Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2023
"The Couch Potato has everything he needs within reach of his sunken couch cushion. But when the electricity goes out, Couch Potato is forced to peel himself away from the comforts of his living room and venture outside. And when he does, he realizes fresh air and sunshine could be just the things he needs ..."-- Provided by publisher

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2020
Jasper Rabbit is NOT a little bunny anymore. He's not afraid of the dark, and he's definitely not afraid of something as silly as underwear. But when the lights go out, suddenly his new big rabbit underwear glows in the dark. A ghoulish, greenish glow. If Jasper didn't know any better he'd say his undies were a little, well, creepy. Jasper's not scared obviously, he's just done with creepy underwear. But after trying everything to get rid of them, they keep coming back!

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2019
Madeline Finn DOES NOT like to read. Not books. Not magazines. Not even the menu on the ice cream truck. Fortunately, Madeline Finn meets Bonnie, a library dog. Reading out loud to Bonnie isn't so bad. When Madeline Finn gets stuck, Bonnie doesn't mind. Madeline Finn can pet her until she untangles the word. As it turns out, it's fun to read when you're not afraid of making mistakes. Bonnie teaches Madeline Finn that it's okay to go slow, to keep trying, and to get support from a friend.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2018
By now I think you know what happened to your sandwich. But you may not know how it happened. So let me tell you. It all started with the bear . . . So begins Julia Sarcone-Roach's delicious tale of a bear, lost in the city, who happens upon an unattended sandwich in the park. The bear's journey from forest to city and back home again is full of happy accidents, funny encounters, and sensory delights. The story is so engrossing, it's not until the very end that we begin to suspect this is a TALL tale.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2017
In a spare, powerful text and evocative illustrations, the Newbery medalist Katherine Applegate and the artist G. Brian Karas present the extraordinary real story of a special gorilla. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Captured as a baby, Ivan was brought to a Tacoma, Washington, mall to attract shoppers. Gradually, public pressure built until a better way of life for Ivan was found at Zoo Atlanta. From the Congo to America, and from a local business attraction to a national symbol of animal welfare, Ivan the Shopping Mall Gorilla traveled an astonishing distance in miles and in impact. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; This is his true story and includes photographs of Ivan in the back matter.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2016
Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing. His crayons have had enough! They quit! Blue crayon needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. Black crayon wants to be used for more than just outlining. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking--each believes he is the true color of the sun. What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2015
Bestselling storyteller David Shannon instantly hooks readers with this stunning, highly entertaining tour-de-force--his best book ever!Breathtaking oil paintings bursting with energy pullreaders along into Big Lake, the home of Jangles, thebiggest fish anyone has seen. Fishing alone at dusk,a boy feels a tug on his line and comes face-to-facewith the gigantic trout--whose enormous jaw is coveredwith so many lures and fish hooks that he jingles andjangles when he swims. Terrified by the sight, the boy isshocked when Jangles befriends him and takes him on anadventure to the bottom of the lake. A surprise endingwill leave readers laughing and shaking their heads. Hereis Shannon at his very best-in a wild and witty story thatbegs repeated reading.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2014
Weiner dog's easy life has lost its luster. And neither squeak toy, nor biscuit, nor TV can cure his ennui. So when the call of the wild comes, he answers! Weiner Dog becomes...Weiner Wolf. A sweet, funny picture book in the spirit of Good Dog, Carl! and Martha Speaks!, Weiner Wolf is sure to appeal to the adventurous side of pets and their owners.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2013
Like so many people during the Great Depression of the 1930s, Marshall Loman's dad has lost his job. There's little money, but there are plenty of beans-in fact, Ma cooks them for supper every single night! Beans start looking better when Marshall sees the contest posted in the furniture store window. HOW MANY BEANS ARE IN THE JAR? WIN THIS BRAND NEW SEWING MACHINE! Ma needs that sewing machine-but how can he possibly guess right? Then Marshall remembers something he learned in arithmetic class.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2012
With stunning artwork and a rhyming text, the illustrator of the Mercy Watson books tells a tale of human-animal connection full of humor and heart. When a circus ship runs aground off the coast of Maine, the poor animals are left on their own to swim the chilly waters. Staggering onto a nearby island, they soon win over the wary townspeople with their kind, courageous ways. So well do the critters blend in that when the greedy circus owner returns to claim them, villagers of all species conspire to outsmart the bloated blowhard. With buoyant rhymes and brilliantly caricatured illustrations evoking the early nineteenth century, Chris Van Dusen presents a hugely entertaining tale about the bonds of community -- and a rare hidden-pictures spread for eagle-eyed readers of all ages.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2011
Bobbi and Bob Cat are the best of friends. When their hometown of New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina, many lost everything. But not Bobbi and Bob Cat--they still had each other. Only by staying together could they survive. This is the story of their remarkable friendship.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2010
This is the diary . . . of a fly. Even though she's little--just like her best friends, Worm and Spider--Fly wants to be a superhero. And why not? She walks on walls, sees in all directions at once, and can already fly! Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss, the team behind the #1 New York Times bestsellers Diary of a Worm and Diary of a Spider, reach hilarious heights with their story of a little fly who's not afraid to dream big. Really big.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2009
It's raining cats and dogs! Good thing Rover is snuggled safe and dry inside his doghouse--until, one by one, a soggy menagerie of creatures shows up looking for a cozy place to sit out the storm. But who's the very unwelcome surprise visitor? Skunk, of course. Suddenly that doghouse isn't quite so crowded after all!

