Big Truck Little Island by
That big truck is stuck! How will the island residents get where they're going? A tale of community and ingenuity from the celebrated Chris Van Dusen, inspired by a true story. When a big truck and its big load get stuck on a narrow road, traffic on the little island comes to a halt. Some cars need to go south and some have to travel north. How will Meg get to her swim meet? What about Barry's ballet class? Luckily, the kids come up with an ingenious solution: why not just swap cars? Inspired by an incident that happened on Vinalhaven, Maine, Chris Van Dusen tells a fun tale of resourcefulness and community through clever, rhyming wordplay and whimsical illustrations, sprinkled with plenty of cars and trucks for transportation-loving readers.
Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind by
A flying masked bandit (code name: Chickadee) discovers he isn't quite who he thinks he is in this fresh and delightful tale about discovering one's true nature.Meet Chickadee. Criminal. Rapscallion. All-around bad seed. Sure, he started out obeying the rules, following his parents' advice about finding things to eat and staying away from houses. But then . . . winter arrives. And it's so much harder to find food in winter! So when Chickadee spies a "vault" full of "gold" near a house by the park (Wait, wasn't there something to remember about houses?), he cleverly devises a plan to snatch the "vault full of treasure" without getting caught! He is the King of Thieves! Only, hmm, the humans near the vault seem to want him to visit. Maybe Chickadee's not a criminal after all?Monica Silvie's fun first-person storytelling will have readers falling in love with this cheeky and enormously appealing bird and his endearingly misinformed self-perception. Chickadee's growing understanding that he's not actually a criminal, and that what he really wants is a friend, adds a lovely poignancy to the humor. Elina Ellis's charming, hilarious illustrations bring the adorable Chickadee to life; the way he looks directly at readers with wide-eyed sincerity while he speaks to them is particularly effective. A spread at the back contains facts about black-capped chickadees --- illustrated with comments from Chickadee himself --- along with further reading and sources, making this both a terrific picture book read-aloud and a great supplement to life science lessons on characteristics and habitats of animals. With such a seamless blend of entertainment and information, learning has never been so much fun!
Everything in Its Place by
An inspiring and poetic story about reading, libraries, and overcoming shyness to find community. I gather the books in my arms, and give them a hug. "Welcome back," I whisper. Nicky is a shy girl who feels most at home in the safe space of her school library, but the library closes for a week and Nicky is forced to face her social anxiety. When she meets a group of unique, diverse, inspiring women at her mother's diner--members of a women's motorcycle club--Nicky realizes that being different doesn't have to mean being alone, and that there's a place for everyone. Book lovers of all ages will find inspiration in this beautiful love letter to reading--and how words help us find empathy and connections with the world around us.
How to Party Like a Snail by
An introverted snail throws his own kind of party to celebrate all things quiet Snail is a party animal. Well...kind of. He loves the quiet things about parties: confetti, making new friends (using his indoor voice, of course), and the silence before everyone yells, "SURPRISE!" But when parties get loud, Snail retreats into his shell. He's still partying, but no one can tell he's having a good time while he's tucked inside. His friends don't understand why he doesn't love loud parties like they do, and soon Snail's party invites begin to dry up. In response, Snail decides to plan his own quietparty, complete with warm milk and lullaby lip-syncing. But something is missing--does Snail long for the "loud"after all? That's when Stump, a fellow introvert, chimes in with an idea. Maybe Snail isn't missing the "loud"...maybe he's just missing a friendto share the quiet. Together, Stump and Snail turn the lullabies down low and celebrate "the shush" together. With comics-style storytelling and lovable characters, this hilarious tale makes quiet so fun that even the most extroverted readers will want to SHHHelebrate!
Jack Knight's Brave Flight by
High-flying history is brought to life in this suspenseful story of an unknown and daring pilot named Jack Knight, who in 1921 flew his biplane straight into a blizzard over America's heartland and saved the US Air Mail Service in the process. When Jack Knight takes off in his biplane from North Platte, Nebraska, in 1921, hundreds of people crowd the airstrip. Is Jack transporting a famous passenger? Is he ferrying medicine for a sick child? Nope--Jack has six sacks of mail. For the past few years, biplanes like Jack's have been flying the mail only during daylight hours. Flying after dark is risky and crashes are too common, so lawmakers decide to cut funding for the US Air Mail Service. Outraged officials and pilots want to prove that flying the mail is best, so they concoct a plan--a coast-to-coast race. But when a crash, exhaustion, and a snowstorm ground three of the planes, Jack Knight becomes the race's only hope. All he has to do is fly all night long, leaning out of the plane to see, and navigate a blizzard over land he's never covered with an empty fuel tank. Will Jack pull it off and save the Air Mail Service?
Lion Lights by
Richard Turere's own story: Richard grew up in Kenya as a Maasai boy, herding his family's cattle, which represented their wealth and livelihood. Richard's challenge was to protect their cattle from the lions who prowled the night just outside the barrier of acacia branches that surrounded the farm's boma, or stockade. Though not well-educated, 12-year-old Richard loved tinkering with electronics. Using salvaged components, spending $10, he surrounded the boma with blinking lights, and the system works; it keeps lions away. His invention, Lion Lights, is now used in Africa, Asia, and South America to protect farm animals from predators.
