John Himmelman's Picturebooks
Approaching the concept of color, and the creative ways in which young children assign names to things in the world around them, with a fun, playful tone, this picture book is perfect for group or individual read-aloud story times.
YELLOW IS A BANANA (Abrams 2025)
Are bananas yellow . . . or is yellow a banana? Learn all about yellow—and other colorful things—in this rollicking picture book from John Himmelman. That yellow is a banana. No, a banana is yellow. These purples are grapes. No, these grapes are purple! This orange is a pumpkin. No, that pumpkin is orange! And this orange is . . . orange?
With two charming siblings and a fresh, limited palette that allows each featured color to really shine, young readers will learn as they laugh in this side-splittingly funny, unique picture book.
★ KIRKUS STARRED REVIEW!
“..A funny concept book is rare; even rarer is a funny concept book that generates chortles from both adults reading it aloud and the children
in the audience. A winningly simple concept executed with precision—perfect for preschool lovers of silly wordplay.”
READ FULL REVIEW!
SOLD IN MOST PLACES THAT SELL BOOKS!
The Boy Who Lived in a Shell;
Snippets for Wandering Minds
Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House
KIRKUS STARRED REVIEW!
"Overflowing with oomph and pizzazz, this collection will take up space in children's minds for years to come."
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"Himmelman created an entire world that's both dreamy and hilarious- it feels like concentrated childhood" - Chris Harris, NY Times Bestselling author.
"...Bright and fanciful illustrations combine lovely pen-and-ink drawings with bright touches of color that delightfully capture the whimsy of each character... a combination of humorous poetry and thoughtful storytelling that will engage readers' fancies and should enjoy wide appeal among young readers, especially those who enjoy the works of Shel Silverstein and Douglas Florian. VERDICT A recommended addition to library and classroom collections" — School Library Journal
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"[A] dreamy collection."—Publishers Weekly
"Are these poems? Stories? The random thoughts of a devilshly playful mind?...the answers are yes, yes, and yes. - Bob Raczka, author of several poetry books.
Also an Audiobook,
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Albert Hopper, Science Hero;
Worming to the
Center of the Earth!
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Albert Hopper, Science Hero is on a mission: to travel to the center of the earth! With his wormlike ship Wiggles and the help of his niece and nephew, trusty Junior Science Heroes Polly and Tad, Hopper is ready to go where no frog has gone before.
Thick layers of rock and rubble, tunnels of lava, and temperatures of 6,000 degrees stand between our heroes and their prize. Will they make it? Find out in this funny and informative adventure.
Albert Hopper, Science Hero;
Blasting Through
the Solar System!
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Science Hero Albert Hopper and trusty Junior Science Heroes Polly and Tad are ready for their next adventure. This time, they're blasting through the solar system!
As the heroes float through the sulphuric acid clouds of Venus, dodge the solar flares of the sun, and weather the space storms of Jupiter, their science smarts are put to the test. Anything can happen on this hilarious ride in Albert Hopper, Science Hero: Blasting Through the Solar System.
Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny (5 star reviews on Amazon!)
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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Introducing Isabel, aka Bunjitsu Bunny! She is the BEST bunjitsu artist in her school, and she can throw farther, kick higher, and hit harder than anyone else! But she never hurts another creature . . . unless she has to.
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This series of brief stories about Isabel's adventures are a beguiling combination of child-friendly scenarios and Eastern wisdom perfect for the youngest readers.
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Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny, written and illustrated by John Himmelman, is the first in a series of books about a smart young bunny faced with different challenges. The lively story about a kind and wise rabbit, with two-color illustrations, will appeal to young martial arts fans.
Bunjitsu Bunny Shirts & Cups
Available from Little Cricket Press (click on covers):
The Cow Said Meow
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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No one likes getting caught out in the rain! One drizzly day on the farm, a cow overhears a cat meowing to be let into the house. When the kind old lady inside opens the door, the cow gets an idea--one that spirals out of control!
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Minimal text and maximum hilarity make for a zany, fun-filled tale as we find out what happens when the cow says meow.
