Recommended Reads from the Children's Collection @ the Education Library

Meet Fuzzy Haskins: with unruly fur and a heart of gold, he's fuzzy inside and out! Everywhere he goes, he spreads warm, fuzzy feelings throughout his community. There's only one thing that can possibly dampen his spirit: the humidity! When rainy weather brings on extra fuzz and gets Fuzzy into a jam of his own, it takes the generosity of others to get him back on his feet.

Welcome, come in! You are invited to travel to homes around the world in this picture book about hospitality and acceptance, which features the word "welcome" from more than fourteen languages.

After a devastating hurricane, a young boy asks for help rebuilding the neighborhood dock, his favorite place in the world, but finds that his neighbors need help first.

Two pairs of siblings navigate an urban landscape where they see: the hulking dude with tattoos and chains assisting an elderly lady onto the bus; the Goth teenager with piercings and purple Mohawk returning a lost wallet to its owner; and the myriad interactions of daily existence, most of them well-intended. A courageous, constructive response to the negative news.

Rodrigo has lost his family home due to a devastating tornado. Surrounded by rubble, he almost gives up. But then he remembers his father's words of encouragement and finds the strength to build a new life. He slowly developed the confidence to start again and bring hope to lonesome, vulnerable, and homeless people. Little by little, Rodrigo's farm became a place where people in need came for help: a place where they could heal the wounds that nobody could see.

Hank is the prickliest cactus in the entire world. He sits in a pot in a window that faces the empty desert, which is just how he likes it. So, when all manner of creatures--from tumbleweed to lizard to owl--come to disturb his peace, Hank is annoyed. He doesn't like noise, he doesn't like rowdiness, and definitely does not like hugs. But the thing is, no one is offering one. Who would want to hug a plant so mean?

Something strange happened on an unremarkable day just before the season changed. Everybody who was outside . . . . . . went inside. Outside, it was quieter, wilder, and different. Inside, we laughed, we cried, and we grew. We remembered to protect the ones we love and love the ones who protect us. While the world changed outside, we became stronger on the inside and believed that someday soon spring would come again.

In this park, children frolic; couples wander; flowers bloom and birds zoom; friends and families picnic and play ball or simply sink their toes peacefully into the present moment. Meanwhile, rolling hills and green trees enfold visitors in nature's beauty. Encouraged by the sense of unity the park creates, the visitors come together for a joyful dance party and a march for peace and equality.

What is the proper way to ask Mr. Panda for doughnuts? Patiently and politely, Mr. Panda asks the animals he comes across if they would like a doughnut. A penguin, a skunk, and a whale all say yes, but they do not remember to say "please" and "thank you." Is anyone worthy of Mr. Panda's doughnuts?

Bear can't reach the cake he's after--it's so far up, and he's so far down! Will his friends be able to help?

Sometimes being nice means being patient with your little brother who doesn't know how to treat your favorite things. Being nice can mean going to your sister's boring dance recital. Or tasting a tuna noodle casserole your grandma made--when you can't stand tuna noodle casserole. Being nice takes practice, and that's okay. You just keep trying, and soon you discover how GREAT it feels...to be nice!

Join our narrator and her dog on their daily walk as they greet the people in their neighborhood--from the mail carrier and bus driver to the sanitation workers and grocery clerks and more. Whether listening, asking, helping, or just saying hello and thank you--it is our patience and kindness that make a neighborhood feel like home.

Train riders are used to stressful delays on the Zero Local line. But when a new passenger shows gratitude to the driver on their daily commute, tensions begin to ease.

How many dogs live in the neighborhood? Louis decides to find out-by meeting every single one.

It's Rashin's first day of school in America! Everything is a different shape than what she's used to: from the foods on her breakfast plate to the letters in the books! And the kids' families are from all over!; The new teacher asks each child to imagine the shape of home on a map. Rashin knows right away what she'll say: Iran looks like a cat! What will the other kids say? What about the country YOUR family is originally from? Is it shaped like an apple? A boot? A torch? Open this book to join Rashin in discovering the true things that shape a place called home.

A simple, yet powerful, picture book about compassion and forgiveness.

Prepare to open a very special book--a book that you read, but that you don't keep. This book isn't destined for a pile in your room or going to gather dust on a bookshelf. This book is for you to read and enjoy, and then to give away to someone you've never spoken to before. Here is a one-of-a-kind picture book that brilliantly introduces the act of giving in a concrete way for kids to understand, and reveals how good it feels when you do.

Spike is a scary-looking salamander who keeps trying to frighten other animals--until he finds that using fear is not the best way to make friends. And since Spike lives in Mexico (he is an endangered species called the axolotl), this story is peppered with easy-to-understand Spanish words. In addition to a charming tale of friendship, this picture book contains nonfiction information about the axolotl and a Spanish/English glossary.

After a wonderful party, birthday girl Grace sits down to thank her friends and family for all their kind gifts. But she doesn't stop there-- as she writes, Grace realizes there are so many things to be grateful for! So she thanks her teacher for helping her learn to write. She thanks her dog for his cheerful wagging tail. She even thanks the sky for being perfectly, beautifully blue. The Thank You Letter is perfect for starting conversations about gratitutde-- both for tangible gifts and for the little things we don't always stop to appreciate.

Hop on a tow-truck ride with Toad as he learns that everyone needs help sometimes, even the helpers!

Flam·boy·ant: (of a person--or bird!--or their behavior) tending to attract attention because of their confidence, exuberance, and stylishness. This fun and funny bird's-eye tome to individuality, community, and harmony follows the reactions of a neighborhood full of birds when a "flamboyance" of flamingos moves in. Their new neighbors are actually quite charming and not so scary and different after all. Includes a note from the author on helping children to learn about acceptance, avoid stereotyping, and model welcoming behavior.

Mr. Tony and Nevaeh, a student, planted a farm. And then the word got out. Every Saturday people came to help: moms, dads, neighbors, shopkeepers. Everyone pitched in and raked, tiled, dug, and planted. It was beautiful in spring and summer, and when the weather turned to fall, it was time to harvest so everyone could experience the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor. Together they composted, recycled, and enjoyed. They built a garden. They built a community, too.

Hank is the prickliest cactus in the entire world. He sits in a pot in a window that faces the empty desert, which is just how he likes it. So, when all manner of creatures--from tumbleweed to lizard to owl--come to disturb his peace, Hank is annoyed. He doesn't like noise, he doesn't like rowdiness, and definitely does not like hugs. But the thing is, no one is offering one. Who would want to hug a plant so mean? Hank is beginning to discover that being alone can be, well, lonely. So he comes up with a plan to get the one thing he thought he would never need: a hug from a friend.

A lyrical picture book that recognizes the beauty of the bodegas, subways, and playgrounds that characterize everyday life in the Bronx and pays homage to the ways that its residents have shaped pop culture through music, visual art, and dance.

When a lesbian couple comes home one day to find their Pride flag stolen and their front porch egged, the sense of belonging they had felt in their community is threatened. Are they safe in their house? The support they need comes from an unexpected place--the neighborhood's children. Together, the local kids create a plan to show Cari and Lauri just how valued they are in the community. Based on real-life events, Rainbow Allies tells the story of how a Massachusetts neighborhood rallied together around Cari and Lauri--and their dogs, Twink and Scout--to make them feel welcomed and loved again after an act of hate.