The Slug

One in a series of humorous books about disgusting creatures, The Slug is a look at the land slug. It covers such topics as the slug’s two pairs of tentacles, one pair for seeing, one pair for smelling (it can see you’re a kid and smell like broccoli), its breathing hole (on the side of its head!), and its pretty gross mucous covering (in order to find a partner, the slug can follow another slug’s mucous trail. True love!). Although silly and off-the-wall, The Slug contains real information that will tie in with curriculum.

Nine Words Max

Maximilian is a prince who loves to talk: No topic is too small, no story too boring. Max’s brothers are the opposite–the less said the better. When the king and queen go on a trip and leave the brothers alone, the 3 princes put a spell on Max that limits him to speaking only 9 words at a time. The brothers are delighted: peace and quiet at last! But when a fearsome dignitary arrives, they realize the true value of their brother’s insatiable need for information.

Julia, Child

Julia and Simca are two young friends who agree that you can never use too much butter — and that it is best to be a child forever. Sharing a love of cooking and having no wish to turn into big, busy people who worry too much and dawdle too little, they decide to create a feast for growing and staying young. A playful, scrumptious celebration of the joy of eating, the importance of never completely growing up and mastering the art of having a good time, Julia Child is a fictional tale loosely inspired by the life and spirit of the very real Julia Child.

100 Hungry Monkeys!

This playful picture book encourages pre-readers and early readers to explore the concept of 100. Unusual in that it is a narrative-driven counting book, it offers a delightful and lively story about 100 hungry monkeys who set out to find themselves some food. Once their bellies are full, they all settle in for a nap, but then a monster suddenly appears. They fear he wants to make them lunch, so they all run for their lives. All ends well, however, once the monkeys realize the monster really just wants to be their friend.

Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas

One Chinese New Year, her mother sends Goldy Luck to the pandas next door with a plate of turnip cakes, but the pandas are out. Goldy tries out their rice porridge, chairs, and beds and disaster follows. Includes a recipe for turnip cakes and an explanation of Chinese New Year.

At Home In Her Tomb

This book unearths the mysteries of the Mawangdui tombs. Lady Dai’s mummy was so remarkably preserved that scientists were able to perform an autopsy—more than two thousand years after Lady Dai’s death. The tomb also protected hundreds of artifacts from the Han Dynasty. Miniature servants, mysterious silk paintings, and scrolls holding long-lost secrets gave invaluable clues to daily life in ancient China.