1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

What if the narrator of the book you're reading is just...WRONG?! This hilarious book from the author of The Day the Crayons Quit will have you correcting what you're reading--and laughing!

Do bicycles say cock-a-doodle-doo? Do firefighters shout Ding Dong! before they put out a fire?

That's what the narrator of this hilarious picture book thinks! Good thing there are some other characters in this book to set him straight...

With bright bold illustrations, this laugh-out-loud funny story, written by the author of The Day the Crayons Quit, is sure to give kids--and grown-ups--a serious case of the giggles. 

Because a flower goes chugga-chugga-choo-choo. Right? Right?

There's a possum pillow fight wreaking havoc in one room, a fox luring guests into a stew in the kitchen, and a snuggly crew of critters hogging the bed. Bruce growls and grumbles and tries to throw them all out, but the entrepreneurial mice just can't take a hint. Bruce is in a little over his head, especially once the goslings join the staff. Will this grumpy bear ever get his quiet, peaceful den back to himself?

A young boy named Bobby has the worst teacher. She's loud, she yells, and if you throw paper airplanes, she won't allow you to enjoy recess. She is a monster! Luckily, Bobby can go to his favorite spot in the park on weekends to play. Until one day... he finds his teacher there! Over the course of one day, Bobby learns that monsters are not always what they seem.
Each page is filled with "monstrous" details that will have kids reading the story again and again. Peter Brown takes a universal and timeless theme, and adds his own humorous spin to create another winner of a picture book.

This clever send-up of every child's biggest challenge -- being patient! -- is a STEM-friendly, laugh-out-loud comedy about metamorphosis.

* Super-charged. --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred reviewWill delight fans of Mo Willems's Pigeon series... absolutely charming. --School Library JournalHEY! What are you guys doing?We're going to metamorphosize.Meta-WHAT-now?Transform into butterflies.Right. Right. I knew that...WAIT?! You're telling me I can become a BUTTERFLY?Yes.With wings?Yes.Wait for ME!!Ross Burach's hilarious, tongue-in-cheek exploration of metamorphosis will make you flutter with glee, while also providing real facts about how caterpillars transform into butterflies.

No, really, you are. It's got everything you could ever want: comedy, drama, action, heart. Plus--are you ready? It's got homework! Ahh yeah! And a trip to the best place ever, the dentist! Ahhhh yeahhh! Additionally--brace yourself--it's got raisins! Nature's candy. AHH YEAHHH! This book is so great, you won't be able to stop reading it. I DARE you not to have fun.Sure to bring a smile to the faces of even the grumpiest readers, this laugh-out-loud story from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Jory John and internationally acclaimed illustrator Olivier Tallec is perfectly kid-friendly--hilarious enough to come back to again and again.

Summary

Cats + water: What could go wrong? This riotous romp of a picture book follows a frantic family as they try to get some chores done--with no help from the family cat, who keeps scrambling the list of chores to hilarious effect. Get ready for a rollicking read-aloud with a truly purrfect ending.



It's cleaning day, but the family cat will do anything to avoid getting a bath. So instead of mopping the floor or feeding the fish, the family is soon busy rocking the rug, vacuuming the lawn, and sweeping the dishes. Bouncy rhyme carries the story headlong into the growing hilarity, until finally Dad restores some kind of order--but will the cat avoid getting his whiskers wet?



HILARIOUS READ-ALOUD: Word scrambles are a delight in this silly rhyming picture book! Kids will love the accessible rhyming text, and emerging readers will be able to anticipate words after repeated reads, making for an engaging and interactive read-aloud experience.



CATNIP FOR CAT LOVERS: This sweet and sneaky feline will do anything to get out of having a bath! Ample cat antics and scenes of increasing mischief (and increasing chaos!) around the house will tickle young readers and entice parents--particularly those with a furry feline of their own in the house.



TWO DADS LEAD THE WAY: Dad and Papa are the heads of this large and loving biracial family, mirroring illustrator David Roberts' own orientation and providing picture book readers with a positive depiction of LGBTQ+ characters in a fun and funny family story.



WINNING AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATOR TEAM: Alice McGinty is a prolific author of books for children, and David Roberts is well-known for his work on the New York Times bestselling Questioneers series. Together, their upbeat text and energetic art with pops of neon color make for a standout picture book, just right for gifting and enjoying together at storytime.



Perfect for:

• Parents looking for fun stories with cats and good books about diverse families to share with their kids
• Gifting for children's birthdays, Father's Day for cat dads, or pet adoption congratulations
• Cat lovers who celebrate the bad and the good of daily life with their feline overlords
• Readers who love the poetry and playfulness of Sandra Boynton, Emily Winfield Martin, and Shel Silverstein
• Adding to the family bookshelf alongside funny bath books and cat books like The Cat in the Hat, Bad Kitty Gets a Bath, and The Pigeon Needs a Bath!

In this hilarious tale of blame, compassion, and forgiveness, a very embarrassed bear is reminded that accidents can happen--but with the support of good friends, life goes on.

