Cat and Dog are good friends. But Dog gets annoyed when Cat copies everything she does. One day she is nasty and calls Dog a copycat over and over again. The next day Cat does not show up to play--and the next day as well. After a while, Dog discovers how much more fun it is to have someone to play with and goes to Cat's house. Soon the tables are turned. A sweet story about friendship. 4 & up.

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

Charlie and his friend Marv just want to play without his tag-along little sister Lola. They plan all sorts of ways to evade her, including an invisible potion. But clever little Lola manages to spin her own little game with the help of her invisible pal Soren Lorensen. Isn't it grand how clever little sisters can be?

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

Waddles, a raccoon befriends Emily, a duck. They are such good friends Waddles even sits on her nest while she goes for a swim. When a fox threatens the nest, Waddles saves the day. A story of friendship between an unlikely pair, told in four chapters that move through the four seasons.

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

Elephant is something of a clumsy character, so when he accidentally destroys Mouse's cozy little house, he takes it upon himself to make a new home. There's a simple but gentle story here that children will easily relate to, especially those who tend to drop, bump and spill things unintentionally. Elisa Kleven's watercolors capture a world with an all's right in the world--happy ending. 3 & up.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2010. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Bear is hankering for some Ugly Pie, but when he goes from neighbor to neighbor he finds every kind of pie but his favorite. His generous neighbors gives him the only ugly fruits they own and Bear heads home. You guessed it, he's got all he needs for making one great Ugly Pie that smells so delicious it brings all the neighbors calling. Told in lively prose with lilting verse that makes this a fun read aloud you will enjoy reading many times. 3-7

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2010. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A foot tapping rhythmic read aloud about the ultimate sleepover at Gramma's. What romping good fun these two have painting, playing, and pretending. Jan Jutte's illustrations of granny elephant and her granddaughter fill the pages of this entertaining book, with a sense of shared joy. If you are a grandparent, put this on the list of must shares. If only all sleepovers were this much fun for both Gramma and child.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2010.

Do you remember how once they get started on the subject of their moms, kids can come up with some amazing feats their moms can do?  Often, Mom is the expert who is quoted as the ultimate expert on any subject--even one she may not have ever discussed. In this homage to one little boy's mom, Tomie DePaola has covered everything from childcare to standing on her head. After sharing this book it might be fun to make a list of the things your child thinks you can do. Pictures added by camera or by child would make a collectible you will treasure years from now. 3 & up.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2010. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

At last, a young ballerina who does not look like an angelic beauty in pink. Perhaps Selena is a bit on the homely side and she's also a bit of a klutz, but this is a dancer with heart and spirit. She does not give up. Maybe she will appeal to kids who can watch Selena and the others and honestly say to themselves...I'm better than that. The slapstick recital that is messed up by some unexpected participants add the fun of this little romp. Angelina Ballerina, she's not. The illustrations also include a very chubby little dancer who might star in the next recital Miss Tutu is staging.  4-7.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2010. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Poor Grandma has lost her smile and there is just one solution. Busy as her grandson is, he and his mom manage to take a plane and go help Grandma find that smile. A large part of this story is about the annoying business of getting there. Every kid who has been through the long lines at the airport will completely get it. 4 & up.

Age: Preschool. Award Year: 2010. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

A delicate balance is the way one can best describe the differences and likenesses, as well, between a dad and a step-dad in real life. This charming little book perhaps paints it all too easily, yet it may indeed help kids see beyond the good/bad equation and help them sort out their own feelings. Accepting that there can be two people who care about you, share time with you and even love you calls for a huge step for so many children of divorce. It's interesting that the mom in this story is very much in the background. This is about a child and the two men who are hardly alike except in the most essential way--they both love her.

Age: Preschool, Early School Years. Award Year: 2010. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.