Chickens to the Rescue!
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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Meet the most heroic chickens in town!
On Monday, Farmer Greenstalk dropped his watch down the well. . . .
On Tuesday, Mrs. Greenstalk was too tired to make dinner. . . .
Who will help the poor Greenstalk family? Chickens to the rescue! The amazing chickens on the Greenstalk farm race to help various family members and farm animals every day of the week. Every day until Sunday, that is, when Emily Greenstalk has a little trouble . . .
John Himmelman's expressive illustrations are filled with the kind of hilarious details that will delight young readers.
"The fun here comes from all the frenzy in the pictures, and it will take kids more than one look to see all the silliness." - Booklist
Duck to the Rescue!
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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The Greenstalks have the cleverest animals around.
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When something goes wrong on the farm, someone is always ready to jump in, and this time Ernie the duck is determined to help out. But no matter how hard he tries, nothing goes quite right. It takes the clever trick of a kind little lamb for Ernie to finally get his chance to come to the rescue!
"...just as certain to have kids laughing through a week’s worth of barnyard chaos." - Publishers Weekly
10 Little Hot Dogs
Amazon
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One little hot dog sitting on a chair... "I want a friend to sit with me!"
Two little hot dogs sitting on a chair..."
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One by one, more little hot dogs join the group until there are ten little hot dogs on the chair. They play and play until they all fall asleep. But then, one little hot dog wakes up, and one by one, guess what the other hot dogs do?
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This funny picture book shows young readers how to count up from one to ten and back down from ten to one.
Katie Loves the Kittens
Henry Holt
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The acclaimed author and illustrator of Chickens to the Rescue has created a sweet, funny, and entirely irresistible new character—a little dog just bursting with good intentions.
Katie is so excited when Sara Ann brings home three little kittens that she can’t stop herself from howling “AROOOOO!” and trying to run after them. She loves them so much!
But Katie’s enthusiasm frightens the kitties, and she’s sad when they run away from her. Don’t they know that she just wants to play?
Ibis, A True Whale Story
Scholastic
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Over a million copies sold!
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Based on a true story, this exciting account of the first successful rescue of a net-entangled whale is told from the whale's point of view, gently anthropomorphized to engage young chapter-book readers.
Favorite author/illustrator John Himmelman shows his love for wildlife in this well-told tale, which celebrates the freedom of whales and the joy their existence gives to the people who enjoy watching them. His watercolor illustrations bring the undersea world vividly to life, using different perspectives to give young readers a whale's-eye view of the surface and a bird's-eye view of the rescue itself. An afterword explains the true story behind the book, and encourages children to think about the plight of whales that become entangled, most of them not as lucky as Ibis.
Tudley Didn't Know
Arbordale
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This whimsical story is about a pond-living turtle who adopts other animals behaviors simply because he doesn t know he can t! Tudley flies like a bird, sings like a katydid, hops like a frog, and glows like a firefly. He uses all his special behaviors to help other animals. Will Tudley's new friends help him when he needs help? The Creative Mind section has teaching trivia, crafts and games about the various animal adaptations.
The Animal Rescue Club
Harper Collins
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An I Can Read Chapterbook
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Who do you call when a squirrel is trapped in a mud puddle or a baby opossum is stuck in a drainpipe ?
Meet Jeffrey, Beaner, Raymond, and Mike--the Animal Resuce club! Adventures wait around every corner as this intrepid band of kids, working with a Wildlife Rehabilitator, helps the wild animals in our neighborhood.
John Himmelman's action-packed story and lively art is based on his firsthand experience with wild-animal rescue groups. This inside look at kids saving animals is certain to fascinate young nature lovers.
Buzby
Harper Collins
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An I Can Read Chapterbook
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Julia Hoban wrote this one. I illustrated.
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Buzby the kitten goes out to look for his first job and finds work as a busboy but he makes a few mistakes. "His sweetness wins him the support of some VIP customers, who won't let management fire him when Buzby's errors become too public. Perky drawings back the story, which should appeal to children's strong sense of fair play." Booklist