The Ugly Place
by Laura Deal, Emma Pedersen (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

A boy is in an ugly mood, and he vents his anger by stomping in the tide pools and the mud at the beach. He sits on an ugly rock in the ugly rain and stares at the ugly fish. But gradually, he notices that the seagulls’ white feathers are not ugly as they glide effortless through the sky. He breathes slowly with the waves going in and out. He closes his eyes to feel the warmth of the sun as the clouds part. His ugly mood evaporates with the rain, and the beauty of the sea reminds him to smile.

Leilong’s Too Long!
by Julia Liu, Bei Lynn (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars

Leilong works as the school bus for the children in the city, but he is just too big for the roads. His tail is so long that he knocks over houses, and gets tangled in telephone lines. He broke a bridge because he is too heavy. Finally there are too many complaints about accidents, and Leilong can’t give the children a ride to school anymore. The children comfort him, but he cries so much that his tears fill up the swimming pool. The children take the opportunity to slide down Leilong’s back into the water and play on his tail. Leilong finds a new job as a playground and pool slide for the children, and he is happier than ever!

Patti at the Music Shop
by Vítězslav Mecner

5 out of 5 stars

Patti loves trying out the different instruments in the music shop. She tries everything- trumpet, piano, drums, flute, harp, harmonica, and the maracas. But what she really wants is a bass guitar! When Patti finally gets to try out the bass guitar, it’s too big for her! Her little fingers can’t reach around the body of the instrument to strum the strings. She is disappointed until her dad suggests the perfect solution! She can first learn to play on the small ukulele, until she grows bigger and can handle the bass guitar.

Grandma’s House of Rules
by Henry Blackshaw

4 out of 5 stars

A little boy visits his grandmother, but she has so many rules that it’s hard to remember them all. Don’t leave your dirty dishes on the table. Don’t leave the cupboards open. Use an apron. Plump the cushions. Don’t sit in the fancy chair. Don’t ever ever touch the special vase.

When Grandma leaves the house, the little boy tries to follow the rules, but he forgets some and everything goes wrong. What will Grandma do when she comes home to find all the rules have been broken? She says, “You can break a vase, Kid, but you could never break my heart.” A grandmother’s love is stronger than any rules.

Pina
by Elif Yemenici, Sidndey Wade (Translation)

2 out of 5 stars

Pina is afraid to leave his house. But when he runs out of cheese, he is forced to go outside. At first, he is frightened of everything, but nothing bad happens and Pina gets his cheese from the shop. Later he discovers that he needs other items, and has go to out into the world again, but this time he is not so nervous. He meets a neighbor and says hello. Gradually Pina realizes that the world outside his home is wonderful and colorful. He ventures out more often and discovers the beauties of the world.

They’re Heroes Too: A Celebration of Community
by Pat Brisson, Anait Semirdzhyan (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars

The ordinary people we see every day – directing traffic, teaching in schools, serving food, helping the sick, and delivering mail – those people are heroes. Their contributions are so important that society could not survive without them. And when we take time to act with generosity and kindness, we are heroes too!

Well Done, Mommy Penguin
by Chris Haughton (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

Mommy Penguin goes fishing. The Baby Penguin and Daddy Penguin watch from the nest as she swims. She is the best swimmer and the best jumper. She catches a fish, and begins to climb up the snowy cliff back to the nest. But can she make it past the sleeping seals?

This is such a cute story! The Baby and Daddy are cheering for Mommy Penguin every step of the way. She is very determined and skilled. Like all moms she has hidden talents and inner strength!