Books like Ol' Mama Squirrel
By David Ezra Stein
For the kid who has a favorite fierce grown-up in their corner, Ol' Mama Squirrel is a loud, proud tribute to mamas who don't back down. Feisty, funny, and full of noisy repetition — a read-aloud that begs to be shouted.
When hard times hit the farm, a hired boy is sent off to find his own way — but a runaway Journey Cake leads him on a wild chase that changes everything.
A father and his four children set off to catch a bear, crossing grass, a river, mud, a forest, and a snowstorm before a narrow cave forces a sudden, breathless retreat.
An adopted dog named Cooper refuses to act like a dog — he'd rather drive the family car, go to the ballet, and travel than fetch or sit — so his new family has to adjust to his quirky ways.
An opinionated little pig takes charge of Christmas, waiting for Santa Claus, supervising the tree, watching the dinner, and overseeing the stockings — all before tearing into her presents.
A dad whose bed keeps filling up with more and more children — Ben, Billy, twins Beth and Bart, then Brittany, Bella, and Boris — builds the biggest bed in the world to fit everyone in.
A small boy runs, jumps, and makes a mess through page after page of trouble, hearing one word from his mom again and again — until he finally gets the hug he needed all along.
A pleading, patient parent follows one wildly energetic baby through the ordinary chaos of a day — sandbox, high chair, crib, and everywhere in between — begging for just a little cooperation.
A fearless older mouse who's afraid of nothing sets off alone on a new way home after calling her sister a scaredy-cat — until she ends up lost and needs rescuing.
One overworked mother cooks endless separate meals as each of her seven picky children demands their own special food — until a birthday surprise finally brings them all to the same table.
A newly hatched bird tumbles from his nest and sets off alone to find his mother, asking a kitten, a hen, a dog, and even a giant machine called a Snort if they're the one he's looking for.
A know-it-all big sister explains exactly what babies are like — they eat books instead of reading them, scream with a special plug in their mouth, and don't even know if they're a boy or a girl.
On a scorching day, Junie and Jake, Poppa, and the baby set off for the lake in a rattling, wheezing car that doesn't go fast and doesn't go far.
