Early Learning
Picture Books that Staff Love
Old clothes for dinner?! / words by Nathalie Alonso art by Natalia Rojas Castro.
Alonso, Nathalie, author.
Bunnies in a boat / Philip Ardagh illustrated by Ben Mantle.
Ardagh, Philip, author.
Mermaids’ song to the sea / words by Dianna Hutts Aston pictures by Renée Kurilla.
Aston, Dianna Hutts, author.
Boats for Papa / Jessixa Bagley.
Bagley, Jessixa, author.
Trouble / Katherine Battersby.
Battersby, Katherine, author, illustrator.
![Cover art for ABC learn with me [BOARD BOOK] : touch and trace nursery rhymes / [illustrations by Emily Bannister]](https://ocls.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cover-art-9781667206769.jpeg)
![Cover art for Love with Plato [BOARD BOOK] / Duane Armitage and Maureen McQuerry pictures by Robin Rosenthal.](https://ocls.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cover-art-0593322991.jpeg)
Love with Plato [BOARD BOOK] / Duane Armitage and Maureen McQuerry pictures by Robin Rosenthal.
Armitage, Duane, 1982- author.
Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? [BOARD BOOK] / by Bill Martin, Jr. pictures by Eric Carle.
Martin, Bill, 1916-2004.
![Cover art for My first book of ABCs [BOARD BOOK] / Robb Pearlman illustrated by Bob Ross.](https://ocls.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cover-art-9780762483365.jpeg)
My first book of ABCs [BOARD BOOK] / Robb Pearlman illustrated by Bob Ross.
Pearlman, Robb, Author.
Stanley the baker / William Bee.
Bee, William, author, illustrator.
Scorch, hedgehog of doom / written by Cate Berry illustrated by Margherita Grasso.
Berry, Cate, author.
Attack of the 50-foot Fluffy / by Mike Boldt.
Boldt, Mike, author, illustrator.
The forest / Riccardo Bozzi illustrated by Violeta Lopiz and Valerio Vidali translated from the Italian by Debbie Bibo.
Bozzi, Riccardo, 1966- author.
Tamales for Christmas / written by Stephen Briseño illustrated by Sonia Sánchez.
Briseño, Stephen, author.
Leave me alone / Vera Brosgol.
Brosgol, Vera, author, illustrator.
The little house / story and pictures by Virginia Lee Burton.
Burton, Virginia Lee, 1909-1968.
Message in the mooncake : a legend from ancient China / words by Sapphire Chow art by Xiaojie Liu.
Chow, Sapphire, 1954-2023, author.
Slippery, spicy, tingly : a kimchi mystery / Yangsook Choi.
Choi, Yangsook, author, illustrator.
Thingamabob / Marianna Coppo.
Coppo, Marianna, author, illustrator.
Angélica and la güira / written by Angie Cruz illustrated by Luz Batista.
Cruz, Angie, author.
![Cover art for What could that be? / by Reza Dalvand [English translation by Baobab Books].](https://ocls.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cover-art-9781338530193.jpeg)
What could that be? / by Reza Dalvand [English translation by Baobab Books].
Dalvand, Reza, 1989- author, illustrator.
![Cover art for The crayons go back to school / [text] Drew Daywalt [illustrations] Oliver Jeffers.](https://ocls.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cover-art-9780593621110.jpeg)
The crayons go back to school / [text] Drew Daywalt [illustrations] Oliver Jeffers.
Daywalt, Drew, author.
Pete the Cat’s 12 groovy days of Christmas / Kimberly & James Dean.
Dean, James, 1957- author, illustrator.
Just read! / by Lori Degman illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov.
Degman, Lori, author.
Starcrossed / by Julia Denos.
Denos, Julia, author, illustrator.
Loaf the cat goes to the powwow / Nicholas DeShaw illustrated by Tara Audibert.
DeShaw, Nicholas, author.
The curious why / words by Angela DiTerlizzi art by Lorena Alvarez Gómez.
DiTerlizzi, Angela, author.
Gray / Laura Dockrill illustrated by Lauren Child.
Dockrill, Laura, author.
Waiting together / Danielle Dufayet illustrated by Srimalie Bassani.
Dufayet, Danielle, author.
The new kid has fleas / written by Ame Dyckman illustrated by Eda Kaban.
Dyckman, Ame, author.
Our celebración! / by Susan Middleton Elya illustrations by Ana Aranda.
Elya, Susan Middleton, 1955- author.
Two dogs / Ian Falconer.
Falconer, Ian, 1959- author, illustrator.
We are definitely human / a book by X. Fang.
Fang, X., author, illustrator.
Crying is like the rain : a story of mindfulness and feelings / Heather Hawk Feinberg illustrated by Chamisa Kellogg.
Feinberg, Heather Hawk, 1975- author.
