Reading Rainbow Books – The Complete List

A small boy, not allowed to have a dog because times are tight, finds a starving kitten in a trash can on the same day his father loses his job.

In this sequel to Miss Nelson is Missing, the scheming kids in Room 207 are in for a big surprise from the scariest substitute around: Miss Viola Swamp.

Tired of kindergarten, Bea Jones trades "jobs" with her father, who works in an office.

A cumulative rhyme relating how Ki-pat brought rain to the drought-stricken Kapiti Plain. 

An unhappy butcher from Flatbush finally achieves happiness.

How did those enormous dinosaur skeletons get inside the museum? 

When a poor boy in China receives a magical paintbrush, everything he paints turns to life. But the wicked emperor wants to capture the boy when he hears the news. 

Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Byron Barton share a keen sense of the ridiculous and a compassionate understanding of a child's anxieties. 

Follow the red canoe from page to page as it journeys down river carrying the family on a camping tour. It's the next best thing to paddling it yourself.

The Great Spirit gives the sacred dog to an Indian boy seeking relief for his hungry people.

Gregory isn't like most goats. Instead of indulging in delicacies like old shoes, boxes, and bottle caps, he prefers to eat fruits, vegetables, eggs, and fish. 

After a picnic on the beach, Lolly, Sam, and Spider decide to tell spooky stories. 

None of Arthur's friends wear glasses and his classmates tease him! But when he stops wearing them, he gets in all kinds of trouble. Maybe four eyes really are better than two.

Jimmy's boa constrictor wreaks havoc on the class trip to a farm.

Ty meets a man with a wooden peg-leg who promises Ty he will make music if Ty goes home and gets a washboard and some wooden spoons.

The fearless Siamese cat Henry stows away in a hot-air balloon that suddenly takes off with only him on board.

Simon flees from a friendly monster with the aid of some drawing pens and a bottle of ink.

Thus begins a lyrical journey through the days and weeks, the months, and the changing seasons in the life of one New Englander and his family. 

Ralph, the opera-loving short order cook at the diner on Pier 46, helps to save his favorite singer from the clutches of tough rat kidnappers.

Vera Williams tells of a young girl who, along with her waitress mother, saves coins in a big jar in hopes that they can someday buy a new chair for their apartment, the kind of chair her mother deserves after being on her feet all day in the Blue Tile Diner.

A funny retelling of the tallest of tall tales, the rollicking adventures of Paul Bunyan and his great blue ox, paired with the extravagant and lively illustrations of Steven Kellogg.

Children from all sorts of family situations and configurations continue to be drawn to its portrait of those bonds that create the fabric of family life.

Every day is the same for Pablo's father. Then one afternoon the ground growls, hisses smoke, and swallows up his plow. A volcano is erupting in the middle of his cornfield!

Parents will love revisiting this story as much as children will love reading it, as its always a good time to be reminded slow and steady wins the race!

A tiny pig is granted his wish which leads to an almost perfect life.

Old Max, a cafe owner, is helped out after hours when a dog and a cat open up for their wild and well-paying friends — filled with a story and pictures from John Stadler.

Serious and sensible Alistair sets out to return his library books, is swept away by a space ship, and has some difficulties sorting things out for himself

Best-selling author Aliki uses a child-friendly cartoon style to build empathy and awareness in young readers — and to help them find appropriate ways to handle their feelings. 

In this warm, poignant and highly praised story, a little girl hears how, long ago, another little red-haired girl — her great-grandmother — sailed across the sea with her older brother to join their immigrant parents in a strange new land called America.

Saxophone-playing Miles and his Swamp Band find a bevy of sharp-toothed, long-tailed alligators who love to listen to their music. But little do Miles and his band know what the alligators plan for them at the close of their jubilant all-night ball! 

When the thing from outer space visits earth, it is taken first for a trick-or-treater and then for a robot in this hilarious picture book.

You probably drink milk at almost every meal. But have you ever wondered where it comes from?

A little girl who wakes one morning to discover she has grown antlers.

Germs are all around us, but they're too small to see. Many germs are harmless, but two kinds, viruses and bacteria, can make you sick. How? 

A young boy and his father save the town that ostracized them from a hungry giant in this picture book adaptation of a South African lullaby and folk story.

