names reveal generational ties and histories, weaving an intricate tale of the past. Names—and...

Ruby does NOT like bugs! Until she’s forced to spend some time looking more closely at one… A funny story for kids with big feelings and curious minds. When Ruby discovers a bug on her window one morning she FREAKS...

In his latest illustrated exploration of the animal kingdom, Steve Jenkins introduces readers to some of the most powerful predators in history, from the Tyrannosaurus rex to the African Siberian tiger. What does it take to be the “top dog”?...

If you are Isamu, stones are the most special of all. How can they be so heavy? Would they float if they had no weight? Winner of the Theordor Seuss Geisel Award in 2020 for Stop! Bot!, James Yang imagines...

At the start of things, the elders say, the universe was hushed and still. The moon alone shone bright and round in the star-speckled dark of the sky. David Alvarez is one of the most extraordinary artists working today. His...

See the people walking down the street Fall in line just watching all their feet They don’t know where they want to go But they’re walking in time They got the beat . . . We Got the Beat is...

A brave little artist goes on an epic adventure to share her creativity with the world in this picture book from New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Ed Vere. It’s an inspiring exploration of the creative spirit, perfect for fans of...

From Joseph Kuefler, the acclaimed author-illustrator of The Digger and the Flower, comes a new book in his popular Digger picture book series, about a crew of building trucks who befriend a caterpillar and witness its metamorphosis into a beautiful...