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I Wonder by K. A. Holt | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
In this unusual text, young listeners and readers follow a group of diverse kids trying to make sense of the world as they see it. Questions such as What do clouds taste like?, Do my toys miss me when I’m gone?, and I wonder if cars and trucks speak the same language remind us of a child’s unique point of view. Nothing is more powerful than seeing something for the first time, and these whimsical questions will encourage all readers to take a fresh look around them. Exquisite artwork by rising star Kenard Pak follows the arc of a day, ending with a spread showing a group of children as different and varied as their questions. |
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Her Idea by Rilla Alexander | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Do you love thinking up new ideas? Do you jump from one idea to the next? Would you rather start tomorrow? Or is your brain just brimming with ideas, ready to burst? Join Sozi, the enthusiastic star of The Best Book in the World, as she experiences the elation, struggle, and triumph of making ideas happen. It won’t be easy, but Sozi is ready for any obstacle that may stand in her way. Her Idea is a story for all ages and a tale about getting to THE END. Featuring immersive illustrations and bold colors, Her Idea is sure to captivate and inspire readers of all ages, encouraging creativity, and bringing the fruits of imagination to life. |
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Belinda by Pamela Allen | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Every day Mr Farmer tends his vegetables while Mrs Farmer milks Belinda the cow. There is always plenty of warm frothy milk for the dog, the cat, the pig in his pen, for cream and for butter for Mr Farmer’s bread. Then Mrs Farmer goes away for a while and Mr Farmer must milk Belinda. |
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Mr McGee Goes to Sea by Pamela Allen | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
In this sequel to “Mr McGee”, Mr McGee’s adventures take him underwater. Simple text and pictures make this story ideal for sharing with the very young. |
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Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Giraffes Can’t Dance from author Giles Andreae has been delighting children for over 15 years. Gerald the tall giraffe would love to join in with the other animals at the Jungle Dance, but everyone knows that giraffes can’t dance… or can they? |
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Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Come into the jungle for a noisy rhyming romp packed with favourite animals, from tigers to chimpanzees, brought to life with fun, vibrant artwork. This bestselling picture book from an award-winning creative team is a delight to read aloud and share with young children. |
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Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Dive into the ocean for a noisy rhyming romp packed with favourite sea creatures brought to life with fun, vibrant artwork. This bestselling picture book from an award-winning creative team is a delight to read aloud and share with young children. |
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Pearl Barley & Charlie Parsley by Aaron Blabey | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley are the best of friends. But they are different in almost every way… A delightfully uplifting tale about self-belief, courage – and above all – the power of friendship. |
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The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
In the Jingle Jangle Jungle on a wet and windy day, Four little friends found a cosy place to play. Moose had marvellous antlers, and Lion, a golden mane. Zebra had fantastic stripes and Sheep… well, Sheep was plain. When four friends encounter a cranky bear, Moose, Lion and Zebra all think they know how to cheer him up. But it is plain, boring Sheep who has the answer! |
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The Very Itchy Bear by Nick Bland | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
“Bear is here…and here is Flea (but Flea’s a little small to see). This is Flea about to bite, but not because he’s impolite. He’s biting bear to say, ‘Hello!’, biting high and biting low.” There is just one creature bothering Bear: a persistent flea. |
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Mopoke by Philip Bunting | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
This is a Mopoke. Mopoke loves peace and quiet. He is about to find out that you can’t always get what your want. Visually brilliant, and hysterically funny, Philips pictures tell a thousand words, with the support of some very sparse, but hilarious, text. |
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Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
In this delightful tale about a youngster looking for the perfect pet, readers can lift the flaps to see the animals the zoo has sent. |
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Stellaluna by Janell Cannon | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Knocked from her mother’s safe embrace by an attacking owl, Stellaluna lands headfirst in a bird’s nest. This adorable baby fruit bat’s world is literally turned upside down when she is adopted by the occupants of the nest and adapts to their peculiar bird habits. Two pages of notes at the end of the story provide factual information about bats. |
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Eric Carle’s children’s classic is the story of a very small and very hungry caterpillar who manages to nibble his way through the pages of this enchanting book. Available now in a sturdy board book edition for babies and toddlers to chomp and chew! |
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The Bad-Tempered Ladybird by Eric Carle | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
The bad-tempered ladybird picks fights with every animal he meets, but soon learns the importance of friends and turns into a far nicer, happier bug. |
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The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Early one morning a little spider begins to spin her web on a fencepost and she doesn’t stop until it is finished . . . |