Describes in simple terms the life cycle of the honeybee.

This is the exciting true story of Abbie Burgess, who in 1856 single-handedly kept the lighthouse lamps lit during a tremendous storm off the coast of Maine.

Ruth Heller's prose and pictures are the perfect means for discovering the variety of oviparous animals and their unique ways of laying eggs.

Business returns to a once-prosperous restaurant when a mysterious stranger pays for his meal with a magical paper crane that comes alive and dances. 

Sebastian ties his wooden duck, Egbert, to his father's car and, when Sebastian's father drives off, Egbert embarks on a whimsical adventure that finally finds him floating out to sea.

R. R. Pottle the Third has a truly wonderful, extra-extraordinary collection of hats. But happiness eludes him. He is lonely and dreams of meeting a perfect wife ' who will, of course, be wearing a perfect hat.

In order to appear superior, a miller lies to the king, telling him that his daughter can spin straw into gold (some versions make the miller's daughter blonde and describe the "straw-into-gold" claim as a careless boast the miller makes about the way his daughter's straw-like blond hair takes on a gold-like luster when sunshine strikes it).

To Kathy the greatest thing in the world is a best friend. And Louise Jenkins is hers. They do everything together, from sharing their chocolate milk at lunch to riding Golden Silverwind, their make-believe horse who lives in the imaginary stable between their houses.

When Rancher Hicks drives 84 miles to Sleepy Gulch for excitement, his wife Elna misses the 12-year-old wanted posters in the post office, a never-ending checker game, and hot-spot Millie's Luncheonette. Meanwhile back at the ranch, all that happens is Elna strikes oil, inherits a fortune, and is visited by the President.

Fiery colors and hundreds of details evoke the sun–drenched beauty, the sweet smells, and the joyful sounds of a jewel–like little Caribbean island that a young boy rediscovers while on a visit with his best friend.

As an ordinary rabbit in real life is portrayed as a bionic bunny on his television series, the reader views all the production efforts that provide that illusion.

Sixteen insects are described in lively couplets, illustrations, and diagrams.

Diamond robbers are in town! Lola Dog, co-owner of the Diamond Dog Diner, wears her diamonds when she cooks, so her friend, Glenda Feathers, suggests a hiding place for the jewels -- inside her eggs.

When a little boy adopts a large brush to replace his banished dog, the brush surprises him by coming to life and actually behaving like a dog.

Every year, in the fall, Gabrielle gets a new coat. But this year Gabrielle wants something different -- a purple coat.

In an old farmhouse, bathed in the light of a full moon, a young boy creeps to his bedroom window and looks outside. Was that a voice he just heard, or the hooting of an owl?

Dolores learns to curb some of her more smothering tendencies and wins the affection of her new pet cat, Duncan.

A poignant story about a boy’s emerging confidence in facing his blindness in this beautiful children’s picture book.

Aliki describes and illustrates the techniques and the reasons for the use of mummification in ancient Egypt.

Mufaro's two daughters react in different ways to the King's search for a wife - one is aggressive and selfish, the other kind and dignified. The king disguises himself to learn the true nature of both the girls and chooses Nyasha, the kind and generous daughter, to be the queen.

In October 1985 a forty-five-foot long, forty-ton humpback whale wandered into San Francisco Bay and for twenty-six days struggled mightily to find his way back to the ocean. 

Theo discovers that the junkyard is no place to be feared...in fact, it may even be a place for friendships and fun!

This exuberant picture book tells the story of Tony, a little boy who helps his father in the family pizzeria. 

Unsuspecting Ludlow learns to smile and laugh in spite of himself, proving that laughter is indeed contagious.

A family brings a most unusual souvenir home after vacation in this classic picture book from the brilliant mind that brought you The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.

Describes the formation of a coral reef and the many plants and animals that live in and around these underwater communities.

A venerable saguaro cactus stands like a statue in the hot desert landscape, its armlike branches reaching fifty feet into the air. From a distance it appears to be completely still and solitary--but appearances can be deceptive. 

The Popsnorkle family test drives the Tooth-Gnasher Superflash, pleased with the car's ability to turn into several different animals.

The world of sports comes alive in a rhythmic celebration of soccer, football, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling, track, tennis, and more.

