Special Collections
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Winners
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I Did It!
by Michael EmberleyLearning to ride a bike is hard. Can I do it? Yes, I can! A fun comic that kindergarteners and first graders can read on their own.
Can I do it? I can’t do it. I want to do it. I did it!
Simple text that new readers can read by themselves, along with delightful pictures in a comic format, show a little creature trying and trying again as she learns to ride a bicycle. All their friends help with supportive words of encouragement. “You did it!” her friends exclaim.
Comics-lovers can now share the fun with their kids, students, siblings, and younger friends who are learning to read! I Like to Read® Comics are perfect for kids who are challenged by or unengaged in reading, kids who love art, and the growing number of young comics fans. Filled with eye-catching art, humor, and terrific stories these comics provide unique reading experiences for growing minds.
This book has been officially leveled by using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level GradientTM leveling system.
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
A Seed Grows
by Antoinette PortisThe transformative life cycle of a sunflower plays out in this bold read-aloud by Sibert honoree Antoinette Portis.
To understand how a seed becomes a sunflower, you have to peek beneath the soil and wait patiently as winding roots grow, a stalk inches out of the earth, and new seeds emerge among blooming petals.
"A seed falls, And settles into the ground, And the Sun shines, And the rain comes down, And the seed grows…" Leading up to a striking fold-out spread of a full-grown sunflower, the lively, bold illustrations in A Seed Grows offer a close-up view of each step of the growth cycle. Additional material in the back of the book explains the science of plant life cycles, and goes into more detail on the ways in which flowers and seeds depend on other creatures.
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
Owl and Penguin
by Vikram MadanTwo feathered friends are Frog and Toad for the emoji generation in this delightful graphic novel for emerging readers.
Owl likes peace and quiet. Penguin likes to SING OUT LOUD. But best friends don’t need to be the same. Sometimes it’s good to disagree!
Owl and Penguin celebrate their differences and solve their problems with creative play. From ice cream mishaps to rainy day chills, there’s nothing these pals can’t get through together.
In three nearly wordless stories, expressive art takes charge of the storytelling, supplemented by simple text captions and emoticon-style images in speech bubbles. This innovative format supports visual literacy and sight word recognition for the earliest independent readers. With warm humor and a joyful palette, it’s perfect for kids to giggle over on their own.
I Like to Read® Comics are perfect for kids who are challenged by or unengaged in reading, kids who love art, and the growing number of young comics fans. Filled with eye-catching art, humor, and terrific stories, these comics provide unique reading experiences for growing minds. Like their award-winning I Like to Read® counterparts, these books are created by celebrated artists and support reading comprehension to transform children into lifelong readers. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
Fish and Wave
by Sergio RuzzierLet’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.
When a tiny wave grows bigger and bigger, what’s a fish to do? Fish and Wave by Sergio Ruzzier is a playful exploration of what it really means to go with the flow.
Fish and Wave is a Level One I Can Read Comic, a simple story for shared reading.
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
Gigi and Ojiji
by Melissa IwaiGigi, a biracial six-year-old girl, learns about her Japanese culture from her grandfather when he comes to visit. Perfect for social emotional learning.
Gigi can’t wait for her Ojiji—Japanese grandpa—to move in. Gigi plans lots of things to do with him, like playing tag, reading books, and teaching Roscoe, the family dog, new tricks. But her plans don’t work out quite the way she’d hoped. And her grandpa doesn’t seem to like Roscoe. Will Gigi find a way to connect with her Ojiji?
This exciting new I Can Read series is brought to you by author-illustrator Melissa Iwai, whose popular books include Soup Day and Dumplings for Lili. Gigi and Ojiji is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level 3 books are written for early independent readers. They include some challenging words and more complex themes and stories. The story contains several Japanese words and a glossary of definitions and pronunciations.
Fox at Night
by Corey R. TaborGeisel Award winner and ALA Notable Book of the Year! In his next I Can Read adventure, Fox—the hilarious trickster character featured in Geisel Award-winning Fox the Tiger—overcomes his fear of monsters when he meets real nocturnal animals.
Fox is up late in the night. There are shadows and noises everywhere. Fox is sure the night is full of monsters! Then he meets the real creatures of the night and realizes they are not so scary after all.
Carefully crafted using basic language, word repetition, sight words, and whimsical illustrations, Fox at Night is ideal for sharing with your emergent reader. The active, engaging My First I Can Read stories have appealing plots and lovable characters, encouraging children to continue their reading journey.
