Jessie Oliveros

Dana Wulfekotte

A 2019 Schneider Family Award Honor Book!

What’s Happening to Grandpa meets Up in this tender, sensitive picture book that gently explains the memory loss associated with aging and diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

James’s Grandpa has the best balloons because he has the best memories. He has balloons showing Dad when he was young and Grandma when they were married. Grandpa has balloons about camping and Aunt Nelle’s poor cow. Grandpa also has a silver balloon filled with the memory of a fishing trip he and James took together.

But when Grandpa’s balloons begin to float away, James is heartbroken. No matter how hard he runs, James can’t catch them. One day, Grandpa lets go of the silver balloon—and he doesn’t even notice!

Grandpa no longer has balloons of his own. But James has many more than before. It’s up to him to share those balloons, one by one.

The Remember Balloons

Laura Rankin

Balloons are bright and floaty and shiny and perfect. More than anything else in the whole wide world, Isabel wants a balloon. Everyone will get one on Graduation Day–everyone except the porcupines, because Porcupines + Balloons = TroubleBut Isabel isn’t going to settle for another boring bookmark. She has a plan. . . .

A Balloon for Isabel

Jessie Sima

When Spencer gets a new pet, he’s excited to do all the things that pets do—taking walks in the park, going to the vet, and attending parties together. There’s just one hitch: Spencer’s new pet is a balloon. And that means No. Sharp. Objects. No drooling dogs at the park. No prickly porcupines at the vet. And absolutely no pinning tails on any donkeys! Spencer’s New Pet is a story of pure fun about a boy, his dog, and a friendship that endures life’s sharpest…and most unexpected twists.

Spencer's New Pet

Alan Baker

A mysterious package leads Brown Rabbit on a fun-filled shapes trail. Young children will enjoy following Alan Baker’s inquisitive LITTLE RABBITS as they make new discoveries. Simple storylines and playful artwork offer a fresh approach to learning early concepts.

Brown Rabbit's Shapes

Dan Richards

Jeff Newman

Dan Richards teams up with celebrated artist, Jeff Newman, to share a funny and vibrant picture book about how powerful a child’s imagination can be…with a little encouragement.

Evan asks a simple question, “Can one balloon make an elephant fly?”

At first, his mother is too busy to answer. But when she takes the time to play the game with her son…magic happens.

Can One Balloon Make an Elephant Fly?

Ariel Bernstein

Scott Magoon

Owl has a balloon. Monkey does not. What will happen next? Hint: this is not a book about sharing.

Owl has a red balloon. Monkey does not. “That red balloon matches my shiny red tie,” says Monkey. “I’d look fancy walking to school with a shiny red balloon. The only thing I’ve ever wanted, since right now, is a shiny, big red balloon. It would make me SO HAPPY!” But Owl does not want to give it to him. So Monkey tries to find something that Owl wants: a teddy bear, a robot, a picture of TEN balloons. Owl does not want any of these things. But then, Monkey offers him…a sock!

Hmmmmm…Owl is intrigued. Will he trade his shiny red balloon with Monkey?

I Have a Balloon

Audrey Wood

One night, Jessica discovers where balloons go at bedtime.

Balloonia

Il Sung Na

A fresh and heartwarming new story from Il Sung Na about finding the courage to make a friend.

Bird is new to the forest, and he’s looking for a friend. Bear could use a friend, too.
But Bird is too shy to introduce himself. Just as he musters the courage to say hello . . . it’s too late! Bear has already found a friend: a bright, shiny red balloon. 

Has Bird missed his chance?

From the acclaimed Il Sung Na comes a charming and beautifully illustrated story about courage, kindness, and friendship.

Bird, Balloon, Bear

Stacey Previn

Aberdeen never meant to leave the yard in the first place. BUT a balloon floated by and…. He is suddenly off on an unexpected adventure! Before long, Aberdeen follows his whims and fancy to unknown territory, a little too far away from home – and from mama.

Who doesn’t know the feeling of one thing leading to another leading to another – until you’re not quite sure how you ended up where you did? Aberdeen’s adorable antics will have readers excited to see where he lands next, and on the edges of their seats as he searches for a way back home.

