Ages 2-4 Winner
Kitty and Cat: Bent Out of Shape by
Bath time has Cat quite literally bent out of shape in this fresh, funny concept book that's purr-fect for the preschool set. It's bathtime for Cat, but Cat is nowhere to be found. That is, until you look closely. Young readers will delight in following housemates Kitty and Puppy (and a few buzzing flies) on an excitable pursuit--with hilarious results! Author-illustrator Mirka Hokkanen brings her original talent for sight gags to this stylish tale of trapezoids and triangles, circles and squares (and several more shapes besides), all hidden in plain sight. Readers of all ages will be given over to giggles as they discover Cat's many contortions.
Ages 5-7 Winner
Friends Beyond Measure by
A CCBC 2024 Choices for the Picture Books category! A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best! A 2023 Horn Book Best of the Year--Picture Book "A loving tale inventively and informatively told." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "A uniquely told story that will delight all readers. Highly recommended." --School Library Journal (starred review) "Clever, whimsical, and jam-packed with details." --The Horn Book (starred review) "A friendship story chronicled through charts, graphs, and maps." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) This is THE next book for fans of Mapping Sam and My Map Book! Told exclusively through charts and graphic illustrations, infographics designer Lalena Fisher explores the touching friendship of Ana and Harwin and how they work through their emotions when one friend learns the other is moving far away. Friends Beyond Measure explores the world of infographics, including maps, diagrams, charts, timelines, and so much more! From the chart showing how to make fairy tea to the Venn diagram of the friends' personalities, every page is filled with delicious details for the reader to pore over. Ana and Harwin's friendship has been off the charts since day one! But when Harwin learns her family is going to move far away, the duo isn't sure how their friendship can survive the move. See how their friend-o-meters calibrate in this imaginative, heartwarming story by beloved picture book creator and infographic designer Lalena Fisher. An ideal read-aloud for classrooms, libraries, and homeschooling, this book includes back matter that explains all about the different types of charts and graphics in the book and gives suggestions for readers to create charts of their own. Readers will love all the fun details in this rich and visual story! And they'll engage in critical thinking while analyzing and evaluating the images.
Ages 8 - 10 Winner
Friend of Numbers: The Life of Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan by
The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY)&;Outstanding International Books List - PreK-2 (2024) A memorable, inspiring introduction to a groundbreaking figure in STEM history. Growing up in southern India during British rule, Srinivasa Ramanujan was fascinated by numbers: they made patterns only he could see. Soon he spent as much time as he could in the world of mathematics, exploring concepts and trying to publish his ideas. In 1914, twenty-six-year-old Ramanujan sailed to England to work with the acclaimed mathematician G.H. Hardy. Cambridge University was so different from home, but Ramanujan's love of numbers kept him going. He had big questions to ask--and important discoveries to make! This captivating biography follows the short but brilliant life of a man recognized as a genius in his time and our own. With bright, occasionally amusing art and compelling back matter, Friend of Numbers is an unforgettable portrait of one of history's most incredible mathematical minds. The Children's Book Council Librarian FAVORITES List 3rd-5th Grade (2024) Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute Mathical Book Prize for Grades 3-5 (2024) National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council Best STEM Books Award List (2024)
Grades 3-5 Honor Books
Jerry Changed the Game! by
Junior Library Guild Selection | Eureka! Excellence in Nonfiction Honor | CBC Best STEM Book List | Mathical Book Prize Honor | BCALA Youth Literary Nonfiction Award | Communication Arts Illustration Shortlist Meet Jerry Lawson, the Black engineer who revolutionized the video game industry, in this engaging picture book biography perfect for fans of Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions and Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History. Before Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch, there was a tinkerer named Jerry Lawson. As a boy, Jerry loved playing with springs, sprockets, and gadget-y things. When he grew up, Jerry became an engineer--a professional tinkerer--and in the 1970s, he turned his technical know-how to video games. Back then, if players wanted a new video game, they had to buy an entire new console, making gaming very expensive. Jerry was determined to fix this problem, and despite roadblocks along the way and having to repeat a level or two, it was never game over for his mission. Eventually, he leveled up and built a brand-new kind of video game console: one that allowed players to switch out cartridges! He also founded Video Soft, Inc., the first African American-owned video game company in the country. Jerry's tinkering and inventions changed the video gaming world forever. Today, gamers have access to hundreds of video games at the push of a button, all thanks to him. Game on!
