New For The Kiddies

Despite her name, Clover has always felt decidedly unlucky. So when she stumbles upon a mysterious cottage in the Woods, she can hardly believe her good fortune. It's the Magical Animal Adoption Agency, and it houses creatures of all kinds. Fairy horses, unicorns, and a fiery young dragon are just the beginning!

Mr. Jams, the Agency's owner, agrees to hire her as summer helper and Clover hopes her luck has finally changed. But when she's left alone to care for the Agency, a sneaky witch comes after the magical creatures! Will Clover outsmart her in time to protect the animals?

The first installment in a new illustrated chapter book series by Kallie George, featuring enchanting illustrations by Alexandra Boiger, will charm young readers as Clover learns that courage and heart can be even more powerful than good luck.

 

 

Chris Richards has always looked up to Jax, his older brother and his parents' "golden child." Lately, though, Jax has been full of surprises. First he dropped out of law school; then he started hanging out with some shifty-looking friends. 

 

One day Jax asks Chris to recruit his best middle school teammates for a pick-up basketball game in the park. Chris doesn't think much of it until the wrong team wins and Jax goes ballistic. It turns out that Jax bet on the game, hoping to earn enough money to repay a debt to someone who doesn't forgive easily. 

 

While Chris tries to walk a thin tightrope between helping his brother and staying out of trouble, his friend Theo does some behind-the-scenes detective work to learn what Jax has been up to. The day Chris is roped into a police investigation is the day he realizes he made the wrong play.

A blue crayon mistakenly labeled as "red" suffers an identity crisis in the new picture book by the New York Times-bestselling creator of My Heart Is Like a Zoo and It's an Orange Aardvark.  Funny, insightful, and colorful, Red: A Crayon's Story, by Michael Hall, is about being true to your inner self and following your own path despite obstacles that may come your way. Red will appeal to fans of Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle, and The Day the Crayons Quit, and makes a great gift for readers of any age

Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let's draw strawberries ), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange ), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can't be red, no matter how hard he tries. Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He's blue.

This funny, heartwarming, colorful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone.

25 Anniversary Edition Deluxe!

A contemporary classic celebrates its 25th birthday.

Twenty-five years in the Big House and A.Wolf is still sticking to his story: he was framed! As for that huffing and puffing stuff? A big lie. A.Wolf was just trying to borrow a cup of sugar to make his poor old granny a birthday cake.

Who should you believe, the pigs or the wolf? You read. You decide.

A quarter-century after publication, with over two million copies sold, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs remains as funny as irreverent as the inventive minds of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. Viking is celebrating this landmark anniversary with a handsome gift edition, featuring a stunning new jacket with lots of silver. And there's a surprise inside as well!

 

Here's a play based on this book written by Jon Scieszka--you can be the star!

 

 

 

Roz Recommends:

Cat tries to read the story of Little Red Riding Hood aloud, but Dog keeps interrupting with silly questions. The zany, fun back-and-forth of Dog and Cat celebrates the joy of reading and questioning.

Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.
So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.
The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .
From the remarkable imaginations of bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare comes a heart-stopping, mind-blowing, pulse-pounding plunge into the magical unknown.

The author of Words in the Dust delivers a heartwarming novel about Michael Wilson, whose father was killed in Afghanistan nine years earlier. Mike receives the first in a series of letters written by his dad in Afghanistan (just in case he didn't come home) in order to share wisdom with his son on the eve of his 16th birthday.

Every Christmas in the small town of Pine River, a tree appears in the town square, but nobody knows where it comes from. This year, four kids Lucy, Joe, Max, and Cami are determined to solve the mystery and find out the true identity of the town's guardian angel.

Barbara Has Some Suggestions For Children's Book Week Reads

Introducing an extraordinary new voice--a magical debut that will make your skin tingle, your eyes glisten...and your heart sing.

Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.

But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere--shining above strangers, tucked into church eaves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears--but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster.

Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town...and her mother's broken heart.

Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick presents a gripping yet poignant novel about a 12-year-old boy and his dog who become trapped in New Orleans during the horrors of Hurricane Katrina.

