A large stack of books came home with me this week. Here are a few of them. More to come soon! 
Picture Books
Duck, duck, dinosaur by Kallie George, illus. by Oriol Vidal, Harper Collins
Siblings who find one another to be different will relate to this funny, bright version of the “ugly duckling” story. Dinosaurs are ever-popular, and this one will entertain your storytime crowd.
You Are One / by Sara O’Leary, illus. by Karen Klassen, Owlkids
Many different babies, who have just turned one year old, are depicted. O’Leary has a knack for capturing that one moment in a child’s life in just a few words. Parents will ooh and ahh over this one, and babies will love it too. This is baby storytime perfection.
Bringing the Outside In by Mary Mckenna Siddals, illus. By Patrice Barton, Random House
This simple nature poem will work well for toddler storytimes. The soft pencil sketches of a diverse group of young children help us enjoy the seasons. A gentle reminder to go outside and play, and keep playing when you come inside.
How to Grow a Friend by Sara Gillingham, Random House
A lovely preschool metaphor – friendship as a garden. It must be planted, tended, nurtured. This may seem a lofty subject for a young child, but the retro-style illustrations will help young ones understand the simple concept. Easy to use in storytime, and a great choice for teaching, as well.
Daniel finds a poem by Micha Archer, Penguin Random
Rich collage illustrations are the perfect backdrop for the story of a young boy trying to figure out what a poem is. Animals give him an idea, and their literary responses help him “find” a poem. Just right for storytime, and a great find for early elementary classrooms studying poetry.
For Teachers….
Ideas are all around by Phillip C. Stead, Roaring Brook Press
Teachers looking for a book to start the writing process with their students will be happy to find this book. Take a walk on the page with Stead’s images – both in pictures and words. Help your students realize that ideas are all around, and that authors have to look to find their ideas.
Dreams of freedom: in words and pictures. – Amnesty International; Frances Lincoln
This “feast of visual stories – brave words and beautiful pictures” has something to inspire everyone. Quotes and illustrations from human rights champions and various artists make this a great browsing book. The images help make the quotes accessible to children. A wonderful choice for daily readings.
ValleyStorytime 
Comments on: "A large stack of books…" (1)
I enjoy reading through your blog. I’m sharing with all the Mommy’s I know a beautiful children’s book I just bought for my kids. My sister in law told me about it. It’s called “Cooking With Mr. C.” by John Contratti. The beautiful message of we can all be so many things in our lives resonated with my kids and all who have read it. Lead to a great discussion about future, hope, etc. It’s amazing when a book can have an impact and spark a great conversation with your kids. I hope you get a copy. Keep up the great work you do.