Most Popular Books by Kate Banks

While waiting for it to be born, a young child wonders what its new sibling will be like. Banks''s lyrical poetry pairs with Swiatkowska''s playful dreamlike scenes to create a must-have book for all children who are about to have new siblings. Full color.

A little tiger takes an imaginative journey The little tiger lay on his back in the tall grass. "Close your eyes, little tiger," said his mother, "and go to sleep." But the little tiger is worried about what sleep might bring. His mother reassures him that once he closes his eyes, he will dream of magical places. And when he awakens, she will be right there, waiting for him. Alternating between real-life scenes with the baby tiger and his mother and enchanted dream scenes of sleep''s possibilities, Kate Banks''s simple, comforting text and Georg Hallensleben''s bright, colorful illustrations make this a charming bedtime story for small children. Close Your Eyes is a 2002 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year and a 2003 Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year.

Banks'' s recounting of her outer journey in a physical body is seamlessly woven into the inner journey of her soul in this collection of breathtaking verse where a mastery of words and a spellbinding sense of presence become the vehicles for revelation. Her past, present, and future are anchored in the eternal rather than the linear. Mystical moments of suspended belief and forays into other dimensions are as real as encounters with the natural world. No matter how small the moment or object, it becomes a beacon in a universe far larger than we think. Yet, despite their tender beauty, there is nothing glorified about Banks'' s observations. She doesn'' t shy away from hardship or writing about her rare, incurable illness. Her gracious words encourage us to embrace life and death as part of a continuum shared by all the living. Here, in Into the Ether, is a world of hope that readers will want to return to again and again.

A story of woodland creatures discovering a lost doll is transformed into the perfect parable of love in this sweet, timeless picture book for fans of Corduroy and The Velveteen Rabbit. The wood mouse and the rabbit find a rag doll in the woods. Nothing about it is familiar: it doesn''t smell like the fresh air of spring or feel like the rough bark of a tree. As the group of animals grows and searches for a clue to where the doll came from, they encounter more mysteries—and discover the one thing their hearts know to be true. Whether between parent and child, siblings, or friends, this beautifully illustrated story is about the way we show one other how much we care.

Where the Wild Things Are meets Chicka Chicka Boom Boom in this emotionally satisfying picture book tailor-made for reading aloud, which celebrates creativity and the power of imagination. In a spare, lyrical text, young listeners and readers will follow a little boy through his day, from early morning till bedtime, and watch as what fills his active imagination becomes real. Toys grow to life-size: a tin monkey plays a real drum and fiddle--rat-a-tat, toot!--a stuffed lion roars--rumble, grumble--and a dump truck empties its load--BANG! But when quiet time comes, and a hush settles over his bedroom, animals nap, and the boy becomes absorbed in other activities, like reading and drawing. Here is an irresistible read-aloud by a picture-book master that captures all the joy of a child''s play, and renders a boy''s imagination real. Praise for And If the Moon Could Talk by Kate Banks: "With quiet phrases and luxurious color, Banks . . . evoke(s) a perfectly peaceful bedtime." --Publishers Weekly Praise for City Cat by Kate Banks: "If you have to pack a suitcase, . . . make room in it for this book." --The New York Times

Award-winning author Kate Banks teams up with world-famous Ruper Sheldrake in Boy''s Best Friend to create a book that''s sure to be a hit with dog lovers and little scientists everywhere. Eleven-year-old George has a dog, Bart, who seems to know everything about him--from when he is feeling sad to when he will arrive home from school. George''s new neighbor and classmate, Lester, also has a dog, Bill Gates, and Lester thinks he is the smartest animal in the world. When their teacher assigns a school science project about animal behavior, George and Lester decide to conduct an experiment based on the world-famous Rupert Sheldrake''s experiments about dogs. George even has an e-mail exchange with Dr. Sheldrake to help him with the project--and he and Lester soon find out that, through a few simple experiments, kids can make scientific discoveries, too.

As evening progresses into nighttime, the moon looks down on a variety of nocturnal scenes, including a child getting ready for bed.

While a farm family bustles about, preparing for the arrival of Christmas, they do not notice the great anticipation spreading among the animals, who know that something very special is on its way.

At the end of the day a little boy falls asleep as his mama reads about a bear hibernating. Full color.

An easy-to-read book about a globe-trotting cat that crosses paths with a vacationing family in the great cities of Europe. Includes facts about the cities.

