Book List

Other Books Written and/or Illustrated by Zachariah OHora

1. Bardhan-Quallen, Sudipta. Tyrannosaurus Wrecks!  Illus., Zachariah OHora. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.
   Tyrannosaurus terrorizes the classroom by ruining everything. When the other dinosaurs tell him to go away, he learns to try to be careful so he can play, too. The endpapers have helpful pronunciation guides for the dinosaur names in this book.
2. Brown, Margaret Wise. Goodnight Songs. Numerous illustrators. New York: Sterling Children’s Books.
   This soothing lullaby poetry of Margaret Wise Brown is illustrated by twelve award-winning picture book artists. OHora’s style is immediately recognizable for “Little Donkey Close Your Eyes.”
3. Dyckman, Ame. Horrible Bear! Illus., Zachariah OHora. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
   When Bear unintentionally breaks the girl’s kite, she decides he is a “Horrible Bear!” When she unintentionally breaks something, she discovers that Bear might not be all that bad. Sometimes an apology is all that is needed to fix an unintentional situation. Watch a trailer for Horrible Bear on OHora’s website: http://www.zohora.com/about-1/
4. Dyckman, Ame. Read the Book, Lemmings! Illus., Zachariah OHora. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
   Lemmings do not jump off cliffs. The lemmings in this book would know that if they could read. Luckily Foxy teaches them before they jump again in this humorous story.
5. Dyckman, Ame. Wolfie the Bunny. Illus., Zachariah OHora. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
   When the Bunny family finds a baby wolf on their doorstep, Mama and Papa are so smitten that they forget that wolves eat bunnies. Dot does not forget. However, in the end, family bonds win over natural instinct and Dot and Wolfie become friends. Watch Ame Dyckman read Wolfie the Bunny on Zachariah OHora’s website: http://www.zohora.com/about-1/
6. OHora, Zachariah. No Fits, Nilson!  New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
   Amelia knows just how to calm Nilson, her stuffed animal, when he has a temper tantrum. This is a humorous approach to regulating feelings when things don’t go your way.
7. OHora, Zachariah. The Not So Quiet Library. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
   Oskar and Theodore come face-to-face with a hungry five-headed monster in the library. Oskar, Theodore, and the helpful librarian have to find a way to appease the monster before he eats everyone. Luckily, storytime does the trick.
8. OHora, Zachariah. Stop Snoring, Bernard! New York: Henry Holt and Company.
   The 2012 PA One Book selection.. Bernard tries to find a new place to sleep when his snoring bothers the other animals. He tries a lake, a fountain, even a puddle. It seems all is lost when he can’t find a suitable place to sleep. But his otter friends realize that they miss him and ask him to return, even if he snores.
9. Rissi, Anica Mrose. The Teacher’s Pet. Illus., Zachariah OHora. New York: Disney * Hyperion.
   Mr. Stricter’s class keeps one of the tadpoles as a class pet. But this isn’t a normal tadpole. In fact, it’s a hippopotamus (which is never actually acknowledged in the story). Kids will enjoy being in on the joke along with the students in the book while Mr. Stricter seems oblivious to the whole situation.
10. Vega, Denise. If Your Monster Won’t Go to Bed. Illus., Zachariah OHora. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
    What do you do when your monster won’t go to sleep? First off, don’t ask your parents for help. Don’t do the Monster Stomp. And definitely don’t ask your monster to count sheep. Just follow six easy steps and your monster will be snoring in no time.
11. Wheeler, Lisa. The Pet Project: Cute and Cuddly Vicious Verses. Illus., Zachariah OHora. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
    When a little girl wants a pet, her “science-minded” parents tell her to do her research first. What follows is a set of poems about some normal and crazy pet ideas: kitten, polar bear, ant farm. Be sure to read the “Squirrels” poem to fit with My Cousin Momo.

