Pick of the Decade 1995-2005: Kindergarten

Picture Books

Ehlert, Lois. Waiting for Wings , 2001.

Simple verses that describe the life cycle of the butterfly are accompanied by illustrations saturated with color. (See also: Top Cat ; Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf ; Feather's for Lunch ; Eating the Alphabet ; and Planting a Rainbow .)

Eilenberg, Max. Squeak's Good Idea , 2001.

Squeak, the little elephant, wants to play outside. When no one wants to go with him, he prepares to handle a variety of eventualities himself.

Emmett, Jonathan. Someone Bigger , 2004.

Sam is ready to fly his new kite, but Dad says it should be someone bigger. Each big person gets swept away until Sam takes control.

Falconer, Ian. Olivia , 2000.

Olivia, a precocious pig, whirls through every activity with boundless energy. (Sequels: Olivia Saves the Circus and Olivia-and the Missing Toy .)

Fleming, Candace. Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! 2002.

Mr. McGreely finally plants the vegetable garden he's always wanted but then he must find a way to stop hungry critters from nibbling it all away.

Fleming, Denise. Mama Cat Has Three Kittens , 1998.

Kittens, Fluffy and Skinny do whatever Mama Cat does, be it washing with her paws, digging or sharpening her claws, but little Boris would much rather take a nap.

Fleming, Denise. Buster , 2003.

Buster the dog thinks that everything is perfect at home until his owner brings home Betty, a fluffy white kitten. (See also: The Everything Book ; Alphabet Under Construction ; Pumpkin Eye ; and Time to Sleep .)

Fox, Mem. The Magic Hat , 2002.

A wizard's wandering headpiece adorns head after head, transforming each grown-up to one animal or another until the wizard appears. ( Hattie and the Fox and Possum Magic .)

Frazee, Marla. Roller Coaster , 2002.

Among the people lining up for a ride on the roller coaster is a child who's never ridden before. All embark for an exhilarating ride, which whisks readers along in all the dips and dives, leaving everyone ready to ride again.

Gay, Marie-Louise. Stella, Fairy of the Forest , 2002.

Stella, who discovers delight wherever she goes, leads her brother through the forest, providing fanciful answers to all of his questions. (See also: Stella, the Star of the Sea ; Stella, Queen of the Snow ; Good Night, Sam ; and Good Morning, Sam .)

Gerstein, Mordicai. Daisy's Garden , 1995, o.p.

Daisy and her animal friends tend her garden all through the growing season.

Goldstone, Bruce. The Beastly Feast , 1998.

The table is all arranged for the beasts to have their feast and each creature brings a dish that rhymes. Puffins bring muffins and moose bring juice, and so on, until a plethora of animals have an assortment of delectable delicacies to choose from.

Graham, Bob. Max , 2000.

Although Max has been born into a family of superheroes and has his very own mask and cape, flying is just not for him. A baby bird in distress changes everything.

Gugler, Laurel Dee. There's a Billy Goat in the Garden , 2003.

When a billy goat escapes to the garden, larger and larger animals attempt to get him out, but nothing works until a bumblebee buzzes by.

Guthrie, Woody. This Land Is Your Land , 1998.

A beautifully illustrated edition of the folk song.

Hall , Zoe . The Apple Pie Tree , 1996.

Two children help nurture an apple tree from the time the buds first peek out into the world, to the time the fruit is ripe and ready to be picked.

Harter, Debbie. Walking Through the Jungle , 1997.

A young girl explores a variety of habitats as the native creatures chase her from scene to scene.

Harvey, Amanda. Dog Eared: Starring Otis , 2002.

Otis, a large-eared dog, is perfectly happy strolling down the street until a not-so-nice fellow canine calls him "Big Ears." A crisis of confidence ensues, but Lucy's love saves the day. (Sequels: Dog Days: Starring Otis and Dog Gone: Starring Otis .)

Havill, Juanita. Jamaica and the Substitute Teacher , 1999.

Jamaica faces a moral dilemma when she forgets how to spell a word on her spelling test. She yields to temptation but later confesses, and her substitute teacher understands that she doesn't have to be perfect to be special. (See also: Jamaica Tag-Along ; Jamaica's Find ; Jamaica and Brianna ; Jamaica's Blue Marker ; and Brianna, Jamaica and the Dance of Spring .)

Heap, Sue. What Shall We Play? 2002.

Three friends engaged in imaginative play each want to play something different. Lily-May wants to play fairies, but Matt and Martha want to play cars and then cats. Finally patience pays off and with a wave of her magic wand, Lily-May transforms her friends into make-believe sprites.

Henkes, Kevin. Wemberly Worried , 2000.

Wemberly worries about everything but her biggest worry concerns her first day of school.

Henkes, Kevin. Kitten's First Full Moon , 2004.

Kitten mistakes the moon for a saucer of milk and embarks on an outdoor adventure to try to reach it.

Hest, Amy. Off to School, Baby Duck! , 1999.

Baby Duck is plagued with the first-day-of-school jitters, but his loving family pitches in to help him. (See also: In the Rain with Baby Duck ; Baby Duck and the Bad Eyeglasses ; You're the Boss , Baby Duck! ; Baby Duck and the Cozy Blanket ; Make the Team, Baby Duck! ; and Guess Who, Baby Duck!)

Hoberman, Mary Ann. One of Each , 1997.

Catchy rhyme relies how the dog, Oliver Tolliver, thinks that his life is just perfect with one of everything, but then he realizes what he is missing is a friend. (See also: A House Is a House for Me ; The Seven Silly Eaters ; It's Simple, Said Simon ; and Bill Grogan's Goat .)

Hoberman, Mary Ann. Whose Garden Is It? 2004.

When Mrs. McGee passes through a beautiful garden asking whose it is, the gardener is the first to claim it, followed by all of the garden's inhabitants plus the sun and the rain, who also claim it as their own.

Howard, Arthur. Hoodwinked , 2001.

When it is time for Mitzi, a young witch, to get a pet, she wants the creepiest one of all.

Hubbard, Patricia. My Crayons Talk , 1996.

Amusing rhymes relate what crayons would say if they could talk.

Hughes, Shirley. Annie Rose Is My Little Sister , 2003.

Alfie explains what he and his little sister can do together and with their family. (See also: Alfie's Feet ; Alfie Gives a Hand ; An Evening at Alfie's ; The Big Alfie and Annie Rose Storybook ; The Big Alfie out of Doors Storybook ; Rhymes for Annie Rose ; Alfie's ABC ; and Alfie and the Birthday Surprise .)

Hurd, Thacher. Art Dog , 1996.

Someone has stole the famous Mona Woofa painting from the Dogopolis Museum of Art and Art Dog must leap in to action to save the day. (See also: Mama Don't Allow ; The Pea Patch Jig ; and Blackberry Ramble .)

Hutchins, Hazel. One Dark Night , 2001.

A flash of lightning illuminates the night and Jonathan spies a cat outside. He opens the door to let her in, but instead of staying, she deposits a kitten and goes back for her next bundle.

Hutchins, Pat. There's Only One of Me , 2003.

The birthday girl celebrates all the members of her family as they gather to celebrate her special day. (See also: Good Night Owl ; The Very Worst Monster ; The Doorbell Rang; Where's the Baby? ; Shrinking Mouse ; and We're Going on a Picnic .)