When the class forgets to do its homework, a fieldtrip through the Earth's crust, into the center of the Earth, and out through a volcano will teach them not to forget their assignments again - and then some!

Jack spends his days sailing the sea and taking in nets full of half-dead fish, ignoring the polluted condition of the water, until he finds an ailing seal and receives a message from the sea itself about its sorry state.

The amazing tricks two American soldiers perform on a borrowed bicycle are a fitting finale for the school sports day festivities in a small village in occupied Japan.

A brother and sister lamb accidentally cause a major mix-up between a delicious cake and a beautiful hat.

A rotting hull of a ship...lost gold...coins...gems...sunken treasure!

Alistair's entry in a science competition takes him to many places and time periods, but unfortunately he can't prove this to the judges.

Maxi, a homeless mutt in New York City, has always fended for himself. Then one day a kind taxi driver named Jim offers him friendship, a home, and a place in the front seat! 

In spring, the hills and meadows of Texas and Wyoming are ablaze with the reds, oranges, and yellows of the Indian Paintbrush. How this striking plant received its name is told in an old Indian legend.

Kondi is determined to make a a toy vehicle made of wires. His brother laughs at the idea. By nightfall, his wonderful galimoto is ready for the village children to play with in the light of the moon.

When Fox breaks his bike, his mom tells him to get a job to pay for a new one. 

A magical tale of optical illusions, in which objects seem to shift color and size while images appear and disappear.

Hungry raccoons feast at night in a field of ripe corn.

Madame Pompenstance competes for the Best Headdress Award at the annual Fancy Dress Ball, unaware that a small ship has sailed onto her head and become her headdress.

When a heavy storm destroyed the bridge over Honey Creek, near Kate Shelley's home in Moingona, Iowa, fifteen-year-old Kate bravely rushed out into the storm, saving the lives of two men and preventing hundreds of other lives from being lost. 

A delightful collection of stories and poems dealing with the cold winter months includes thirty-three stories and poems.

Cassie Louise Lightfoot has a dream: to be free to go wherever she wants for the rest of her life. One night, up on “tar beach,” the rooftop of her family’s Harlem apartment building, her dreams come true.

A young boy and his father visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Meet a gentle giant, a manatee affectionately known as Sam the sea cow, in this informative but beautifully illustrated picture book that's perfect for animal lovers.

Old Babushka, known throughout all of Moskva for her beautifully painted eggs, is preparing her eggs for the Easter Festival when she takes in an injured goose. 

Shy Sophie, enticed by the dancing that she sees in the studio across the street, sets out to learn on her own.

A girl provides a lighthearted account of the spring floods at her rural home.

A determined little piggy absolutely refuses to leave her mud puddle in this rollicking book

Explains how waves, sand, and pebbles form at the seashore and describes animals, plants, and shells which can be seen when the tide goes out.

A boy who came from far away to be adopted by a couple in this country remembers how unfamiliar and frightening some of the things were in his new home, before he accepted the love to be found there.

What's that strange buzz coming from the double bass? Berlioz has no time to investigate, because he and his bear orchestra are due at the gala ball in the village square at eight. 

Grace loves stories, whether they're from books, movies, or the kind her grandmother tells. So when she gets a chance to play a part in Peter Pan, she knows exactly who she wants to be.

Big Bear, Rabbit, and the other animals work hard to write, edit, and print their newspaper, "The Furry News." Includes tips for making your own newspaper and defines a number of newspaper terms.

Friends from different backgrounds come together in a heartwarming picture book that is perfect for Passover.

A boy finds a salamander in the woods and imagines the many things he can do to turn his room into a perfect salamander home.

Although unable to speak or hear, lovely Lotus learns to perform the intricate story dances of the Cambodian court ballet.

Winter's story begins with a peg-leg sailor who aids slaves on their escape on the Underground Railroad.

If a hungry little mouse shows up on your doorstep, you might want to give him a cookie. And if you give him a cookie, he'll ask for a glass of milk. He'll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache, and then he'll ask for a pair of scissors to give himself a trim....

Having outgrown his brown-spotted shell, Hermit Crab sets out on a hunt for a new house, finding a haven just in time to avoid a hungry pricklepine fish.

