Fifi Kuo

Penguin and Panda decide it’s time for a new sofa–but they are overwhelmed by the options. Will they find what they’re looking for? When Penguin and Panda decide their tired sofa is in need of replacement, they set out to find the perfect one. But none of the options are quite right and no sofa can seem to match the comfort of the one they already have. Is what they’re looking for closer than they think?

The Perfect Sofa

Lisa Anchin

plants

contentment

gardening

Mr. Aster, who likes routine, is happy to care for Little Green Girl when she arrives in his garden, but not interested in helping her see the world beyond its walls.

The Little Green Girl

P. D. Eastman

birds

habitats

Mr. and Mrs. Bird search for a place to build a new nest only to discover their old one is better.

The Best Nest

Kirsty Paxton

Megan Lotter

A little girl’s imagination springs to life when the chalk giraffe she drew on the pavement begins talking to her. But then the fickle giraffe begins making demands, and the girl must draw surroundings to fulfill his requests…a tree, soft grass, and animal friends. But nothing seems to please him! This delightful rhyming story escalates until the girl draws a laughing giraffe companion that cheers up the grumpy giraffe at last.

The Chalk Giraffe

Jennifer Hansen Rolli

Sometimes Ruby needs just one more minute of sleep, one more thingy for her hair, one more push on the swing, and one more scoop on her cone, (and one more, and one more, and one more . . .) until one more is just too much. Maybe it’s time for just one? If you know a someone like Ruby, Just One More will be just right!

Just One More

Katie Cleminson

Otto lives in a book and is happiest when his story is being read. But Otto has a secret: when no one is looking and the mood strikes, Otto walks right off of his book’s pages! Full color.

Otto the Book Bear

Frann Preston-Gannon

Dave loves his cave. The inside is decorated exactly the way he likes it. But what if there’s a better cave out there? Dave needs to find out for himself. This humorous romp from a celebrated author-illustrator reminds readers that sometimes there’s no place like home. Full color.

Dave's Cave

Drew Dernavich

The Number Three is having an identity crisis-there are so many other things he could do with his life; why stop at being just a number? He tries being a ship’s anchor, a spatula, even a shiny bronze sculpture, and he won’t listen when the other numbers beg him to come back to the lineup. But after awhile, Number Three starts to realize that what he enjoys most is the job no one else can do: being the Number Three.

It’s Not Easy Being Number Three is a clever book that celebrates the importance of feeling appreciated for one’s talents.

It's Not Easy Being Number Three

Rebecca Van Slyke

Anca Sandu

An adventurous sheep tries to take a walk on the wild side and encounters more than she expected.

Lana Lynn is an intrepid sheep. The other members of her flock are content to nibble grass in the pasture, sip water from the pond, and nap in the meadow. But not Lana Lynn. She wants… adventure!

So one night, when the moon is high and the other sheep are asleep, she finds a disguise and dashes into the wild woods to see what life is like as a wolf. It’s fun to run through the wild woods, stay up very late, and howl at the Moon—but is life with the wolf pack everything it seems?

Lana Lynn Howls at the Moon

Alvin Tresselt

Milton Glaser

Mocked throughout the jungles of India, the smallest elephant in the world-no bigger than a house cat-has decided enough is enough. If he’s no bigger than a house cat, then a house is where he belongs! After a long journey, this smallest elephant in the world finds himself a home with a nice little boy inside. Unfortunately, the boy’s mother doesn’t believe elephants make suitable house pets… First published in 1959, The Smallest Elephant in the World, written by Alvin Tresselt and illustrated by Milton Glaser, is a witty, sweet, and funny tale of friendship, unlikely disguise, and the search for home.

The Smallest Elephant in the World

Dan Krall

One cranky caper is about to learn that being salty might be just as good as being sweet. Having adults love his acidic taste is not enough for Mr. Caper. He wants more. He wants the children of the world to love him–just as much as they love the sweet, saccharine Lollipop. And thus a plot is hatched: Caper-flavored lollipops are dispatched throughout the world…and everything goes horribly wrong. Will Mr. Caper find a way to repair the havoc he’s wreaked by over-reaching? Maybe, if Lollipop helps save the day! This quirky tale, illustrated with humor and heart, contains sweet and salty delights for both adults and children.

Great Lollipop Caper

Michael Hall

“A book that begs for reams of colored paper, rooms full of imaginative hands, and a whole lot of clapping and giggling.”–Washington PostMichael Hall, the New York Times bestselling author of My Heart Is Like a Zoo and Red: A Crayon’s Story,  inspires creativity and resilience in this strikingly illustrated picture book starring a brightly colored square. Perfect Square is the perfect choice for teaching kids to think outside the box! This imaginative picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling. Young readers will learn days of the week and colors of the rainbow, as well as emotional resilience. In brilliant, innovative collage artwork, Michael Hall illustrates how a happy square transforms itself after facing one challenge after another. Cut into pieces and poked full of holes? Time to become a burbling fountain! Torn into scraps? Grow into a garden! Day after day, the square reinvents itself, from simple and perfect to complex and perfect . . . and always happy. “A near perfect concept book . . . a book to revisit often, and with delight.”–The Horn Book “Pages are lusciously intense as we watch versatility trump geometry”–The Chicago Tribune

Perfect Square

This story tackles the familiar feeling of being in someone’s shadow–in a hilarious and endearing way. Readers will be able to relate to Oliver as he stretches his limbs in winter, lifts logs in spring, soaks up the sun in summer, and munches on mulch in autumn, trying to grow big enough to be noticed. Set in Sequoia National Forest, this story will appeal to national park visitors as well as kids who love nature and clever humor.The bright and playful art brings the giant sequoias to life, and the interactions between the trees and furry forest buddies add subtle–and sometimes not-so-subtle–humor. Readers will want to join in on the fun and visit Oliver, Sherman, and all their friends in Sequoia National Forest.