Zane Dupree is a charismatic 12-year-old boy of mixed race visiting a relative in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits. Unexpectedly separated from all family, Zane and his dog experience the terror of Katrina's wind, rain, and horrific flooding. Facing death, they are rescued from an attic air vent by a kind, elderly musician and a scrappy young girl--both African American. The chaos that ensues as storm water drowns the city, shelter and food vanish, and police contribute to a dangerous, frightening atmosphere, creates a page-turning tale that completely engrosses the reader. Based on the facts of the worst hurricane disaster in U.S. history, Philbrick includes the lawlessness and lack of government support during the disaster as well as the generosity and courage of those who risked their lives and safety to help others. Here is an unforgettable novel of heroism in the face of truly challenging circumstances.

A moving new middle-grade novel from the Newbery Honor author of Rules.

When Lucy's family moves to an old house on a lake, Lucy tries to see her new home through her camera's lens, as her father has taught her--he's a famous photographer, away on a shoot. Will her photos ever meet his high standards? When she discovers that he's judging a photo contest, Lucy decides to enter anonymously. She wants to find out if her eye for photography is really special--or only good enough.

As she seeks out subjects for her photos, Lucy gets to know Nate, the boy next door. But slowly the camera reveals what Nate doesn't want to see: his grandmother's memory is slipping away, and with it much of what he cherishes about his summers on the lake. This summer, Nate will learn about the power of art to show truth. And Lucy will learn how beauty can change lives...including her own.

Geronimo is on the hunt in this special edition adventure.
Grandfather William was throwing me, Geronimo Stilton, a party -- it had been 10 years since I published my first book. He wanted me to write a new book especially for the occasion. Then my laptop was stolen right from under my snout. Cheese niblets, how terrible! Could my friends and I find my computer and print my book all in time for the party?

BONUS: After the story, read an extra Mini Mystery adventure: "The Lake Monster". When a mysterious monster is sighted in a lake on Mouse Island, Geronimo is called in to investigate But can he figure out this creature's secret? 

 

 

"All life is an experiment.
The more
experiments you make
the better."

Before Ralph Waldo Emerson was a great writer, he was a city boy who longed for the broad, open fields and deep, still woods of the country, and then a young man who treasured books, ideas, and people. When he grew up and set out in the world, he wondered: could he build a life around these things he loved?

This moving biography--presented with Barbara Kerley and Edwin Fotheringham's inimitable grace and style--illustrates the rewards of a life well-lived, one built around personal passions: creativity and community, nature and friendship.

May it inspire you to experiment and build the life you dream of living. 

Never be late for a parade.
Never forget the password.
Never ruin a perfect plan.

It's all about the rules. But what if the rules feel completely arbitrary? What if your older brother is the only one who gets to make them up all summer long? And what if he's the only one who can save you when the darkness of winter comes rushing in?

As usual, master artist and storyteller Shaun Tan shows us the strange truth of ordinary things--rules, relationships, despair, and hope--as only he can.

 

 

Mighty dads, strong and tall,
help their children, young and small.

They keep them safe and bolted tight
and show them how to build things right.
Inventively told through James Dean's colorful construction vehicle characters, Mighty Dads is an adoring dedication to hardworking fathers and the subtle ways they teach their boys and girls to follow in their tracks. The Dump Trucks learn to get dirty. Crane keeps his little one safe from harm. The busy Cement Mixer gives his daughter a hug. The Forklift cheers his son on.

A surprising and touching view of a father's love for his children, Mighty Dads is the perfect way to say: I'm proud of you.

Another Wonderful Book From Caldecott Honored Kadir Nelson

 

From Kadir Nelson, winner of the Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Author and Illustrator Awards, comes a transcendent picture book in the tradition of Margaret Wise Brown about a lost little bear searching for home.

