"The sky in Montana somehow seems bigger, bluer, and more spectacular than in any other state." Author Sneed B. Collard, III writes, "It's simply because our sky stretches over such an abundance of beauty." In B is for Big Sky Country readers will find out where the Going-to-the-Sun Road really takes you and what city the copper capitol dome calls home.
In The Nutcracker's Night Before Christmas preparations for a doomed stage production of the classic ballet goes from terribly bad to ridiculously worse. Sick stagehands, renegade cats, and crashing Christmas trees have everyone sure that the show won't go on. But it's Christmas Eve and help is on the way! Told in verse with wonderful whimsical illustrations, this story hits all the right notes for holiday reading.
From earliest times, the concept of "play" has been part of the human experience. And while some pastimes have gone in and out of favor over the years, some never change or lack for enthusiasts. Using poetry and prose, Judy Young relives many of the familiar games of childhood and invites young readers to join along as she plays Kick the Can, Monkey in the Middle, and Double Dutch jump rope. "The rope starts to turn and I jump with my feet As I sing out a song with the same rhythmic beat, Turn around, touch the ground, first jump slowly, then fast; How many more jumps do you think I will last?" Colorful artwork reinforces the underlying message of the importance of physical play in today's techno-driven world. In Lazy Days of Summer even "older" children will recall the welcome tang of lemonade after a rugged game of tag.
Who lit the first jack-o'-lantern? What creature of the night must return to his grave by dawn? And why do we holler "Trick or treat"? J is for Jack-O'-Lantern: A Halloween Alphabet invites you to come along on this A-Z adventure and celebration of all things that "go bump in the night." Poetry and prose combine to entertain and educate. H is for Haunted House A haunted house; you better beware. Only enter if you dare. Monsters lurking, looking mean-- Just can't wait to make you scream! Classic autumn games, jokes, and recipes (including gooey deviled egg eyeballs!) help round out the Halloween festivities.
Continuing the great Discover American State By State series is P is for Potato: An Idaho Alphabet. That's right, Idaho! Sleeping Bear Press explores the lush land and rich history of a state so often overlooked. Kids of all ages will love the A to Z rhymes boasting about all the riches found within Idaho's borders - from the Appaloosa steed to the zinc mines to Mount Borah, to, you knew we couldn't forget it, the potato. Every page expands on the rhyme and introduces the readers to more interesting facts, places and people that have helped make Idaho the unique treasure it is. Lyrically written by Idaho's own husband and wife team, Stan and Joy Steiner, P is for Potato excels through the love and knowledge of their home state. The text comes dancing to brilliant life behind the talented strokes of illustrator - and Idaho native -- Jocelyn Slack's brush. P is for Potato: An Idaho Alphabet is as unique as Idaho itself. It's rare to find a children's book on our 43rd state, but it's a great discovery to when you can offer one this well done.
Arbor Day, Boys Town, and Kool-Aid are just a few of the marks the Great Plains state of Nebraska has made on American culture. From the state's eastern border along the Missouri River, where Lewis and Clark embarked on the Corps of Discovery expedition, to the towering geologic landmarks of the west, chronicled in pioneers' journals, there are treasures to explore on each page of C is for Cornhusker: A Nebraska Alphabet.Rajean Luebs Shepherd was raised in Michigan and has a degree in elementary education from Central Michigan University. After graduating, she traveled the world for ten years with the international performing group Up With People. A substitute teacher, Rajean enjoys sharing her favorite children's books with her students. She lives with her family in North Platte, Nebraska. With over twenty years in commercial illustration, Sandy Appleoff's work has appeared in a range of venues from corporate advertising, to magazines to children's books to large-scale installation murals. She has taught at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Colorado Mountain College in Aspen. Currently she is teaching and working on an MFA in stage and costume design at the University of Kansas. Sandy lives on a farm in Falls City, Nebraska.
Boris is a musician, playing the songs he learned growing up in Russia. Stella is a baker, baking cakes and pastries like her father used to back in Italy. Boris and Stella live in the city and are best friends. They like movies, hats, and each other. At holiday time, Stella wants to give Boris the perfect present for Hanukkah. She wants him to know how special he is. Boris wants to give Stella the perfect present for Christmas: she means so much to him. But perfect presents cost money and their bank savings contain very little. To make their dreams of perfect presents come true, Boris and Stella each sacrifice something very special. In a nod to O. Henrys The Gift of the Magi comes this tender story celebrating traditions, friendships, and gifts from the heart.
