Awards

In this delightful book, readers are introduced to Leopold the goat, owner of a cozy bookstore with lots of character. Leopold loves books, and especially enjoys selecting just the right book for each customer. He is faced with a challenge when a fellow goat enters the bookstore. This goat’s instinct is to eat books, rather than read them. Leopold is understanding, as he once reacted the same way, until he realized that books held the potential to transport him to imaginary lands.

Building, building, that is what beavers do best. Through limited use of color and intricate detail, this true-to-nature story follows two beavers as they set out to build a home. These talented engineers use their teeth to gnaw the logs, create a dam, and build a lodge, providing a safe and warm home for their growing family as they explore the world around them. An author’s note at the end of the book highlights the natural skills beavers have as builders. This quiet, yet intricate book will prompt even the busiest beavers to pause, observe and wonder.  

Chip is a dog who has been around the block enough times in his seven years to have acquired some worldly wisdom to share. For example, when it comes to burying bones, one can dig a large hole and put thirty bones in it or dig thirty holes and put one bone in each. Chip generously shares more advice with the reader regarding cats, other dogs, bones, and most importantly, what to eat and what not to eat.

In this wordless, creative twist on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the use of the color gold draws the reader’s eye to a little girl in the city who is riding the bus home from school on a blustery day. When she arrives home, she prepares something yummy and warm in a large pot. Three bears in golden scarves return home from a bicycle ride and follow the scent to three bowls of goodness waiting for them. As the reader soaks in the illustrations, they will see a lifetime of memories and love through the family portraits hanging on the walls of the home.

This 2023 Caldecott winning book begins with summer in the city, a dog and its person head out to take care of a few errands. After a while, however, the hustle and bustle of the city along with the rising temperature cause the dog to feel overheated and overwhelmed. Perceptive and kind, the owner finds a way to escape an environment that is too loud, too close, and too hot. They whisk away by taxi, train, and ferry to find peace, recharge, and cool down by the sea. As the little dog frolics in the sand and sea and cools down, this book is sure to warm readers’ hearts. 

As part of a group on an expedition to look for penguins in the Antarctic, this book’s main character is instead bundled up and eager to spot the legendary woolly mammoth. Although these ancient relatives of elephants are believed to be extinct (as shared in a facts page at the end of the story), readers will share the excitement when a tutu-wearing, skateboarding mammoth enters the picture.

Readers embark on a creative journey with Izzy the koala and a cat as they explore the big city. Environmental print abounds throughout the book, providing many opportunities to pause and talk about the illustrations on each page. Other characters within the story appear in muted blue tones, so it is easy to spot Izzy and the cat as they navigate the city. Once in the art museum, Izzy not only sees the art, but feels it and even hears it speak. Drawing inspiration from the visit to the museum and from the surroundings, Izzy creates a masterpiece by painting big, small, gentle, and wild.

From the moment he hatched, Owl’s wish was to become a knight. Through digital illustrations, often in full-page spreads, readers can perch on the castle wall with Owl as he begins his watch, and comes face to face with a dangerous, hungry dragon. Clever Owl keeps his wits about him and convinces the dragon that he is way too small to satisfy his hunger, and tempts him instead with a pizza! The unlikely friends realize they have quite a bit in common and are able to keep the peace.

In this story, a shift in perspective offers readers a unique glimpse into the world of animal families and their observations of creatures in the wild. Curiosity and interest build for readers as they listen to how humans are perceived when they enter an animal’s habitat. Humans are observed being messy, noisy, and sometimes smelly, but also cuddly and funny. Despite the differences between animals and humans, similar characteristics are shared as well, and mother elephant wisely shares that ultimately, all wild creatures should be free.

Sloth could not be more excited to be invited to her very first sleepover at her human friend Paloma’s house. She knows it will be successful because sloths love to sleep. To Sloth’s surprise, however, she quickly realizes that Paloma plans to stay up all night. After an evening of pizza, ice cream, games, nail painting, and a spontaneous dance party, Sloth decides she must gather her nerve and be honest with her friend about how tired she is. With heavy eyelids, she is ready to tell Paloma… and finds her friend asleep!

Caldecott Honoree Carson Ellis aligns colorful, expressive illustrations with Randall de Séve’s gentle, repetitive verse to draw the reader into a story of compassion, connection, and community. Members of a community each play an important role in coaxing a scared, hungry, and lonely kitten from a hiding place into a welcoming home. Throughout the actions of each character, a thread of shared purpose connects them all and demonstrates for young readers that there are many ways to become a helper, and every role is important, no matter how small it may seem.  

When an unexpected guest shows up at a birthday party, the guest cockroach interprets their screams as shouts of excitement. Despite the reaction of the other party guests, cockroach joins in the festivities. When Dad decides enough is enough, cockroach is transported by force to even more fun… inside a vacuum cleaner and then on to the trash bin. Worried that this departure from the party will be disappointing to the birthday star, cockroach makes its way back to avoid missing out for too long.

It is snowing, and children are sledding on the hill near Gabo’s home. Gabo is shy, and is not sure that he has everything he needs to join them. Mami helps solve the problem by locating Papi’s hat, waterproof bags to keep his feet dry and warm. As Gabo gets closer to the hill, he encounters family and neighbors who offer snacks, friendship, and encouragement. The natural integration of English and Spanish language broadens the reader’s experience and vocabulary, and brings warmth to a snowy day through community connections.

The life cycles of fourteen animals, from butterflies to humans are depicted in stunning photographs that will delight readers of all ages. This is the perfect introduction to natural Science for the youngest readers. A tadpole becomes a frog, a kit becomes a rabbit, and an egg becomes a chicken. Additional information about specific breeds of each animal, and a glossary of terms enhance the information learned in the text and pictures.

Inside a quiet house, a friendly mouse approaches a goldfish bowl and asks the fish inside to play. Together they enjoy the day, until three creeping cats threaten to put a stop to their fun. Determined to save the fish, the mouse leads the cats on a chase and secures some time to recruit some fellow mice and make a quick escape. The brave mice lead their new friend the fish to a safer home, avoiding “cat-astrophe.”

In this funny story, Cole is disappointed that his new dinosaur toy is so tiny, but his mother reassures him that Dino-Gro will grow when he becomes wet. Once Dino-Gro discovers a glass of water, a stream, the aquarium, the sprinkler, and the shower—grow he does! Big, bigger and biggest—so big that he doesn’t fit in the house! Hilarious antics and a rescue follow as the family figures out how to manage a giant blue dinosaur.