Sarah Jane Hartwell and her class are back. After the stress of her last attempt at taking her class on a field trip (seen in First Year Letters), Mrs. Hartwell has a plan for an upcoming trip to the zoo—a plan that includes a lot of rules. Her students prove that they can line up straight, walk quietly, and take plenty of notes, but everyone soon realizes that this field trip isn’t as much fun as they’d hoped. Mrs. Hartwell rethinks her plan and saves the day.
Elephants never forget. During a drought in Tanzania, Grandma Elephant is in search of water for her herd. Little Calf follows along and mimics her grandmother at each stop on their journey. When Grandma leads them to a watering hole she recalls from before, the elephants are overjoyed and Little Calf splashes about with her tender leader. Grandma's persistence and powerful memory is something Little Calf will never forget. Based on true events. Sandra Markle’s acclaimed nonfiction writing takes on a more lyrical style alongside Fabricio VandenBroeck’s gorgeous illustrations making this story of animal behavior accessible for younger readers. Back matter includes further information about the phenomenon of a herd of elephants that survived a drought, as well as fascinating elephant facts.
Meet young Melvin (the future Mel Blanc of Looney Tunes fame) as he drives everyone a little nuts with the noisy soundtrack to his day-to-day life. Melvin is an imaginative and noisy little boy who grows up to be Mel Blanc, Looney Tunes cartoon character pioneer and the voice behind Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Woody Woodpecker, the Tasmanian Devil, and so many more familiar personalities. Readers are treated to a typical day for young Melvin, when ordinary tasks like getting ready for school, riding the bus, and completing his chores are charged with sound effects and accompanied by his own personal soundtrack. His knack for making funny noises and using the versatility of his voice was like no other - much to the relief of his teachers. Penned by Blanc's daughter-in-law, this first-person fiction-based-in-reality story is a fun romp and is sure to inspire young readers to turn trouble into triumph!
Once upon a time there was a boy who presented a well-thought out proposal for his teacher, Ms. Johnson, convincing her that bringing a pterodactyl to school would be a good idea. The boy is back, and this time he has several reasons why bringing a woolly mammoth to the library would be advantageous to the librarian, Ms. Reeder, and the library’s patrons.
Dragon lovers will jump at the chance to see what raising a friendly dragon just might look like in this hilarious read aloud about a boy and his pet. While dragons may not be the most traditional of pets, the boy explains how his dragon, Sparky, would be the perfect pet and pal. He details tips for how to pick a dragon, what to do when your dragon misbehaves, and what NOT to feed them (broccoli). Clever and wry text paired with bright and comedic illustrations will make Me and My Dragon a storytime favorite for kids and adults alike.
A missing cub, a carnival, and a gang of cat burglars…hold on to your hats! Best-selling author David Biedrzycki brings back the hilarious bears from Breaking News: Bear Alert, but now they have sleepy bear cub in tow. When the cub goes missing Mama and Papa Bear go on the hunt. Their search takes them to the town carnival where the whole family rides the Ferris wheel, rocks the rollercoaster, and inadvertently foils another dastardly plot by the persistent cat burglars from Bear Alert. Covering the story is intrepid — but bumbling — reporter Chad Newsworthy and the rest of the crew at Channel 3 News.
Bears in space! The bears from Breaking News: Bear Alert and Bears to the Rescue are back, and this time they're extraterrestrial. When a UFO beams up Baby Bear and abducts the family, the human world goes crazy. Hilarity and chaos ensue as scouts, scientists, street vendors, and the mayor try to put their own spin on the story. Intrepid but bumbling reporter Chad Newsworthy covers it all, searching for the truth: Why did aliens snatch up these animals? (Hint: It's someone special's birthday!)
Will a young boy convince the mayor of New York City to let him bring his friend—a saber-toothed cat—to the Big Apple? An imaginative narrative brings readers to iconic New York landmarks, as Saber shows Ms. Mayor just how helpful a feline friend can be. A humorous follow-up to Can I Bring Woolly to the Library, Ms. Reeder? and Can I Bring My Pterodactyl to School, Ms. Johnson?
Devon visits the Metal Man at his fiery workshop every day, despite the scorching heat of the city where he lives. At the Metal Man's shop, sparks fly from his welding torch as he cuts and melts together old pieces of junk into works of art. Devon is fascinated by the Metal Man's creations. Then one day, the Metal Man lets Devon put his own imagination to work. Aaron Reynolds's urban voice and the gritty illustrations of Paul Hoppe bring an exciting beat and pulse to the story of a young boy discovering his own voice and vision in art with a kind mentor to lead the way.
A hardworking cat, an ingénue dog, and a collection of familiar and unfamiliar Mother Goose rhymes combine in this charming Valentine picture book. Our romantic leads meet, court, propose, and wed, then honeymoon to London to visit the Queen. Careful readers will notice the little mouse (sometimes obvious, sometimes hiding) in every illustration.