Squirrels – Fiction

1. Barnard, Lucy. Squirrel’s Busy Day.  Irvine, CA: QEB Publishing, Inc.
   Squirrel is busy gathering acorns for the winter and turns down all of the friends that want to play. When disaster strikes, his friends step in and help, leaving time for play.
2. Bowers, Tim. A New Home. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc.
   This very simple beginning to read book features a squirrel that has moved and wants to make new friends. A bonus “Pack Your Suitcase” activity in the back adds another connection between this book and My Friend Momo.
3. Bedford, David. I Love My Daddy. Illus., Brenna Vaughan and Henry St. Leger. New York: Parragon.
   Little Squirrel and Daddy play together in the forest. Whenever Little Squirrel gets stuck, Daddy is there to help. When Little Squirrel gets frustrated, Daddy finds a way to encourage his little one.
4. Bruchac, Joseph and James. How Chipmink Got His Stripes. Illus., Jose Aruego and Arianne Dewey. New York: Puffin Books.
   This is a picture book version of the Native American tale of how Brown Squirrel got stripes and becomes Chipmunk.
5. Ehlert, Lois. Nuts to You! Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc.
   An off-page narrator takes joy in watching a squirrel out the window. When the squirrel sneaks inside, the narrator tempts it back out with nuts. The font in this book is large allowing for kids to follow along with the words.
6. Emmett, Jonathan. Leaf Trouble. Illus., Caroline Jayne Church. New York: Scholastic, Inc.
   Pip is distraught when his tree home starts losing its leaves. He collects them and puts them back on the branches without much success. Finally, his mother explains that “taking care of the leaves was hard work for the tree” and that it deserves a rest.
7. Kasza, Keiko. Finders Keepers. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
   Squirrel uses his hat to mark the spot where he buries an acorn. Before he returns, the hat blows away and becomes a nest, boat, and clown nose for other animals. Luckily, it ends up right back where it started before Squirrel returns. This humorous book is also an interesting look at how objects can be used in different ways.
8. Rose, Nancy. The Secret Life of Squirrels. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
   Nature photographer Nancy Rose uses her pictures of squirrels to create a story about a squirrel and his visit from his cousin. Kids will delight in seeing photographs of a squirrel vacuuming, doing laundry, and making a tiny bed.
9. Rubin, Adam. Those Darn Squirrels! Illus., Daniel Salmieri. New York: Clarion Books.
   Old Man Fookwire loves birds. He paints pictures of them and puts out food for them. Old Man Fookwire does not like squirrels. They take the food from the birdfeeders. But when the birds fly south for the winter, the squirrels find a way to gain Old Man Fookwire’s heart. Be sure to look for other books in the Those Darn Squirrels series including: Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door and Those Darn Squirrels Fly South.
10. Sherry, Kevin. Acorns Everywhere! New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
    Gather! Dig! Bury! That’s all squirrel needs to do with all of the acorns he finds. But when his stomach growls will he be able to remember where he buried his stash? This book has very limited text making it appropriate for the youngest of listeners.
11. Watt, Mélanie. Scaredy Squirrel. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press, Ltd.
    Every day is the same for Scaredy Squirrel but he likes it that way. It keeps him safe. Until one day the unexpected happens and Scaredy Squirrel finds that the unknown can be fun too. Be sure to look for other books in the Scaredy Squirrel series including: Scaredy Squirrel at Night, Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach, Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping, Scaredy Squirrel Has a Birthday Party, Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Christmas, and Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween.

Squirrels – Nonfiction

1. Diemer, Lauren. Squirrels. New York: Weigl Publishers Inc.
   Part of the Backyard Animals series, this book has too much text to be read aloud to a group. However, the photographs can be shared along with one or two sentences per page.
2. Kalman, Bobbie. Baby Rodents. New York: Crabtree Publishing Company.
   Who can resist photographs of baby animals. And did you know that prairie dogs and marmots are part of the big squirrel family? This book offers the opportunity to learn about other rodents.
3. Leaf, Christina. Gray Squirrels. Minneapolis, MN: Bellwether Media.
   Part of the Blastoff! Readers series, this book is considered a Level 3 (Early Fluent) by the publisher. The book contains information, charts, and many photographs of gray squirrels in action.
4. Sawyer, J. Clark. Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrels. New York: Bearport Publishing.
   Not all squirrels live in trees. Thirteen-lined ground squirrels live in burrows in the ground. These squirrels can be found in the far western parts of Pennsylvania. Large photographs in this book will show well in a group reading.
5. Sayre, April Pulley. Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep. Illus., Steve Jenkins. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
   Brief lyrical text introduces readers to information about squirrels. The book reads and looks like a storybook. Further information can be found in the back matter.