A companion to Thank You, Mama, Kate Banks and Gabi Swiatkowska''s Please, Papa is perfect for a quick and playful lesson in manners. Alice was making a farm in the middle of her bedroom. She asked Mama for a pig and chickens for her farm, but when Mama didn''t have a horse, Alice turned to her papa. "Please, Papa," said Alice. "Okay," said Papa, who, since Alice asked so nicely, put her on his back and trotted around like a horse himself. A playful story where, with the use of a single polite word, lines between the real and the imaginary become blurred as toy animals come to life.

A boy searches for an elephant that remains elusive to him but is visible to readers as they examine the art. What to do on a dull gray day? Head into the wilds and look for an elephant. You will need a pair of binoculars, a blanket, a flute, some food, a little imagination, and a lot of curiosity. Look and listen closely, because elephants can be anywhere. And watch out, because if you''re not careful, the elephant may find you first! With pleasing prose and "now you see it, now you don''t" artwork, Kate Banks and Boris Kulikov''s How to Find an Elephant takes readers on a spirited romp that will both challenge and delight.

When a father and child go fishing together, each does certain things his own way, and both have a wonderful day.

Max and his brothers drive to Shapeville and Count Town searching for problems, and are able to use their skills in arithmetic and sleuthing to help get things ready for a rocket launch.

A storm is coming — a big one. How does a young urban boy prepare? A lovely allegorical story about ecology and caring inspired by the ancient tale of stewardship. While his family readies his townhouse for an approaching storm, boarding up windows and laying in groceries, Noah heads to the back garden, where beetles are burrowing deeper into the bark and mice are stuffing their hole with moss. Quickly and efficiently, Noah sets to work building an ark for them and other backyard creatures — salamanders and toads, snakes and spiders, even brightly colored hummingbirds. Setting out fistfuls of nuts and leaves, berries and seeds, the boy props a flashlight inside and arranges some miniature furniture for the animals to sit or sleep on. “Come,” Noah whispers to his friends just as his mother calls him inside and the dark storm roars in. From an award-winning author and a Caldecott Honoree comes a quietly inspiring story about how taking action on behalf of our fellow earth travelers can help us face fearsome events.

This deeply emotional read-aloud about a lost wolf pup who is raised by a loving polar bear is sure to resonate with families – particularly non-traditional ones. You are not my mother, said the wolf pup. I am not your mother, said the polar bear, but I can cuddle you and keep you safe. Here is a picture book that celebrates differences and promotes kindness , sure to resonate with the many fans of the beloved classic, Mama Do You Love Me? During the ice melt that follows an Arctic winter, a wolf cub finds himself spinning out to sea on a sheet of ice. He awakes lost and alone to an unfamiliar smell: a polar bear. And while the polar bear is not the wolf''s mother, she takes him on her back to her den, where she feeds him, keeps him warm, and does everything a mother would do. Time passes, the cub grows into a wolf, and soon it''s time for him to venture out into the wide world alone. Years later, the now grown wolf comes upon a tiny lost polar bear cub--and the cycle begins again. With poetic prose this beautiful picture book about the love and kindness of a stranger is sure to touch a deep chord, particularly with parents and children who have found each other in unexpected ways.

An ingenious sequel to Max''s Words and Max''s Dragons, Max''s Castle shows readers just how much fun wordplay can be in this winning collaboration between author Kate Banks and illustrator Boris Kulikov. When Max finds a pile of forgotten toys under the bed, his brothers Benjamin and Karl wonder what''s so special about some old blocks. So Max shows them. With some clever twists of both blocks and imagination, he constructs not only a castle but an entire adventure, complete with pirates and knights, a dark dungeon and a dragon.

"As the sun begins to set on the savanna, 10 little lions explore the darkening beauty of the landscape as they make their way home for bedtime"--

Forest animals help an injured nightingale survive the winter in a comforting story of friendship and resilience, lyrically told and gorgeously illustrated. As the days grow shorter and the air becomes colder, the spring birds fly south for winter—all except for a nightingale with a broken wing. Unable to fly, the nightingale worries about how to prepare for weather it’s never had to experience before. Luckily, the forest animals who are used to frosty conditions help the nightingale navigate the cold as its wing heals. Though the unfamiliar season proves challenging, and even a little scary at times, the nightingale discovers there’s beauty to be found in even the harshest weather—and with that comes newfound gratitude for the return of spring. Kate Banks weaves a story of perseverance and kindness, brought beautifully to life by Suzie Mason’s stunning artwork.