A beautiful, thought-provoking story about the origin of a house.

Looking back to the past often creates a greater understanding of--and appreciation for--the present. This gorgeous book presents a picture of what exists now, and gives readers a glimpse into what used to be. The door that was a tree. The bricks that were mud. The window that was sand. The author ties each object to elements in nature, while challenging young learners to infer what other parts of the natural world might be involved, as well.   

The soft warmth of the illustrations works together with the richly poetic language,  to evoke a cozy, satisfying feeling, reminiscent of home. Readers of all ages will love snuggling up with this book, in favorite parts of their own houses. Or, this story may inspire them to go outside, connect with nature, and explore the incredible, natural world that our homes ultimately come from.

Here are a few activities that align with the themes of this book:

• Draw a picture of the place where you live. Think about the materials your home is made of--wood, stone, brick, siding. Include those details in your picture.
• Click here for a list of fun ideas, worksheets, writing prompts, and extension activities for This House, Once.
• Conversation starters:  "Where do you live?"  "How might the place where you live influence the materials that are used for dwellings?"

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

A beautiful story of loyalty, sacrifice, and the joy of freely embracing one's calling.

One autumn night, a gust of wind suddenly frees a faithful scarecrow, giving him the unexpected opportunity to escape his post in the field and "dance" around the farm he guards. But with his new-found freedom, comes a clearer view of all that he protects--and all that could be lost.

There is so much rich, poetic meaning in the pages of this beautifully written and gorgeously illustrated picture book. As the poignant story unfolds, the reader is drawn further in, as the impact and implications of the scarecrow's actions become fully understood. With enthralling illustrations, and thought-provoking language and imagery, this book is sure to be enjoyed over and over, as new readings bring fresh layers of meaning. 

Here are a few activities that align with the themes of this book:

• If you're able, take a trip to visit a farm. Observe any crops that are being grown. Does the farm have any scarecrows? How do they keep birds or pests away from the crops?
• Make a scarecrow! Using a paper plate, tissue paper, construction paper and glue, create a paper plate scarecrow. Click here for detailed instructions.
• Conversation starters: "If you were a scarecrow and you'd been freed from your responsibilities, what choice would you have made?" 

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

Join a captivating cast of babies as they discover the similarities and differences in their baby names.

Get ready to have fun while learning! An adorable human baby leads the way, as various animal babies introduce themselves. This playful picture book will help young readers understand which baby names belong to different animals. But look out--there might be a few surprises! 

While this book is definitely about names, a closer look reveals that it's also about sorting and categorization. With a delightful rhythm, a repeated refrain, and colorful endpapers that illustrate the groups that baby animals can be sorted into, I Was Born A Baby is sure to enlighten and entertain, with every vibrant, creative page!

Here are a few activities that align with the themes of this book:

• ​Visit a zoo, farm, or wildlife preserve. Name the animals you see. When you see baby animals, identify them by their correct baby animal names.
• Use free, downloadable, printable pages, such as these, to match baby animals with their grown counterparts. Pictures can also be printed out, cut out, glued to index cards, and used to play matching games, such as "memory."
• Choose a baby animal and draw a picture, or write a story, about an adventure that little one might have. 
• Conversation starters:  "What is your favorite baby animal? Why?" "If you were a baby animal, which one would you be? Why?"

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

An acorn may seem small, or even insignificant, but a closer look reveals the enormous impact a tiny acorn can have. 

Some of my favorite books are ones that provoke deeper thought, using very few words, leaving the reader to ponder the meaning behind the story. With spare text and rich illustrations, Because of an Acorn shows the inter-connectedness of the natural world and illustrates how much one thing depends on--or happens as a result of--the next.

The simplicity of the text gives space for readers to make connections independently. It also provides opportunities for conversations, as each gorgeous page invites young learners to make inferences, explore layers of meaning, and understand more fully how one thing often greatly impacts the next. 

Here are a few activities that align with the themes of this book:

• ​Using paint and construction paper, make thumb-print acorns. Check out this website for detailed instructions. 
• If you live in an area where oak trees grow, go for a walk and collect acorns. Sort the acorns according to size. For detailed instructions, check out this website.
• After collecting acorns and sorting them into groups, according to their size (small, medium, and large), create a graph that illustrates the number of acorns in each group.
• "Can you think of other things in nature that appear small, but are very important?"  "Think of a time when you did something, or acted in a way, that had an impact of something else. Was the impact positive or negative? Why?"

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

A haughty, tough-talking buffalo realizes the power of acceptance, and the joy of being loved unconditionally!

Looking for a book that captivates, entertains, and challenges, all at once? Look no further! Bess Kalb's use of silly words, whimsical rhyme, and engaging refrain make this book a joy to read aloud. Young learners will love joining in as the protagonist huffs and puffs, and all the while, the bold and eye-catching illustrations compel readers toward the climax--where everything changes! 

This funny picture book, with its light-hearted language and comical surprise ending, provides a delightful vehicle for a more serious--and timely--message. In a world where people often present themselves in a way that hides the reality, this message of honesty, transparency, and acceptance is powerful, and much needed.