One Turtle's Last Straw by
The inspiring true story of how one small turtle and kids all over the country sparked an environmental movement. Based on the viral video that created awareness of the harm caused by plastic straws, this heart-wrenching story is a perfect tool for teaching children about sustainability. Slurp! A boy finishes his drink and tosses it in the trash, straw and all. He moves on without another thought.... In the waters off of Costa Rica, scientists spot an endangered sea turtle and pull him aboard to study him. But he has something stuck in his nose. A barnacle? A stick? No...it's a plastic straw! This heroic story of one turtle's rescue reminds us that even the smallest straw can hurt our ocean life--and that the smallest demand for change can grow into something big!
Tomatoes in My Lunchbox by
A child, newly arrived in another country, feels displaced, lonely, and a little scared on her first day of school. Her name doesn't sound the way she's used to hearing it. She knows she doesn't fit in. And when she eats her whole tomato for lunch, she can feel her classmates observing her--and not quite understanding her. But sometimes all it takes is one friend, one connection, to bring two worlds together, and gradually the girl, her tomato, and her full name, start to feel at home with her new friends and community. This emotionally sweeping debut picture book by Costantia Manoli, with vibrant art by Magdalena Mora, artfully captures feelings of displacement and the joy that comes from forging new friendships.
Walter Had a Best Friend by
Walter and Xavier are best friends. They do everything together! But then...quietly...slowly...Xavier becomes best friends with someone else. Walter goes from feeling hurt and left out to feeling confused and angry to feeling just plain lonely. Until one morning he wakes up feeling a tiny bit hopeful. That day, while out for a hike by himself, he meets Ollie. Could this be the beginning of a new friendship? Sometimes best friends aren't forever, and that's okay. Because there might be a new pal waiting just around the corner.
Wombat Said Come In by
Australian bushfires roar above Wombat's home. He is fortunate that his burrow is deep below ground and he is safe. He snuggles under his crazy quilt and drinks his tea. Then, one by one, five uniquely Australian animals - Wallaby, Kookaburra, Platypus, Koala, and Sugar Glider - seek refuge from the fires, and Wombat welcomes them all. When you have the heart of a wombat, there's always room for one more!
The Chickadee Award is Maine's student choice picture book award. All students in grades K-4 in Maine can vote for their favorite book out of the ten nominees.
A group of librarians from around the state of Maine choose the ten nominees.
Your school librarian will read the books to you or you can check them out yourself from your local public library! In March you will have the opportunity to vote for your favorite!
Last year's winner was Chez Bob by Bob Shea. Here are some more books by Bob Shea that you might enjoy!
Unicorn Is Maybe Not So Great after All by
Unicorn's on a quest to get his groove back in this must-have companion to the kid-favorite bestseller Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great You remember Unicorn. You know, Goat's friend? The one who can fly, make it rain cupcakes, and turn things into gold? On the first day of school, Unicorn expects to make his usual big splash. But no one pays him much attention--the other kids are much more interested in the latest trend in toys: rubber bands that look like other things. Unicorn comes up with a plan to get his mojo back, but his efforts turn out to be more annoying than impressive. Can Goat help him recover his magic, or is Unicorn destined to a life of mediocrity? Don't miss the hilarious book that started it all, Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea!
The Scariest Book Ever by
A silly (and actually not TOO scary!) story perfect for Halloween read-alouds, from favorite funny man Bob Shea! "A delight for kids who have graduated from Hervé Tullet's work and such classics as There's a Monster at the End of This Book." -- Kirkus Reviews Reader beware! This is the scariest book ever! Or so claims its melodramatic ghost narrator. Go ahead and turn the page, but don't expect him to come with you. Anything might pop out of that black hole in the middle of the forest! What do you mean, it's just a bunny? Well, it's probably a bunny with big fangs! Despite the ghost's fear-mongering, none of the animal characters seem very scary at all.... What's up with that?
Ballet Cat Dance! Dance! Underpants! by
Everyone's favorite feline dance diva is paired with a reluctant partner in his hilarious second book in the popular Ballet Cat series for early readers! Ballet Cat is getting her friend Butter Bear ready for her big ballet debut. "Leap, Butter Bear, leap!" Ballet Cat prompts. But Butter Bear would prefer to just point her toe. When Ballet Cat keeps pushing, Butter Bear gets hungry, then thirsty, then sleepy.... The bottom line is that Butter Bear would rather do almost anything to avoid making a big leap. Why? Because her bottom is covered in silly underpants! This second entry in the Ballet Cat series will have beginning readers rolling on the floor with laughter.
The Totally Secret Secret by
Ballet Cat and Sparkles the Pony are trying to decide what to play today. Nothing that Sparkles suggests--making crafts, playing checkers, and selling lemonade--goes well with the leaping, spinning, and twirling that Ballet Cat likes to do. When Sparkles's leaps, spins, and twirls seem halfhearted, Ballet Cat asks him what's wrong. Sparkles doesn't want to say. He has a secret that Ballet Cat won't want to hear. What Sparkles doesn't know is that Ballet Cat has a secret of her own, a totally secret secret. Once their secrets are shared, will their friendship end, or be stronger than ever?
Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by
The grass is always greener on the unicorn's side of the fence--or is it?--in this clever, bestselling favorite that Publishers Weekly called a "nonstop giggle generator"! Ever since Unicorn moved into the neighborhood, Goat has been feeling out of sorts. Goat thought his bike was cool--until he saw that Unicorn could fly to school! Goat made marshmallow squares that almost came out right, but Unicorn made it rain cupcakes! Unicorn is such a show-off, how can Goat compete? When Goat and Unicorn share a piece of pizza, Goat learns that being a unicorn might not be all it's cracked up to be. And when Unicorn shows his admiration for Goat, it looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.