New Mexico rightly earns its nickname "Land of Enchantment" with natural treasures such as the White Sands National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns, and the Gila National Forest. But more than a beautiful landscape, New Mexico is steeped in the mystique, history, and tradition of multiple cultures, including the ancient Aztec and early Spanish explorers. From pueblo villages and stately missions to the nuclear energy research at Los Alamos, E is for Enchantment showcases the past, present, and future of New Mexico. Helen Foster James has been an educator for more than twenty years, and is now a lecturer at San Diego State University. She received her doctorate from Northern Arizona University. One of her goals is to travel to all fifty states, and she's already visited more than half. She lives in San Diego, California, with big stacks of children's books and her husband Bob. Neecy Twinem is an award-winning children's book author and illustrator of more than seventeen published books. She earned a fine arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute, and has exhibited her artwork in the United States and Europe. After a family trip to northern New Mexico, Neecy fell in love with the Southwest and now makes her home in the natural surroundings of the Sandia Mountains area.
Night 1 / My life is perfect. / I have a bowl full of seeds, a cozy pile of wood shavings, and room to run. / I'm never leaving here. / Question: Who's the luckiest hamster in the world? / Answer: ME! Seymour the hamster has the perfect life. He has a spacious cage, a constant food supply, and a FuzzyBoy 360 exercise wheel that lets him run to his heart's content. Life could not be better. Or could it? When Pearl the cat tells Seymour of the goodies beyond the safe confines of his cage, he starts to think he's missing out. And out is the new in! It's only after Seymour is out of his cage that he begins to fully appreciate his safe and cozy home.
The Christmas story and the origin of many holiday traditions are thoroughly detailed in the text of S is for Star: A Christmas Alphabet. The first Christmas cards were printed and sold in the United States by a German immigrant in 1874. Long ago, eating pie was believed to bring good luck, and during the holidays they were baked in an oblong shape to look like a manger. The message of Christmas is a message to all the world and is beautifully conveyed and illustrated in S is for Star. Our tradition of gift-giving is based on the Wise Men's visit to Baby Jesus. Nearly every country has its own gift-giving traditions. In Great Britain, children eagerly await Father Christmas. In France, he is called Pere Nol. In Italy, Befana brings presents, and German and Austrian children wait for a visit from the Christkindl. Celebrate these and many other traditions of the holiday season with S is for Star: A Christmas Alphabet.
Meet Digger and Daisy! They are brother and sister. These dogs like to explore their world and see new things. Sometimes they agree with each other. Sometimes they disagree. But no matter the situation, one thing always stays the same--their love for each other. In playful, simple stories written especially for the K-1 audience, author Judy Young explores the dynamics and nuances of the sibling relationship. In Digger and Daisy Star in a Play, after being cast in a theatrical production, the siblings take different approaches in preparing for the stage. Digger is worried he will forget his lines, while Daisy is confident she doesn't need to rehearse.
From the artist of the best-selling Grandma Loves You picture book comes the classic nursery rhyme in board book form. Toddlers will enjoy following along as Grandma lends a helping hand when the spider needs it most. Includes count-the-insects activity page.
Buster is a sweet little garbage truck. He can't wait to grow up to be a big truck, just like his father. Buster practices driving and lifting and beeping with his friend, Kitty. There's one small problem. Loud noises frighten Buster. When his father takes him to the truck yard to meet the other vehicles, their air-horn blasts and roaring engines send Buster skidding away to hide. He wants to be big and brave, but how can he work with Daddy and his friends when their loud sounds scare him? Buster feels terrible. When Kitty gets into trouble, little Buster musters up his courage to save her.
From the artist of the best-selling Grandma Loves You picture book comes the classic nursery rhyme in board book form. Toddlers will enjoy following along as Grandma MacDonald and her barnyard critters look for chick-chicks. Includes animal sounds activity page.
One spring evening an old bear finds a young bird, still learning to fly, has fallen to the ground. When the bear lifts the bird to safety, a friendship begins. Bear and Bird soon become constant companions, spending their days together, searching out berries and watching out for one another. They are only separated during the winter months when Bear hibernates and Bird flies south. As the years pass, their friendship grows stronger. Then one spring day, when Bird returns from his winter trip, Bear is not there to greet him. Days and then weeks pass and still no Bear. When Bird finally learns why his dear friend is absent, memories of their time together bring comfort and acceptance. In this tale of an unlikely but loving friendship, the cycle of life, including its joys and its sorrows, is gently explored.
