Picture Books

All staff pick!

We all love this adorable story about a storybook bear who has a secret life. When no one is looking, Otto comes out of his book and explores the house. But when something happens and he's inadvertently left behind, he has to go out into the big scary world. This simple yet heartfelt story of how Otto finds a new home will make you smile.

With tongue firmly in cheek, Buzzeo introduces Elliot, a polite young man who obtains a penguin for a pet, naming him Magellan. His absent-minded scientist father seems clueless as Elliot creates a skating rink in his bedroom and gives Magellan a bed in the freezer. But all is not what it seems in this hilarious tale!

David Small's illustrations are perfect.

A Joanne pick

A lovely homage to the power of the imagination!  Jack and his friends build a fort from sticks and a cardboard box and "a ragged old quilt."  And then they spend all day playing at being imaginary knights, fighting imaginary dragons.  But one by one, they all have to go home, until only Jack is left to fight the scariest dragon of all. 

The illustrations by the acclaimed Helen Oxenbury are gorgeous and the rhyming text is perfect for reading aloud.

A Cindy and Joanne Pick

Sammy, the best hound dog in the whole wide world, loves his girl and she loves him. When illness cuts Sammy’s life short, the girl’s family keeps his spirit alive by celebrating his love of chasing wind-blown bubbles, keeping loyal guard at night, and offering his velvety fur for endless pats and tummy scratches. Painter Jamie Wyeth’s illustrations— infused with his realist style and lifelong fondness for dogs— radiate the joy and sadness of every tongue-licking, tail-wagging moment in this heartening and lovingly rendered story written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Barbara Walsh. 

An All Staff pick!! This is sad, of course, but also quite hopeful. Sammy's family learns that he will always be with them. Buy it for the gorgeous illustrations by Pennsylvania artist Jamie Wyeth!