A poignant tale of environmental pollution and recovery with beautiful watercolor illustrations.

The lively imagination of Caldecott medalist David Wiesner forecasts astounding goings-on for a Tuesday in the not too distant future -- an occurrence of gigantic vegetal proportions.

Mrs. Rat makes a career out of spying on her neighbors, but the tables are unexpectedly turned on her.

What's a little lamb to do about a fierce coyote that wants to eat her? Why, trick him, of course...and and trick him again...and trick him one more time! 

Baby animals spend the summer growing, playing, and learning from their parents.

An old stump attracts many living creatures, even man, and when it is gone, a new tree attracts the same creatures, who need it for a variety of reasons.

One rainy day, Appelemando's dreams are blown onto all the wet walls and roofs of the town, covering the houses and stores with fantastic pictures.

When she is forced to leave Vietnam, a young girl brings a lotus seed with her to America in remembrance of her homeland.

A certified letter follows its intended recipient all over the world as the postal service attempts to catch up to him.

Knocked from her mother’s safe embrace by an attacking owl, Stellaluna lands headfirst in a bird’s nest. This adorable baby fruit bat’s world is literally turned upside down when she is adopted by the occupants of the nest and adapts to their peculiar bird habits. 

An illustrated version of the poem in which a child describes her relationship with her shadow.

In 1916 a young woman named Ruth Law attempted to fly from Chicago to New York City in one day -- something no one else had ever done. 

The incredible artwork of an Italian immigrant who followed his dream of monumental proportions in the impoverished Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles is revealed in this fascinating and engaging true story.

When Helen Finney feeds alphabet soup to her dog, Martha, it goes straight up to her brain, and Martha begins to speak! The basis for the Emmy-nominated PBS series.

This uplifting story about one man's gift to the desert and the gift he receives in return has a powerful environmental lesson.

A spunky old woman's request and a rather unusual dream convince Crabby Clarence the sign painter to make the most glorious and magnificent sign of his career and then give it away.

Worried about her son Archibald's obsession with science, Mrs. Frisby ships him off to summer camp, where she hopes that he will learn to relax and have some fun.

A homeless boy who lives in an airport with his father, moving from terminal to terminal trying not to be noticed, is given hope when a trapped bird finally finds its freedom.

A young girl’s beloved uncle is a talented barber without a shop who never gives up on his dream in this richly illustrated, stirring picture book.

An apple pie is easy to make...if the market is open. But if the market is closed, the world becomes your grocery store.

Owen’s fuzzy yellow blanket is his favorite possession. Everywhere Owen goes, his blanket goes with him. Soon Owen will begin school, and he can’t take Fuzzy with him then. 

Ever wonder just what a million of something means? How about a billion? Or a trillion? Marvelosissimo the mathematical magician can teach you!

Though Dad moves around a lot and his jobs keep changing, a young girl and her brother hold fast to memories of his magical, unexpected visits in this portrait of an African-American family held together by a special bond of love.

A bilingual, rhythmic celebration of bread, from farmer to baker.

It is scary being the smallest guests at the biggest, best animal hotel, but Camille and Leon Lizardo try to join in the fun.

Mrs. Tilby, who has lived in a white house by the apple orchard for her entire life, hops in her green Studebaker and searches for someplace else to live--the city, the seashore, even a riverboat.

When this book begins, the trombone is playing all by itself. But soon a trumpet makes a duet, a french horn a trio, and so on until the entire orchestra is assembled on stage.

In simple words and radiant collages, Debra Frasier celebrates the earth and extends an exuberant welcome to each member of our human family. 

When asked to draw a rain forest during art class, Regina is afraid of trying and failing, a feeling recognizable to all school-aged children.

Giving Thanks is a special children's version of the Thanksgiving Address, a message of gratitude that originated with the Native people of upstate New York and Canada and that is still spoken at ceremonial gatherings held by the Iroquois, or Six Nations. Full color.

“The carousel horses sleep all winter and wake in the spring,” two sisters remember their mother saying. Then one gray-skied February twilight, as they make their way home from school, the girls hear strange whinnying noises coming from the carousel.

Did you ever wake up to one of those days where everything is a problem? You have 10 things to do, but only 30 minutes until your bus leaves. Is there enough time? 

