The Perfect Pet

This week, we're sharing some of our favorite pet stories for younger children.  Here are a few of our favorite pet picture books . . . .

A Boy and His Bunny by Sean Bryan

One morning, a boy wakes up with a rabbit on his head and, although his mother is skeptical, he soon discovers that he can be fed, ride a bobsled, and even look cool with a rabbit on his head.

Dogs by Emily Gravett

Various types of dogs illustrate the concept of opposites, with such examples as dogs that are big and small, tough and soft, hairy and bald, and slow and fast.

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown

When Lucy, a young bear, discovers a boy lost in the woods, she asks her mother if she can have him as a pet, only to find him impossible to train.

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

A mother dog tries to teach her pup how to bark, and is surprised at why he wasn't learning.

More Pet Stories --

Bad Dog by Mike Boldt

Be Gentle with the Dog, Dear by Matthew J. Baek

The Blue House Dog by Deborah Blumenthal

Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings

Dog in Charge by K.L. Going

The Dog Who Belonged to No One by Amy Hest

Flat Cat by Tara Lazar

Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio

Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet by Kelly DiPucchio

Goldfish on Vacation by Sam Lloyd-Jones

The Great Dog Wash by Shellie Braeuner

How Mr. Silver Stole the Show by Kate Klise

I Got a New Friend by Karl Newson Edwards

I Hate My Cats: A Love Story by Cali Davide

I Want a Dog by Jon Agee

I'm Not Missing by Kashelle Gourley

Mogie: The Heart of the House by Kathi Appelt

Move Over, Rover by Karen Beaumont

Mr. Putney's Quacking Dog by Jon Agee

No Dogs Allowed! by Sonia Manzano

Painter and Ugly by Robert J. Blake

The Perfect Pet for You by Estelle Laure

The Pet Potato by Josh Lacey

Pirate's Perfect Pet by Beth Ferry

Some Cat! by Mary Casanova

Take Your Pet to School Day by Linda Ashman

This Is Gus by Chris Chatterton

Trouper by Meg Kearney

Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby

School Tales

Summer is nearly over.  Students are starting to head to school - either for the first time or returning to next grade.  This is the perfect time to share some great school stories with your child --

My Teacher Is a Monster! (No I'm Not) by Peter Brown
Bobby thinks his teacher, Ms. Kirby, is horrible, but when he sees her outside of school and they spend a day in the park together, he discovers she might not be so bad after all.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
Chrysanthemum loves her name, until she starts going to school and the other children make fun of it.

I'm Smart! by Kate McMullan
Depicts a super-smart school bus that uses its savvy to navigate the roads in super-safe ways while transporting kids to and from school.

Moses Goes to School by Isaac Millman
Moses and his friends enjoy the first day of school at their special school for the deaf and hard of hearing, where they use sign language to talk to each other.

Snow Day! by Lester Laminack
Someone is very, very excited about the possibility of missing school due to snow, and plans a whole day of sledding, building forts, reading, and sipping hot chocolate rather than going to school for that test on chapter ten.


More School Stories --
Ally-Saurus and the First Day of School by Richard Torrey
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech
Hands Off, Harry! by Rosemary Wells
Hooway for Wodnay Wat by Helen Lester
I Am Not Going to School Today by Robie Harris
I'm Not Ready! by Jonathan Allen
If an Elephant Went to School by Ellen Fischer
Jack's Talent by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Little Rabbit Goes to School by Harry  Horse
The Little School Bus by Margery Cuyler
Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney
Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind by Judy Finchler
Miss Nelson Is Missing! by Harry Allard
Mr. President Goes to School by Rick Walton
Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth by Alison McGhee
My Creature Teacher by Laura Leuck
My First Day at a New School by Charlotte Guillain
Once Upon an Ordinary School Day by Colin McNaughton
Peanut Butter & Homework Sandwiches by Lisa Cook
A Very Full Morning by Eva Montanari
We Share Everything! by Robert Munsch
Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
When You Go to Kindergarten by James Howe
You Can't Go to School Naked! by Dianne Billstrom


Check these and more school stories out at the Arnold Branch on display through September 8, 2017.

I Want a Pet!

It's a common request from kids.  They want a pet!  Whether it is a dog, cat, fish, horse, etc.  So this week, I'm sharing picture books about pets -- both usual and unusual.

The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle
A young boy enlists the help of a dragon to persuade his mother to let him have a dog as a pet.

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown
When Lucy, a young bear, discovers a boy lost in the woods, she asks her mother if she can have him as a pet, only to find him impossible to train.

How to Train a Train by Jason Eaton
A whimsical guide to training a "pet train" instructs young enthusiasts about important issues including where trains live, what they like to eat, and how to get them to perform the best train tricks.

Me Want Pet by Tammi Sauer
When Cave Boy wants a pet, he tries a woolly mammoth, a saber-toothed tiger, and a dodo bird, but none seems suitable.

A Pet for Petunia by Paul Schmimd
Petunia so desperately wants a pet skunk that she refuses to believe her parents when they say skunks stink.


More Pet Books --
Alberto the Dancing Alligator by Richard Waring
The Birthday Pet by Ellen Javernick
The Big Bad Wolf and Me by Delphine Perret
Cats are Cats by Valeri Gorbachev
C'Mere Boy! by Sharon Jennings
Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by  Mark Teague
Hondo & Fabian by Peter McCarty
I Need a Snake by Lynne Jonell
If I Had a Raptor by George O'Connor
The Kindhearted Crocodile by Lucia Panzieri
"Let's Get a Pup!" Said Kate by Bob Graham
Lost Cat by C. Roger Mader
Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans
Mammoth and Me by Algy Craig Hall
My Cat, the Silliest Cat in the World by Gilles Bachalet
My Rhinoceros by Jon Agee
Not Norman: A Goldfish Story by Kelly Bennett
The Perfect Pet by Margie Palatini
A Pet for Miss Wright by Judy Young
Sparky! by Jenny Offill
That Pesky Rat by Lauren Child
That's My Dog! by Rick Walton
Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival by Kirby Larson
Wanted, the Perfect Pet by Fiona Roberton
What Pet to Get? by Emma Dodd
Worst in Show by William Bee


Check out these and other pet picture books on display at the Arnold Branch through September 25, 2015.

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown

Mr. Tiger lives in a town full of civilized animals.  Everything was very proper and well-mannered.

Mr. Tiger was bored.

So Mr. Tiger decides to start going just a little big wild . . .


Mr. Tiger Goes Wild is a great stories about being true to yourself.  It also shows how just one person can make a huge difference in the lives of those around him.

My Favorite Books of 2013

As it is the end of the year, I thought I would share my favorite books from 2013.  Here are my favorite picture books . . .

Moo! by David LaRochelle
When Cow gets her hooves on the farmer's car, she takes it for a wild ride through the country.

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
Bored with city life and the proper behavior it requires, Mr. Tiger has a wild idea that leads him to discover his true nature.

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett
The reader is invited to count the animals that have frightened the monkeys off the pages.

The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
After swallowing a watermelon seed, a crocodile imagines a scary outcome.