Books like Now One Foot, Now the Other
By Tomie dePaola
For the kid who adores a grandparent fiercely, this book shows how love can flow both ways, even when roles suddenly reverse. Tender, quiet, and deeply hopeful, with moments of real sadness alongside warmth.
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.
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 mother lists the small, specific things she loves about her young son — his morning bedhead, the way he calls out "Mama" at night, his laugh — building a portrait of everyday devotion.
A mysterious storm traps a father and his kids inside their house with no end in sight, and with nothing to do, everyone starts getting on each other's nerves.
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.
At the Central Park Zoo, two male penguins named Roy and Silo build a nest together, and a kindly zookeeper gives them an abandoned egg to hatch and raise as their own.
A gentle, repeating question moves through the animal world — from kangaroos to lions to dolphins — showing every baby, a joey, a cub, a calf, has a mother who loves it.
A little girl flies with her family all the way to Holland to visit her grandparents, but somewhere along the journey, her beloved Knuffle Bunny goes missing again.
A city kid worries that Santa can't visit her apartment building — no chimney, no room on the block for a sleigh and eight reindeer — until her family and community show her the Christmas spirit finds a way.
A mother and daughter treasure their one shared Saturday each week, planning storytime, salon time, a picnic, and a puppet show — but one setback after another threatens to spoil it.
A little girl can't join her mom on a trip, so she sends her toy dog Charlie the Cavalier in her suitcase instead, trusting him to keep her mom safe and close.
When a crocodile egg rolls into her nest, Mother Duck simply hatches it with the rest and raises the little crocodile as one of her own ducklings.
