Tails and Tales: Mice

Wild Symphony by Dan Brown

Invites children to travel through trees and across seas with Maestro Mouse and his musical friends, who visit with a sequence of animals on spreads that incorporate clues to a coded message.

Elevator Bird written and illustrated by Sarah Williamson

It takes a tight-knit team to keep the Hotel running smoothly, and Elevator Bird is at the center of it all. He helps people get where they need to go and has a kind word for everyone he meets. Elevator Bird makes everyone’s day brighter. So when he confesses to his friend Mousey that he’s always longed for a room with a view, Mousey wants to make it happen. All of Elevator Bird’s friends hatch a secret plan to make sure Elevator Bird has the nest he deserves.

EEK! a noisy journey from A to Z written by Julie Hofstrand Larios

This busy mouse is definitely on a mission, but where is he going? Let’s follow him and find out!”–Publisher.

A mouse takes a journey through the alphabet, told entirely with sounds and pictures.

My Best Friend written and illustrated by Rob Hodgson

Meet Mouse! Mouse lives in the tree with his best friend… Giant Owl. They used to do the most fun stuff imaginable! They’d play chase and Giant Owl would nearly catch Mouse, but not quite. Giant Owl loved Mouse so much that she used to give him as many doughnuts as he wanted and the most amazing presents, including his own house (a cage)! But then one day something happened, and now Mouse has found himself stuck in a very dark place… will his best friend help come to his rescue? This deliciously dark tale of a mouse and the ‘best friend’ who wants to eat him will delight fans of Rob’s previous books, The Cave and The Woods.

Red House, Tree house, Little Bitty Brown Mouse written by Jane Godwin

In this rhyming story, a young mouse makes her way around the world, introducing colors.

Paper Mice written by Megan Wagner Lloyd

One night, two newly-made paper mice separately explore a dark house, finding each other along the way and discovering a shared love of adventure.

The Piano Recital written and illustrated by Akiko Miyakoshi

It’s the day of Momo’s very first piano recital, and she is terribly nervous. Today is the day of a little mouseling’s very first performance, too, and she’s just as nervous as Momo. The mouseling invites Mom to watch her performance. Momo follows the mouseling through a small door backstage, where she’s met with an amazing sight: an elaborate miniature theatre, and an audience of finely dressed mice! When the Grand Mouse-ter takes the stage, a hush falls over the crowd and a magical show unfolds – a circus, a magic act, acrobats! Momo is delighted. And when it’s the mouseling’s turn to take the stage, Momo soothes her little friend’s nerves – her own now long forgotten – and accompanies her on piano. As Momo finishes her piece and gives a bow, she’s surprised to see that her audience isn’t furry and miniature, but human! And they’re all clapping – for her! A proud Momo is quite sure she can hear mouse paw-clapping, too…

Tails and Tales: Monkeys

Where is My Balloon? Written by Ariel Bernstein

While holding his friend Owl’s red balloon, Monkey accidentally pops it then tries to substitute other objects before confessing his deed.

Monkey Time written and illustrated by Michael Hall

Monkey tries to catch the brightly colored–and tasty-looking–minutes on the minute tree in his forest. Introduces basic concepts about time and how time passes and is measured.

Oh No, Bobo! You’re in Trouble written and illustrated by Phil Gosier

When Bobo steals and then breaks the zookeeper’s flashlight, he frantically tries to fix it so he will not get caught, while his friend Fifi tauntingly reminds Bobo that he is in trouble.

Grumpy Monkey Party Time! Written by Suzanne Lang

Jim Panzee feels that. Porcupine is having a big party, and according to Jim’s best friend Norman, there will be–gulp–dancing. Jim can DEFINITELY not dance. When he tells his friends, they all try to teach him cool moves–surely that’s the only reason Jim isn’t excited about this party! Now, their job complete, the other animals sweep Jim along, all the way to the dance floor. Jim is dipped, swayed, and twirled until he can’t take it anymore–he just doesn’t like to dance! When he lets everyone know, he’s met with disbelief…until Water Buffalo reveals that he doesn’t much care to dance, either. As more and more animals have the courage speak their truths, does this mean there’s no place for them at this party?