Kindness —  Fiction

1. Bates, Ivan. The Hide-and-Scare Bear. Somerville, MA: Templar Books.
   The animals in the forest have decided that enough is enough. Someone needs to stand up to the bear and make him stop scaring everyone. Little rabbit speaks up and suggests teaching bear how to play and be nice rather than punishing him. In the end, everyone gets along, even if bear’s hugs are a little strong.
2. Butler, M. Christina. One Winter’s Day. Illus., Tina Macnaughton. Intercourse, PA: Good Books.
   When Little Hedgehog’s nest is lost in a winter storm, he ventures to Badger’s house to stay the night. Along the way, he gives his hat, gloves, and scarf to other animals in need. After the storm, the animals return his kindness by building a nice, cozy nest for him.
3. Camcam, Princesse. Fox’s Garden. New York: Enchanted Lion Books.
   In this wordless picture book, a pregnant fox seeks shelter on a snowy night. Most people shoo the fox away until it finds an open door to a greenhouse. A young child notices the fox and brings something for it to eat. The fox repays the child’s kindness by building a “garden” in the child’s room overnight.
4. Claire, Céline. Shelter.  Illus., Qin Leng. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press.
   As a storm approaches in the forest, two bear brothers seek shelter with the other animals. No one is willing to help. However, when the fox family find themselves out in the storm, the brothers take them in and share their humble shelter with their new friends.
5. Dahl, Michael. Be a Star, Wonder Woman! Illus., Omar Lozano. North Mankato, MN: Capstone Young Readers.
   A young girl exhibits heroic traits via kindness throughout the day at school. Written as a simple graphic novel picture book, each page has an illustration of the young child paired with an image of Wonder Woman saving the day. This is a great book for showing kids that even heroes need help and kindness from their friends.
6. DiOrio, Rana. What Does It Mean To Be Kind? Illus., Stéphane Jorisch. San Francisco, CA: Little Pickle Press.
   Being kind is easy and this book provides children with a variety of ways they can be kind throughout their day. The text is simple and straightforward. After reading the book, a group can talk about other ways to be kind that aren’t included in the text.
7. Dudley, Rebecca. Hank Finds an Egg. White Plains, NY: Peter Pauper Press, Inc.
   Hank finds an egg that has fallen from its nest. He tries to return the egg but the nest is too high for him to reach. He cares for the egg until it can be returned. Kids can “read” this wordless picture book on their own or it can be shared with a group.
8. Fields, Terri. One Good Deed. Illus., Deborah Melmon. Minneapolis, MN: Kar-Ben Publishing.
   Lancaster Street isn’t a very neighborly place. But one day, Jake has the idea to share the mulberries he has picked with old Mrs. Thompson. The domino effect of people sharing soon spreads throughout the neighborhood making the street warm and sunny even on gray days.
9. Ginsburg, Mirra. Mushroom in the Rain. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
   Ant squeezes underneath a tiny mushroom to protect himself from the rain. While it seems that there shouldn’t be room, he shares the space with butterfly, mouse, sparrow, and rabbit. This classic story of kindness is also a nice link to Momo’s version of hide-and-seek as he photographs a mushroom.
10. Hill, Meggan. Nico & Lola: Kindness shared between a boy and a dog. Photographs by Susan M. Graunke. Carpentersville, IL: Genuine Prints LLC.
    A little boy cares for his aunt’s dog and learns what is means to be “so kind.” Each page features a core value of being kind to others. Kids will enjoy looking at the photographs of the child and the pet pug.
11. Murphy, Mary. How Kind! Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
    Hen gives an egg to Pig and soon all of the animals are finding ways to be kind to each other. The simplicity of the illustrations and text make this a good book for young preschoolers.
12. Nelson, Kadir. If You Plant a Seed. New York: Balzer + Bray.
    A bunny and a mouse plant tomato, carrot, and cabbage seeds. When the fruits of their labor grow, they try to keep everything for themselves. In time, they learn that by sharing the birds will be kind in return and everyone will benefit.
13. Ohi, Debbie Ridpath. Where Are My Books? New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
    Spencer’s books slowly go missing and no one in his family seems to know where they’ve gone. When Spencer sets a trap, he discovers that squirrels have been stealing his books to read. Once the culprits have been discovered, Spencer chooses to share his books with the squirrels. This is a fun book about kindness and squirrels.
14. Orloff, Karen Kaufman. Miles of Smiles. Illus., Luciano Lozano. New York: Sterling Children’s Books.
    Baby smiles at mom and the mom smiles at Mrs. Glass. The smile slowly passes from person to person until it returns to baby. Sometimes all you need to do to brighten someone’s day is to smile at them.
15. Willems, Mo. Can I Play Too? New York: Hyperion Books for Children.
    Elephant and Piggie are playing catch. Snake wants to play, too. After a bit of trial and error, the three friends find a way to play together even though Snake does not have arms to catch the ball. Sometimes being kind involves making adjustments to your plants. Part of the Elephant and Piggie series, this book is great for beginning readers and group read-alouds.

