Note: Wherever possible, the title link to each book leads to Archive.org, from which you can borrow the book for free, or to an extended review here on GreenSense. Otherwise, it will take you to one of our affiliates, from whom you can purchase the book. A purchase made through an Amazon link will earn us a commission. We also partner with BookShop.org and IndieBound, two organizations dedicated to supporting local, independent bookstores.

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Dogger - - by Shirley Hughes Mulberry Books, 1977,1988. A little boy loses his special toy, and his big sister comes to the rescue to help him get it back. If you don't know Shirley Hughes work you are in for a treat. She is one of the best writers of children's literature around. Her specialty is warm, realistic tales of family life, with a unique ability to tell a story from a child's point of view. In this book, David, a boy of about four, loses his special friend, a stuffed toy named Dogger. He is very sad. Luckily he finds it again, on sale at a a booth at the school carnival. But, unfortunately, before he can get the money to buy it back, Dogger is bought by another little girl! This is when David's big sister Bella steps in and does, as the author puts it, "a very kind thing." She trades a huge stuffed teddy, which she has just won at a raffle, for Dogger. The little girl walks away happy with her huge teddy, David is overjoyed to be reunited with Dogger, and Bella is the heroine of the day. Talk about a happy ending! This book conveys the often unspoken love and loyalty between siblings with gentle humor and warmth. The illustrations are lively and realistic, the characters and siuations wholly believable. This is a medium length picure book, good for late toddler to early grade school depending on the attention span of your listeners. Don't miss this family classic! Buy it on Amazon.

Little Bear's Friend - - by Else Holmelund Minarik; illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Little Bear makes a new friend, then has to cope with his sadness when she moves away. All of the Little Bear books are lovely, but this one is my favorite. Little Bear makes a new friend, Emily, who is camping by the river for the summer with her parents and her doll, Lucy. Little Bear is delighted to have a new friend. They spend the summer playing together, then in the end, Emily must return to her home and to school. The two friends' joy in finding each other, their pleasure in each other's company, and their sadness at having to part are all portrayed with emotional depth and clarity. There is a grave, old fashioned quality to this book that is charming. The illustrations are by Maurice Sendak and are among his finest. They are lighthearted and serious at the same time, a perfect match for the text. Designed to be read independently by beginning readers, I have also found this book to be an excellent read aloud for younger children who desire a longer and more complex story. First published in 1960, this is a true classic. Buy it at Bookshop, or buy it on Amazon.

Lost! - - by David McPhail Little, Brown and Company, 1990. A little boy befriends a bear who is lost in the big city, and in turn is helped by him. A bear climbs in a truck to take a nap. When he wakes up, he is lost in the big city. Luckily, a little boy befriends him. They share a day of adventures together, including riding the swan boats and eating all the hot dogs the park vendor has to offer (my son's favorite part.). They end up at the public library, where they locate the bear's home on a map. They rush out to catch a bus, and at last the bear is home. Except now of course, the boy is lost, and the bear must help him get back home. This gentle story is beautifully illustrated with vibrant watercolors. The simple give and take of friendship is shown with warmth and humour, making it accessible to the youngest child. Buy it at Bookshop, or buy it on Amazon.

More More More Said the Baby - Three Love Stories - - by Vera B. Williams Greenwillow Books, 1990. A joyful celebration of the love we share with our children. This book means a lot to me because it really captures some of the joy of having a young child to love. It shows three different children, each with a special adult (father, grandmother, mother), as they play, tickle, snuggle, and, on the very last page, fall asleep. They are all having so much fun that you will want to get up and play too! The illustrations are a celebration of color; even the letters of the text are in rainbow hues. Very young listeners will delight in the simple and repetitive text, as well as the happy depictions of what is, after all, their favorite activity - playing with the adults they love. Buy it at Bookshop, or buy it on Amazon.

The Lion and the Little Red Bird - - by Elisa Kleven Dutton Children's Books, 1992. A stunningly illustrated tale of friendship and the joy of artistic expression. "Why is the lion's tale so green?", the little bird wonders, as she sings in a tree. Though neither speaks the other's language, the two creatures gradually develop a wordless friendship, aided by the bird's singing and the lion's painting. These two artists grow to appreciate and understand each other in a world so lushly illustrated you want to feel the pages. Elisa Kleven's mixed media collages glitter with color and texture, movement and light, and complement the text perfectly. Lots of delightful animal life is tucked into these vivacious landscapes, as well as children playing, birds nesting, boats and baloons. It is a perfect book to play "Find the .....(giraffe, easter egg, fish, etc.)" with a young child. Not too wordy, this joyful book has a great message about the importance of expressing ourselves and appreciating each other. Buy it at Bookshop, or buy it on Amazon.

The Mountain that Loved a Bird - - by Alice McLerran; illustrated by Eric Carle Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1985. In this beautiful fable, the love of a small bird turns a barren mountain into a fertile garden. "There once was a mountain made of bare stone...No plant grew on its hard slopes, nor could any animal , bird or insect live there." But one day a small bird named Joy alights on the mountain's ledge. He has never seen anything so beautiful as the bird, and begs her to stay. Joy cannot do as he asks, because she cannot live on the barren mountain. But she promises to return each spring, and to send a daughter after her when she has died. Over many years, bringing one small seed at a time, Joy and her daughters slowly transform the mountain from a barren desert to a green paradise. This fable of the transforming power of love is beautifully rooted in natural history. While reading this tale, it is easy to visualize how a bare mountain is gradually changed into fertile soil. This book can be read on many levels and the themes of heartbreak and healing which run through it will resonate with adults as well as with children. The gorgeous collage illustrations are by Eric Carle. The language in this book is quite complex. Good for children who can sit through longer picture books; I think many adults will also enjoy this book. Buy it at Amazon.

