Moo!

Is it possible to write a complete story using just one word? The answer is "yes", and this comical book by David LaRochelle, and illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka is the result. 
The farmer has a car for sale, and when cow sees it, she must take it for a little joy ride, mooing all the way (well almost---until the last page!).  This is a hilarious romp for young children.

Alan and His Perfectly Pointy Impossibly Perpendicular Pinky

It's going to be a special day at Market Elementary School.  Alan Page, former Vikings player and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice, is coming to visit.  As he settles onto a small chair to read a story, one little boy is transfixed by Alan's little finger that points in an impossible direction.  Finally, he can't help blurting out "What happened to your pinky?" Alan has one of those special teaching moments when he explains how his finger got the way it is.  This special book, written by Alan Page and his daughter Kamie Page, and illustrated by David Geister has been published by the Page Foundation.  This is a uniquely Minnesota story, and proceeds from sales support the foundation and its programs to support education.

Scaly, Spotted, Feathered, Frilled: How do We Know What Dinosaurs Really Looked Like?

Not your ordinary dinosaur book, this new title by Catherine Thimmesh, looks at how paleoartists try to figure out what dinosaurs actually looked like?  Did they have scales?, feathers?, maybe both?  As scientists learn more about how and where dinosaurs lived, the new evidence changes how artists portray them.  Filled with historic and current illustrations, this fascinating book will appeal to dinosaur enthusiasts, and young artists alike.  It may be a resource for science classes studying dinosaurs.

Nothing Special

In this sequel to Stupid Fast, Felton Reinstein (whose amazing running ability stunned everyone in the first book of this trilogy) is off on a different discovery.  This story focuses on his younger brother, Andrew, who is very sad and depressed and who runs away to Florida.  This book is actually Felton's journal as he attempts to travel to Florida, retrieve his brother, and return home in time for football practice season to start.  The targeted audience here is high school boys, who like sports, have a slightly weird sense of humor, and who probably have read the first book.  Written by Geoff Herback, this won the Minnesota Book Award in 2013.

Surviving the Hindenburg

The giant airship, Hindenburg, was cruising along the East Coast of the United States on May 6, 1937.  Werner Franz was the cabin boy on board making his first trip to the United States.  Suddenly, as the ship came in to land at Lakehurst, NJ, something terrible happened and the great airship was destroyed.  Many people know the general story of the Hindenburg, but they may not know that 62 people survived the disaster, including Werner.  This picture book account is written by Larry Verstraete, with oil painting illustrations by Minnesotan David Geister; and it could be a classroom resource for upper elementary or middle school social studies classes.