Oliver: The Second-Largest Living Thing on Earth

You just can’t keep a good girl down . . . unless you use the proper methods.Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie.Sure, she hasn’t mastered reverse propulsion and her turns are kind of sloppy, but she’s real good at loop-the-loops.Problem is, the good folk of Lowland County are afraid of Piper. And her ma’s at her wit’s end. So it seems only fitting that she leave her parents’ farm to attend a top-secret, maximum-security school for kids with exceptional abilities.School is great at first with a bunch of new friends whose skills range from super-strength to super-genius. (Plus all the homemade apple pie she can eat!) But Piper is special, even among the special. And there are consequences.Consequences too dire to talk about. Too crazy to consider. And too dangerous to ignore.At turns exhilarating and terrifying, Victoria Forester’s debut novel has been praised by Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight saga, as “the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men…Prepare to have your heart warmed.” The Girl Who Could Fly is an unforgettable story of defiance and courage about an irrepressible heroine who can, who will, who must . . . fly.This title has Common Core connections.

Girl Who Could Fly

Douglas Wood

Greg Shed

Perhaps you’d like to know a secret, one of the happiest ones of all.  You will surely find it for yourself one day.  You’ll discover it all on your own, maybe when you least expect it. If you’ve not yet discovered the secret of saying thanks, it’s waiting for you. The secret can be found in the sunrise that offers promises full for the day ahead, or in the gentle shade of a tree sheltering you from the hot rays of the sun, or on the rock that offers rest from a long walk.  In the inspirational text that made him a bestselling, internationally acclaimed author, Douglas Wood offers a spiritual homage to nature and the world. Greg Shed’s stunning portraits of the natural world tenderly portray all of the many ways in which we can say thanks for the wonders we sometimes take granted in life.

Secret of Saying Thanks

Sonia Manzano

Marjorie Priceman

An urban family’s dilemma becomes a community celebration in this delectable holiday treat from Sonia Manzano, also known as “Maria” on Sesame Street. It’s Christmas Eve and Mami has bought a delicious roast for a Christmas feast. But, oh no! It’s too big to fit in the oven. Jose and Papa need to find an oven big enough to cook Mami’s roast. As they walk from door to door through their apartment building, no one seems to be in the Christmas spirit. So they head down the street to find someone willing to help, and only when they do, lo and behold, the scent–the itself magical smell–of dinner begins to spread, and holiday cheer manifests in ways most unexpected. Sonia Manzano from Sesame Street and two-time Caldecott Honor-recipient Marjorie Priceman have cooked up a Christmas tale about how the simplest things–like the tantalizing smell of Christmas dinner and the sharing of it–can become a holiday miracle.

Miracle on 133rd Street

Jo Fernihough

Crow sets out on a journey to find the happiest bird alive. Could it be the lovely dove, the musical nightingale, or the elegant swan? But each bird has their own reason to not be content, even the glamorous peacock. Perhaps all of Crow’s searching will help him discover the real secret to happiness.The Crow and the Peacock retells a classic fable with warmth, personality, and a dose of humor. Energetic prose and vibrant illustrations encourage young readers to consider the dangers of comparison and the meaning of contentment.

The Crow and the Peacock

Lena Podesta

A hilarious, heartwarming picture book with subtle lessons about the importance of sharing, home, and friendship.Gil the Goldfish lives in a fishbowl with 138 pebbles–he counts them every day–and a castle. It feels TOO CROWDED! When Gil leaves his bowl in search of open spaces, he finds a world full of many interesting…and loud … and possibly dangerous creatures.It turns out that life outside the bowl might not be right for a fish. Thank goodness for Turtle, a citizen of the not-so-great outdoors who comes to Gil’s rescue! Will Gil make peace with his home sweet home, and maybe even find room for a friend in the process?

Too Crowded

Logan ventures into the big city in this third book of a wholesome series that’s like Little House on the Prairie for younger readers. Welcome to Sherman! Logan can’t wait to leave “boring” Maple Ridge and enter the exciting city. While Pa is at his job interview, Logan explores Sherman with his cousin Freddy. But after spending a day among the hustle and bustle of urban life, Logan realizes that the quiet, familiar surroundings of his hometown are not so bad after all. With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Tales from Maple Ridge chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

The Big City

D. J. MacHale

Alexandra Boiger

Deep in a cave there’s a story, it seems, of a sweet little monster with very big dreams. She wished she was pretty. She wished she could dance. She wished to be special…and this was her chance.

The Monster Princess

Tamara Levitt

Trying—and failing—can be a path to happiness too. Leela loves to do yoga. She could do all sorts of poses, but there was one pose she couldn’t do. Every time Leela tried to do a headstand…KERPLUNK! This book explores the themes of acceptance, resilience, and self-compassion and offers the message that just because we may experience a failure does not mean that we are a failure. Written as a counterpoint to the message of The Little Engine that Could, Happiness Doesn’t Come from Headstands is a story about a girl who tries her best, but still falls down. Through the process she learns that happiness is not determined by external achievement. Even in the face of failure, peace can be found if we accept that we cannot do everything and focus on our experience.

Top 10 Contentment Books

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