This simple story works on so many levels: as the tale of a bear who finds his way home with the help of his animal friends; as a reassuring way to show children how to comfort themselves and find their way in everyday life; and on a more philosophical level, as a method of teaching readers that by listening to your heart and trusting yourself, you will always find a true home within yourself--and that even when it feels like you are alone, you never really are.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

Erin Recommends:

The fan-favorite chapter-book series sends Jack and Annie back to India over 400 years ago to search for a rare and precious emerald. Once there, they discover an amazing and exotic world filled with great danger. Will they find what they're looking for? Will they avoid the wrath of the all-powerful Great Mogul, survive a crazy ride on a wild elephant, escape an attack by king cobras—and make it back to the magic tree house alive?

Mary Pope Osborne brings together just the right combination of history, magic, and fast-paced adventure to satisfy kids, parents, teachers, and librarians all over the world with her New York Times bestselling series.

 This giftable little picture book of haiku by award winner Betsy Snyder is something adults will love to give one another as much as they'll enjoy sharing it with the youngest listeners. Perfect for Valentine's Day and any day of the year, this book will inspire people to tell one another, "I haiku you!"

Duck & Goose are back in this sturdy board book, perfect for preschoolers! And this time, New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Tad Hills brings our favorite feathered friends out to celebrate Valentine's Day. What does Goose need more than anything this Valentine's Day? A hug from a good friend.

Some New Children's Books To Make Just About Everyone Smile

Two adorably floppy dogs confront unexpected change in this endearing picture book from two-time Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee.

Boot and Shoe were born into the same litter, and now they live in the same house. They eat out of the same bowl, pee on the same tree, and sleep in the same bed. But they spend their days apart—Boot on the back porch because he’s a back porch kind of dog, and Shoe on the front porch because he’s a front porch kind of dog. This is exactly perfect for them. But then a crazy neighborhood squirrel arrives . . . and everything goes topsy-turvy!
    
Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee brings her signature wit, tenderness, and hilarious illustrations to this tale of an irresistible puppy pair.

The Pigeon really, really wants to finish this activity book! But that pesky Duckling keeps getting in the way. Oh, and there's someone new on the scene causing all kinds of problems....

Follow the Bus Driver's lead as you write, color, draw, create--even build an airport!--in this fun-filled book starring the Pigeon and YOU!

 Once before, we introduced a brand-new idea with a challenge: You won't believe your eyes. The book was Gallop!, the technology was Scanimation(R), and the result was a bestseller. Now we're back with another dazzling idea, and this time for the whole family: The book is Safari, it uses never-before-
seen Photicular technology, and the result is breathtaking.

Safari is a magical journey. Readers, as if on safari, encounter eight wild animals that come alive. Using an innovative lenticular-based technology, precision sliding lenses, and original four-color video imagery, each image is like a 3-D movie on the page, delivering a rich, fluid, immersive visual experience. The cheetah bounds. The gazelle leaps. The African elephant snaps its ears. The gorilla munches the leaves off a branch. It's mesmerizing, as visually immediate as a National Geographic or Animal Planet special.

Accompanying the images is Safari, the guide: It begins with an evocative journal of a safari along the Mara River in Kenya and interweaves the history of safaris. Then for each animal there is a lively, informative essay and an at-a-glance list of important facts. It's the romance of being on safari--and the almost visceral thrill of seeing the animals in motion-- in a book unlike any other.

Matthew Reinhart has created another spectacular pop-up book for George Lucas's epic STAR WARS movies! The NEW YORK TIMES bestselling pop-up artist and engineer has created a brand-new 3-D experience, packed with a variety of novelty features -- pop-ups, working lightsabers, pull tabs, and other interactive looks at the exciting and popular movies. This new look at STARS WARS explores the characters, stories, vehicles, droids, and more in the three prequel movies and the Clone Wars. It's a stunning book that will impress all fans of STAR WARS and gives a whole new perspective to the universe.

Discover all there is to know about one of the world's most beloved toy companies.

Beautiful pages reveal, explore, and celebrate the fascinating story of LEGO® bricks and the history behind them in this newly updated edition of The LEGO® Book. Along with 56 new pages, a timeline highlights key moments in LEGO history, and special features spotlight numerous groundbreaking and momentous achievements. Includes new and updated information about LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Ninjago, LEGO Friends, and much more.

