Picture Books for Older Readers

Seal Surfer by Michael Foreman

This loveable story is one about a boy named Ben who likes to go to the beach with his grandfather and look for mussels. One day, he sees a baby seal next to its mother on the rocks and continues to visit them while he and his grandfather look for mussels in the water. After a terrible storm, Ben loses sight of the baby seal and believes him to have died in the torrential waves. Ben he finds himself in a similar situation when the currant pulls him under while he is surfing. To Ben’s surprise, the baby seal carries him above the waves to the safety of his surfboard and Ben realizes the seal was safe the whole time. Ben continues to watch the seals even after his grandfather has passed and looks forward to the time when he can bring his own grandchildren to the sea to watch the seals.

Zeee by Elizabeth Enright

Zeee is a “bad fairy” that hates people because they can never see her or hear her. The bee-sized Zeee tries to make her home in an empty wasp’s nest and a toy pail on the beach, but every time she does, a person who can’t see her, comes and ruins her home. Just as Zeee is convinced people don’t like her, a girl named Pandora rescues her from being eaten by a cat and the two become lifelong friends.

The Fisherman’s Family by Maryke Reesink

Jan is a boy who lives in Holland and dreams of going fishing with his father. His father, however, thinks Jan is too young to go fishing and thus forbids him to go. When Jan’s father’s boat doesn’t come back with the others after a terrible storm, Jan is left to provide for his family by carving animals out of driftwood and sells them to a gift shop. In the end, Jan’s father returns home and he finally gets to go fishing with him.

Were You A Wild Duck Where Would You Go? by George Mendoza

This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of wild ducks who are looking for a home when America was a “birds fairy tale”. Narrated by a mallard, the reader learns that mankind has greedily taken over the land, causing pollution and destruction, and the wild ducks are left to search for the paradise they once had. This book pleads with the reader to value our wildlife and conserve our planet.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

This classic story is about Ichabod Crane, an extremely superstitious schoolmaster competing for the hand of Katrina Van Tassel against the handsome “Brom Bones”. After leaving a party one night, Ichabod is followed by the Headless Horseman, a ghost who was beheaded by a cannon and rides through the woods every night with a flaming pumpkin. Ichabod mysteriously disappears after being followed by the Headless Horseman, leaving Katrina to marry Brom Bones, implying that the Horseman was really Brom in disguise.

Bonjour Lonnie by Faith Ringgold

Lonnie is an orphan living in Paris who is visited by a magical Love Bird one night. The bird inspires Lonnie to look for his family.  Through his magical journey, Lonnie meets the spirits of his grandparents and parents, learning about his mixed racial heritage. This aspect of the book sheds light on the issue of acceptance and love while highlighting different cultures through the inclusion of French phrases and a historical index.

When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest

This is a Christopher Award winning book about thirteen year-old Jessie who journeys from a poor village in Eastern Europe to New York City and must leave her grandmother behind. While aboard the ship, Jessie meets a young shoemaker named Lou and he helps her get through the hardships of being alone and experiencing a brand new world. Jessie uses her skills as a lace maker, which she learned from her grandmother, to get a job in a dressmaker’s shop and eventually saves enough of her money to buy her grandmother a ticket to come to New York.




The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Inga Moore
A young boy named Franz was always meddling in things he couldn't fix when finally his father throws him out of the house. Franz comes across a sign for an "apprentice wanted" and finds out the job is within a huge and mysterious castle with a sorcerer named Ludvig Hexenmeister. During his stay, Franz sees objects moving on their own and eventually, hones the skills of the sorcerer. In the end, Franz uses what he has learned and becomes a sorcerer himself.