Based on a story by Nobel Prize laureate Octavio Paz, this delightful tale of a boy and his pet wave is charmingly retold with beautiful new illustrations. 

Every Saturday, Maria Lili looks forward to making chicken sancocho with her grandparents Mama Ana and Papa Angelino. But one Saturday they discover that there is nothing in the house except eggs, and Maria Lili wonders how they will ever be able to have their favorite meal. 

When her aunt, who loves Broadway musicals, is confined to bed with a sprained ankle, Sophie convinces the rest of the family to put on a show for her.

People at work, doing things that are so essential to us all, are lyrically depicted in Gary Paulsen’s spare and elegant verse and Ruth Wright Paulsen’s richly textured oil paintings. 

For thousands of years, in the jungles of the Amazon, shamans have passed their wisdom of the medicinal values of rain forest plants from one generation to the next.

Meet a multiplying family of fish, and a cat whose every good intention goes wrong!

In this story, the Elm Street Kids decide to raise money by selling lemonade. The Elm Street Kids use a bar graph to plot the number of cups sold on each day of the week and figure out what to do. Young readers may be inspired to start their own lemonade stands—and use a bar graph to plot their progress.

Wendell and Floyd have a problem. Hard as they try, they can't seem to get to school on time. So one morning Wendell comes up with a solution--a shortcut so secret that only he knows about it.

In My America, Lee Bennett Hopkins weaves together fifty poems -- grouped by geographic region -- to create a remarkable portrait of the United States. 

All the woodland creatures—Mole, Frog, Fox, and Rabbit—love old Badger, who is their confidante, advisor, and friend. When he dies, they are overwhelmed by their loss. Then they begin to remember and treasure the memories he left them.

In the middle of a dark, lonely wasteland filled with old scrap metal lives an old man. Every night he dreams of a lively forest, full of sunshine, plants, birds, and animals. Every morning he wakes to gloom and bad weather. Then one day, he comes up with an idea to change things. 

Young ballplayers and ballet dancers will share Max's delight when he discovers that dance class is a great way to warm up for a home run.

It was the perfect summer. That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became neighborhood enemy number one. Luckily Dad had a surefire way to get rid of enemies: Enemy Pie.

A beautifully illustrated celebration of the air and water and soil and sky and sun and rain that we all share!

In this moving picture book from multi-award winning author Jacqueline Woodson, a young girl and her grandmother prepare for a very special day -- the one day a month they get to visit the girl's father in prison. 

Monique, who has to wear a uniform to school every day, struggles to find a way to make herself stand out from the rest of her classmates.

George Baker and Harry don’t seem the likeliest of friends. Yet, sitting side by side on George’s porch, waiting for the school bus to come, the two have plenty in common, this hundred-year-old musician with the crookedy fingers going tappidy on his knees and the young schoolboy whose shoelaces always need tying.

Beegu's spirits are sinking lower than ever just as the mother ship arrives, in this simple, bittersweet picture book that shows us our world through the three eyes of an innocent outsider with the help of stylish art and a wry, understated text.

One day at her dad's house, a young girl finds two old potatoes in the cupboard. ''Gross.'' But before she can throw them away, her dad suggests they try to grow new potatoes from the old ones, which have sprouted eyes.

Fearful of taking the Big Test that he is certain is as bad as everyone says, Sam's nerves begin to get the best of him as he worries about what he will soon be forced to face, in an amusing tale about test-taking hype gone awry with full-color illustrations.

More than anything, Amina wants to lose her loose tooth while visiting her family in Mali, West Africa. Only then can she put it under a gourd for the African tooth fairy, who will exchange it for two chickens! 

After World War II there is little left in Katje's town of Olst in Holland. Then one spring morning when the tulips bloom "thick and bright," Postman Kleinhoonte pedals his bicycle down Katje's street to deliver a mysterious box – a box from America! Full of soap, socks, and chocolate, the box has been sent by Rosie, an American girl from Mayfield, Indiana. 

Barry Root's glowing illustrations bring to life all the excitement and energy of a great game and a team working together.

Quilt making has been passed down through eight generations of Soonie's family. Messages were carefully stitched into each quilt, called a Show Way, mapping the family's journey from slavery to present day.