Is there anything better than a twist ending?<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve all had that moment where the last seconds of a movie takes us completely by surprise (The Sixth Sense<\/em>, I\u2019m looking at you!) or a book where at the last possible moment, the person you thought was good turns out to be the villain, or vice versa.<\/p>\n And picture books don\u2019t want to be left out of the fun either!<\/p>\n We\u2019ve collected some of our favorite books with twist endings to surprise and delight both you and your children.<\/p>\n no no 9780307010858 The Monster at the End of this Book<\/i> by Jon Stone, illustrated by Michael Smollin <\/p>\n In this Sesame Street<\/i> Big Golden Book, wide-eyed Grover is oh-so-desperate for the reader to stop<\/i> turning the pages \u2014 there\u2019s a monster at the end of this book, and Grover has no intention of meeting him! Anticipation (and giggles) build up as you get closer and closer to the end, which sweetly reveals that Grover had nothing to fear all along. <\/p>\n 9780525555445 100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli <\/i> by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Lian Cho <\/p>\n One hundred dragons live on a mountaintop until a strong wind blows half of them away. Others leave to become movie stars, get turned into different creatures, or go on vacation. Some dragons return, and more leave until there are no dragons left in sight. An unexpected surprise fills the mountaintop with mighty dragons once more. <\/p>\n 9780803731929 I\u2019m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean!<\/i> by Kevin Sherry <\/p>\n Readers of all ages adore the giant squid in this story as he compares himself to the other ocean animals and proudly declares himself the biggest. Of course, something larger comes along, and the surprise encounter leaves the squid (and the reader) stunned. But one little surprise isn\u2019t enough to crush this squid\u2019s spirits! Bold, colorful artwork and plenty of humor make this picture book a must-read! <\/p>\n 9781524740115 Snack Attack!<\/i> by Terry Border <\/p>\n Cookie, Pretzel, and Cheese Doodle embark on a fun-filled adventure in the kitchen, which quickly spirals into a mission to escape snack time with a hungry Monster Kid. The snacks are determined to leave no crumb behind, but that\u2019s easier than it looks. Children will be totally amused by the role they\u2019re cast in this comical story.<\/p>\n 9781524738808 Eat Pete<\/i> by Michael Rex <\/p>\n Pete needs someone to play with. So when a monster arrives, Pete is over the moon. He can\u2019t wait to play cars and pirates. Then we discover the monster isn\u2019t actually there to play. He\u2019s there to EAT PETE! But will he?<\/p>\n 9780593377499 Real to Me <\/i> by Minh L\u00ea, illustrated by Raissa Figueroa <\/p>\n Young readers with make-believe friends will adore this ode to imagination and growing up. A little girl is devastated when her imaginary friend disappears without warning. Thankfully, a heartwarming surprise awaits readers at the end of the book.<\/p>\n 9781536212099 Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise<\/i> by David Ezra Stein <\/p>\n In the sequel to the beloved Interrupting Chicken<\/i>, little red chicken is studying the element of surprise in stories \u2014 only she mishears her papa\u2019s phrase as the \u201celephant of surprise.\u201d While they read classic stories together so Papa can prove there\u2019s no such thing, a whole herd of elephantine surprises comes knocking. <\/p>\n 9780763655983 I Want My Hat Back<\/i> by Jon Klassen <\/p>\n The bear\u2019s hat is gone. He\u2019s determined to get it back, visiting each animal and asking if they\u2019ve seen his missing hat. Just when all hope is lost, a deer wanders by and asks a question that reminds the bear of where his hat might have gone. The ending of this bestseller isn\u2019t at all what you\u2019d expect. <\/p>\n 9780763662295 Sam and Dave Dig a Hole <\/i> by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen <\/p>\n One of the most dynamic duos in children\u2019s literature put their talents together to create this funny and endearing picture book about the age-old pastime of digging holes in the backyard. Sam and Dave believe they\u2019ll find something extraordinary, but all their digging turns up nothing more than a hole in the ground \u2014 or does it?<\/p>\n 9780375858604 The Bear Ate Your Sandwich<\/i> by Julia Sarcone-Roach <\/p>\n This book became an instant favorite when it was published. The narrator wants to make sure you understand what happened to your missing sandwich. You see, there was this bear. He got lost. He found your sandwich. And then … well, you know what happened next. Or do you? (If you can’t get enough of silly stories about hungry bears, check out Sarcone-Roach’s other books, There Are No Bears in This Bakery<\/a><\/i> and The Ice Cream Vanishes<\/a><\/i>.)<\/p>\n 9780593111123 I\u2019m Getting a Shark! <\/i> by Brady Smith <\/p>\n An energetic little girl can\u2019t wait for her birthday because she already knows what her present will be \u2014 a shark! She daydreams about various shark species and speculates which one will become her pet. When the big day comes, she gets an enormous surprise! <\/p>\n 9780399538520 Life on Mars<\/i> by Jon Agee <\/p>\n Jon Agee\u2019s Life on Mars<\/i> is entertaining from start to finish. With cupcakes in tow, a young astronaut is searching for life on Mars, but he finds only a lone flower. Unbeknownst to the astronaut, a Martian\u2019s been following him around the whole time! Readers will love being in on the secret \u2014 until they, too, get a surprise at the end. <\/p>\n 9780553111729 Baghead<\/i> by Jarrett J. Krosoczka <\/p>\n From the author of the beloved Lunch Lady<\/i> graphic novels<\/a> comes a tale that is equally uproarious. Josh decides to wear a paper bag over his head to school. His mother, his bus driver, and even his soccer coach disapprove. They can\u2019t figure out WHY Josh would be hiding his head. You\u2019ll have to read it to find out.<\/p>\n 9780525428879 Robo-Sauce<\/i> by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri <\/p>\n From the creators of Dragons Love Tacos<\/i><\/a> and High Five<\/i><\/a> comes a wildly inventive picture book about the wonder of robots. A total joy of a read-aloud, Robo-Sauce<\/i> is stuffed with Rubin and Salmieri\u2019s irreverent humor and silliness, and the ingenious fold-out ending is like nothing you\u2019ve ever seen. <\/p>\n 9780399168987 Finders Keepers<\/i> by Keiko Kasza <\/p>\n