Grumpy Monkey Written by Suzanne Lang

Jim Panzee wakes up in a bad mood one beautiful day, but he keeps denying he is grumpy even as his friends give advice for feeling better.

Monkey Walk written and illustrated by Colleen M Madden

At the zoo with her family, a girl mopes around until she is asked to help rescue the zoo’s penguins from boredom.

Ella & Monkey at sea written and illustrated by Emilie Boon

Ella’s best friend, Monkey, doesn’t like good-bye hugs. He doesn’t want to say goodbye to Oma. And he doesn’t want to move away forever. Neither does Ella. But papa is waiting for them in New York. So Ella and Monkey must board the ship with Mama and leave their home in Holland for their new home in America. Along the way the way, there is fish for dinner (Monkey hates fish), a playroom full of new kids (Monkey doesn’t like strangers), and stormy seas that leave everyone feeling sick. Can Ella and Monkey find a way to weather the storm?

Wordless book

Monkey on the Run written by Leo Timmers

Papa Monkey and Little Monkey are on their way. But the street is very busy and they are going so slowly! Little Monkey loses patience and jumps onto the fire engine. Up the ladder from there and he joins a TV crew! Then the garbage truck, an aquarium bus, a food cart for rabbits packed with carroty treats, Arctic animals traveling by snow globe, a jewel thief’s getaway car . . . There is so much going on in the street, it’s become a playground!

Nonfiction

The Woolly Monkey Mysteries.: the quest to save a rainforest species written by Sandra Markle

Readers will learn how scientists use camera-trap technology to study woolly monkeys in the Manu Biosphere Reserve. These camera traps helped scientists discover information about the woolly monkeys’ diet, behavior, and habitat. Known as the rainforest’s gardeners, their activities and behaviors are essential to the survival of the trees and animals in the rainforest. Scientists must learn more to save this keystone species and protect the rainforests.

Printable spider monkey craft: http://: http://learncreatelove.com/spider-monkey-printable-craft/

Printable monkey diorama: https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/printable-monkey-diorama-playset/

Tales about Tails!

Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail by Lesléa Newman

Inside the house, a boy prepares for the Passover ritual of welcoming Elijah–meanwhile, outside the house, a kitten lingers in the cold.

A Tiger Tail: (or what happened to Anya on her first day of school) written by Mike Boldt

Anya awakens to discover she has grown a tiger tail, and it just happens to be her very first day of school.

Churchill’s Tale of Tails written and illustrated by Anca Sandu

After losing his tail, Churchill the pig’s friends help him search for a new one but he becomes so caught up in how each new tail makes him feel, he forgets his friends completely.

Dig, Dogs, Dig: a construction tail written and illustrated by James Horvath

Top dog Duke leads a busy work crew to a new construction site. All sorts of dogs have plenty to do before the day is out. These clever dogs will dig, haul, push, plow, and even bring in a crane to build a new park. But what happens when they find something unexpected buried deep in the ground?

What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? Written by Steve Jenkins

In this Caldecott honor picture book, Steven Jenkins and illustrator Robin Page explore the many amazing things animals can do with eyes, ears, mouth, noses, feet, and tails. Young readers will relish the mystery behind this interactive guessing book.

If I Had a Tail written by Warrick, Karen Clemens

The reader is asked to guess what a creature is from a description of the appearance and use of the its tail.

Tale of a Tail written by Judit Z. Bodnar

Not wishing to share his fish with Bear, Fox slyly directs him how to catch his own, not realizing the extraordinary event that would result.

Walter’s Tail written by Lisa Campbell Ernst

The disasters caused by Walter’s wagging tail make him and his owner unwelcome in town until Walter wags a heroic rescue.

Why are bunny tails white? https://bunnylady.com/rabbit-tails/

A Trick of the Tail: Prehensile Tails and Primate Evolution: http://: https://fieldprojects.org/a-trick-of-the-tail-prehensile-tails-and-primate-evolution/

Tails and Tales: Tigers

Little Tigers written and illustrated by Jo Weaver

As hunters approach their home in the jungle, Mother Tiger and her cubs, Puli and Sera, must venture to find a new home away from danger. Together, they explore different homes, but the ones they find aren’t suited for tigers. Some are too wet, some are too dry, and some are just downright unwelcoming. But with their mother’s help, they may be able to find one that’s just right.