Our dragon / written by Mem Fox illustrated by Linda Davick.
Fox, Mem, 1946- author.
Ho’onani : hula warrior / Heather Gale illustrated by Mika Song.
Gale, Heather (Children's author), author.
Aloha everything / Kaylin Melia George, Mae Waite.
George, Kaylin Melia, author.
Look up! : Fontaine the pigeon starts a revolution / poem by Britt Gondolfi art by Amanda Romanick.
Gondolfi, Britt, author.
The boy who found his voice / written and illustrated by Tyler Gordon.
Gordon, Tyler, author, illustrator.
Umami / Jacob Grant.
Grant, Jacob, 1984- author, illustrator.
A flicker of hope / written by Cynthia Harmony illustrated by Devon Holzwarth.
Harmony, Cynthia, author.
The owl who came for Christmas / John Hay illustrated by Garry Parsons.
Hay, John, author.
![Cover art for Moomin and the little ghost / based on the original stories by Tove Jansson [text and illustrations Moomin Characters].](https://ocls.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/cover-art-9781915801913.jpeg)
The sour grape / Jory John and Pete Oswald.
John, Jory, author.
What can a mess make? / Bee Johnson.
Johnson, Bee, author, illustrator.
I’m not scary / Raahat Kaduji.
Kaduji, Raahat, author, illustrator.
Crafty llama / Mike Kerr illustrated by Renata Liwska.
Kerr, Mike (Art instructor), author.
The home we make / by Maham Khwaja illustrated by Daby Zainab Faidhi.
Khwaja, Maham, author.
Snake’s big mistake / written and illustrated by Sarah Kurpiel.
Kurpiel, Sarah, author, illustrator.
Clive Penguin / Huw Lewis-Jones & Ben Sanders.
Lewis-Jones, Huw, author.
Froggy builds a snowman / by Jonathan London illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz.
London, Jonathan, 1947- author.
Goth moth / Kai Lüftner illustrations by Wiebke Rauers translated by Tim Mohr.
Lüftner, Kai, 1975- author.
A spoonful of frogs / written by Casey Lyall illustrated by Vera Brosgol.
Lyall, Casey, author.
I want 100 dogs / written by Stacy McAnulty illustrated by Claire Keane.
McAnulty, Stacy, author.
World so wide / Alison McGhee with illustrations by Kate Alizadeh.
McGhee, Alison, 1960- author.
Not an alphabet book : the case of the missing cake / Eoin McLaughlin illustrated by Marc Boutavant.
McLaughlin, Eoin, author.
The wilderness / Steve McCarthy.
McCarthy, Steve, 1984- author, illustrator.
Millie Fleur’s poison garden / Christy Mandin.
Mandin, Christy, author, illustrator.
Metal baby / Stephen W. Martin illustrated by Brandon James Scott.
Martin, Stephen W., 1981- author.
I can’t draw / written by Stephen W. Martin illustrated by Brian Biggs.
Martin, Stephen W., 1981- author.
Matthew’s birthday party / Pato Mena translation, Cecilia Ross.
Mena, Pato, 1980- author, illustrator.
I’m not scared, you’re scared! / Seth Meyers pictures by Rob Sayegh Jr.
Meyers, Seth, 1973- author.
The shadow & the ghost / Cat Min.
Min, Cat, author, illustrator.
Luna Ranchera / story by Rodrigo Morlesin translated by Sara Lissa Paulson pictures by Mariana Ruiz Johnson.
Morlesin, Rodrigo, author.
Joyful song : a naming story / Lesléa Newman illustrated by Susan Gal.
Newman, Lesléa, author.
Princess Puffybottom… and Darryl / written by Susin Nielsen illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller.
Nielsen-Fernlund, Susin, 1964- author.
Exactly as planned / Tao Nyeu.
Nyeu, Tao, author, illustrator.
The legend of Iron Purl / Tao Nyeu.
Nyeu, Tao, author, illustrator.
Sulwe / Lupita Nyong’o illustrated by Vashti Harrison.
Nyong'o, Lupita, author.
Coquí in the city / Nomar Perez.
Perez, Nomar, 1975- author, illustrator.
¡Vamos! : Let’s go read / by Raúl the Third colors by Elaine Bay.
Raúl the Third, 1976- author, illustrator.
Blackout / by John Rocco.
Rocco, John.
Just try it! / Phil and Lily Rosenthal illustrated by Luke Flowers.
Rosenthal, Phil, 1960- author.
Seoul food / by Erin Danielle Russell illustrated by Tamisha Anthony.
Russell, Erin, author.
After the fall : how Humpty Dumpty got back up again / a story by Dan Santat.
Santat, Dan, author, illustrator.
One family / George Shannon pictures by Blanca Gomez.