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
Unlikely Friends
by Norm FeutiTheodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award winner! “What do you get when you cross a crusty alligator and a perky bird? A surprising friendship you’ll be sure to cheer for. Beak and Ally is a warm, funny winner!” —Terri Libenson, author of the New York Times bestselling Emmie & Friends seriesA brand-new early reader graphic novel series about finding friendship in unexpected places! This fun and funny buddy comedy is perfect for fans of Narwhal & Jelly, emerging readers, and all kids who love comics.Ally the alligator is perfectly happy being alone . . . until one day a noisy bird named Beak lands on her snout.Beak thinks Ally is lonely and needs a friend. He has all sorts of friendship goals in mind, like riding bikes together, going to the movies together, and even solving mysteries together! But when a Long-Billed Party Pooper crashes Beak’s nest-warming party, Ally decides to show Beak something important to her: sticking up for what’s right.
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
Where's Baby?
by Anne HunterA 2021 Geisel Honor book! Papa Fox is looking for Baby Fox, who is just out of his sight . . . but not ours!
An adorable, interactive read-aloud for fans of Are You My Mother?
In this clever introduction to prepositions, a near-sighted Papa is looking for his baby. Is Baby up in the tree? Is Baby under the log? Is Baby around the corner? Where could Baby be?
Readers will delight in spotting the little fox on every page as Papa wanders the forest, encountering other animals all along the way, but never quite able to spot his own baby. Anne Hunter's delicate and lovely illustrations with their limited palette highlight the humor of this adorable hide-and-seek tale.
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom!
by Kelly Starling LyonsTy can’t wait to ride his brand-new scooter at the park. Other kids zip and zoom by like race cars, but all Ty can do is wobble! Ty wants to give up, but a new friend helps Ty give it another try.
A 2021 Geisel Honor Book!Celebrate imagination and the power of persistence in Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom! by the acclaimed author and illustrator team Kelly Starling Lyons and Niña Mata. With simple, rhythmic text and joyful, bright art, this Guided Reading Level I and My First series I Can Read is perfect for shared reading with a child. Books at this level feature basic language, word repetition, and whimsical illustrations, ideal for sharing with emergent readers. The active, engaging stories have appealing plots and lovable characters, encouraging children to continue their reading journey.
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
The Bear in My Family
by Maya TatsukawaAn overbearing older sibling can really be a bear, but the child in this understated, gently humorous story finds out that they can have their advantages, too.
"I live with a bear," the story's young narrator declares. The bear is loud, messy, uncouth, and very strong (too strong!). For some reason, his parents treat the bear like family, despite his protests. Why can't they see? Then he runs into some bullies on the playground. When the bear ROOAARS with all her might and scares them away, he realizes that there are advantages to having a bear in the family. In a delightful twist, the narrator's older sister (the bear) appears, telling him that she is NOT a bear. But if she is, HE is too—because two bears are even better than one!
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
Stop! Bot!
by James YangWinner of the 2020 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for most distinguished American book for beginning readers. In this very young picture book mystery, a little boy out for a walk with his family stops to show a building doorman his new "bot": "I have a bot!" Only he doesn't have it for long, because it floats up out of his hands like an escaped balloon. "Stop! Bot!" Springing to action, the kind doorman runs up to each floor of the building to try and catch it -- along with the help of each floor's resident. But while everything looks normal at first, every floor (and resident) is a little more wacky and unusual than the last! Musicians, baseball players, zoo animals, and finally a very large monkey all play a part -- but will they rescue the Bot before it's too late?! Children will love all the funny details and easy-to-read words in this very playful picture book!
The Book Hog
by Greg PizzoliThe Book Hog loves books-the way they look, the way they feel, the way they smell-and he'll grab whatever he can find. There's only one problem: he can't read! But when a kind librarian invites him to join for storytime, this literature-loving pig discovers the treasure that books really are.Geisel Medalist Greg Pizzoli presents a new character who is sure to steal your heart in this picturebook full of humorous charm and vivid illustrations.
Fox the Tiger
by Corey R. TaborFun-loving, mischievous Fox wishes he were a tiger. Tigers are big and fast and sneaky. So he decides to become one! Soon Turtle and Rabbit are joining in the fun. But will Fox want to be a tiger forever?
In Fox the Tiger, this winning trickster character and his animal friends learn that the best thing to be is yourself. Fox the Tiger is a My First I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for shared reading with a child.
Charlie & Mouse
by Laurel Snyder and Emily HughesFour hilarious stories, two inventive brothers, one irresistible story! Join Charlie and Mouse as they talk to lumps, take the neighborhood to a party, sell some rocks, and invent the bedtime banana. With imagination and humor, Laurel Snyder and Emily Hughes paint a lively picture of brotherhood that children will relish in a format perfect for children not quite ready for chapter books.