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2008
Step aboard, buccaneers and book lovers! Comically dramatic illustrations set the tone for this humorous, hare-raising adventure on the high seas. "BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES!" Aboard a ship called the Salty Carrot sails a wild, rowdy band of Buccaneer Bunnies. Their leader, Barnacle Black Ear, is the baddest bunny brute of all time, but his son refuses to perform his proper pirating duties. Henry would rather read books than shout "Shiver me timbers!" or make prisoners walk the plank — even if it means he has to swab the decks as punishment. But when a crashing, bashing, thrashing wildcat of a storm threatens the Salty Carrot and its crew, will Henry and his landlubbin' library save the day?

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2007
It's a spring morning on the farm. Grandpa is fixing breakfast for his visiting grandkids. Suddenly his grandson reports that the cows have got loose! He thinks Big Brown Bessie just stepped on a goose!

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2006
"The course of true love never did run smooth." --William Shakespeare When the prince spies Rapunzel high in her tower, he's convinced she is the girl of his dreams. Of course he thinks he can save her the traditional way, but this is no traditional Rapunzel. She throws down everything but what the princ asks for--including a surprise that makes all his dreams come true. A hilarious fractured fairy tale with clever page-turns and vibrant, eclectic art that is perfect for funny Valentine's Day story hours.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2005
Epossumondas has a very important question: "Mama, why don't I have hair on my tail?" And wouldn't you know it, Mama can tell him exactly why possum tails are all pink and naked and funny looking. Her story's a doozy! It goes way back to Epossumondas's great-great-grandpa, Papapossum. When hungry Papapossum and his growly ol' stomach meet up with wily Hare, cranky Bear, and a persimmon tree . . . well, it's one hair-raisin' adventure! Renowned storyteller Coleen Salley and Caldecott Honor illustrator Janet Stevens team up again, drawing on the Uncle Remus tradition and their own wild imaginations to expose a hilarious--and important!--moment in possum history.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2004
A heartwarming and cathartic book for anyone who has ever loved, and lost, a cat. This is the story of a cat, told by the little girl who loved him best. From his first plaintive mew to his last loving purr, Desser was an essential member of the family. And for the little girl, especially, he was a constant companion. He was the catalyst for her first steps, thrilled when she got her first big bed, and he was waiting for her after her first day of school. But as the girl grows bigger, Desser grows older. And eventually it is time to say good-bye. Still, by telling his story and remembering him well, the girl finds a way to keep him alive in her heart. With the simplest words and truly adorable illustrations, Maggie Smith captures the special bond we have with our pets and offers a helpful method for coping with their loss.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2003
Michael Jordan's mother and sister team up for this heartwarming and inspirational picture book about faith and hope and how any family working together can help a child make his or her dreams come true. Michael Jordan. The mere mention of the name conjures up visions of basketball played at its absolute best. But as a child, Michael almost gave up on his hoop dreams, all because he feared he'd never grow tall enough to play the game that would one day make him famous. That's when his mother and father stepped in and shared the invaluable lesson of what really goes into the making of a champion--patience, determination, and hard work.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2002
Poor Rodney Rat can't pronounce his R's and the other rodents tease him mercilessly. But when Camilla Capybara joins Rodney's class and announces that she is bigger, meaner, and smarter than any of the other rodents, everyone is afraid. It seems she really is bigger, meaner, and smarter than all of the rest of them. Until our unwitting hero, Wodney Wat, catches Camilla out in a game of Simon Says. Read along with Wodney as he surprises himself and his classmates by single-handedly saving the whole class from the big bad bully. Children will delight as shy Rodney Rat triumphs over all and his tiny voice decides the day, R's or no R's.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2001
"Riding her bike home from school one day, Annie sees a homeless dog looking for food. The skinny brown dog is so timid that Annie names him Spooky. She visits him every day, bringing him water and part of her lunch. But one afternoon, Spooky doesn't come when Annie calls. He is too weak to move. It's up to Annie to find a way to save him." Inspired by a true story that appeared in the Seattle Times, Gloria and Ted Rand have created a heartwarming picture book about compassion and caring. Children can read about the real Spooky at the end of the book, where his photos and story are featured. Any child who has a dog, or has ever wanted one, will love this happily-ever-after story.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 2000
Life is pretty sweet for the three little pigs...until a hungry wolf named Tempesto shows up one morning. Percy, Pete, and Prudence refuse to let themselves become breakfast without a fight -- but can anything save the plucky pigs once Tempesto starts huffing and puffing? With his hilarious retelling and irresistible illustrations, Steven Kellogg masterfully updates the classic folktale for a whole new generation of readers.

Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award 1999
When Gilbert writes two not-so-nice valentines to his classmates, his prank quickly turns into pandemonium. But there's always time for a change of heart on Valentine's Day.