Nocturnal Animals

Flying squirrels are typically nocturnal. Whereas, gray squirrels are active during the day. Learn more about other nocturnal animals in these books.

1. Cooper, Wade. Night Creatures.  New York: Scholastic, Inc.
   This beginning to read title is considered a Level 2: Developing Reader by the publisher. Kids can learn about common nocturnal animals, such as an owl, along with lesser-known animals, such as a bush baby.
2. Esbaum, Jill. Nighttime. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Kids.
   Explore many aspects of the night including the stars and constellations. It also introduces many nighttime animals with photographs.
3. Minor, Wendell. Daylight Starlight Wildlife. New York: Nancy Paulson Books.
   Diurnal (daytime) and nocturnal (nighttime) animals are expertly paired together in this illustrated picture book. Kids can compare similar animals such as butterflies and moths, and woodchucks and skunks. Perfect for matching with My Cousin Momo, this book pairs gray squirrels and flying squirrels.
4. Rabe, Tish. Out of Sight Till Tonight! Illus., Aristides Ruiz and Joe Mathieu. New York: Random House.
   Part of The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library, this beginning to read book has lots of information about nocturnal animals and how they manage in the world at night. Children familiar with Dr. Seuss books will enjoy seeing the familiar Cat in the Hat throughout the book.

Praying Mantises

Momo and Sister Squirrel find a praying mantis together when they are playing Momo’s version of hide-and-seek. Many children may not be familiar with this insect.

1. Goldish, Meish. Deadly Praying Mantises. New York: Bearport Publishing.
   Large photographs and minimal text introduces kids to these interesting insects. Praying mantises are rather violent in how they eat their prey. Preview this book before sharing with a group if you have sensitive children. For example, page 21 has a photograph of a praying mantis eating a grasshopper and the head is already gone.
2. Meisel, Paul. My Awesome Summer by P. Mantis. New York: Holiday House.
   Follow a praying mantis from May 17-October 17 as it’s born, grows up, then lays eggs of its own. The illustrated nature of this book makes it a softer introduction to these insects, however, the mantis does eat a few siblings along the way.

Poetry

1. Close, Laura Ferraro, illustrator. Grey Squirrel. Mankato, MN: The Child’s World.
   This illustrated version of the “Grey Squirrel” rhyme for children adds life and character to the squirrel. Instructions in the back of the book offer suggested movements for the rhyme.
2. Lewis, J. Patrick, editor. National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs that Squeak, Soar, and Roar!  Washington, D.C.: National Geographic.
   Page 51 has a large photograph of a squirrel and two poems that can be shared with children.
3. Lurie, Susan. Frisky Brisky Hippety Hop. Photographs, Murray Head. New York: Holiday House.
   Based on the poem by Alexina B. White, Ms. Lurie has added verses to accompany the photographs of squirrels in the wild.
4. Ruddell, Deborah. A Whiff of Pine, a Hint of Skunk: A Forest of Poems. Illus., Joan Rankin. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books.
   Soft illustrations accompany this celebration of the forest and the animals it supports. Three poems in this book relate to squirrels: “Proposal for a Squirrel Spa,” “October Surprise Party,” and “Chipmunks, Inc.” (a chipmunk is a type of squirrel).
5. Sidman, Joyce. Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night. Illus., Rick Allen. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.
   “Oak After Dark” is a lovely ode to oak trees. Oak trees grow from acorns, be sure to share this information with children if you read that poem. Read “The Mushrooms Come” to explore the fungi that Momo likes to study. Each poem is accompanied by a relief printing and factual information about trees and mushrooms.