Winner of the 2018 Theodore Seuss Giesel Award
We Are Growing!
by Mo Willems and Laurie KellerWalt and his friends are growing up fast! Everyone is the something-est. But . . . what about Walt? He is not the tallest, or the curliest, or the silliest. He is not the anything-est! As a BIG surprise inches closer, Walt discovers something special of his own!
You Are (Not) Small
by Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant2015 Geisel Medal Winner!
Two fuzzy creatures can't agree on who is small and who is big, until a couple of surprise guests show up, settling it once and for all!
The simple text of Anna Kang and bold illustrations of New Yorker cartoonist Christopher Weyant tell an original and very funny story about size--it all depends on who's standing next to you.
The Watermelon Seed
by Greg PizzoliWith perfect comic pacing, Greg Pizzoli introduces us to one funny crocodile who has one big fear: swallowing a watermelon seed. What will he do when his greatest fear is realized? Will vines sprout out his ears? Will his skin turn pink? This crocodile has a wild imagination that kids will love. With bold color and beautiful sense of design, Greg Pizzoli's picture book debut takes this familiar childhood worry and gives us a true gem in the vein of I Want My Hat Back and Not a Box.
Winner of the 2014 Theodore Suess Geisel Medal.
A Big Guy Took My Ball!
by Mo WillemsMeet Elephant Gerald and Piggie, winners of two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals and recipients of two Geisel Honors!
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In A Big Guy Took My Ball! Piggie is devastated when a big guy takes her ball! Gerald is big, too... but is he big enough to help his best friend?
Images are described.
Other books in this series are available in this library.
Winner of the Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor
Ball
by Mary SullivanA dog with a ball is one of the most relentlessly hopeful creatures on Earth. After his best little-girl pal leaves for school, this dog hits up yoga mom, baby, and even the angry cat for a quick throw. No luck. Forced to go solo, the dog begins a hilarious one-sided game of fetch until naptime's wild, ball-centric dream sequence. The pictures speak a thousand words in this comic book-style ode to canine monomania. Ball? Ball.
Winner of the Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor
Up, Tall And High!
by Ethan LongThree side-splitting stories in one great picture book! In three laugh-out-loud situations, an irresistible cast of colorful birds illustrate the concepts of "up," "tall" and "high. " First, a short peacock proves that he may not be tall, but he definitely isn't small. Then, a resourceful bird helps his penguin friend find a way to fly. Finally, two birds want to live in the same tree, but what goes up must come down! Each short story features a flap that reveals a surprise twist. With fun fold-outs, easy-to-read text, and a hilarious cast of characters, these stories beg preschoolers and emerging readers to act them out again and again.
Winner of the Theodore Seuss Geisel Medal
Let's Go for a Drive! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
by Mo WillemsMeet Elephant Gerald and Piggie, winners of two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals and recipients of two Geisel Honors!
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In Let's Go for a Drive! Gerald and Piggie want to hit the road! But the best-laid plans of pigs and elephants often go awry.
Winner of the Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor
Tales For Very Picky Eaters
by Josh Schneider2012 Winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award! James is a very picky eater. His dad has to get creative--very creative--in order to get James to eat foods he thinks he doesn't like. He presents James with a series of outlandish scenarios packed with fanciful and gross kid-friendly details--like pre-chewed gum as an alternative to broccoli and lumpy oatmeal that grows so big it eats the dog--in an effort to get James to eat. But it is eventually James himself who discovers that some foods are not so bad, after all, if you're willing to give them a try. This irreverently hilarious early reader, it explores a universal point of contention between parent and child in a playful, satisfying way.
Winner of the Theodore Seuss Geisel Medal
I Want My Hat Back
by Jon KlassenA New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2011! A picture-book delight by a rising talent tells a cumulative tale with a mischievous twist. The bear's hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others. But just as the bear begins to despond, a deer comes by and asks a simple question that sparks the bear's memory and renews his search with a vengeance. Told completely in dialogue, this delicious take on the classic repetitive tale plays out in sly illustrations laced with visual humor-- and winks at the reader with a wry irreverence that will have kids of all ages thrilled to be in on the joke.
Images and image descriptions available.
Winner of the Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor
I Broke My Trunk! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
by Mo WillemsMeet Elephant Gerald and Piggie.
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In I Broke My Trunk! Gerald tells Piggie the long, crazy story about breaking his trunk. Will Piggie end up with a long, crazy story of her own?
Winner of the Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor
Bink and Gollie
by Alison Mcghee and Kate DiCamilloMeet Bink and Gollie, marvelous companions who can always agree to put on their roller skates. In other matters, however, (such as which socks to wear, the buying of goldfish, or venturing to the Andes Mountains), compromise is required. But even if one sees a tree house as halfway up and the other as halfway down, these girls are always the best of friends.
Winner of the Theodore Seuss Geisel Medal