Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, by Mo Willems

When Trixie starts school, she discovers that her beloved Knuffle Bunny is not so unique; in fact Sonja has one too. This encounter causes a disruption and both toys are taken by the teacher until the end of the day. Well sometime in the middle of the night (2:30 a.m.) Trixie discovers she has the wrong bunny and a phone call is followed by a bunny exchange. The juxtaposition of colorful cartoon illustrations against black and white photographs of a real school and real city offer a lively counterpoint of child's world to real world. The bunny exchange has the feel of a cold war spy exchange. Yet this is a very child-like story.

First the Egg, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.

A very simple and repetitive text and clever die cut pages introduces the life cycle of an egg, tadpole, seed, and caterpillar as they change into a chicken, frog, flower, and butterfly respectively and then the text also morphs into a tale about the creative process "First the word.. then the story."

Grades PreK-1

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis

The author of this picture book for older children grew up during the 1950's, 60's and 70's in Prague, Czechoslovokia. Here he blends the history of that repressive time behind the Iron Curtain with autobiography. The illustrations are mainly in black and white with red accents, but Sis's representations of his own drawings and of all things Western appear in color. Three double page spreads are from his journals written during that time. He places emphasis on the importance of music to those living in the Soviet controlled countries. The book ends with the dismantling of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the ultimate collapse of the Soviet Union. Young people may gain new insights into what it was like to live under a totalitarian dictatorship. Winner of the Seibert Award; also a Caldecott Honor Book.
Grades 4 and up

Henry's Freedom Box : A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine

Illus. by Kadir Nelson.

This is a simple telling of the story of Henry "Box" Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom in a wooden box. Rich, colorful, cross-hatched paintings complement the text. Henry had ample reasons to want to escape slavery. The story follows him from childhood up to the point that he emerges from his box. Any study of American history or Black history could include this title. It will work as a read-aloud.
Grades 3 and up