Shannon, George.
Starlight symphony / Buffy Silverman.
Silverman, Buffy, author.
Harriet gets carried away / Jessie Sima.
Sima, Jessie, author, illustrator.
Abuela’s super capa / written by Ana Siqueira illustrated by Elisa Chavarri.
Siqueira, Ana, author.
![Cover art for Bedtime for Bo / Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold & [illustrations by] Mari Kanstad Johnsen translated from Norwegian by Kari Dickson.](https://ocls.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/cover-art-9781592703746.jpeg)
Bedtime for Bo / Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold & [illustrations by] Mari Kanstad Johnsen translated from Norwegian by Kari Dickson.
Skomsvold, Kjersti A., 1979- author.
The mango tree = La mata de mango / by Edel Rodriguez.
Rodriguez, Edel, author, illustrator.
What I am / Divya Srinivasan.
Srinivasan, Divya, author, illustrator.
Wheels / Sally Sutton illustrated by Brian Lovelock.
Sutton, Sally, author.
Tou-can’t! : a little sister story / by Brandon Todd.
Todd, Brandon, author, illustrator.
Reading Beauty / by Deborah Underwood illustrated by Meg Hunt.
Underwood, Deborah, author.
The wreck of the Zephyr / written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg.
Van Allsburg, Chris.
My saree / written by Gita Varadarajan illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan.
Varadarajan, Gita, author.
We’re having a party (for everyone!) / words + pictures by Katie Vernon.
Vernon, Katie, author, illustrator.
Wolfgang in the meadow / Lenny Wen.
Wen, Lenny, author, illustrator.
Should I share my ice cream? / by Mo Willems.
Willems, Mo.
How do dinosaurs say trick or treat? / Jane Yolen illustrations by Mark Teague.
Yolen, Jane, author.
Upcoming Early Learning Events
Preschool Tales
Presented by OCLS’ Professional Storytelling Troupe
Windermere Branch (Windermere - Ask at Desk)
Event Categories: Storytime
Through picture books, songs, and stories, preschoolers (ages 3–5) build early literacy skills and prepare for reading and writing by talking, singing, reading, and playing.
Learn more>Winter Garden Branch (Winter Garden - Program Area)
Event Categories: Storytime
Toddlers will explore a playful mix of songs, rhymes, and stories while building early literacy skills and having fun. Recommended for ages 18–36 months.
Learn more>Southeast Branch (Children's Area)
Event Categories: Education & Learning; Games & Activities; Storytime
Encourage your child to explore their curiosity and creativity in this unstructured playtime. Caregivers are expected to participate with their child. Recommended for ages 18-36 months.
Learn more>North Orange Branch (North Orange - Meeting Room)
Event Categories: Cooking & Food; Storytime
Caregivers and little chefs will mix, measure, and create a tasty masterpiece together! Recommended for ages 3–5. Registration required.
Learn more>Preschool Tales
Presented by OCLS’ Professional Storytelling Troupe
Event Categories: Storytime
Through picture books, songs, and stories, preschoolers (ages 3–5) build early literacy skills and prepare for reading and writing by talking, singing, reading, and playing.
Learn more>South Creek Branch (South Creek - Children's Area)
Event Categories: Education & Learning; Science & Math; Storytime
Exploration meets early learning in this hands-on STEAM program for curious preschoolers. Recommended for ages 3–5.
Learn more>Toddler Tales
Presented by OCLS’ Professional Storytelling Troupe
Windermere Branch (Windermere - Ask at Desk)
Event Categories: Storytime
Through movement, storytelling, and songs, toddlers (ages 18–36 months) build early literacy, listening, and verbal skills while developing motor coordination and discovering the joy of books.
Learn more>West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center (West Oaks - Sarchet Community Room)
Event Categories: Education & Learning; Games & Activities; Science & Math; Storytime
Preschoolers will engage in hands-on activities that build early literacy skills, creativity, and kindergarten readiness. Recommended for ages 3–5.
Learn more>Toddler Tales
Presented by OCLS’ Professional Storytelling Troupe
Event Categories: Storytime
Through movement, storytelling, and songs, toddlers (ages 18–36 months) build early literacy, listening, and verbal skills while developing motor coordination and discovering the joy of books.
Learn more>Winter Garden Branch (Winter Garden - Program Area)
Event Categories: Games & Activities
Connect with other caregivers to meet and mingle while your little ones explore imaginary play with new and old friends. Recommended for ages 18-36 months.
Learn more>Summer at Your Library Early Learning Classes & Events >
Summer at Your Library 2026
Kindergarten Readiness
Designed to support the developmental needs of your child from the day they are born until the day they set foot in their kindergarten classroom.
Online Resources
Little Pim introduces young children to learn a foreign language by using short videos and flashcards to immerse them in a new language.