Nine: A Book of Nonets by
Hey! Hi there! Love nonets? I'm sure you do. What are they, you ask? You don't know a nonet? Not even one little one? Actually, they're all the same size! They're poems, of course--and here's your first! Each poem in this clever collection is a nonet- a nine-line poem that starts with nine syllables in the first line and ends with one syllable in the ninth line (or the reverse). But these nonets go even further! Every one is also written with the number nine at its heart. There's plenty to love and learn- topics include the nine months it takes a baby to be born, cats' nine lives, baseball's nine players, and the nine-banded armadillo. Some feature history, such as the Little Rock Nine, the spacecraft Apollo 9, the ninth president; others explain idioms, like "dressed to the nines," "cloud nine," and "the whole nine yards." Explore these and more with nonets galore!
The Brilliant Calculator by
A Mathical Honor Book Hidden Figures meets Rosie Revere, Engineer in this STEM/STEAM picture book about Edith Clarke, the innovator who solved an electrical mystery and built the first graphing calculator--from paper! Long before calculators were invented, little Edith Clarke devoured numbers, conquered calculations, cracked puzzles, and breezed through brainteasers. Edith wanted to be an engineer--to use the numbers she saw all around her to help build America. When she grew up, no one would hire a woman engineer. But that didn't stop Edith from following her passion and putting her lightning-quick mind to the problem of electricity. But the calculations took so long! Always curious, Edith couldn't help thinking of better ways to do things. She constructed a "calculator" from paper that was ten times faster than doing all that math by hand! Her invention won her a job, making her the first woman electrical engineer in America. And because Edith shared her knowledge with others, her calculator helped electrify America, bringing telephones and light across the nation.
PreK Honor Books
¡1, 2, 3 Salsa! by
"ONE invitation to a salsa dance. TWO dancing shoes to make a pair." This bilingual English-Spanish book teaches how to count to 10 using salsa. ¡Vamonos! Learn to count with salsa in English and Spanish. Children, caretakers, and educators will love the rhythmic text paired with bright and colorful illustrations showcasing characters of diverse backgrounds and abilities.
The Great Cookie Kerfuffle by
A Mathical Book Prize Honor Book! A friendly little farm breaks into chaos as increasing numbers of farm animals fight over a dropped cookie, until there's trouble overhead! United against a common enemy, the animals learn that friendship and taking care of each other is more important than winning a fight. Written by debut picture book author Jessica Shaw and illustrated by Pauline Gregory, this book counts groups of animals from 1 to 10 and back down again and makes a great read-aloud for friendship-themed story times. Named a Mathical Book Prize Honor Book for PreK in 2024, this title inspires a love of math by connecting with young children's interests.
Some of These Are Snails by
Press Here meets Eric Carle in a concept book that makes familiar ideas exciting and surprising. From the creative mind behind Circle Under Berry comes this deceptively simple concept book that explores sorting, classification, and patterns as it teases the brain in unusual ways. With an elegant and simple approach, this thought-provoking book shows young readers that even the most familiar things can be seen from infinite perspectives. As with the best classic children''s books, you read it once, read it ten times--and see something new every time. MULTIPLE WAYS TO READ: The author has provided creative and helpful suggestions for different ways in which to read this book for varying reading levels and age ranges, making it truly versatile. PACKED LEARNING VALUE: The unusual approach to colors, shapes, and animals intelligently introduces young readers to patterns, classification, and problem solving. The imaginative language, rich with rhythmic phrasing and playfulness, begs to be read aloud. WIDE APPEAL FOR SCHOOL AND LIBRARY USE: Carter Higgins presents engaging learning with a variety of concepts. With its clear read-aloud qualities, this is ideal for teachers and librarians who organize reading events in their classrooms and communities. UNIQUE DESIGN: The art style for this book, with playful nods to Eric Carle and Hervé Tullet, stands out from the pack in ways that will resonate with children as well as adults. It sits beautifully on any shelf-- from classroom to home libraries. TALENTED AUTHOR: Carter Higgins has many successful titles across multiple age groups, including Circle Under Berry, Everything You Need for a Treehouse, This is Not a Valentine, Bikes for Sale, Big and Small and In-Between, and Audrey L and Audrey W. Circle Under Berry [star]​ "[V]isually striking . . . positively begging to be read aloud." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review [star]​ "[D]rawing readers'' attention while achieving real grace . . ." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "[S]parkling and ingenious . . . positively tingles." --The Wall Street Journal "A triumph of design and a beacon of possibility." --The Horn Book Magazine "[A] striking exploration of shapes, colors, and patterns . . ." --Booklist Reviews Everything You Need for a Treehouse "Get ready for your imagination to explode!" --NPR Best Books of the Year "[A] feast for the imagination." --Book Page "This book urges adventure and creativity." --School Library Journal This is Not a Valentine "An enduring message of friendship." --School Library Journal "A perfect book for kids who find the whole Valentine''s Day holiday icky and overrated." --Book Riot "Recognizes that you can don''t need sugary hearts and mushy sentiment to show you care." --Newsday "Heartwarmingly funny." --Entertainment Weekly Bikes for Sale "Celebrates the ways in which serendipity can lead to friendship and sharing." --Booklist "A sweet, quiet, different take on new-friendship." ---Kirkus Reviews Big and Small and In-Between [star]​ "[V]isually stunning and emotionally rich . . ." --School Library Journal, starred review "[A] profoundly moving, charmingly crafted picture book." --The New York Times "[A]n abstract journey with many turns and surprises." --Publishers Weekly Audrey L and Audrey W "Funny and engaging." --Kirkus Reviews "This sweet series-starter holds plenty of promise." --Booklist "[S]ensitive and gently humorous." --Shelf Awareness "A great addition to libraries where memorable girls like Ivy + Bean and Judy Moody are popular." --School Library Journal "[Readers] will find their sweet spot with this easy reader." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children''s Books Perfect for: Parents and grandparents seeking engaging, interactive books for kids Teachers, librarians, educators, and caregivers of children ranging from toddlers to emerging readers Classroom gift book for preschool, kindergarten, art teachers Baby shower, birthday, and holiday gift giving Fans of Carter Higgins, Eric Carle, and Laura Vaccaro Seeger Fans of fun educational books
Ten Blocks to the Big Wok: A Chinatown Counting Book by
This charming bilingual English/Mandarin counting book uses a stroll through Chinatown to introduce readers to the numbers one through ten in Chinese ... and will leave you hungry besides! As Mia and her uncle Eddie travel the ten blocks from their apartment to the Big Wok restaurant, Mia spies one giant panda ride, two lion statues, three swimming turtles, four bonsai trees, five tai chi practitioners ... There are so many things to see in Chinatown! And when they reach the Big Wok, they find ten yummy dim sum dishes to eat. But what route should they take back home? This sweet story about a girl, her uncle, and a little cat they meet on the way accomplishes multiple fun and useful aims: It's a fully bilingual counting book that teaches readers the numbers one through ten in both simplified Mandarin and English. It provides a fun tour of a typical Chinatown--a beloved neighborhood in many cities around the world. Children will enjoy spotting the kitten in every illustration as it trails Mia and Uncle Eddie through the streets. And with each item that Mia encounters on her walk, the book introduces some fascinating new aspect of Chinese culture or myth, as explained in the friendly backmatter. Join Mia and Uncle Eddie as they wander Ten Blocks to the Big Wok!
Hasta Las Rodillas / up to My Knees by
Now in Spanish bilingual editions--Caldecott Honor winner Grace Lin celebrates math for every kid in this board book series. Mei explores measurement as she plants a sunflower seed and watches it grow. The plant starts off as tall as her toe, but soon it's up to her knees, then her waist, then her shoulders. How tall will it get? The Storytelling Math series shows that all children can be mathematical thinkers. Each book includes ideas for exploring math at home with your children, developed in collaboration with math experts at STEM education nonprofit TERC Inc., under a grant from the Heising-Simons Foundation.
Early Math Project Guide for Up to My Knees! by Grace Lin.
