2023 Honesty, Responsibility, Kindness, Safety

Larry lies about everything. Find out what he does when he gets caught in one of his lies.

---

When Nancy has to write a report on her ancestors for school, she can't help exaggerating a little--at first. After all, what's wrong with making her family history sound fancier But Nancy goes too far and has to deal with truth and consequences!

---

Big Bad Wolf's first visit to his local library (as related in Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf) was such a success that he returns to tell his version of "The Three Little Pigs." His outrageous spin on the tale draws skeptical remarks from his audience- "Isn't that wolf's nose getting longer?" asks Pinocchio. "It's a cooked-up, half-baked tale," snaps the Gingerbread Boy. And "Tell the truth, B.B. Wolf!" squeal the Three Little Pigs. Caught in his own lie, B.B. explains that he is a reformed villain- "Now I'm begging on my knees, Little Pigs, forgive me, please!" How B.B. turns his bad old deed into a good new one provides a happy ending to this fun-to-read fractured fairytale.

---

Laura Rankin touches on an important childhood issue of lying with gentleness and humor, offering a reassuring look at how standing up for the truth can help cut even the biggest mistake down to size. Ruthie loves little things-the smaller the better. So when she finds a teeny tiny camera on the school playground one afternoon, she can hardly believe her luck. She wants to keep the camera in the worst way, but there's one little problem: It isn't hers. Ruthie swears to her teacher and to her classmate Martin that she got the camera for her birthday. But deep down, Ruthie knows better, and all day long that teeny tiny camera weighs on her conscience until she can hardly stand it. How could one little camera turn into such a great big problem?

---

Pyŏngkwan spends the money he found in the playground without thinking about whom to return it to, but soon realizes he owes explanations to his sister as well as to his Mom and Dad.

---

When Mama goes to the market, Brother and Sister play soccer in the house . . . and end up breaking a lamp! When Mama asks them what happened, they tell her a series of whoppers that just get bigger and bigger. Will they ever tell her the truth?

---

Fatima was tired of people treating her like a child. Determined to prove her worth, she sets off to complete the tasks on Grandma's to-do list. She resists all distractions. However, when she reaches her first destination, she realizes she has lost the list. Fatima is certain she remembers everything on the list and doles out instructions to her family accordingly. But as the family sits down to dinner, they slowly realize that, perhaps, Fatima didn't remember quite as well as she had thought.

---

When a little girl finds a duckling who has wandered away from the park onto the city streets, she takes it home to care for it. The baby duck requires constant attention--early morning feedings, bathing, and tidying--until the time comes to say goodbye. When her pet has grown too big for the bath, the girl takes the full-grown duck back to the pond. Afterward, she misses it and wonders if it remembers her . . . until one day, the duck comes back--with six ducklings of her own.

---

The first book in a series on Hanuman, The god that Amma likes best. The trouble he got into as a baby, Trying to gobble up the sun for breakfast. Born in the being of the Wind god, Blessed with mighty Shiva's divinity, The story of the hard lesson that he learned: That great power comes with great responsibility.

---

Over the uppy downy dunes, across the dark, wide river and up the steep, steep mountain, Penda lovingly carries a bowl of milk to her father in the grasslands. But will she manage to get it there without spilling a single drop?

---

On Charley’s first night, Henry carries his new puppy in his old baby blanket all the way to his house. He shows Charley every room, saying, "This is home, Charley." He says that a lot so that Charley will know that he is home. Henry’s parents are very clear about who will be walking and feeding Charley (Henry will, and he can’t wait). They are also very clear about where Charley will be sleeping: Charley will be sleeping in the kitchen. But when the crying starts in the middle of the night, Henry knows right away that it’s Charley! And it looks like his parents’ idea about where Charley is going to sleep may have to change.

---

Winner of the 2022 Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Award! From debut author-illustrator Gracey Zhang comes a timeless and timely picture book that celebrates the unassuming power of kind words. Oh, there goes Lala! She carries a pot of water around the corner, down the block, and over the fence, to a patch of dirt and concrete where tiny weeds sprout. "Hello, hello, friends!" she whispers. Lala waters the plants every day, but it is her kind words that make them sway and nod.

---

The sequel to the acclaimed New York Times bestseller The Proudest Blue shows the power of friendship and kindness, from Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad. It's picture day and Faizah can't wait to wear her special red dress with matching hair ribbons, passed down from her mother and sister. Faizah's teacher starts the day by asking her students to envision the kind of world they want, inspiring Faizah and her friends to spend the day helping one another in ways large and small.  But when it's time for sibling pictures, Faizah realizes that she and her older sister, Asiya, don't match like her classmates do with their siblings. With help from her classmates inspired by Asiya's hijab, Faizah finds that acts of kindness can come back to you in unexpected ways.  

---

It's not the journey that changes his life, but those he meets along the way.  Albie is on a mission! The king has commanded him to deliver an important message to the neighboring castle. Dutifully he dashes away. But once on his way, something comes up . . . and then another thing, and then another! What is one to do when a squirrel, a tired mother and her many children, and an old animal need Albie's help, just has much as his king?

---

All great Kaiju are born with a super power to strike fear in the heart of the city.But Anzu is different.Instead of mayhem, he likes May flowers.Instead of striking fear, he prefers to be sincere. Can Anzu find a way to make his family proud and stay true to his kind self?From Disney animator Bensom Shum comes an adorable and heartwarming picture book about making your own way and the unexpected power of gentleness--perfect for fans of Ferdinand the Bull.