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Macca the Alpaca by Matt Crosgrove | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Macca the Alpaca is small, kind and friendly. His days are easy and carefree until he accidentally bumps head-first into Harmer the llama. |
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Alpacas with Maracas by Matt Crosgrove | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Macca and pal Al are the best of friends and LOVE spending time together. |
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The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Poor Duncan just wants to colour in. But when he opens his box of crayons, he only finds letters, all saying the same thing: We quit! |
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The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
A rhyming story of a mouse and a monster. Little mouse goes for a walk in a dangerous forest. To scare off his enemies he invents tales of a fantastical creature called the Gruffalo. SO, imagine his surprise when he meets the REAL Gruffalo… |
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Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
The witch and her cat fly happily over forests, rivers and mountains on their broomstick until a stormy wind blows away the witch’s hat, bow and wand. Luckily, they are retrieved by a dog, a bird and a frog, who are all keen for a ride on the broom. It’s a case of the more, the merrier, but the broomstick isn’t used to such a heavy load and it’s not long before… SNAP! It breaks in two! And with a greedy dragon looking for a snack, the witch’s animal pals better think fast! |
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The Gruffalo’s Child by Julia Donaldson | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
But one wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s child disobeys her father’s warnings and ventures out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist… does he? The Gruffalo’s Child is the number one bestselling, much-loved sequel to the worldwide picture-book phenomenon that is The Gruffalo. Julia Donaldson’s trademark rhyming text and Axel Scheffler’s brilliant, characterful illustrations combine once more to ensure that the Gruffalo’s Child has followed firmly in her father’s footsteps and that her story is one that children will ask for again, and again… and again! |
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The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
One little snail longs to see the world and hitches a lift on the tail of an enormous whale. Together they go on an amazing journey, past icebergs and volcanoes, sharks and penguins, and the little snail feels so small in the vastness of the world. But when disaster strikes and the whale is beached in a bay, it’s the tiny snail’s big plan that saves the day. |
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Stick Man by Julia Donaldson | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Stick Man lives in the family tree. |
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The Smeds and the Smoos by Julia Donaldson | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Soar into space with a glorious love story of alien folk thats literally out of this world. The Smeds (who are red) never mix with the Smoos (who are blue). So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love, their families strongly disapprove. But peace is restored and love conquers all in this happiest of love stories. Theres even a gorgeous purple baby to celebrate! With fabulous rhymes and breathtaking illustrations, this is a sure-fire winner from the bestselling creators of Stick Man. |
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Are you my Mother? by P.D. Eastman | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
A mother bird leaves her egg in the nest to go look for some food. While she’s gone, the egg hatches, and the baby bird sets off to find his mother – but he doesn’t know what she looks like. His search leads him to ask a variety of animals and machines, “Are you my mother?” Finally, a crane deposits him back in his nest, where his mother is waiting. Just the right amount of tension and the happy and secure ending make this an extremely popular story. |
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Koala Lou by Mem Fox | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Koala Lou is the first born in a large family. She feels sad because her mother seems too busy to pay her any attention. Perhaps if she wins the tree-climbing at the Bush Olympics her mother might notice her again . . . Koala Lou starts her training right away! |
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Possum Magic by Mem Fox | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
For over 35 years, Possum Magic has captivated and enchanted children and adults. Mem Fox’s lovable characters, little Hush and Grandma Poss, and Julie Vivas’ exquisite illustrations weave a story of pure magic. |
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Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Monday |
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The Wonder by Fay Hanson | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
This is a story about a boy whose head is always full of wonder. We follow him on an average-seeming school day, where his daydreams transform the world around him. Unfortunately lots of other people – the park keeper, the bus driver, the lollipop lady – all tell him to get his head out of the clouds. It is only in art class that he realises he can bring the wonder out of his head for the whole world to enjoy. |
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I Wonder by Annaka Harris | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Eva takes a walk with her mother and encounters a range of mysteries: from gravity, to life cycles, to the vastness of the universe. She learns that it’s okay to say “I don’t know,” and she discovers that there are some things even adults don’t know—mysteries for everyone to wonder about together! I Wonder is a book that celebrates the feelings of awe and curiosity in children, as the foundation for all learning. |
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The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big furry, stripy tiger! |
