An unobservant zookeeper is followed home by all the animals her thinks he has left behind in the zoo.

Liz says:

“This is a very sweet, short book; it’s perfect for bedtime.”

When a kind and hardworking duck nearly collapses from overwork, while taking care of a farm because the owner is too lazy to do so, the rest of the animals get together and chase the farmer out of town.

Liz says:

“This was recommended to me years ago by an English teacher. It was one of his kids’ favorites and it quickly became one of my kids’ favorites as well. It’s a VERY simplified version of Animal Farm. The writing is simple yet almost poetic and the pictures are adorable.”

A caterpillar and a young goose become great friends, but as they grow up they undergo changes which separate them for awhile.

Liz says:

“This book is the winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award. It is one of the sweetest books about friendship. As Farfallina and Marcel grow and change so does their friendship. The illustrations are charming.”

Every Friday a father and his child share a special ritual.

Liz says:

“‘Slow down you move to fast. You got to make the morning last.’ This is the story of a father and son who every Friday go to the local diner for breakfast. Their intimate bonding time is contrasted to the busy world that goes on around them. It’s a wonderful book with a great message and beautifully nostalgic 1950s style illustrations.”

Liz says:

“This is a clever, rapid-fire fairy-tale told backwards with a whimsical cause and effect storyline. My 6-year-old daughter loves to read it out loud.”

Duck and Goose learn to work together to take care of a ball that they think is an oversized egg.

Liz says:

“This is my daughter’s absolute favorite and it’s also one of mine. Duck and Goose learn to work together and form a most endearing friendship. The illustrations are amazing.” (There’s a sequel, Duck, Duck, Goose, which is available from Amazon but not linked here for technical reasons.)

Life is delicious in a town of Chewandswallow where it rains soup and juice, snows mashed potatoes, and blows storms of hamburgers–until the weather takes a turn for the worse.

Liz says:

“The story starts out in black & white as the grandpa tells his grandkids about the magical town of Chewandswallow. The story itself is in color – very much like the movie,The Wizard of Oz. As tomato tornados move in, see what the people of this town have to do. You may never see the weather in the same way again. This is a terrific book!”

Chrysanthemum loves her name until she starts going to school and the other children begin to make fun of it.

Liz says:

“Anything by Kevin Henkes is a winner. This is a great story of learning to be proud of yourself even when others try to make you feel bad. In this case, Chrysanthemum remains proud of her name. (It doesn’t hurt that her teacher’s name is Delphinium.)”

Mama Mouse hurriedly searches the forest for her missing little one, Baby Boo-Boo, while Big Bad Bunny stomps and growls not far away–but the bunny may not be as bad as it seems.

Liz says:

“When a little mouse takes on the role of the big bad bunny she feels strong and powerful until she realizes she is lost and needs her mommy. This is a great story for kids going off to pre-school. This book demonstrates a child’s desire to be independent while still being safe and protected.”