2020 Books for Missouri Students
The Lady and Rex have a baseball game against the Big City Brats. Jack is not allowed to swing the bat, so he is told to be the Bat Boy. That is, until the Lady Town Ladies and the Big City Brats are tied. It’s up to Jack to hit a home run, but on the way to home plate he spots some snacks…
Alan looks forward to the annual family reunion at the farm where Daddy grew up–but everyone is supposed to share something special, and Alan worries about arriving with empty hands.
After school orchestra practice, young Nic carries his double bass through rough neighborhoods to his grandfather’s home, where he and Grandaddy Nic play jazz music with friends, delighting the neighbors.
This ode to black triumph and tribulation in America highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world’s greatest heroes.
In this warm and tender story, a mother and daughter embark on an up-and-down journey that reminds them of what’s best about Saturdays: precious time together.
In this eagerly anticipated author-illustrator debut by a Caldecott and Coretta Scott King honoree, a young girl and her cat take an imaginative journey into another world.
A little girl’s daddy steps in to help her arrange her curly, coiling, wild hair into styles that allow her to be her natural, beautiful self.
Suggests a method of reading that starts with planting oneself beneath a tree, and leads to a book party one hopes will never end.
A young slave girl witnesses the heartbreak and hopefulness of her family and their plantation community when her brother escapes for freedom.
Illustrations and simple text reveal that even when a pesky rabbit annoys his bear friend with too many questions, their friendship remains strong.
In this funny picture book mystery for very young readers, a little boy out for a walk in the city with his family is helped by a friendly doorman to find his “bot,” which has floated away like an escaped balloon.
Shares the interactions of the rule-following Chick and the absent-minded Brain, whose friendship is tested by miscommunications and misunderstandings about good manners.
Although Flubby the cat refuses to do pet tricks, he proves his pet worthiness during a scary situation.
Jack and the Lady take the train West to visit a dude ranch. One night, there’s a bank robbery next door, and Jack is pegged as the bandit. But thanks to Jack’s new rope tricks, the real robber is caught, and Jack leaves the Wild West a free rabbit with a big secret.
When anteater wakes up and cannot remember what anteater’s eat, he takes a walk through the jungle hoping the other animals can help him out. When they are too busy to help, anteater wanders past an anthill, and suddenly remembers what anteaters eat.
When Pokko plays her drum in the forest she suddenly finds herself surrounded by an entire band of animal musicians.
Told in rhyming text, Brian tries to get his fellow piranhas to try his fruit and vegetable platter, but they all prefer meat, like those human feet dangling in the water.
A young octopus is embarrassed that he does not have any pants to wear. He goes to several stores in the sea, but none of them has what he needs. Then one day he discovers the Under-Sea Emporium that seems to have the perfect items for everyone.
Teaches the reader to count to ten using worms that have great adventures or everyday experiences, described but not illustrated due to the author/illustrator’s inability to draw anything but worms.
In a forest where everyone fears rabbits, a fierce tiger tries to persuade the animals that they should fear him, instead.
A silly tale about a waggish group of animals that just cannot follow one simple instruction.
Although Sweetie has named and is caring for the sole dandelion on his perfect lawn, Daddy, with his friends’ urging, does all he can to get rid of the weed before it spreads.
This portrayal of a modern Native American family, told in lively and powerful verse, uses fry bread as a metaphor for love, sharing, and honoring the old while embracing the new.
Daisy Ramona takes a trip around the neighborhood with her father on his motorcycle, seeing familiar people and places–but also a community that is rapidly changing around her.
After his best friend Sarah leaves for her first day of school, a tortoise named Truman goes on an adventure across the living room and learns to be brave.
Alan looks forward to the annual family reunion at the farm where Daddy grew up, but everyone is supposed to share something special and Alan worries about arriving with empty hands.
This portrayal of a modern Native American family, told in lively and powerful verse, uses fry bread as a metaphor for love, sharing, and honoring the old while embracing the new.
Longing for a life in the snowy north, Dasher, an adventurous young circus reindeer, takes advantage of an opportunity to pursue her dream before an encounter with a kind man in a red suit grants her a powerful Christmas wish.
When Reuben the bear brings doughnuts to his forest friends, they discover that his pants are wet. Embarrassed, he angrily accuses them of the dirty deed. Eventually, though Reuben faces the fact that accidents happen.
In this eagerly anticipated author-illustrator debut by a Caldecott and Coretta Scott King honoree, a young girl and her cat take an imaginative journey into another world.
When a proper king and queen ask their fairy godmother for a child, they find themselves gifted instead with a baby goat.
Lubna navigates the challenges of being a refugee: keeping happy—or rather, surviving—and passing the courage on.
In this warm and tender story, a mother and daughter embark on an up-and-down journey that reminds them of what’s best about Saturdays: precious time together.
Delicate bedtime story about a shy young cello player who learns to share her music with the moon after accidentally knocking it out of the sky.
When a pig named Mercy arrives at the Watsons’ front door, she brings love and chaos to their lives.
When a field mouse asks Carl the earthworm why he tunnels through the dirt, Carl doesn’t have an answer–so he sets off to find out.
This tale told in rhyming verse considers a stone from a variety of environmental and emotional perspectives.
Spencer excitedly takes his new pet to the park, the veterinarian’s office, and a birthday party–but for a pet balloon, those places are full of danger.
Grumpy Bruce the bear does not like neighbors but is forced to help when a big storm draws them all to his home.
At the beginning of winter, Little Snow’s mother fills his big, sky-blue bed with feathers and reminds him that it is “for sleeping, not jumping.”Of course, Little Snow cannot resist, and whenever Mommy isn’t around, he jumps and jumps. Each time, some feathers fall from his cloud-shaped bed and Little Snow soon finds out what happens.
This ode to the United States’ national parks reminds readers that every animal, plant, and person in these parks is an integral part of what makes the land beautiful.
When his neighbors give a variety of answers to the question “What is a good day?” Daniel writes a poem about the everyday activities that give them joy.
A shy girl celebrates winter’s end by writing a poem to a tree and is surprised when the tree writes back.
Follows a young girl’s imaginary journey as she zooms in a race car past fields and forests to faraway lands, before returning home to her own safe bed.
Eating too much pie causes Llama to rip his dancing pants, opening a black hole and threatening the entire universe.
A series of events, some seemingly very insignificant, lead to a young girl attending a life-changing concert.
Story of two indecisive bugs contemplating eating the last peach of the summer in a hilarious picture book about anticipation and expectation.
Jamie wants to quietly work on an art project near her friend, the sea, but people keep disturbing her by asking questions.
When the other eggs in his carton behave badly, the good egg feels that he needs to be perfect.
This ode to self-acceptance and love imparts this message: that from moments of great joy and exuberance to necessary times of quiet contemplation, your heart is your guide.