Grades K-2 Honor Books
100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli by
"A nonstop dragon party . . . Irresistible."-Publishers Weekly This wacky counting adventure by Geisel Award-winning author David LaRochelle is a hilarious ode to dragons and math, with pitch-perfect art by Lian Cho. High on a mountain live 100 mighty dragons all named Broccoli. When a tremendous wind blows half the dragons away, ten others sail off to become professional surfers in Hawaii. The oldest and youngest dragons take a train to New York City to start their own heavy metal band. And a mysterious wizard turns four more into a unicorn, a werewolf, a zombie, and a tiny pink poodle. Now how many dragons are left? Young readers will delight in following each and every dragon as they leave their home for marvelous adventures, until there is but one dragon remaining. That's when this final dragon named Broccoli retreats to a cave for the winter and reappears in the spring with a surprise that will thrill and delight. Prepare to read again! "Plenty of giggles . . . This is one entertaining and silly way to do math."-Kirkus "A hilarious, charming and extremely silly book. . . . A great addition to any child's bookshelf." -The Minneapolis StarTribune "So clever, so utterly silly and absurd, so delightful and so engaging." -InfoDad.com "Colorful . . . Countable . . . Humorous . . . Lively." -Booklist
How to Explain Coding to a Grown-Up by
The best-selling author of the Baby Loves Science series levels up with this playful STEM picture book introducing kids-and grown-ups-to the coding world. Grown-ups do NOT have all the answers! In this tongue-in-cheek guide, an in-the-know narrator instructs perceptive kid readers in the fine art of explaining coding to a grown-up. Both children and their adults learn the basics of coding, including hardware, software, algorithms, and debugging. Cleverly disguised "pro tips" suggest best practices for teaching any topic. Fun and fact-filled, the How to Explain Science series will empower kid experts to explore complex scientific concepts with any grown-up who will listen.
Rafa Counts on Papá by
For fans of Guess How Much I Love You? and Just Me and My Dad comes a heartwarming story perfect for Father's Day about a son and his papá who love to measure everything, including their love for each other. Rafa and his papá love to count and measure together. They know how many branches they climb to their favorite spot, they know how high their dog Euclid can jump, and they know how far they can run. But there's one thing Rafa can't count or measure because it is infinite: the love that he and his papá share. Pura Belpré Honor illustrator and author Joe Cepeda celebrates curiosity and shows the tender and playful relationship between father and son on every inch of the page. With a subtle nod to introducing concepts, from real objects to the abstract, readers feel the immeasurable love of this Latinx family as Papá delights in spending time with Rafa.
We Are Branches by
Caldecott winner Beth Krommes and Newbery Honor-winning poet Joyce Sidman team up in this singular celebration of a beautiful, fascinating shape in nature. A nonfiction picture book companion to their acclaimed Swirl by Swirl. Branches are all around us: in butterfly wings, on gecko toes, in flowers, frost, and mud. Whether as electricity moving across the sky or rivers flowing to the sea, branches are nature's most efficient way to spread and to connect. They are even found inside our own bodies, helping us reach and grow with each breath and heartbeat. Branches--strong, hopeful, beautiful--are the shape of life. How many can you find
You Rule! by
A boldly graphic, verbally playful affirmation that the most precious things in life are immeasurable! How far can you go? How much do you know? How kind are you? How much do I love you? These are the impossible questions every child has asked, and every parent has struggled to answer. This is a wonderfully affirmative and aspirational book of possibilities and exploration, a fantastic linguistic calibration/celebration of bravery, kindness, love, and so much more. Within this bright and colorful picture book and energetic glossary of words, Rilla Alexander brilliantly succeeds in measuring the immeasurables of life. BUILDS EMOTIONAL LANGUAGE: This book provides the linguistic tools to describe and measure the widest possible emotions and qualities with a rich palette of words saturated in wit, whimsy, and empathy. THE PERFECT GIFT FOR YOUNG AND OLD: Whether you are shopping for a baby gift, a graduation gift, or browsing the library shelves for a book to soothe a child getting ready to start school, this book is for you! A GENTLE MESSAGE OF INSPIRATION AND IMAGINATION: Follow along as a boy and his dog tenderly care for a lost caterpillar until its transformation and release as a glorious butterfly. GORGEOUS, BOLD ILLUSTRATIONS: The author's bright, kid-friendly artwork makes an instant impression--a feast for the mind and the eyes! Perfect for: Fans of Oh, the Places You'll Go!, Guess How Much I Love You, and I Wish You More A wonderful read-aloud resource for parents, grandparents, caregivers, teachers, and librarians Thoughtful new baby gift or addition to baby shower wishing well Engaging illustrated option for anyone seeking word books for toddlers