Storytime
Join us for Storytime every Sunday at 11am and 2pm! Storytime will take place upstairs in the Hundred Acre Woods at our Grant Park location. Plus get 20% off the selected Storytime books at the end of each reading! All ages are welcome however we do ask that a parent or guardian remain with your child/children at all times.
The Truth About the Couch
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Children's hardcover
$26.99
Reader Reward Price: $24.29
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dragons Love Tacos comes this hilarious picture book about everyone's favorite piece of furniture.
Pssst! Hey. I'm here to tell ya what the furniture police don't want you to know... Listen close. I'll explain everything.
Most people think couches are just for sitting, or maybe napping, and don't give it a second thought. But did you know couches can go berserk if you don't feed them a steady diet of coins, cell phones, and remote controls? And did you know some couches are grown on a farm? (Where do you think the term couch potato comes from?) Some come from two chairs who love each other very much, and some are actually aliens in disguise. And that's just the tip of the iceberg...
This laugh-out-loud send-up of conspiracy theories brings Adam Rubin's trademark zany humor together with the richly expressive artwork of Macanudo creator Liniers to explore the totally, completely true (really! maybe?) history of the world's most beloved--and misunderstood--item of furniture.
Two Together
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Children's hardcover
$27.99
Reader Reward Price: $25.19
"Masterful." - Kirkus, starred review
"[A] picture-book charmfest." - Shelf Awareness, starred review
"For viewers who are . . . dog people or cat people." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review
"[A discovery in] how beings sense the world." - Publishers Weekly, starred review
In this companion book to They All Saw a Cat and Inside Cat, a journey home leads to unexpected adventures for a cat and dog. A playful, imaginative story of friendship, empathy, and discovery by Caldecott Honor winner Brendan Wenzel.
Cat and Dog are headed home. A simple route lies ahead of them . . . or does it? There's so much to see and smell and hear, and the two of them experience the world very differently. A stream, for instance, is watery fun for Dog, but it may not be so delightful for Cat!
As their journey becomes an adventure full of unexpected twists and turns, Cat and Dog show that it's possible for two creatures to travel in the world together despite their distinctive perspectives and abilities--and even to appreciate and enjoy them. With the irresistible read-aloud appeal of Brendan Wenzel's They All Saw a Cat, winner of the Caldecott Honor, this is a funny, exuberant companion tale that's an imaginative tribute to empathy, friendship, and understanding.
RESPECTING DIFFERENCES: Cat and Dog experience life in almost opposite ways. Through their eyes, children will see how the same situation or problem can be handled differently depending on the perspective and ability of the creature living through it, building their empathy and understanding.
DELIGHTFUL VISUALS: This picture book is full of visual surprises and Easter eggs, and readers will love turning back to find details that hint at developments to come on the journey. The dog's and cat's art styles evolve throughout, becoming more developed and exaggerated but ending with a unified style that incorporates both their points of view as their friendship is affirmed and strengthened.
ENCOURAGES EXPLORATION: The path home is both a familiar route and a new experience as Cat and Dog make surprising--sometimes unpleasant--discoveries along the way. The subtle message about appreciating the small moments in everyday routines and the possibilities that await when we step outside them is perfect for young readers.
BELOVED AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Brendan Wenzel is a bestselling author, Caldecott Honor-winning artist, and sought-after speaker at schools and libraries. His books They All Saw a Cat, Hello Hello, A Stone Sat Still, and Inside Cat have received multiple awards and starred reviews and are family and classroom favorites.
FUN READ-ALOUD BOOK: Rhythmic text coupled with compelling artwork and a comforting ending make this perfect for story time, bedtime, or both!
Perfect for: Parents, grandparents, educators, and educators Preschool and kindergarten-level readers Pet owners Gift givers looking for a fun, interactive family read-aloud book Fans of Brendan Wenzel Fans of picture books like Hot Dog, The Kissing Hand, What Do You Do With a Problem?, and The Day the Crayons Quit
Roy Is Not a Dog
- Esm Shapiro 
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Children's hardcover
$24.99
Reader Reward Price: $22.49
Take a ride down Lilypod Lane with Weasel and Pam Pam as they try to solve a mystery in their neighborhood in this hilariously fetching picture book: could their peculiar neighbor actually be a dog in disguise?
On Lilypod Lane, everyone knows everything about everybody . . . or so they believe! When curious paperboy Weasel encounters his mysterious neighbor Roy on his route, he becomes convinced that Roy is actually a dog! But when his friend Pam Pam disagrees, Weasel must put on his detective cap and do his best sleuthing to reveal Roy's extraordinary secret, and prove that not everything is as it seems, once and for all!
An endearingly offbeat picture book that celebrates neighbors and neighborhoods, Roy Is Not a Dog delivers laughs and lessons about accepting others for who they are as well as the risks and rewards of showing your true self.
Ahoy!
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Children's hardcover
$26.99
Reader Reward Price: $24.29
Join a child captain and parent first mate as they embark on a wild high seas adventure...all without leaving the living room! This imaginative romp of a picture book is filled with glorious illustrations from a beloved Caldecott Medalist and New York Times bestselling creator.