Explore all the main LEGO toy systems, the LEGOLAND® theme parks with their amazing animated models, and the LEGO Group's spectacular diversification into films, video games, and the visual arts. Incorporating clear instruction panels on how to create great models from just a few simple bricks, The LEGO® Book is truly a treasure perfect for any LEGO fan!

Unleash your imagination as you journey through the wide-ranging world of LEGO building with The LEGO Adventure Book. This inspiring tour is filled with bright visuals, step-by-step breakdowns of 25 models, and nearly 200 example models from the world's best builders. Learn to build robots, trains, medieval villages, spaceships, airplanes, and much more. Whether you're brand-new to LEGO or have been building for years, this book is sure to spark your imagination and motivate you to keep creating!

At Long Last, The Beginning of Their Story

Before they were the Boxcar Children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden lived with their parents at Fair Meadow Farm. Although times are hard, they're happy--"the best family of all," Mama likes to say. One day, a blizzard hits the countryside, and a car is stranded on the road near their farm. The family in the car needs shelter, and when the Aldens take them in, the strangers soon become friends. But things never stay the same at Fair Meadow Farm, and the spring and summer bring events that will forever change the lives of the Alden children. Newbery-Award winning author Patricia MacLachlan pays loving tribute to the classic novel by Gertrude Chandler Warner in this story of the Alden children's origins and the challenges they faced before their boxcar adventures.

Can Anything Be Worse Than Being Stuck Inside With Your Family for the Holidays?

Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent. Or at least sort of.

The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise blizzard hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors. Greg knows that when the snow melts he’s going to have to face the music, but could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holidays?

Glee for the Wee

Winter weather is keeping children from visiting the zoo. So the animals are out of sorts—listless, grumpy, and no longer fun. All except two little friends, a very small hippo and a baby kangaroo. Their hip-hopping, toe-tapping,  and rap-rocking soon has the other animals joining in the hip-aroo beat. "Racoons danced in pairs, baboons danced in troops, and snakes joined the dancers as live hula-hoops." Children's favorite songs get a funny new spin—seals bark out "The seals on the bus go round and round"—as the animals create their very own musical.

Young readers and listeners will be amazed and delighted at how the animals chase the winter doldrums by getting along as friends, pooling their talents, and pushing themselves to new heights. After all, these are the same clever animals who learned to read in Judy Sierra's and Marc Brown's Wild About Books, an award-winning New York Times #1 bestselling picture book. ZooZical is sure to inspire some "can do" fun in kindergarten and primary grades.

Staying Close, Even Across Thousands of Miles

For many children who live far away from their grandparents, it can be hard to understand why they can't always be together. Patricia MacLachlan has created a bridge to close the distance by finding connections in memories and the moon they share.

A beautiful, lyrical poem coupled with Bryan Collier's rich collages, Your Moon, My  Moon celebrates the importance of staying close to your family, even across thousands of miles.

School's Starting, And Bailey Is Ready!

Bailey

Meet Bailey, a dog who surprises and charms his fellow human classmates with his irrepressible antics.


Follow Bailey the dog as he gets ready and goes to school. Should he wear the red or blue collar? Both are so fashionable! Will he be late? That squirrel is a distraction! And what about Bailey's homework? Would you believe he ate it? That is what dogs do, after all.


In this funny new book from the best selling children's illustrator Harry Bliss, school proves to be an unexpected place for Bailey to do all sorts of things he loves: reading, fetching, painting, digging, singing - and making friends!

Seeking Peace Through Doll Ambassadors: A True Story

The Friendship Doll

I am Miss Kanagawa. In 1927, my 57 doll-sisters and I were sent from Japan to America as Ambassadors of Friendship. Our work wasn't all peach blossoms and tea cakes. My story will take you from New York to Oregon, during the Great Depression. Though few in this tale are as fascinating as I, their stories won't be an unpleasant diversion. You will make the acquaintance of Bunny, bent on revenge; Lois, with her head in the clouds; Willie Mae, who not only awakened my heart, but broke it; and Lucy, a friend so dear, not even war could part us. I have put this tale to paper because from those 58 Friendship Dolls only 45 remain. I know that someone who chooses this book is capable of solving the mystery of the missing sisters. Perhaps that someone is you.