Reuben the bear's got donuts for everyone in his scout troop, but his friends are all staring at something else: there's a wet spot on Reuben's pants, and it's in a specific area. "WHO WET MY PANTS?" he shouts, and a blame game starts. His buddies try to reassure him there was no crime. Just an accident. It could happen to anyone! But as all the clues begin to point in Reuben's own direction as the culprit, Reuben must come to terms with the truth.

Who Wet My Pants? isn't a potty-training book. It's a witty and wise story about embarrassment and anger, empathy and acceptance, and ultimately...forgiveness.
 

WINNER OF THE 2013 CALDECOTT MEDAL!

From the creator of the #1 New York Times best-selling and award-winning I Want My Hat Back comes a second wry tale.

When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue topper (which happens to fit him perfectly), trouble could be following close behind. So it's a good thing that enormous fish won't wake up. And even if he does, it's not like he'll ever know what happened. . . . Visual humor swims to the fore as the best-selling Jon Klassen follows his breakout debut with another deadpan-funny tale.

What happens when a one-horned calf with impeccable logic is convinced they’re a unicorn? Helen Yoon spins an endearing comedy of self-determination for gigglers everywhere.



“See?” cries the calf. “Uni means one, and corn means horn!” Even their baby picture proves it: they were born with one horn! But as the eager little calf continues their research, a budding identity crisis arises when they realize they don’t quite check all the boxes—should a certain lack of moonlight sparkle or silky mane or rainbow poop decide the issue. Perhaps some unexpected encouragement from a pack of “real” unicorns might be just the assurance they need? Helen Yoon, the comic talent behind Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover) and the anarchic Off-Limits, returns with a clarion call for self-doubters everywhere to embrace who they are—unicorn or otherwise.

A charming and humorous board book from Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Noah Z Jones!

Duck and Duck are preparing for a party, and each step of the way, Moose inadvertently messes things up. When he disappears in shame, Duck and Duck must go find him so he can join in the party -- which was for him! The slapstick physical humor of Duck, Duck, Moose will have little ones overcome with the giggles.

A #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon, this deliciously funny read-aloud is an unforgettable tale of new friends and the perfect snack that will make you laugh until spicy salsa comes out of your nose.

Dragons love tacos. They love chicken tacos, beef tacos, great big tacos, and teeny tiny tacos. So if you want to lure a bunch of dragons to your party, you should definitely serve tacos. Buckets and buckets of tacos. Unfortunately, where there are tacos, there is also salsa. And if a dragon accidentally eats spicy salsa . . . oh, boy. You're in red-hot trouble.

This makes the perfect gift for any special occasion, from award-winning team of Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri who created Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel, El Chupacabras, High Five, Robo-Sauce, and Secret Pizza Party.

Check out this rollicking, humorous, and heartwarming twist on the classic "first pet" story about a young bear and her favorite pet boy!

When Lucy, a young bear, discovers a boy in the woods, she's absolutely delighted. She brings him home and begs her mom to let her keep him, even though her mom warns, "Children make terrible pets." But mom relents, and Lucy gets to name her new pet Squeaker. 

Through a series of hilarious and surprising scenes, readers can join Lucy and Squeaker on their day of fun and decide for themselves whether or not children really do make terrible pets.

A #1 New York Times bestseller, this innovative and wildly funny read-aloud by award-winning humorist/actor B.J. Novak will turn any reader into a comedian—a perfect gift for any special occasion!

You might think a book with no pictures seems boring and serious. Except . . . here’s how books work. Everything written on the page has to be said by the person reading it aloud. Even if the words say . . .
 
BLORK. Or BLUURF.
 
Even if the words are a preposterous song about eating ants for breakfast, or just a list of astonishingly goofy sounds like BLAGGITY BLAGGITY and GLIBBITY GLOBBITY.
 
Cleverly irreverent and irresistibly silly, The Book with No Pictures is one that kids will beg to hear again and again. (And parents will be happy to oblige.)

All Rupert the mouse wants is to star in a beautiful, wordless picturebook. One that's visually stimulating! With scenic pictures! And style! He has plenty of ideas about what makes a great book, but his friends just WON'T. STOP. TALKING.
Children and adults alike will chuckle at this comedic take on bookmaking from acclaimed author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins.

A dog and a strawberry find themselves nose to stem in this hilarious picture book that's perfect for dog lovers. An epic battle ensues—who will come out on top?

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Welcome to the Greatest Race of All Time! 
Give it up for our reigning champion, the one-and-only DOG! 
And let’s have a hand for her opponent: the formidable STRAW-BER-RYYYY! 

When Dog is handed a strawberry from the fruit bowl, she sizes it up, dances around it, and decides she is going to race the Strawberry--and win. She dashes left, then right, then--oh!-- over the couch in an attempt to outrun her opponent. Strawberry doesn't move, but that doesn't stop Dog from continuing the race. Eventually, it's neck-and-neck... until mom walks in to see what the fuss is about, and SPLAT!

Kids everywhere will recognize the rivalry at play here, and will laugh-out-loud at the bright, expressive illustrations and ridiculous scenarios from the award-winning creators of Cat Dog Dog.