Raise the mainsail!
Batten the hatches!
It's time to set sail...on the couch!
There's a storm coming, and a child is ready to captain the ship. "Make haste and climb aboard," they call out to their parent, "before you're swept out to sea!"
Sea? What sea? The parent is only trying to vacuum the rug. But the child is adamant. It's not a rug--it's the ocean. And that broom? It's the ship's mast. Soon enough, child and parent are both off on an imaginary nautical adventure!
Here is a thoroughly engaging, hilarious picture book that celebrates the joys of playing make-believe--and hanging out with a parent!
The Friend Ship
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Children's paperback
$11.99
Reader Reward Price: $10.79
A fresh and heartwarming read-aloud favorite about friendship, adventure, and appreciating what you have.
When Little Hedgehog hears about a mysterious Friend Ship that can help her no longer feel lonely, she sets off on a quest to find it.
Hedgehog imagines a ship filled with friends of all kinds! How lovely!
She braves the open seas in a boat of her own to track the ship down, and along her journey, she meets other lonely animals eager to find the Friend Ship as well. They search north. They search south. They search east.
Hedgehog and her new friends can't find the Ship anywhere! Until she realizes she knows just where the Friend Ship is. . .
This comforting tale by Kat Yeh, with charming illustrations by Chuck Groenink, proves that sometimes, what you're searching for is right in front of you.
I Do Not Eat Children
- Marcus Cutler
Children's hardcover
$20.99
Reader Reward Price: $18.89
A smooth-talking monster gets what's coming to him in this funny and slyly subversive picture book for fans of There's a Monster in Your Book and We Don't Eat Our Classmates.
A big orange creature lurks in a crowded playground...but don't worry! He would never eat a child. What do you think he is...a MONSTER? And kids are definitely not disappearing every time you turn a page. You're imagining things. The monster has nothing to hide; in fact, he loves children. And he would never, ever, ever--oops! There goes another kid....
This laugh-out-loud story will keep readers guessing until the end, then send them straight back to the beginning to keep a close eye on the wily monster (and the one kid who knows exactly what he's up to). A great read aloud for bedtime (or anytime!), this silly and subversive picture book delivers poetic justice and giggles galore.
Lost Stick
- Anoosha Syed
Children's hardcover
$24.99
Reader Reward Price: $22.49
A delightful twist on a lost pet story that takes an adorable pup around the world to track down what he thinks is his best friend's prized possession--from the critically acclaimed creator of That's Not My Name!, Bilal Cooks Daal, and I Am Perfectly Designed.
Milo loves to make his owner Louise happy because she's his favorite person in the world. While they're strolling through the park one day, Louise picks a twig up off the ground and says to Milo, "This is Stick". She throws Stick across the grass and Milo excitedly brings it back to her. Milo doesn't know why they do this over and over again, but he knows that he can put a smile on her face by running after Stick. So, when Louise throws Stick a little too far, Milo is determined to go the distance too.
Milo starts searching all over the neighborhood for Stick--while Louise simultaneously searches for Milo--but there's one problem: all the sticks look the same! Which one is Louise's stick? Milo sets out on a grand adventure for a little pup, and while his quest takes him all over the globe, he learns that home is where he really wants to be. Anoosha Syed stretches her storytelling talents with this hilarious and tender friendship story.
Penelope Rex and the Problem with Pets
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Children's hardcover
$25.99
Reader Reward Price: $23.39
Penelope Rex might finally have bitten off more than she can chew--a pet saber tooth tiger!--in this companion to the #1 New York Times bestselling We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins.
Most kids have dogs and cats and fish and guinea pigs. Penelope Rex has Mittens.
Penelope wasn't sure she even wanted a pet when Mittens came into her life. But now that he's here, she is determined to make the best of it.
Pets, however--especially ones that are six hundred pounds with six-inch-long teeth--can cause very big, very messy problems.
In this companion to We Don't Eat Our Classmates, Penelope Rex discovers the challenges and rewards (but mostly challenges) of pet ownership.
Read all of the Penelope Rex books!
We Don't Eat Our ClassmatesWe Will Rock Our ClassmatesWe Don't Lose Our Class Goldfish
You're Going to Love This Book!
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Children's hardcover
$24.99
Reader Reward Price: $22.49
Sure to bring a smile to the faces of even the grumpiest readers, this laugh-out-loud picture book from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Jory John and internationally acclaimed illustrator Olivier Tallec is hilarious enough to come back to again and again.
Attention, reader: You're going to LOVE this book!
No, really, you are. It's got everything you could ever want: comedy, drama, action, heart. Plus--are you ready? It's got homework! Ahh yeah! And a trip to the best place ever, the dentist! Ahhhh yeahhh! Additionally--brace yourself--it's got raisins! Nature's candy. AHH YEAHHH! This book is so great, you won't be able to stop reading it. I DARE you not to have fun.
This is a selection of our current Storytime titles. To find other titles or authors, or just to browse, please use the search box.