Pete The Cat Is Back!!!

Pete the Cat is back—and this time he’s rocking in his school shoes. Pete discovers the library, the lunchroom, the playground, and lots of other cool places at school. And no matter where he goes, Pete never stops moving and grooving and singing his song . . . because it’s all good.

What a Fun Way To Learn!

The Adventures of Medical Man

Being sick or injured is no fun for children, but not knowing what is happening may be worse. 

Enter Dr. Michael Evans, who will explain to young readers everything they need to know when an illness or injury occurs. Uniquely structured around five different movie genres and one comic book, each chapter features a common illness or injury with Dr. Mike in the starring role, explaining the causes, symptoms and cures.

Whether it’s a nut allergy in the action-packed “They Came From Mars!,” a broken wrist in the bone-chilling “The Werewolf Who Snapped” or strep throat in the suspense-filled “Adventures of Medical Man and Wondrous Boy,” each story is packed with fascinating medical information. Other common conditions covered in the book include concussion, ear infection and asthma — all vividly explained.

Complete with diagrams, sidebars and a glossary — and dramatized by Gareth Williams’s stunning illustrations — this book will be a comfort to any child dealing with an injury or illness.

This Book Calls For Creativity, Imagination and Some Unique Celebrating

Monster Doodle Book

Half-finished doodles of monsters and other creatures, featuring misshapen bodies, oodles of appendages, and all kinds of gross crud. Finish the monster-shaped alphabet, create a flip-book, comic strip, and more. Drawings can be scary, disgusting, cute, or weird. It's up to you.

Travis is really happy about his new book:

Arthur Is Back After Ten Years!!!

Arthur Turns Green

Arthur comes home from school and begins sneaking around the house, taking notes and talking about a Big Green Machine. D.W. is suspicious of her brother's weird behavior, but when Arthur shows up late for dinner with green hands, she really gets the creeps! But it turns house Arthur is making a poster listing all the ways to save energy at home--and go green!

Just in time for Earth Day, this heartwarming story is printed on recycled paper with soy based ink.

Read the Seattle Times article about the book.

Sneak Preview

Coming out April 12, 2011

In a breathtaking grand finale, the world’s mythical pop-up masters unleash monsters and dragons that have prowled countrysides and imaginations for centuries.

Lurking behind this intriguing cover, a Kraken grapples with a ship on the high seas; dragons from Eastern and Western traditions spring to life; and a Medusa, snake-hair twisting and hissing, turns the reader to stone. Deeper inside, an ancient, decrepit vampire rises from his coffin; a lycanthrope is caught in the light of the full moon and transforms; and Bigfoot hides behind a tree, ducking his human pursuer. Master paper engineers Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda unfold the legends and lore of cultures around the world to reveal these stunning creatures and many more. Pop-up fans and fantasy lovers will be equally enthralled by the dynamic creatures depicted in this astonishing volume, the climax of the Encyclopedia Mythologica trilogy.

Making A Difference No Matter Your Size

Sometimes being small can have its advantages. If you’re a little cloud like Cloudette, people call you cute nicknames, and you can always find a good spot to watch the fireworks. But what about when you want to do something big, like help a giant garden grow, or make a brook babble?

This charming book gets at the heart of what it means to make a difference no matter your size. Young children will find much to relate to in Cloudette as they follow her on her pursuit for greatness.

PI (G) Adventures

Sasspants, PI(G), the world's fluffiest detective, is back on the case-or she will be, if her sidekick Hamisher can convince her there's really a mystery afoot. Hamisher has made up so many stories, Sasspants doesn't believe him. But one by one the mice in Mr. Venezi's pet shop are going missing, and all the spooky clues point to...a ghost! Once our shaggy Sherlocks start digging for answers, they will stop at nothing to ferret out the truth!