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Magic Beach by Alison Lester | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Visit a perfect beach where you can swim, surf, splash through the waves, build sandcastles, beachcomb, explore rock-pools, muck about in boats, fish from the jetty, and build a bonfire under the stars. Visit Magic Beach, where adventure begins… |
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Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
“A told B, and B told C “I’ll meet you at the top of the coconut tree.”” Countless children — and their parents — can joyfully recite the familiar words of this beloved alphabet chant. The perfect pairing of Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault’s lively rhymes, and Caldecott Honor artist Lois Ehlert’s bright, bold, cheerful pictures made “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” an instant hit and a perennial favorite. |
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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Exuberantly coloured artwork and favourite animals make this rhythmic story the perfect introduction to looking and learning about colours. Each spread leads seamlessly into the next and young children will delight in Eric’s colourful collage of animals and simple repetitive language. |
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Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Sometimes, when you love someone very, very much, you want to find a way of describing how much you treasure them. But, as Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare discover, love is not always an easy thing to measure. The story of Little and Big Nutbrown Hares’ efforts to express their love for each other has become a publishing phenomenon. |
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Duck by Meg McKinlay | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
A delightfully duckish picture book of farmyard disaster. Duck can see that something is falling from the sky. He tries to warn the other farmyard animals by telling them to “Duck!” but they won’t listen …A hilarious picture book of farmyard disaster by award-winning author Meg McKinlay and emerging illustrator Nathaniel Eckstrom. |
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The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
The most beautiful fish in the entire ocean discovers the real value of personal beauty and friendship. |
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Here Comes Stinkbug by Tohby Riddle | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Stinkbug can really stink. But when it starts bugging his friends, Stinkbug wonders if it’s time to stop doing what stink bugs do best… |
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We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Follow and join in the family’s excitement as they wade through the grass, splash through the river and squelch through the mud in search of a bear. What a surprise awaits them in the cave on the other side of the dark forest. |
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Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Maurice Sendak said: “Max, the hero of my book, discharges his anger against his mother, and returns to the real world sleepy, hungry, and at peace with himself… from their earliest years children live on familiar terms with disrupting emotions, fear and anxiety are an intrinsic part of their everyday lives, they continually cope with frustration as best they can. And it is through fantasy that children achieve catharsis. It is the best means they have for taming Wild Things”. |
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The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk . . . and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older, he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave. |
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A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Every day Amos McGee spends a little bit of time with each of his friends at the zoo, running races with the tortoise, keeping the shy penguin company, and even reading bedtime stories to the owl. But when Amos is too sick to make it to the zoo, his animal friends decide it’s time they returned the favour. |
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Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
In this classic Australian picture book, a dingo catches a wombat and wants to cook him in a stew. But all the other bush animals have a plan to save their friend. They trick the dingo into using mud, feathers, flies, bugs and gumnuts in his stew, and the result is something the dingo will never forget! |
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Owl Babies by Martin Waddell | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Three baby owls, Sarah, Percy and Bill, wake up one night in their hole in a tree to find that their mother has gone. So they sit on a branch and wait. Darkness gathers and the owls grow anxious, wondering when their mother will return. But, at last, she does, and they joyously welcome her home. |
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Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
When the driver leaves the bus temporarily, he gives the reader just one instruction: “Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus!” But, boy, that pigeon tries every trick in the book to get in that driving seat: he whines, wheedles, fibs and flatters. Will you let him drive? Told entirely in speech bubbles, this is a brilliantly original book. |
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Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Merging expressive cartoon network-esque illustrations with beautiful black and white photographs of Brooklyn, this funny story tells how Trixie and Knuffel Bunny’s trip to the laundromat with Dad goes terribly wrong when Trixie realizes some bunny’s been left behind…! Her attempts to alert Dad all the way home are unsuccessful, until Mum points out that Knuffel Bunny is missing and the family hotfoot it back to the laundromat. Fortunately, KB is safe, if a little wet… |
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We Are in a Book by Mo Willems | Preparatory Library | Junior Library |
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. |