Aberdeen

Brandy Cooke

Laura Logan

Introducing You Poked My Heart!, a sweet board book featuring adorable puppies! Mom has a surprise for Sue and Lou. Two balloons! A red heart for Lou and a yellow one for Sue. Lou loves his red balloon, but Sue is disappointed with hers and wants Lou’s. She tries to take his balloon and accidentally pops it, prompting him to say, “You poked my heart!” Lou becomes very sad. Sue tries to fix the situation and finds a long, skinny red balloon, which she twists and fashions into a heart shape. Sue and Lou make up, and all is well again. Featuring adorable puppy illustrations by illustrator Laura Logan, this book is sure to tug (not poke!) at everyone’s heart!

You Poked My Heart!

Owl and Monkey from I Have a Balloon are back! But what happened to Owl’s balloon? Find out in this hilarious picture book about making mistakes and finding forgiveness.

 Owl has a balloon. Monkey has a sock with a star and a perfectly shaped hole. But then Owl asks Monkey to hold his balloon, just for a second. What do you think happens? POP! When Owl returns and asks for his balloon, Monkey offers him everything under the sun…except for the balloon. Can their friendship survive this catastrophe?

 Kirkus Reviews praised Owl and Monkey’s first adventure, I Have a Balloon, “This tightly paced narrative soars,” in a starred review.

Where Is My Balloon?

David Milgrim

balloons

rescues and rescuing

the wind

Otto must rescue a friend who is swept away by a gust of wind in this Pre-level 1 Ready-to-Read by New York Times bestselling author/illustrator, David Milgrim, part of the award-winning, star-reviewed The Adventures of Otto series. Meet Otto’s friend, Pip. Pip wants Otto’s balloon. Otto’s balloon is very, very big. Pip is very, very small. So when Otto gives Pip his balloon, a breeze sweeps Pip and the balloon up, up, and away! It’s up to Otto (with some help from Zee the Bee) to rescue his friend. Help, Otto, help! This Pre-level 1 Ready-to-Read with bright illustrations and minimal text is perfect for the true emergent reader.

See Pip Point

Cynthia Rylant

G. Brian Karas

Mr. Paris ties balloons outside his toy store every morning. On Fridays, the balloons disappear! What is special about Fridays? And who is taking the balloons? This sounds like a case for the High-Rise Private Eyes – Bunny Brown and Jack Jones, ace detectives and very best friends!

The Case of the Troublesome Turtle

Elise Parsley

In this crowd-pleasing read-aloud from the creator of the bestselling If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don’t!, a giraffe’s self-esteem is tested during a hilarious confrontation between unlikely look-alikes!  Everybody loves Leopold the giraffe. He inspires awe and wonder. His adoring fans gaze and cheer. Best of all, they feed him lots of deeeelicious snacks! But, one day, a shiny, bobble-headed new rival comes in and ruins everything…a giraffe-shaped balloon! Just how far will Leopold go to prove that he’s the hero of the zoo? Readers learn that actions speak far louder than looks in this laugh-out-loud face-off from Elise Parsley–the New York Times bestselling creator of the Magnolia Says DON’T! series.

Neck & Neck

Dan Abdo

Jason Patterson

Blue, Barry, and Pancakes are best friends! They love building models, reading about shovels, and going on INTERGALACTIC adventures?! One day, Blue and Barry are enjoying a quiet afternoon when Pancakes bounds in with a surprise– she’s made a rocket out of balloons! And a whole planet named Balloonia! Blue and Barry agree to take a quick peek at Pancakes’ creations, but what’s meant to be a fun tour quickly turns into an ordeal as the gang finds themselves trapped by the Balloonians, a species of balloon that’s come to life. And if our heroes want to make it home, they’ll have to overcome the biggest and meanest Balloonian of all– BALLOON KONG! Like all friends, they can make mistakes… but at the end of the day, they always have each other’s backs. And tops, and sides, and fronts, too!

Escape from Balloonia

Rob Sanders

Helen Yoon

Balloon can soar, he can fly, he can dip, duck, and hover—all on his own. Balloon is full of gas. He knows it, too. It makes Ball feel grounded by gravity. Balloon is super special. What if Ball is not so special? Turns out Ball’s got some moves of his own.

Ball & Balloon

Lindsay Ward

Emma finds a note tucked into the saddle of a carousel polar bear asking her to bring balloons, and soon she is off on an amazing adventure.

