Staff Shelf

Night Lunch Glorious yet qwirky, a truly sweet story of kindness and connection, set in an odd midnight world full of very hungry animals. You really have to read the illustrations to get all of the story, not a book to rush through.

As the Crow Flies Read this while you still can get it – a fun, simple book about the concept of directions and mapping. Each section builds into the next, finally making a mountain to ocean transition. It’s especially fun to use this book with wooden blocks to “make” the map in 3-D. Kids love … Read more

The Bear and the Star This winter season story involves the gathering of animals in friendship and peace to admire a huge new star in the sky. It’s a gentle read with beautiful illustrations.

Before Morning A favorite winter season storybook, with scratchboard and watercolor pictures (like woodcuts), it tells the story of a child waiting for her parent to come home on a snowy night. Just stunning pictures by Beth Krommes.

A Hat for Minerva Louise Anything Minerva Louise is hysterical! The too-smart for her own good chicken that continually mis-identifies objects, to the amusement of any child who reads this book series. Very fun.

A Hungry Lion, Or, a Dwindling Assortment of Animals Funny and shocking, too alarming for very young children. But for school age kids this book is a great attention keeper, right to the very end. It’s quite fun to read it aloud, but hard not to snicker yourself.

The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt A story about a ghost who looks like a patchwork quilt instead of a white sheet. Byron Eggenschwiler’s restrained illustrations make this story transcend the ho-hum everyday world. It’s a charming tale that culminates on Halloween night, so would be fun for that holiday too.

The Runaway Shirt A sweet story about Mother/Child love, involving laundry and folding and playtime. Julia Castano’s illustrations make this tale sing.