• “A Normal Pig,” written and illustrated by K-Fai Steele.
Pip is a pig who feels very normal. She likes making art, going to school and eating her special school lunch. But when a new pig arrives at her school and makes some unfriendly remarks about Pip’s lunch and other things, Pip begins to doubt herself. Maybe she isn’t normal after all. A helpful trip to the big city (a place full of unique pigs and diverse experiences) and love and encouragement from her family give Pip the confidence she needs to respond to the pig bully — and change his piggish point of view.
• “Rory the Dinosaur Wants a Pet,” written and illustrated by Liz Climo.
If you aren’t familiar with Liz Climo’s work, I hope this sweet picture book will prompt you to check out more of her titles. Rory, a very not scary dinosaur, goes to the beach to meet up with his friends Hank, a sloth, and Vera, a hippo. It’s a big day because Hank brings along his pet, a hermit crab named Sheldon. Rory has so much fun with Sheldon that he wants a pet of his own. As it turns out, finding a pet isn’t all that easy — until the pet finds Rory. Meet Rory’s new pet, George (heads-up: he’s a bit unusual) in this adorable story.
• “Sammy Claws: The Christmas Cat,” by Lucy Rowland and illustrated by Paula Bowles.
We all know the part that reindeer play during Santa’s Christmas Eve journey, but did you know that a cat can lend a paw, too? Sammy Claws is Santa’s cat, and his favorite thing to do is sleep “in a box … or a cupboard … or snuggled in shoes.” No surprise there. But this sleepy feline also dreams of riding along on Santa’s sleigh. Check out this amewsing tale to see if Sammy’s dream comes true and how a “furry and purr-y and fluffy and fat” kitty becomes Santa’s hero.