***

Dogger - - by Shirley Hughes Mulberry Books, 1977,1988. A little boy loses his special toy, and his big sister comes to the rescue to help him get it back. If you don't know Shirley Hughes work you are in for a treat. She is one of the best writers of children's literature around. Her specialty is warm, realistic tales of family life, with a unique ability to tell a story from a child's point of view. In this book, David, a boy of about four, loses his special friend, a stuffed toy named Dogger. He is very sad. Luckily he finds it again, on sale at a a booth at the school carnival. But, unfortunately, before he can get the money to buy it back, Dogger is bought by another little girl! This is when David's big sister Bella steps in and does, as the author puts it, "a very kind thing." She trades a huge stuffed teddy, which she has just won at a raffle, for Dogger. The little girl walks away happy with her huge teddy, David is overjoyed to be reunited with Dogger, and Bella is the heroine of the day. Talk about a happy ending! This book conveys the often unspoken love and loyalty between siblings with gentle humor and warmth. The illustrations are lively and realistic, the characters and siuations wholly believable. This is a medium length picure book, good for late toddler to early grade school depending on the attention span of your listeners. Don't miss this family classic! Buy it on Amazon.

Little Bear's Friend - - by Else Holmelund Minarik; illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Little Bear makes a new friend, then has to cope with his sadness when she moves away. All of the Little Bear books are lovely, but this one is my favorite. Little Bear makes a new friend, Emily, who is camping by the river for the summer with her parents and her doll, Lucy. Little Bear is delighted to have a new friend. They spend the summer playing together, then in the end, Emily must return to her home and to school. The two friends' joy in finding each other, their pleasure in each other's company, and their sadness at having to part are all portrayed with emotional depth and clarity. There is a grave, old fashioned quality to this book that is charming. The illustrations are by Maurice Sendak and are among his finest. They are lighthearted and serious at the same time, a perfect match for the text. Designed to be read independently by beginning readers, I have also found this book to be an excellent read aloud for younger children who desire a longer and more complex story. First published in 1960, this is a true classic. Buy it at Bookshop, or buy it on Amazon.

Lost! - - by David McPhail Little, Brown and Company, 1990. A little boy befriends a bear who is lost in the big city, and in turn is helped by him. A bear climbs in a truck to take a nap. When he wakes up, he is lost in the big city. Luckily, a little boy befriends him. They share a day of adventures together, including riding the swan boats and eating all the hot dogs the park vendor has to offer (my son's favorite part.). They end up at the public library, where they locate the bear's home on a map. They rush out to catch a bus, and at last the bear is home. Except now of course, the boy is lost, and the bear must help him get back home. This gentle story is beautifully illustrated with vibrant watercolors. The simple give and take of friendship is shown with warmth and humour, making it accessible to the youngest child. Buy it at Bookshop, or buy it on Amazon.

More More More Said the Baby - Three Love Stories - - by Vera B. Williams Greenwillow Books, 1990. A joyful celebration of the love we share with our children. This book means a lot to me because it really captures some of the joy of having a young child to love. It shows three different children, each with a special adult (father, grandmother, mother), as they play, tickle, snuggle, and, on the very last page, fall asleep. They are all having so much fun that you will want to get up and play too! The illustrations are a celebration of color; even the letters of the text are in rainbow hues. Very young listeners will delight in the simple and repetitive text, as well as the happy depictions of what is, after all, their favorite activity - playing with the adults they love. Buy it at Bookshop, or buy it on Amazon.

The Lion and the Little Red Bird - - by Elisa Kleven Dutton Children's Books, 1992. A stunningly illustrated tale of friendship and the joy of artistic expression. "Why is the lion's tale so green?", the little bird wonders, as she sings in a tree. Though neither speaks the other's language, the two creatures gradually develop a wordless friendship, aided by the bird's singing and the lion's painting. These two artists grow to appreciate and understand each other in a world so lushly illustrated you want to feel the pages. Elisa Kleven's mixed media collages glitter with color and texture, movement and light, and complement the text perfectly. Lots of delightful animal life is tucked into these vivacious landscapes, as well as children playing, birds nesting, boats and baloons. It is a perfect book to play "Find the .....(giraffe, easter egg, fish, etc.)" with a young child. Not too wordy, this joyful book has a great message about the importance of expressing ourselves and appreciating each other. Buy it at Bookshop, or buy it on Amazon.

The Mountain that Loved a Bird - - by Alice McLerran; illustrated by Eric Carle Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1985. In this beautiful fable, the love of a small bird turns a barren mountain into a fertile garden. "There once was a mountain made of bare stone...No plant grew on its hard slopes, nor could any animal , bird or insect live there." But one day a small bird named Joy alights on the mountain's ledge. He has never seen anything so beautiful as the bird, and begs her to stay. Joy cannot do as he asks, because she cannot live on the barren mountain. But she promises to return each spring, and to send a daughter after her when she has died. Over many years, bringing one small seed at a time, Joy and her daughters slowly transform the mountain from a barren desert to a green paradise. This fable of the transforming power of love is beautifully rooted in natural history. While reading this tale, it is easy to visualize how a bare mountain is gradually changed into fertile soil. This book can be read on many levels and the themes of heartbreak and healing which run through it will resonate with adults as well as with children. The gorgeous collage illustrations are by Eric Carle. The language in this book is quite complex. Good for children who can sit through longer picture books; I think many adults will also enjoy this book. Buy it at Amazon.