New and Recently Released!

How to Train a Train - by Jason Eaton; illustrated by John Rocco

Publisher: Candlewick Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/24/2013

ISBN-13: 9780763663070
ISBN-10: 0763663077

"So you want a pet train? Well, of course you do!" Even kids who aren't railroad enthusiasts will get on board with this whimsical guide to train ownership. The first step is to tempt the right train to come home with you (smoke signals and offerings of coal are your best bet), followed by giving your new pet a name (does your train look like a Milo, or more of a Captain Foofamaloo?) before teaching your train tricks and taking it on play dates. Polished, cheerfully expressive artwork featuring a diverse cast of humans and locomotives rounds out this tongue-in-cheek tale.

The Silver Button - by Bob Graham

Publisher: Candlewick Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/08/2013

ISBN-13: 9780763664374
ISBN-10: 0763664375

A lot can happen in just one minute. At 9:59 one morning, Jodie's baby brother takes his first teetering steps. At the same moment, the city outside is bustling with activity. Zooming in and out, this thoughtful and warmly detailed story invites readers to pay close attention to everyday moments -- whether they're large (a tanker sets off for China), small (a bird catches a worm), happy (a baby is born), or sad (a soldier hugs his mom goodbye) -- before the clock turns to 10:00, and Jodie's brother topples into his mother's arms.

Eat Like a Bear - by April Pulley Sayre; illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/22/2013

ISBN-13: 9780805090390
ISBN-10: 0805090398

Doesn't a snack of live ants sound delicious after a long nap? It does if you're a grizzly bear. Using rhythmic, descriptive language that's just right for a read-aloud, this engrossing picture book follows a single bear from spring to winter as she scratches, chomps, claws, and crunches all sorts of tasty plants and prey. The final pages offer additional facts for inquisitive readers, and the eye-catching torn-paper illustrations are a delight (especially the fuzzy-looking bears). Fans of this author/illustrator duo may also enjoy their previous book, Vulture View.

Bedtime Monsters - by Josh Schneider

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/22/2013

ISBN-13: 9780544002708
ISBN-10: 0544002709

Though Arnold is bold by daylight, he's scared of monsters at bedtime just like any kid. But when the "terrible toe biter" emerges from the shadows of Arnold's room, it just wants to join Arnold in cowering under the covers! As more monsters reveal themselves, each afraid of the next, Arnold's bed becomes crowded with frightened, goofy-looking creatures -- all of whom get a surprise when the most fearsome monster of all is revealed. Similar to Mercer Mayer's There's A Nightmare in My Closet, Bedtime Monsters gives heart to even the biggest scaredy-cats.

Dusk - by Uri Shulevitz

Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/17/2013

ISBN-13: 9780374319038
ISBN-10: 0374319030

As the sun sets over New York City, a dog, a boy, and his grandfather stroll through the snowy streets. At first, the boy is sad to see the orange-and-yellow daylight giving way to the softly-shaded purples and blues of dusk. But "as nature's lights go out, city's light's come on," and soon the darkened city is blazing with sparkling displays celebrating Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas. Comforting and quietly joyful, this luminous follow-up to Snow by Caldecott Medalist Uri Shulevitz makes a great winter holiday companion to Elisha Cooper's A Good Night Walk.

Dragons

King Jack and the Dragon - by Peter Bently; illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 08/18/2011

ISBN-13: 9780803736986
ISBN-10: 0803736983

Friends Jack, Zack, and Caspar build a fort and spend the day defending it from imaginary dragons and beasts. As it gets dark, "giants" (parents coming to collect Jack's friends) carry away first Sir Zack, and then Caspar, and King Jack is left to face the night creatures all alone. Brave at first, King Jack finally quails when a large shadow looms over the fort -- but it turns out to be Jack's mom and dad, coming to take him to bed. This "full-throttle pretend play" (Publishers Weekly) adventure is only very slightly scary and has a warm and cozy ending.

Again! - by Emily Gravett

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/16/2013

ISBN-13: 9781442452312
ISBN-10: 1442452315

Through playful die-cuts and quirky humor, Again! takes the familiar story of a kid resisting sleep to "a new, fiery level" (The Horn Book). A little green dragon requests his favorite story before bedtime, so his mom obligingly reads the tale of Cedric, the fierce red dragon who never goes to bed. But when the little dragon keeps asking for the story again, his mom changes the details, making Cedric gentler every time, until the mom herself nods off, leaving the little dragon fuming. His final, explosive "AGAIN!" is sure to thrill and amuse kids and parents alike.

One Drowsy Dragon - by Ethan Long

Publisher: Orchard Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 08/01/2010

ISBN-13: 9780545165570
ISBN-10: 0545165571

He's ready with his blanket and teddy bear, but the drowsy, bright blue protagonist of this tale can't get his fellow dragons to keep quiet. It starts out with just one dragon banging on a cup, but gleeful chaos soon takes hold, with increasingly large numbers of dragons tap dancing, playing croquet, blending milkshakes, and rocking out in a band while the long-suffering blue dragon pleads with them to pipe down. Snappy rhymes with plenty of onomatopoeia ("Zonk! Whirl! Bleep!") complement the crisp, cartoony illustrations in this exuberant counting book.

The Pet Dragon - by Christoph Niemann

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/1/2008

ISBN-13: 9780061577772
ISBN-10: 0061577774

With an adventurous story and bold, clean-lined artwork, The Pet Dragon introduces readers to 33 different Chinese characters. After a young girl, Lin, receives a baby dragon as a gift, the two of them do everything together...until a mishap with a soccer ball prompts Lin's father to confine the dragon to a cage. The dragon escapes and runs away, and Lin journeys far and wide in search of her friend. Characters that represent concepts (such as "middle," "above" and "below," and "friend") and things (such as "tree," "ear," and "person") are superimposed onto pictures related to their meaning. Clever and fun!

Dragons Love Tacos - by Adam Rubin; illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/14/2012

ISBN-13: 9780803736801
ISBN-10: 0803736800

Written in the style of chirpy self-help books, Dragons Love Tacos speaks directly to readers ("Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos?") and follows its absurd premise to a logical, if extreme, conclusion. After presenting tongue-in-cheek instructions for hosting a taco party -- a crucial step in making friends with dragons -- the book vigorously warns readers to never serve dragons spicy salsa. Why not? We don't want to spoil it, so you'll have to read this hilarious, totally off-the-wall "how-to" to find out.

Contact your librarian for more great books!