Amos McGee, an elderly zookeeper, adheres to a daily routine that involves eating porridge for breakfast, catching the 6 a.m. bus for work and always making time to visit his animal friends. When Amos fails to arrive at the zoo one morning, the animals are concerned and travel to his home. They discover Amos sick with the sniffles and return the same kindness to him that he has shown to them.
This caring but humourous tale of friendship and dedication based on the 2011 Caldecott Medal winner is strengthened through its illustrations, soothing music and soft-spoken narration. It provides opportunities for classroom discussions about the reciprocal nature of friendship.

This video contains two stories written and illustrated by Anthony Browne. In Little Beauty, a kitten and gorilla form an usual friendship reminiscent of the classic tale, Beauty and the Beast. This title would support student discussion of feelings including loneliness, anger and frustration. In addition, forms of nonverbal communication could be explored through the gorilla's use of sign language to communicate. In Silly Billy, a young boy frets about everything, especially when he is trying to sleep, until his grandmother provides him with Guatemalan worry dolls that will do the worrying for him. This title provides strategies for calming fears. The inclusion of a segment on the tradition of the worry doll provides insight into another culture. This video would be an ideal resource for an author study or for units on families, friendship or feelings.

This picture book on video of The Great Race by Kevin O'Malley is an updated version of the Tortoise and the Hare. Tired of listening to Lever Lapin boasting about being the fastest runner in the world, Nate Tortoise mumbles that he "could probably beat" the conceited hare in a race. No sooner are the words out of Nate's mouth, than the great hare himself accepts the challenge. On the day of the race, the crowd is solidly behind Lever who stops to give autographs, kiss the ladies and generally show off while Nate plugs away toward the finish line. This comic tongue-in-cheek retelling of Aesop's fable finishes with the time-honored moral presented as a clever pun: Better Nate Than Lever!" A conversation with the author/illustrator is also included.

Two matched stories depicting the fears and frustrations of childhood are included in this resource. In Pig Pig Returns, Pig Pig is reluctant to go on a road trip with his aunt and uncle, fearing that his mother and pet cat will forget him in his absence. In Little Pig Joins the Band, Little Pig's brothers and sisters get out their grandfather's marching band instruments, but there is nothing small enough for Little Pig to play. However, he learns that he isn't too small to be the band's leader.