Reading Recommendations List

PRAISE FOR CORNBREAD & POPPY (Book 1):



An IndieBound Bestseller * An Amazon Best Book of the Year * A 2022 Kirkus Best Children's Book



★ "A rewarding choice for young readers."--Booklist, starred review



★"Cornbread and Poppy are endearing characters, poised to join the ranks of other memorable early reader sets of best friends old and new, including James Marshall's George and Martha."--Bookpage, starred review



★ "Delightful." -- Kirkus, starred review



This book in Caldecott medalist Matthew Cordell's bestselling early reader series tells a story about championship-level teamwork.



Poppy LOVES shiny new racing gear. Cornbread does not. Poppy ADORES top secret master plans. Cornbread does not. Poppy IS super competitive. Cornbread...is not. But Cornbread and Poppy are the best of friends, so when Poppy is determined to win the Small Rodents Competitive Cycling Championship Classic Cornbread agrees to train by her side. Cornbread has fun just spending time with his friend, but Poppy's goal is scoring the Winner's Cup. Is a finish line all these mice will discover at the end of their race?

Celebrating both partnership and the value of what makes us individuals, young readers will find this classic odd couple irresistible as they encounter relatable issues with humor and heart.



Cornbread & Poppy (2022), was an Indiebound bestseller and the recipient of more than a dozen best books of the year citations.



Publishing simultaneously in hardcover and paperback.

Don't miss the other books in the series:

Cornbread & Poppy

Cornbread & Poppy at the Carnival

Cornbread & Poppy at the Museum

Let's read comics! I Can Read Comics is an early reader line that familiarizes children with the world of graphic novel storytelling and encourages visual literacy in emerging readers.

Blink and Block are back in another STEM-inspired I Can Read Comic by author-illustrator Vicky Fang!

Blink is silly and Block is logical, and they're best when they're working together! Whether they're searching for treasure, playing pretend, or learning to compromise, Blink's imagination and Block's clever ideas turn any ordinary day into the most fun ever. This time, the pair find a pile of boxes perfect for making a fort. But when the friendly competition starts heating up, will they be able to find a middle ground

Friendbots: Blink and Block Build a Fort is a Level Two I Can Read Comic, geared for kids who are comfortable with comics and can read on their own but still need a little help.

"A pair we would happily hang out with again." --Kirkus Reviews

From Sarah Weeks, creator of the beloved series Mac and Cheese, comes Sketty and Meatball, a Level One I Can Read about two irrepressible dog best friends.

Best friends Sketty and Meatball do everything together. They play together. They bark together. If Sketty sniffs a flower, Meatball sniffs a flower too. If Meatball wags his tail, Sketty's tail is wagging too.

Young readers will be delighted by two pals called Sketty and Meatball, who happen to look quite a bit like their names.

Sketty and Meatball is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it's perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the short sentences, familiar words, and simple concepts of Level One books support success for children eager to start reading on their own.

From award-winning author James Preller comes the first book in a Level 1 Ready-to-Read series about a moose looking for birds of a feather!

Moose really wants to join two birds at the top of a tree. But how does a moose climb up a tree, and what will he do when he gets to the top? Find out in this delightfully silly story about a moose on a mission…and the birds that are in for a pleasant, moonlit surprise!

From the bestselling creator of Stumpkin and Vampenguin comes a whimsical picture book about the unexpected friendship that blooms between a boy and a dog of intergalactic origins.

A visitor from outer space comes to Stephen’s yard one night. It may look like a Dalmatian, but it certainly doesn’t act like one. At first, Stephen and the visitor get off on the wrong paw. They quibble over kibble, debate sleeping arrangements, and must abandon earth dogs’ approach to bathroom breaks altogether to keep the peace. Is a shared love of bacon a strong enough foundation for this ordinary earth boy and extraordinary out-of-this-world canine to learn to live in harmony?

Kid seeks dog. Dog seeks kid. In this charming and imaginative tale of friendship, picture book readers will delight in what it means to have a furry best friend.

For as long as she can remember, Joy has wanted a dog. It doesn’t matter what kind: big, little, spotted, curly. She wants one so fiercely, she makes dogs out of snow, seashells, or whatever’s at hand! However, none of the dogs Joy makes are quite what she yearns for. The seashell dog washes away, and the snow dog melts into a puddle. Little does Joy know that her perfect dog friend is just around the corner—wishing just as fiercely for a kid—and waiting to be discovered.

Award-winning artist Hadley Hooper creates a world that is both timeless and magical as she weaves ink, paint, and collages made from vintage etchings together in a style that perfectly complements the classic feel of Jump for Joy. Readers will rejoice in this satisfying kid-meets-dog story, and will savor returning to this world again and again.

Meet Sandcastle.

Sandcastle's world was new and exciting until their very first...

SQUISH!

In an effort to protect themselves from ever getting squished again, Sandcastle tries to be bigger and taller and stronger! But is that enough to stop all the squishes?

From Breanna Carzoo, the acclaimed creator of Lou and Greenlight, comes an uplifting picture book story that reminds us that while we can't stop all of life's squishes, we can reach out to others, reconnect with our ingrained resilience, and maybe even have some fun!

"An informative and accessible child's-eye view of STEM careers" --Kirkus Reviews

This Level One I Can Read and Guided Reading Level K is perfect for learning to sound out words and sentences. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the short sentences, familiar words, and simple concepts of Level One books support success for children eager to start reading on their own.

For anyone looking for books about community helpers for kids, the I Can Read My Community books are a great choice. The books are bright and upbeat and feature characters who are diverse in terms of gender, race, age, and body type. Kids ages 3-7 will enjoy finding out more about the people who do so much to help all of our communities.

Meet these scientists:

For fans of Jon Klassen and Peter Brown comes MORE DUNG!, a slyly funny and stunningly illustrated picture book about a greedy dung beetle by debut author-illustrator Frank Weber.

The dung beetle thinks he has everything he needs- the warmth of the sun, a gurgling river, and as much dung as he could ever want. But when a leopard tells him of a farm with even MORE dung, the beetle's world suddenly looks small. And so he sets off to the farm, accruing more and more dung, building a veritable DUNG EMPIRE! But a tower of dung comes with a tower of risk, and soon our insect hero finds himself buried in his greed. (Yes, he's buried in poop.)

Frank Weber seamlessly blends philosophical questions about greed with scatological humor and truly gorgeous artwork to create this special debut.

A celebration of books and reading from Newbery medal winner Linda Sue Park and illustrated by two-time Caldecott medal winner, Chris Raschka.

This is my book.
My favorite book.
I carry it with me
wherever I go.

Meet the child who loves books in this lyrical tribute to the joys of books and reading by Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park and featuring the jubilant illustrations of celebrated Caldecott artist Chris Raschka. My Book and Me invites us to reflect on beloved books which are friends we hold dear; books we read over and again; books that may take us to places afar to experience the world in different ways, and books that comfort and reassure us. This jubilant paean to literature is a celebration of our favorite authors, characters, and stories; those that we cherish the most and are friends for life . . . which books are your favorite? My Book and Me features a diverse group of children, all enjoying their favorite books.