Here are a few activities to consider, that align with the themes of this book:

• Compare and contrast Buffalo Fluffalo, in the beginning and at the end of the book. What were his characteristics (both inside and out) before and after the storm?
• Using a paper plate, markers, and construction paper, create a buffalo mask. Check out this website for instructions!
•  Conversation starters:  "Why do you think Buffalo Fluffalo acted the way he did in the beginning of the book?" "Can you think of a time when you were concerned about what other people would think? What did you do?"

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

Join a little girl on her big adventure through the jungle--and learn along the way!

This little board book packs a BIG educational punch! As Marta makes her way through the jungle, readers learn about opposites, comparison, perspective--and jungle animals! All the while, Spanish and English are beautifully blended throughout, making this bilingual picture book a treasure for young learners. With spare text, bold and fun illustrations, and an exciting surprise ending, Marta! Big & Small is sure to be enjoyed over and over again--by big and small alike!

Here are a few activities to consider, that align with the themes of this book:

• Using the words, or names of animals, featured in this book, play charades, acting out each one. Students may guess the words in Spanish or in English.
• Go on a walk, and hunt for opposites in nature--things that are fast or slow, rough or smooth, small or big, noisy or silent, etc...
• Select five favorite stuffed animals. Line them up and compare them to each other. Is one big, and another small? Are some both small and big, depending on what they're compared to? What are their differences and similarities?
• Conversation starters:  "If you could learn any language, what language would you want to learn?" "Can you think of something that is both big and small, depending on what it is compared to?" 

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

Sometimes, with time and perspective, we realize that the things that appeared to be ordinary, were extraordinary, all along.

I read The Dress and the Girl for the first time and immediately wanted to read it again--to experience the layers of story and beauty and meaning this book offers, once more. The lovely simplicity of the illustrations, combined with the poignant storyline, make this a touching and heartwarming read.

It's the story of a hand-made dress, and a girl, who do everything together on a lovely Greek island. But when the family emigrates to the United States and their trunk, containing the beloved dress, gets lost, it's up to the two of them to try to find one another again. Full of aspiration, adventure, perseverance, and hope, this story is sure to challenge readers to reflect on the things that are important in life, and why. 

Here are a few activities to consider, that align with the themes of this book:

• ​Think about your family history. What are some important events that have taken place? (Marriages, births, moves, etc.) Create a timeline, charting the events that have been meaningful for your family.
• In this story, the dress traveled the world. Write a story, or draw a picture, detailing the dress's adventures.
• Conversation starters:  "Is there an item has special meaning to you? What is it, and why is it special?" "If you could travel the world, where would you go?" 

Looking for more perfect picture books?  Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

A child takes a walk and discovers all the ways nature is preparing for the change of seasons.

When the morning air feels crisp, and leaves begin to turn and fall, we are reminded that saying goodbye to one season means embracing the onset of another. ​And that's what Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn is all about.

As a young child ventures through the countryside, a town, and back home again, greeting the surroundings with a friendly, "Hello!" different facets of nature respond, reflecting how each one is coping with the changing weather.  Written as a conversation between a child and the natural world, this warm and inviting picture book, with its rich illustrations and lovely use of color,  invites readers to snuggle up, settle in, and enjoy the world all around.

Here are a few activities to consider, that align with the themes of this book:

• Take a nature walk. Observe signs of the current season. Are there any visible hints that the season might be changing?
• Choose an object in the natural world--a tree, a chipmunk, a puddle--and write a story, including dialogue, about a conversation you would have with it, about the changing seasons. What does it do when the weather changes? How does it prepare for winter? 
• Conversation starters:  "Do you like change, or do you prefer things to stay the same? Why?" "What is your favorite season, and why?" 

Looking for more perfect picture books?  Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

Discover the story of a stone--all that a stone is, and all that it might become!

Have you ever held a stone and wondered where it came from, or what it must have been through? Maybe, at one time, it was lava? Or bone? Or sand? This quiet, educational picture book takes a look back in time and unpacks the science behind the stones we see all around.

Simply told, the story is supported by educational back matter, a glossary, and resources for further exploration. With spare text, gorgeous language, and stunning illustrations, A Stone Is a Story educates readers, while inspiring a sense of wonder and curiosity about stones, and their place in the natural world.

Here are a few activities that align with the themes of this book:

• Go on a nature walk and look for stones. Observe their characteristics--color, texture, weight. Compare and contrast the stones, according to their visible attributes.
• Find a stone and write a story about it. In your imagination, where has it been? What adventures has it experienced, and what things has it seen?
• For more resources and activities, check out the author's website.
• Conversation starters:  "If you were a stone, what would your story be?"

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

When a feisty kitty sets his sights on a fish bowl, mischief and mayhem are sure to follow!

Max attacks! That's what he does, and every vibrant page brings his adventurous exploits to life. While Max gets into trouble, a silent pup stands by, watching and waiting, until it's time to intervene. Young readers will love following Max's mischief, while well-placed page turns make it fun to predict what will happen next. 

This picture book absolutely begs to be read aloud and is sure to be requested over and over! With fun, amusing language, and colorful, captivating illustrations, Max Attacks exudes the energy and spunk of a frisky cat. 

Here are a few activities that align with the themes of this book:

• The story ends with Max eyeing the fishbowl. Predict what Max will do. Draw a picture, or write a story, showing what you think will happen next.
• Create a paper plate kitty. For step-by-step instructions, click here.
• Conversation starters:  "If you were a cat, what adventures would you have?" "If you could have any pet, what would it be? Why?"

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!