---

In this upbeat picture book, acclaimed authors Irene Latham and Charles Waters bring key themes from their earlier collaborations (Can I Touch Your Hair? and Dictionary for a Better World) to a young audience. Rhyming verse describes different ways in which readers can "be a bridge," from welcoming a new student and listening respectfully when someone else is talking to standing up to a bully and comforting a classmate who is upset.

---

A renowned photographer and a Pura Belpré Honor-winning illustrator join forces for a playful and stylish picture book that's destined to make the world a better place, one word at a time. Perfectly pitched to the youngest child, Alexi Lubomirski's whimsical text is a gentle reminder that words have power--the power to hurt or to heal, to make someone feel small or feel tall. Carlos Aponte's buoyant illustrations, in dazzling primary colors and bold black line, pair with a dynamic text design to create a visual symphony. An eye-catching appeal to our better natures, this inspired meditation on the purpose and power of words encourages children to choose them well--and use them wisely--to spread kindness, joy, and love.

---

When Ms. Underwood asks if anyone wants to help Kyle, Zahra always volunteers. She loves spending time with Kyle--he's creative and generous, and he makes the funniest jokes at lunch. But when Zahra's other classmates start teasing her for helping him, she starts making choices she regrets.  I Can Help is a gentle, sensitive portrayal of reaching out, facing peer pressure, and learning from past mistakes. With thoughtful storytelling and poignant illustrations, this book will open discussions about choosing kindness in the classroom and beyond.

---

A little lost dog searches for a home and family in this beautiful, heartwarming story from Richard Jones, illustrator of The Snow Lion and Paper Planes. Little Perdu is lost and alone, with nowhere to call his home. Outside, the sky is dark, the wind howls, and the grass is cold beneath his paws. In the busy city, people rush and race and cry, "Get out! Go away! Shoo!" Is there no place for Perdu to rest his aching legs and fill his grumbling tummy? If only there was a special someone who might be looking for a friend like him. In his debut as an author-illustrator, Richard Jones delivers a beautiful, moving story about kindness, friendship, and finding a forever family. Gorgeous illustrations help guide a satisfying emotional journey, from a somber beginning to a joyful conclusion. For all pet lovers, especially pet adoption advocates.

---

"Kindness is easy when it comes from the heart, as shown by a little pig, who finds solutions to various problems. He helps pick up toys for his friend mouse, offers a smile to a discouraged bunny, and builds a birdhouse for a cold little bird. Simple acts of random kindness (saying thank you, offering a smile, being patient, helping others, nurturing nature, protecting the environment, rescuing the innocent, sharing, cleaning up) can do wonders for small children who are leaning that kindness can make a difference." - TCH Literacy

---

From esteemed bullying expert and author of The Invisible Boy, Trudy Ludwig and Little Elliot illustrator Mike Curato comes a tale as simple--and simply inspiring--as the golden rule. When one child reaches out in friendship to a classmate who seems lonely, she begins a chain reaction of kindness that ripples throughout her school and her community. One kind act begets another, small good deeds make way for bigger ones, and eventually the whole neighborhood comes together to build something much greater than the sum of its parts. From acclaimed bullying expert Trudy Ludwig, The Power of One not only conveys a message of kindness, it offers concrete steps that kids can take to make a difference in their own communities. As Trudy says in the final line of the book: "Acts and words of kindness DO count, and it all starts with ONE."

---

John Jensen, a crocodile, cannot quite understand why he feels so different from everyone else, but a kindly doctor reassures him that no one is exactly the same as anyone else.

---

The children at Napville Elementary School always ignore Officer Buckle's safety tips, until a police dog named Gloria accompanies him when he gives his safety speeches.

---

Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school . . . until one day when Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill, and he can no longer do so. Sofia (aka Sofi) misses her Abuelo and wonders what she can do about the dangerous Mount Trashmore. Then she gets an idea--the town can turn the slimy mess into a park! She brainstorms and plans and finally works up the courage to go to City Hall--only to be told by a clerk that she can't build a park because she's just a kid! Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove what one kid can do.

---

Coming face-to-face with the furry creatures themselves, whether black or brown, can be dangerous, and our protagonist--accompanied by a trusty teddy bear--might need to use some unconventional means to stay out of trouble and avoid being (gulp!) eaten. This laugh-out-loud, how-to guide--brilliantly brought to life by New York Times bestselling illustrator David Roberts' expressive art--is a must-read for fans of I Want My Hat Back and Secret Pizza Party.

---

Blossom and Rocky are sheep-very sneaky sheep. They are not very smart sheep, as readers will see from past evidence of their poor decision making (first there were the poker games, the skateboard ramp, then the knitters ... ). Murphy, the sheep dog, knows to keep an eye on this pair, but they still manage to sneak off and get into trouble.

---

Two-time Caldecott medal winning author-illustrator Chris Van Allsburg, author of Jumanji and ThePolarExpress, brings his signature whimsical storytelling and dazzling artwork to a tale about two ants on the adventure of a lifetime. The ants are tired of their humdrum life in the same ant hole, so they're off to the strange new world of a kitchen in search of sugar crystals for their queen. But when two ants stay behind and take a nap in the sugar bowl, they are in for a wild ride. Falling into a sizzling cup of coffee and a heated stay inside of a toaster is just the beginning for these misbehaved ants. Will they ever make it back home Chris Van Allsburg's terrific story about the consequences of disobeying reminds us all that the comforts of home aren't so bad after all.  

---