Picture Books

Luna Ranchera book cover

Luna Ranchera

Rodrigo Morlesin

jE Morlesin
Kids, Picture Books

"This spellbinding original story opens in a cantina crowded with desert animals, cowboys, and cowgirls all excited to see the glamorous Luna Ranchera mother-daughter singing duo. Long ago, Luna was down on her luck, starving and struggling to feed her pups, reduced to thieving from nearby ranchers. One day, escaping another heist, Luna has to hide in the worst possible place: on top of a beehive! She howls in pain so loudly, it carries all across the desert. It turns out Luna's musical wails are something special, captivating creatures far and wide. Her most rebellious pup, Ranchera, joins her, and soon the two become the famous howling singing act with the flea-bitten souls, Luna Ranchera! Immersive and unforgettable, with knockout, whimsical art, the tale ends with the lyrics to Luna Ranchera's most famous song. Perfect for fans of Coco and Soul."-- Provided by publisher.

Anne W's picture

This book is so funny and so entertaining and the cartoony illustrations on a dark background are so cool! It begs to be read aloud with its folkloric, conversational, clever tale-spinning vibe. -Anne W

Creep, leap, crunch! : a food chain story book cover

Creep, leap, crunch! : a food chain story

Jody Jensen Shaffer

j577.16 Shaffer
Nonfiction, Picture Books, Animals, Nature

"In this nonfiction picture book, discover how the animal kingdom's food chain takes shape"--

Casey's picture

Fabulous illustrations by Christopher Silas Neal accompany this cumulative food chain text. "Creep, Leap, Crunch!" is great for sensitive youngsters with alternate endings for each of the animals offered, reminding readers that predators are not always successful. A lovely glossary adds more information about the animals and temperate setting as well. Add this to the picture book nonfiction shelf! -Casey

Karl's adventures in Beijing book cover

Karl's adventures in Beijing

Song, Sharon, author.

j951.156 Song
Picture Books

"The story follows Karl’s journey to Beijing, where he meets his friends. They stroll through some notable places in Beijing, like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. He also uses modern technology to receive red envelopes, experiences public square dancing, takes a high-speed train to learn Shaolin Kung Fu, and much more. Read this book to learn about the Chinese culture, Mandarin words, and have fun!" ~from publisher's website.

Fang's picture

Follow Karl's 15 adventures in Beijing! You don't want to miss the famous snack street where people taste yummy Chinese food: stinky tofu, Beijing Ducks and more! In this fun bilingual picture book, local children's author Dan (Sharon) Song shares her curiosity and exploration of the Chinese culture, cuisine, and language. -Fang

Wish soup : a celebration of Seollal book cover

Wish soup : a celebration of Seollal

Park, Junghwa, author, illustrator.

j394.269519 Park
Picture Books

Sohee helps her family prepare for the Lunar New Year celebration.

Fang's picture

A very funny story about silly Sohee and the unique Korean Lunar New Year tradition: Each bowl of tteokguk (the special rice cake soup for New Year's Day) you eat will make you one year older! It's always fun to explore different festive tradtions around the world! -Fang

The rice in the pot goes round and round book cover

The rice in the pot goes round and round

Shang, Wendy Wan Long, author.

jE Shang
Picture Books

Presents a song set to the tune of "The wheels on the bus," where a multigenerational family enjoys a culturally rich meal.

Fang's picture

One of the top picks in ICPL's weekly Chinese Bilingual Storytime! While reading aloud and singing along to the sweet family-themed picture book, kids and parents can enjoy a big feast of authentic Chinese food. And subtly, page by page, they learn all the Chinese words of the whole big family! -Fang

Amy Wu and the warm welcome book cover

Amy Wu and the warm welcome

Zhang, Kat, 1991- author.

jE Zhang
Picture Books

Amy Wu would love to welcome the new student in her class, but Lin has just come from China and does not speak much English, so with the help of her family Amy tries to work out a way to bridge the language gap.

Fang's picture

The Amy Wu picture book series is the perfect combination of lyrical storytelling and vibrant illustration. They tell the “real life" adventure stories that happen to every children of every immigrant families in their everyday growing-up. Check out this heartwarming story about Amy and her new friend from China, Lin! Lin feels warmly welcomed by Amy's yummy and jolly dumpling party, and a very special banner saying 欢迎你 (Welcome). Both kids learn a powerful lesson of inclusion through courageous and creative efforts! -Fang

A stone is a story book cover

A stone is a story

Leslie Barnard Booth

jE Barnard Booth
Picture Books, Nonfiction, Nature

"A stone is not just a stone. A stone is a story. Journey across history to see how one stone changes and transforms. Watch what happens when rain, ice, and wind mold this rock into something new, something you might even hold in your hand and imagine all that is left for the stone to become."--

Casey's picture

Yet another fabulous picturebook nonfiction title! Gorgeous illustrations by Marc Martin highlight Leslie Barnard Booth's beautiful prose. Aspiring geologists, naturalists, and rock pocketers alike will delight in this exploration of Earth's past, present, and potential futures. -Casey

On a flake-flying day : watching winter's wonders book cover

On a flake-flying day : watching winter's wonders

Buffy Silverman

j508.2 Silverman
Nonfiction, Picture Books, Animals, Nature

"With winter's arrival, plants and animals hunker down for the cold season. Eye-catching photos and rhyming text sparkle in this exploration of how creatures survive the snow" --

Casey's picture

Rhyming text and beautiful photographs make "On a Flake-Flying Day" the perfect seasonal read-aloud! -Casey

Jake the ballet dog book cover

Jake the ballet dog

Karen LeFrak

j394.2663 LeFrak
Picture Books, Animals

Allegra takes her little dog Jake to ballet class for the rehearsal of "The Nutcracker," and he proves himself to be a very good dancer.

Mari's picture

What can I say other than I'm a sucker for a Nutcracker adaptation already, and then there's a scruffy black and white dog doing chassés, pas de bourrées, and jetés? I'm in! I enjoyed this intro-to-ballet picture book with a heartwarming dog protagonist, and so will kids and parents who look forward to seeing or reading "The Nutcracker" each December! -Mari

Something, someday book cover

Something, someday

Amanda Gorman

jE Gorman
Kids, Picture Books

"Presidential inaugural poet and #1 New York Times bestselling author Amanda Gorman and Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor winner Christian Robinson have created a timeless message of hope. Sometimes the world feels broken. And problems seem too big to fix. But somehow, we all have the power to make a difference. With a little faith, and maybe the help of a friend, together we can find beauty and create change. With intimate and inspiring text and powerfully stunning illustrations, Something, Someday reveals how even the smallest gesture can have a lasting impact" --

Angie's picture

Inspiring for the young, old, and everyone in between! Beautiful words and equally as beautiful illustrations. I hope this is the first of many collaborations from these two! -Angie