Brave and smart and big at heart. Kylie Bell may be the smallest one in her first-grade class, but when it comes to standing up to mean ol' bully-boy Rusty Jacks, her courage is monumental. Life isn't easy when you can't reach the water fountain, but Kylie Bell's big heart and good manners prove that sometimes it takes the most courage to do what's right. Frank Dormer's playful art extends the funny animal metaphors and appeals to both girls and boys. This book is good for your brain because: Building character, Problem solving, Bullying
Everyone knows that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach just before diving into a new situation. Sarah Jane Hartwell is scared and doesn't want to start over at a new school. She doesn't know anybody, and nobody knows her. It will be awful. She just knows it. With much prodding from Mr. Hartwell, Sarah Jane reluctantly pulls herself together and goes to school. She is quickly befriended by Mrs. Burton, who helps smooth her jittery transition. This charming and familiar story will delight readers with its surprise ending. Fun, energetic illustrations brighten page after page with the busy antics surrounding Sarah Jane. First Day Jitters is an enchanting story that is sure to be treasured by anyone who has every anticipated a first day of school.
It's the last week of school, and Mrs. Hartwell's class is excited to leave for summer vacation. The only problem is that the kids don't want their teacher to miss them while they're gone. Once again Julie Danneberg and Judy Love bring to life the crazy antics of Mrs. Hartwell and her class and show that teachers and students are more alike than different.
A question scritches and scratches at the back of Emma's throat. Emma is a curious kid. She loves to ask questions - and she loves the silly answers that her grandmother always gives. But now Emma has a very important question, one that she is bursting to ask, one that scritches and scratches at the back of her throat. Her grandmother is sick and has to stay in the hospital. Emma wonders if Grandma will still be able to read to her kindergarten; if she will still make up funny stories over bagels on Wednesdays; if she will still be able to watch her after school. But mostly Emma wonders if Grandma is going to die. Emma's Question helps families to answer the question that all kids face at one time or another. Geared toward young children, the story uses gentle humor and simple explanations to describe what is happening to Grandma in the hospital. Funny, sweet illustrations show the depth and closeness of Emma and Grandma's relationship. Dealing With Loss, Family, Intergenerational
Everyone knows that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach just before diving into a new situation. Sarah Jane Hartwell is scared and doesn't want to start over at a new school. She doesn't know anybody, and nobody knows her. It will be awful. She just knows it. With much prodding from Mr. Hartwell, Sarah Jane reluctantly pulls herself together and goes to school. She is quickly befriended by Mrs. Burton, who helps smooth her jittery transition. This charming and familiar story will delight readers with its surprise ending. Fun, energetic illustrations brighten page after page with the busy antics surrounding Sarah Jane. First Day Jitters is an enchanting story that is sure to be treasured by anyone who has every anticipated a first day of school.
Children follow the adventures of two witches with very different personalities, one kind and one mischievous, as they learn the golden rule.
The greedy Leprechaun King has locked away all the luck in Ireland and the whole country has fallen in to despair. Through clever charades, Fiona outwits the Leprechaun King and restores luck to the land. Luminous illustrations add to the magic and wonder of this original folktale.
It's easy to appreciate a garden exploding with colorful flowers and fragrances, but what do you do with a patch of ugly vegetables? Author/illustrator Grace Lin recalls such a garden in this charming and eloquent story. The neighbors' gardens look so much prettier and so much more inviting to the young gardener than the garden of "black-purple-green vines, fuzzy wrinkled leaves, prickly stems, and a few little yellow flowers" that she and her mother grow. Nevertheless, mother assures her that "these are better than flowers." Come harvest time, everyone agrees as those ugly Chinese vegetables become the tastiest, most aromatic soup they have ever known. As the neighborhood comes together to share flowers and ugly vegetable soup, the young gardener learns that regardless of appearances, everything has its own beauty and purpose.
Sam is a super brother. He can run. He can leap. He can climb tall cliffs! But when his baby brother gets hurt, Super Sam must try his hardest to save the day. This simple, charming story and its bold, energetic illustrations are just right for lap sharing and story hour.
Petey wants to make something wonderful, but he can't help making a mess along the way. It's a good thing his big brother Sam is always there to fix his mistakes.
Strap on your safety harness, because this tall tale is the wildest ride in the lower 48! Readers will experience the adventure of a lifetime as they follow Rose from Sitka Sound to Nome to the Northern Lights over the peaks of Denali.
Piggies plot a peculiar path. Two little piggies run amok on the farm, as they travel from the pumpkin patch, through the garden, into the black bull's pen, and back to mama pig in time for a nap. The piggies' antics introduce young readers to prepositions of direction. Alliteration, assonance, and rhyme in each of the three stanzas make for a great read-aloud. Young and old alike will laugh out loud at the antics of these mischievous, fun-loving piggies. This book is good for your brain because: Strong picture/text support, Vocabulary development, Directional words, Mapping skills, Figurative language, Life Science, Organisms and their environments
The kids at school want to know why Becca is wearing glasses and a patch. Instead of telling them she has amblyopia, Becca leads her friends imaginative adventures to explain her new fashion accessory. Mitch Vane's illustrations capture the spunky exuberance of this resourceful heroine.
It's time to color outside the lines. Max's teacher wants the class to color-in pictures for Mother's Day presents, but Max knows that his mother would not want a dumb flower picture drawn by someone else. Determined to express his creativity, Max runs off to draw his own picture. Max's drawing not only inspires the rest of the class to create their own original artwork but also enlightens the teacher. This book is good for your brain because: Early Childhood Literacy, Self-Expression
Amiqqaq is excited when his family catches a bowhead whale. As his family prepares to celebrate the traditional Iñupiaq whaling feast, Amiqqaq learns about the spirit-of-the-whale.
