Let's Read About Trees

This week, we're sharing picture books about trees.  Here are a few of our favorites . . . .

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

When Floyd's kite gets stuck in a tree, he tries to knock it down with increasingly larger and more outrageous things.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

A young boy grows to manhood and old age experiencing the love and generosity of a tree which gives to him without thought of return.

A Tree for Mr. Fish by Peter Stein

Bird and Cat meet in a tree. But someone already lives in this tree-Mr. Fish. And he does not want to share.

Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley

A tree tells why, out of all four seasons, autumn is the hardest.

Maple by Lori Nichols

A nature-loving little girl's favorite playmate is her maple tree, until the day she's surprised with a baby sister.

More Books --

The Alphabet Tree by Leo Lionni

As an Oak Tree Grows by Brian Karas

Bears and Blossoms by Shirley Parenteau

The Belonging Tree by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.

The City Tree by Shira Boss

The Cow Who Climbed a Tree by Gemma Merino

Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree by Eileen Christelow

It Starts With a Seed by Laura Knowles

Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber

Little Tree by Loren Long

Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel

Shake the Tree! by Chiara Vignocchi

Sugar Snow by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

This Is the Tree We Planted by Kate McMullan

The Tree House That Jack Built by Bonnie Verburg

Trillions of Trees and Counting by Kurt Cyrus

Under a Pig Tree by Margie Palatini

Under My Tree by Muriel Tallandier

The Very Oldest Pear Tree by Nancy I. Sanders

Wangari's Trees of Peace by Jeanette Winter 

Way Up High in a Tall Green Tree by Jan Peck

A Winter Wonderland of Reading

Winter has definitely set in.  The temperatures have dropped and kids are eagerly anticipating the first snowfall.  This week I'm sharing some of my favorite picture books for the winter season . . . .

Snowball Fight! by Jimmy Fallon
On a snow day off from school, a young boy cannot wait to have a snowball fight.


Winter Woes by Marty Kelley
Rhyming lament of a young worrywart who wants to go outside and play in the snow but fears what could happen if he does, from slipping on steps to freezing his brain.


Grandmother Winter by Phyllis Root
When Grandmother Winter shakes out her feather quilt, birds, bats, bears, and other creatures prepare themselves for the cold.


A Little Bit of Winter by Paul Stewart
Rabbit tries to save a little bit of winter for his friend Hedgehog, who sleeps all winter and wants to know what he is missing.

When Winter Comes by Nancy Van Laan
Rhyming text asks what happens to different animals and plants "when winter comes and the cold wind blows".


More Winter Books --
Axle Annie by Robin Pulver
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
Before Morning by Joyce Sidman
Blizzard by John Rocco
The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming
First Snow by Peter McCarty
A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke
If It's Snowy and You Know It, Clap Your Paws! by Kim Norman
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohmann
The Little Match Girl by Jerry Pinkney
Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylant
Lucia and the Light by Phyllis Root
No Two Alike by Keith Baker
On a Wintry Morning by Dori Chacona
The Reader by Amy Hest
Samson in the Snow by Philip T. Stead
Snow Happy! by Patricia Hubbell
The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen
Snowbots by Aaron Reynolds
The Snowflake Sisters by J. Patrick Lewis
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Straight to the Pole by Kevin O'Malley
The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett
Toys Meet Snow by Emily Jenkins
Walking in a Winter Wonderland by Richard B. Smith
White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt

Check these and more winter books out on display at the Arnold Branch through December 29, 2017.

Stories for a Snowy Evening

It's that time of year when cold weather makes us want to cuddle up under the blankets and read a good book.  Hear are some of my favorite picture books to share on a cold and snowy evening . . .

Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner
Snowmen play games at night when no one is watching.

Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
Katy is a crawler tractor who saves the city when it is snowed in by a blizzard.

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
Some children create a family out of snow.

Winter Woes by Marty Kelley
Rhyming lament of a young worrywart who wants to go outside and play in the snow but fears what could happen if he does, from slipping on steps to freezing his brain.

Snow by Uri Shulevitz
As snowflakes slowly come down, one by one, people in the city ignore them, and only a boy and his dog think that the snowfall will amount to anything.


More Snowy Books --
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming
First Snow by Bernette Ford
First Snow by Peter McCarty
Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London
Grandmother Winter by Phyllis Root
A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke
A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohmann
A Little Bit of Winter by Paul Stewart
The Missing Mitten Mystery by Steven Kellogg
Moon Glowing by Elizabeth Partridge
Old Bear by Kevin Henkes
Sleepover with Beatrice and Bear by Monica Carnesi
Snow Day! by Lester Laminack
The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen
Snowball Fight! by Jimmy Fallon
Snowbots by Aaron Reynolds
Straight to the Pole by Kevin O'Malley
Supertruck by Steven Savage
Tacky and the Winter Games by Helen Lester
The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett
When Winter Comes by Nancy Van Laan
Winter is the Warmest Season by Lauren Stringer
The Winter Visitors by Karel Hayes

Check out these and more "snowy" books on display at the Arnold Branch through January 5, 2017.

Happy Fall!

Today is the first full day of fall for the year!  It's exciting to see the cooler temperatures, the changing leaves, and the upcoming holidays.  So today, I am sharing some of my favorite books about fall . . .

Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall
When fall comes, two brothers enjoy catching the falling leaves, stomping on them, kicking them, jumping in piles of them, and using them to make pictures.  Includes a description of how leaves change through the year.

Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka
The delights of autumn are described in mixed-up verse and illustrations, and the reader is challenged to uncover the errors.

Red Are the Apples by Marc Harshman
Leads the reader through a bountiful garden in autumn while drawing particular attention to the variety of colors found within it.

Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley
A tree tells why, out of all four seasons, autumn is the hardest.

Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky
Every autumn a bear shows up behind the farm, and goes through a series of routines before finding a den among the hilltop boulders where he sleeps all winter long.

Snow! Snow! And More Snow!

This past weekend we were hit with one of the biggest snow events we've had in the St. Louis area in quite a few years.  In fact, it was so snowy that we had to cancel our "Snow Story Times" at the library.  While stuck in the house watching the snow fall, it made me think of all my favorite books that feature snow.  Here are a few of my favorite picture books for children featuring snow . . . .

It's Snowing! by Olivier Dunrea
This quiet, gentle book about a mother that shares a snowy evening with her baby is probably my absolute favorite story about the snow.  It reminds me of my childhood when my family would gather at my grandma's house and we would go sledding late into the night.  For some reason, sledding after dark was more fun than sledding during the day.

Snow by Uri Shulevitz
This is probably my second favorite snow book.  It tells the story of a boy that insists that it is going to snow even though his family, the television, and the radio say it will not.  The sparsely told story is accompanied by wonderful illustrations that convey the magic that a snowstorm holds for a child.

Winter Woes by  Marty Kelly
This book is absolutely hilarious.  The boy narrator is excited to go out to play in the snow until he thinks of all the horrible things that can go wrong.  This book is guaranteed to illicit giggles from any child reading it.