Books like Max's Christmas
By Rosemary Wells
For the kid who can't stand being told to go to sleep on the most exciting night of the year, this one gets it completely. Cozy, mischievous, and full of Christmas Eve anticipation.
A baby kangaroo hops out of his mama's pouch to explore, meeting new creatures and scurrying back in whenever things feel too big — until he's ready to try again.
A boy who's passed his swim test insists he's ready to jump off the diving board, then finds himself stalling with stretches and stories while working up the nerve to actually do it.
A grandfather leads a lively chase through town to track down a bee tree after his granddaughter Mary Ellen grows bored with her reading, gathering half the town along the way.
A dog named Rocket sits under his favorite tree as a little yellow bird teaches him the alphabet, letter by letter, until sounds turn into words he can read all on his own.
An elephant king and queen welcome triplets to their family, and the smallest, Alexander, has a habit of wandering into trouble — getting stuck in treetops, even chased by a crocodile.
A boy who loves stars decides to catch one for himself, trying a tall tree and a paper rocket ship before finding an answer in an unexpected place.
An eight-year-old girl and her family pack up the car and skip an entire term of school to camp their way around Australia, meeting people and places along the road.
A girl with six names asks her father why she was given so many — and learns each one carries the story of a grandparent who came before her.
A young hare tries to show his father just how much he loves him, stretching his arms wide and reaching as high as he can — but Big Nutbrown Hare always finds a way to love him back more.
A girl named Emily writes to her teacher, Mr. Blueberry, insisting a blue whale is living in her pond, and the two trade letters all summer as he tries to set her straight.
A little bird named Choco longs for a mother and searches among all kinds of animals, none of whom look like him, before finding one in a warm, unexpected shape.
