Freight Train by Donald Crews

Clear bright illustrations show all the cars of a train bringing the reader the excitement of movement through day and night, country and city.

Winner of a Caldecott Honor in 1979.

There’s also an iPhone Book app for Freight Train that incorporates the sequel, Inside Freight Train, as well. Take a look at the book trailer:

Pick Up Freight Train by Donald Crews:

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A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead

THE BEST SICK DAY EVER and the animals in the zoo feature in this striking picture book debut.

Friends come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. In Amos McGee’s case, all sorts of species, too! Every day he spends a little bit of time with each of his friends at the zoo, running races with the tortoise, keeping the shy penguin company, and even reading bedtime stories to the owl. But when Amos is too sick to make it to the zoo, his animal friends decide it’s time they returned the favor.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee was the 2011 Bank Street – Best Children’s Book of the Year and the winner of the 2011 Caldecott Medal.

Take a look at this very neat video from Erin Stead about creating this fantastic book:

Pick Up A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead:

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Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!

Nothing Like A Puffin by Sue Soltis and Illustrated by Bob Kolar

A puffin is an amazing creature. It’s completely unique and one-of-akind. A ladder is nothing like a puffin. A house is nothing like a puffin. A newspaper is nothing like a puffin. . . . But wait! Who would have guessed? Could these things be more alike than you think? Young children will love following this mischievous puffin in an entertaining exercise in creative classification– and are guaranteed to start looking at everyday things in a whole new way.

There’s nothing like this book! Bold, charming artwork enlivens a fun and clever game of compare-and-contrast for curious kids and puffin lovers alike.

We’ve been reading this one for a few weeks now and will be reviewing it soon, but I had to mention it. It’s fantastic! What I should point out is that to many of you the illustrations may seem familiar and there’s good reason…Bob Kolar! He’s illustrated some of our very favorite books including the book, Alpha Oops! H is for Halloween by Alethea Kontis, which we reviewed not too long ago. If you loved his other illustrations you certainly won’t want to miss this one either! Take a look at a few of his others:

Pick Up Nothing Like A Puffin by Sue Soltis and Illustrated by Bob Kolar:

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Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!

Henry in Love by Peter McCarty

Henry is a bit of a dreamer and not much of a talker.Then there’s Chloe, who says what she thinks and knows how to turn a spectacular cartwheel.
This is the story of how one blueberry muffin makes all the difference.

This is our favorite of Peter McCarty’s books, which is why I choose it, but please don’t let that stop you from picking up one of his other fantastic picture books:

Soon to be released is his sequel to Henry In Love simply titled, Chloe. I’ve already had the privilege of reading it and I’ll tell you, it’s marvelous! You will want to read it as well as this one, I’m positive!

Pick Up Henry in Love by Peter McCarty:

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Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!

A Place for Fish by Melissa Stewart and Illustrated by Higgins Bond

This fact-filled, colorful look at the amazing world of fish includes a call to action to protect these beautiful creatures.

In this simple introduction to fish and ecology, Melissa Stewart shares with young readers the behavior and beauty of fish and describes specific ways people can help protect them and their natural habitats.

Children learn basic facts about fish, including where they live, what they eat, and how they benefit plants and other animals. Sidebars throughout the book contain information on human action that has harmed fish and on the many ways people can protect threatened fish populations, such as by preserving reefs and other marine habitats and by restricting overfishing in sensitive areas. Pointers on how youngsters can help fish in their own community are also included.

Stewart offers children a glimpse into the interconnectedness of our world and shows how the actions of one species can inadvertently harm another. Bond’s colorful, realistically detailed watercolor illustrations highlight the diversity of fishes and their habitats-from the Lahontan cutthroat trout in Nevada’s lakes to the spotted trunkfish native to Florida’s coral reefs.

Our family happens to be huge fans of Melissa’s writing and the Turkeybird especially loves all the little facts & details he learns while reading her wonderful books. Make sure to read our reviews for A Place for Fish as well as the double review for A Place for Birds & A Place for Frogs. Oh, and you don’t want to miss our 20 Question Interview with Melissa and the Turkeybird!

Pick Up A Place for Fish by Melissa Stewart and Illustrated by Higgins Bond:

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Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

Here’s a story about love and loss as only Chris Rashcka can tell it. Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy’s anguish when her favorite ball is destroyed by a bigger dog. In the tradition of his nearly wordless picture book Yo! Yes?, Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka explores in pictures the joy and sadness that having a special toy can bring. Raschka’s signature swirling, impressionistic illustrations and his affectionate story will particularly appeal to young dog lovers and teachers and parents who have children dealing with the loss of something special.

Only last week Chris Raschka won the Caldecott Medal for this very book, which is why I thought to share it, but he’s certainly no stranger to this honor. His books Yo! Yes? won the Caldecott Honor in 2004 and The Hello, Goodbye Window won the Caldecott Medal in 2006. Here’s what the American Library Association had to say about his winning the medal this year:

The 2012 Caldecott Medal winner is A Ball for Daisy, written and illustrated by Chris Raschka, published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

In a wordless book with huge children’s appeal, Chris Raschka gives us the story of an irrepressible little dog whose most prized possession is accidently destroyed. With brilliant economy of line and color, Raschka captures Daisy’s total (yet temporary) devastation. A buoyant tale of loss, recovery and friendship.

“Chris Raschka’s deceptively simple paintings of watercolor, gouache and ink explore universal themes of love and loss that permit thousands of possible variants,” said Caldecott Medal Committee Chair Steven L. Herb. ‘A Ball for Daisy’ holds as many unique stories as there will be young readers and re-readers.

Pick Up A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka:

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Interested in learning more about our feature “The Year of the Picture Book“? Please check out our opening post and be sure to leave your recommendations as well as links on that post. Thank you so much for your participation!