Duck cannot find his new blue socks. So begins this journey in verse with Duck asking fox and ox and finally the peacocks if they, by chance, have seen his socks. This will be a fun read-aloud and a good one for breaking the code for beginning readers. It's a one-joke book that is pretty predictable, but probably satisfying enough to hear more than once. 4-7

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A young science book starring two puffins that get separated in a storm. A friendly whale tries to help Peter find Paul based on Peter’s short descriptions of his friend. When he says his friend is black and white the whale takes him to the penquins. When he says Paul is noisy he takes him to a flock of parrots. In searching for Paul we get to see a nice variety of birds until at last Paul and Peter have their happy reunion. A small story with lovely illustrations for young listeners. 3 & up.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

The chase is on, Cowpoke Clyde has a dirty dawg who needs a bath. In this merry romp dawg keeps getting the best of Clyde and the other animals on the ranch. A fun yarn told in verse that makes for an amusing read-a-loud. 4-8

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Emma's dog, Toby does not like cats, especially the cat from next door. So, when Pandora arrives for a visit poor Toby is an unhappy camper in his own home. In a nicely paced and lively story that snooty cat ends (spoiler alert) up a tree and it’s Toby who ends up the hero. 

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2013. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A determined little chick pops out of its shell and wants to fly. Though all the animals try to tell him that he cannot do that, Peepsqueak keeps on trying. A small story for beginners with a repetitive line that preschoolers will love to chime in on. 2-5

Age: Toddlers, Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Little Bear loves his boat until he discovers that he has grown way too big for it. Though it is hard to give the boat he has outgrown, he finds a way of passing on his treasure and discovering the pleasures of growing up. A charming story with lovely art on study board pages. 2-4

Age: Toddlers, Preschool. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

There is just the right amount of page turning suspense in this sweet story of a little bird that does not want to leave his nest and thinks he cannot fly. Winter is coming and it is time to fly south. Then nature takes a hand and lifts the nest out of the tree and off to an adventure that is at once exciting and reassuring, since Mama bird manages to follow her baby and urge him on. It is no so much about separation as it is about the scariness of trying new things and the joy of succeeding. It speaks volumes.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Those five mischievous little monkeys are at it again, only this time, they are so excited about being able to read they cannot stop. Of course, it is bedtime and Mama says it is time to put the books away and go to sleep. When Mama takes away the books though, the story gets even sillier. Now it is Mama who cannot stop reading!

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Anyone who has ever lost a pet will relate to this sad but happily ever after tale. Told from two points of view, we get a sense of what both the lost puppy and the boy are feeling. There is not a lot of text here, but there are tons of vivid cartoonish images with details that kids will like to explore.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

With a repetitive pattern, Tweak, Tweak has a decidedly old-fashioned predictable feel to it. Little Elephant and Mama go out for a walk. Little Elephant is curious about the things frog, monkey, bird, butterfly and crocodile can do. In each instance, Little Elephant imagines that she can jump like a frog, climb trees like a monkey, sing like a bird, fly like a butterfly and swim like a crocodile. For the very young and literal child, the playful images of Little Elephant doing these things (that Mama says cannot be done) may be confusing. That said, this is a tender little book that speaks to curiosity, learning about oneself, and the delights of imagining. It just might also help sort out the differences between those big ideas.  MAy be a better choice for upper age range of preschoolers.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.