Star Hatchling by Margaret Bechard, 1995

Hanna mistakenly gets pod-lifted to another planet, where she is picked up by Cheko and Shem, sister and brother creatures. They decide to keep her as a pet. Told in two viewpoint first person--Shem and Hanna. An interesting look at the way we treat and communicate with outsiders and how they treat and communicate with us.

Me, All Alone, at the End of the World by M.T. Anderson, 2005

A boy lives all alone at the end of the world (for the benefit of those who didn't read the title), enjoying the fruits of solitude: collecting fossils, hunting for treasure, listening to wind. One day a professional visionary comes and changes all that by building an inn, and completely developing the end of the world into a Disney-esque nightmare. The boy ends up moving to the top of the world. Longer picture book.

Monsoon by Uma Krishnaswami, 2003

A girl observes the period of time just before the monsoon season with its waves of heat and the unspoken worry that the rain won't come. Beautifully described with scents, sights, sounds. Picture book.

If You Had a Nose Like an Elephant's Trunk by Marion Dane Bauer, 2001

A description of all the things you could do if you were various animals, followed by a description of all the things you can do as a person. Picture book.

See You Later, Alligator by Laura McGee Kvasnosky, 1995

A school day at the Riverbottom School begins with good-byes, "See you later, Alligator" and continues with similar word play. Picture book.

When I Go Camping with Grandma by Marion Dane Bauer, 1995

A recounting of a camping trip with Grandma--building a fire, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, paddling a canoe, going fishing. Picture book.

Cowboy Dreams, Sleep Tight, Little Buckaroo by Kathi Appelt, 1999

A sweet cowboy-themed rhyming night-time picture book.

Toddler Two-Step by Kathi Appelt, 2000

A rhyming picture book for the very young with lots of onomatopoeia and counting.

Zelda and Ivy by Laura McGee Kvasnosky

A three-chapter storybook sharing the adventures of two fox sisters, Zelda and Ivy. Zelda, the elder sister, gets her younger sister, Ivy, in all kinds of trouble (falling off the swing when they're playing circus/flying trapeze, painting and cutting her tail), but ends up giving Ivy her baton one night when Ivy puts "fairy dust" under her pillow wishing for a baton like her older sister's. Ivy, as the younger sister, always goes along with Zelda's plans, but always gets the short end of the stick even after Zelda "gives" Ivy her baton.

Water Hole Waiting by Jane Kurtz,2002

Another picture book by faculty member at VC. This tells the tale of a young monkey waiting for his turn at the water hole. Lively words, in light rhyme, reminiscent of the rhymes in Grump by Wong.

Incredible Me! by Kathi Appelt, 2003

Picture book by a faculty member at Vermont College. A rhymed recounting of all the ways the narrator is individual and unique.

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, 2005

A cute summer tale of four sisters and their father who rented a cottage for three weeks. To use a Nancy Drew-ism, they get into all kinds of scrapes with their neighbor, Jeffrey Tifton. Recommended.

Heck Superhero by Martine Leavitt, 2004

This is a powerful book by a very talented author. It's depressing as all heck, though. Heck is a 13-year old boy living on the streets because he and his mother got evicted and he won't go for help because it would mean admitting he's not a superhero. It would mean breaking up his family and being put into a "frosty home" or a foster home. While he is looking for his mother, he performs all kinds of Good Deeds, which is part of his Theory of Everything: Good Deeds always return to you. In doing these Good Deeds, he's hoping to get enough money to find his mom and to make everything all better. Wrapped up in all this is the subtext of what it means to be a superhero, the Theory of Everything, and how art and science and life are all intertwined. Recommended.

Zel by Donna Jo Napoli, 1996

A rather creepy retelling of the fairy tale Rapunzel. Zel is a spirited childish girl of 13 who has led a sheltered life. She has a touch with animals though, and while her mother is off shopping for a birthday present for her, she assists the blacksmith in attending to the horse of a 15-year old noble named Konrad. In this chance encounter, Konrad is smitten with her. Following this trip into the village, Mother tells Zel that an enemy is seeking Zel's life and for her own safety, she must be imprisoned in a tower. Mother magically grows a walnut tree next to the tower so Zel can climb up it and enter the tower. Once Zel is safely imprisoned, Mother shrinks the tree. Mother imprisons her not because there is an enemy, but so that Zel will be entirely dependent upon Mother. She desires Zel to sell her soul to the devils, just as she had, so they could stay together forever.

In the meantime, Konrad searches for Zel to no avail. When he finally gives up on her and agrees to marry another, he just happens upon her in her tower. She is not the same spirited girl she was when they first met, however. Two years in a prison has affected her and she is slightly mad. The beginning seems slow and the ending seems rushed, but Lover and Beloved end up together.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, 1994

An amusing look at the writing life, including advice, instructions, and reasons to write. Recommended for when your inner muse is in a slump.

Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt, 2006

When Keturah follows the famed white hart deep into the forest, she finds herself visited by Lord Death who has come to take her. She requests more time to live in order to find her true love and marry him. She is allowed additional time, but only after she tells a tale to Death, refusing to tell him the ending until the following day. The remainder of the book describes continued requests for extra time interspersed with her more unfinished tales told to Lord Death. A romantic fantasy. Recommended.