Please Bring Balloons

William Pene du Bois

journeys and voyages

hot air balloons

imaginary places

A Newbery Medal Winner

Professor William Waterman Sherman intends to fly across the Pacific Ocean. But through a twist of fate, he lands on Krakatoa, and discovers a world of unimaginable wealth, eccentric inhabitants, and incredible balloon inventions.Winner of the 1948 Newbery Medal, this classic fantasy-adventure is now available in a handsome new edition.

“William Pene du Bois combines his rich imagination, scientific tastes, and brilliant artistry to tell a story that has no age limit.” —The Horn Book

The Twenty-One Balloons

Alan Wade

A little boy floats away on his balloon across mountains, plains, cities, and the sea, til he lands on a desert island

I'm Flying!

Jamie Lee Curtis

Laura Cornell

Haven’t you ever wondered …

&amp;amp;gt; Where do balloons go  
&amp;amp;gt; when you let them go free?  
&amp;amp;gt; It can happen by accident.  
&amp;amp;gt; It happened to me.
&amp;amp;gt; 
&amp;amp;gt; Do they tango with airplanes?  
&amp;amp;gt; Or cha-cha with birds?  
&amp;amp;gt; Can plain balloons read  
&amp;amp;gt; balloons printed with words?  

When one little boy accidentally lets go of his balloon, his imagination takes him on its journey.

Jamie Lee Curtis’s gentle and humorous exploration of the joys and perils of a balloon’s life is whimsically brought to life by Laura Cornell’s illustrations. From the best-selling author-illustrator team of Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods that Make My Day comes another delightful mystery about letting go.

Where Do Balloons Go? An Uplifting Mystery

James Dean

This groovy series from New York Times bestselling author-illustrator James Dean introduces Pete the Cat before he was Pete the Cat…when he was little Pete the Kitty!Oh no! Pete the Kitty has lost his red balloon. Help him look for his balloon in this fun tabbed board book.Along the way, Pete makes some new friends when he meets other baby animals. Toddlers will love going from tab to tab and learning the names of baby animals, such as puppy, piglet, hatchling, and more.

Pete the Kitty and Baby Animals

Troy Cummings

Monsters + Humor + Fun = THE NOTEBOOK OF DOOM!This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!Alexander has just moved to a new town where he is about to uncover all sorts of monsters! He finds an old notebook with the word DOOM inscribed on the front cover. The Notebook of Doom, which Alexander now holds, contains top secret information about monsters! In this first book, Alexander goes up against spooky balloon goons–unique and twisted arm-waving balloon guys! This book is full of humor, engaging black-and-white illlustrations, and of course . . . monsters!

Rise of the Balloon Goons

Matthew Burgess

Catia Chien

The Bear and the Moon is a picture book that follows what happens when the gift of a balloon floats into Bear’s life.

The two companions embark on a journey—a magical tale that encompasses the joys of friendship and discovery.

This is a gentle book filled with humor, while tackling complex topics like the transcendence of loss and forgiveness.

• Filled with emotive text and radiant illustrations
• Simply told and profoundly felt
• Award winning author-illustrator team

The Bear and the Moon is a compassionate tale that honors the small but profound world of the very young.

This sweet book teaches social and emotional skills to kids, and offers a clever way to soothe some of our most difficult feelings: loss and guilt.

The Bear and the Moon

Komako Sakai

One day, Emily gets a balloon. By the end of the afternoon, the balloon is no longer just a plaything–Emily and the balloon are friends. But when the balloon blows away, what will Emily do? Sweet, compelling, and filled with beautifully evocative illustrations, the timeless innocence of a story about the wonder and discovery of friendship makes this deceptively simple book a classic.

Emily's Balloon

Paul Schmid

This is Percy. Percy loves balloons.Balloons are fun! But Percy has a small problem . . . . . . and to solve it, he’ll need a really big idea!Paul Schmid, the author and artist of Hugs From Pearl, presents a story about an adorably prickly character with a big heart. Percy shows that there is no problem too big for a plucky porcupine to solve!

Perfectly Percy

Also available in Spanish as El globo grande y mojadoA Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year.When her sister, Clemmie, refuses to play in the rain, Matilda wants to teach her the delights of a wet Saturday. They end up learning an unforgettable lesson. Kirkus Reviews declared, This warm and accessible story is sure to be a favorite.

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