In the mold of our very popular series of state alphabet books, we offer "Z is for Zamboni" to hockey fans young and old across North America. Matt Napier's "breakaway" rhymes and "hard-checking" expository text team up with the "top-shelf" illustrations of Melanie Rose to elucidate this increasingly popular game for every beginning hockey aficionado. Highlighting rules, players, coaches, teams, and the history of the game, it is both fun and educational.
The sounds of autumn include the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot and the thump of the kickoff starting the first home football game. Sleeping Bear Press is proud to continue our bestselling sports series with T is for Touchdown: A Football Alphabet.
Author Brad Herzog brings his well-received prose and soccer knowledge together with Melanie Rose's charming and realistic illustrations to detail every facet of the game. Each letter has a simple rhyme for young readers: "J is for the Jerseys that soccer players wear. But often in the World Cup, opponents tend to share. In a gesture of respect after a game ends, They simply swap their jerseys as if they are old friends." For older readers the expository text gives specific details about goal tending, referees, the World Cup, and many other aspects.
Miss Hawthorn's room is neat and tidy, not a pencil or paintbrush is out of place. And that's how she likes it. And she likes trees that are colored green and apples that are painted red. Miss Hawthorn does not like things to be different or out of the ordinary. Into Miss Hawthorn's classroom comes young Willow. She doesn't color inside the lines, she breaks crayons, and she sees pink trees and blue apples. What will Miss Hawthorn think? Magical things can happen when your imagination is allowed to run wild, and for Miss Hawthorn the notion of what is art and what is possible is forever changed.
Meet Digger and Daisy! They are brother and sister. These dogs like to explore their world and see new things. Sometimes they agree with each other. Sometimes they disagree. But no matter the situation, one thing always stays the same; their steadfast love and concern for each other. In playful, simple stories written especially for the K-1 audience, author Judy Young explores the dynamics and nuances of the sibling relationship. In Digger and Daisy Go to the Zoo Digger tries to imitate the various animals they see while Daisy tries to tell him what he can and cannot do.
Ozzie loves to draw. Ozzie loves drawing and being an artist more than anythingeven more than skateboarding! So when his teacher, Miss Cattywhompus, announces an art contest, Ozzie cant wait to get started. He works really hard on his picture of a goat. He knows it will win first place. There is only one problem. Miss Cattywhompus didn't ask the class to draw pictures of goats; the contest instructions say "Draw a Boat." Ozzie's picture doesn't win first place. And even though it does win honorable mention, he is devastated. How could he not win? He worked so hard. With a little help from Miss Cattywhompus, Ozzie comes to see that he, with his love of art, has won something far more important than a contest.
Argh!! Things are looking--and smelling!!--a little fishy at Seabreezy Library. When the big X on Pirate Pete's treasure map leads him and his parrot-sidekick Igor to believe buried treasure is hidden at the library, the patrons are quaking in their shoes. But never fear! Library Lou, Seabreezy's librarian-extraordinaire, is as cool as a cucumber and knows how to handle an irate pirate or two. She knows exactly where the treasure is buried. But first she needs to help Pirate Pete and Igor get a handle on their hygiene, brush up on library etiquette, and then tackle learning their letters. And that will lead them to the treasure that can always be found at the library.
Poor Delia, nothing ever happens to her. Her life is so dull, dull, dull. But perhaps if Delia decided to look up or turn around, she'd see... the elephants marching through her house... the pirate sitting behind her on the school bus... or even the submarine that rises to the surface right after she leaves the pool! If Delia ever paid attention, she'd realize her life is quite exciting after all!
Mr. Larch is not a very neighborly neighbor. He never has any visitors. His gray, gloomy house never has any decorations. He avoids everyone and everyone avoids him. But now Mr. Larch has a new neighbor. Willow and her family have moved into the bright yellow house directly across the street. Willow loves her new house and neighborhood. She loves the summer and planting her garden. She loves the fall and sharing vegetables with her neighbors. And when winter arrives, she loves that, too. She can't wait for the first snowfall because she has found the perfect hill for sledding. And it's right behind Mr. Larch's house. Can Willow melt his cold heart in time to enjoy a Snow Day?
Day One I swam around my bowl. Day Two I swam around my bowl. Twice. And so it goes in this tell-all tale from a goldfish. With his bowl to himself and his simple routine, Goldfish loves his life..until one day... When assorted intruders including a hyperactive bubbler, a grime-eating snail, a pair of amorous guppies, and a really crabby crab invade his personal space and bowl, Goldfish is put out, to say the least. He wants none of it, preferring his former peace and quiet and solitude. But time away from his new companions gives him a chance to rethink the pros and cons of a solitary life. And discover what he's been missing.