Mr. Tiger, Betsy and the Blue Moon written by Sally Gardner

A humorous, perfect, modern fairytale for Christmas about a determined girl, Betsy K Glory, Mr. Tiger and his troupe of circus acrobats, a lonely giant and an enchanted toad. This is the story of Betsy K Glory, the daughter of a mermaid and an ice-cream maker. She lives on an island that’s been left off the map of the world where she wonders how to make wishes come true. She discovers that only Gongalong berries harvested when the moon is blue, then made into delicious-wishes ice cream will work. But even if you can find these rare berries, how do you turn the moon blue? With the help of Mr. Tiger, his troupe of circus acrobats, an enchanted toad, a lonely giant and Mum and Dad, Betsy sets off on her quest.

Mr. Tiger, Betsy, and the Sea Dragon written by Sally Gardner

A red rogue wind blows a wicked pirate captain close to the island left off the map of the world. He’s searching for solid gold apples from the sea dragon’s orchard beneath the waves. Betsy K. Glory and Mr. Tiger take to the air and dive deep to save all the sea dragon’s treasures, including a very precious egg.

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

When Lily, her sister Sam, and their mother move in with her sick grandmother, Lily traps a tiger and makes a deal with him to heal Halmoni.

Tiger Wild written by Gwen Millward

Struggling to keep her emotions in check whenever they get very big, a little girl attempts to resist the naughty impulses of a disruptive imaginary best friend who convinces her to run away on an adventure of endless stomping, jumping, and wild fun.

Camp Tiger written by Susan Choi

Every year, a boy and his family go camping at Mountain Pond. Usually, they see things like an eagle fishing for his dinner, a salamander with red spots on its back, and chipmunks that come to steal food while the family sits by the campfire. But this year is different. This year, the boy is going into first grade, and his mother is encouraging him to do things on his own, just like his older brother. And the most different thing of all… this year, a tiger comes to the woods.

A Tiger Like Me written by Michael Engler

A little boy–um, no, a tiger! – tells us all about what he gets up to on an ordinary day: how he wakes up in his tiger den, what he eats for breakfast at his feeding spot, and how little tigers feel when they are wide awake, hungry, thirsty, or in the mood for adventures. But at night, even the wildest of tigers is happy to curl up in bed with Tiger-Mom and Tiger-Dad and become a cuddly little tiger cub.

The Tale of the Tiger Slippers written and illustrated by Jan Brett

A retelling of a folktale about how a pair of magical slippers always find their way back to the tiger whose mother made them for him.

Tiny Feet Between the Mountains written and illustrated by Hanna Cha

In a Korean village where being strong and loud is valued, tiny Soe-in is ridiculed but when the sun disappears, Soe-in dares to find the spirit tiger and set things right. Includes note about the position of tigers in Korean culture.

There’s a Tiger in the Garden written and illustrated by Lizzy Stewart

When Grandma says she’s seen a tiger in the garden, Nora doesn’t believe her. She’s too old to play Grandma’s silly games! Everyone knows that tigers live in jungles, not gardens. So, even when Nora sees butterflies with wings as big as her arm, and plants that try and eat her toy giraffe, and a polar bear that likes fishing, she knows there’s absolutely, definitely no way there could be a tiger in the garden. Could there?

I am a Tiger written by Karl Newson

When is a mouse not a mouse? When he’s a tiger of course! This funny story is all about being who you want to be! This is a story about a mouse with BIG ideas. Mouse believes he is a tiger, and he convinces Fox, Raccoon, Snake, and Bird he’s one, too! After all, Mouse can climb a tree like a tiger and hunt for his lunch, too. And not all tigers are big and have stripes. But when a real tiger shows up, can Mouse keep up his act

Nonfiction:

Tigers Can’t Purr!: and other amazing facts by Thea Feldman

What makes tigers terrific? Tigers are the largest cats in the world, but did you know that they can’t purr? They also like swimming to cool down on hot days! Readers will love learning about tigers, from their unique stripes to their sharp claws in this book that presents information in a highly visual way for young readers. A special section in the back discusses the tiger’s endangered status and the importance of jungle conservation.

Tiger activities: https://www.kidssoup.com/member/in-the-classroom-crouching-tigers