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A wild prairie is a lively place in this rhythmic romp with munchers and crunchers above and below the grasses so thick, and fires that flare, and rains that quench—and always the prairie grows green. Back matter offers information and activities for a fuller appreciation of this marvelous, disappearing habitat. A wild prairie is a lively place in this rhythmic romp with munchers and crunchers above and below the grasses so thick, and fires that flare, and rains that quench—and always the prairie grows green. Back matter offers information and activities for a fuller appreciation of this marvelous, disappearing habitat.

A heartwarming tale about an invisible bird who learns the key to happiness and friendship A lonely, invisible bird mistakenly believes that adorning himself with flashy feathers and flowers will make him beautiful and win him new friends. Except his plan quickly backfires when his magnificent plumage attracts the attention of everyone, even the fox! In his rush to safety, the little bird loses every last bit of his new decorations, making him invisible once again. But now in place of his loneliness is the knowledge that putting others first is the key to friendship and high self-esteem.

Learning becomes fun with this book about the life cycle of a green sea turtle and its coral reef habitat. Floating far out in the ocean, Kiki is becoming a gentle giant. She swims to shallower water where a rainbow of corals puts on a show. Kiki adopts the busy coral reef as her new home and discovers fish of all sizes and lots of surprises! There’s lots of teamwork going on too, including a gang of tangs that clean up the algae growing on her shell. But something calls her back to the beach . . . and the cycle of life continues. In the back matter Malnor offers a concise beginner’s guide to sea turtles and coral reefs, plus a variety of “teaching treasures” for further learning.

Science and story blend seamlessly in this book about the lives of meadow mice. A curious young mouse boldly ventures into the meadow for the first time. There he is given a crash course on life—from creatures both friendly and not so friendly. He witnesses a caterpillar becoming a chrysalis. He marvels that fireflies can glow. Thoughtful encounters with a turtle and a rabbit help prepare him for danger. Science and story blend seamlessly in this entertaining coming of age tale. But do animals talk and help each other? Thoughtful back matter explores the phenomenon of animal altruism and what we are learning of animal communication.

Follow a little girl named Jenny through a year of observing the wild turkeys that live near her home. Arrow-shaped footprints lead a young backyard naturalist to a flock of funny-looking birds with big strong feet: Wild Turkeys! Follow Jenny through a year of enchantment as she shares her discovery of these wonderful birds. Although it once numbered in the millions, wild turkeys nearly disappeared with over-hunting and habitat destruction, but are now making a comeback. The unique illustrations are block prints over collages. The collages are made from cut and torn paper plus all sorts of things from nature – bark, leaves, feathers, even wasp nests! Falwell also offers tips for children to make their own cut-paper pictures and how to keep a nature journal.

With poetic prose and soothing rhythm, Blackmore has created the perfect sleepy-time tale. In her picture book debut, Jeanne Blackmore continues her grandfather Roger Duvoisin’s tradition of creating beautiful books for children. Through her poetic and deceptively simple text, Blackmore has created an ideal sleepy time tale: “How does sleep come?” Jacob asked his Mama as he climbed into bed. Jacob’s Mama tucked the covers all around Jacob just so, and then she told him. “Sleep comes quietly. Like a snowfall that blankets a meadow on a dark starry night, and lays down a soft white canvas for rabbits to leave footprints.” Jacob closed his eyes. And the snow fell. And the fog rolled in. And the clouds drifted. And the cat purred. And quietly, silently, softly, peacefully, gently, Jacob fell asleep.

Just imagine—you are a young orca whale. Your special friends are two cousins and your 100 year-old great grandmother, the clan leader. You learn to play with them, face danger with them, hunt with them—and even go people-watching with them! Based on actual orca, or killer whale, research, this book combines science with the real story of how family, friendship, and a grandmother’s love are helping this magnificent but endangered orca clan to survive. Just imagine—you are a young orca whale. Your special friends are two cousins and your 100 year-old great grandmother, the clan leader. You learn to play with them, face danger with them, hunt with them—and even go people-watching with them! Based on actual orca, or killer whale, research, this book combines science with the real story of how family, friendship, and a grandmother’s love are helping this magnificent but endangered orca clan to survive.

The fun and inspiring New York Times bestseller from Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi. Now in paperback! Poppy, the adorable, persistent, dreaming-big pig, has a new adventure in store for her: the World Games ice-skating championship in Paris! Poppy is nervous about meeting so many new people in a new place. But, ever courageous and supported by her family (Emma, too!), Poppy embarks upon this exciting adventure head-on. She meets a snowboarding Panda, a Maltese who skies, and two fellow skaters, a Crane and a Kangaroo. Poppy begins to realize that although these animals look different, act different, and are from different places, they are all the same at heart. They all smile in the same language!

Learning about the ecosystem of a pond becomes fun when it is to the tune of an old favorite sing along! Old MacDonald had a … pond? Yes! Come along with Jo MacDonald and learn about the wild creatures at the farm pond. You’ll find fish, frogs and ducks – and a few surprises. This delightful riff on “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” playfully introduces youngsters to the concept of ecosystems. Quattlebaum engages little ones with rhythm, repetition, wordplay, and onomatopoeia, while Bryant charms them with lively watercolors of a pond community. A resource section in the back features both outdoor and indoor activities sure to encourage young naturalists at home and school.

Learning becomes fun with this book about the animals that are unique to Australia. Amazing artwork will inspire children in classrooms and at home to appreciate the world around us! Most of the animals in Australia are unique-they live ONLY in Australia. From kangaroos to koalas, they are a fascinating bunch. Once again, Marianne Berkes makes learning fun. Kids will hop, slurp, and munch as they imitate and count the animals. Like Over in the Arctic, the cut-paper illustrations will inspire many an art project. Plus Marianne provides tons of ideas for activities and curriculum extensions about Australia, literature, writing, and animals. Teachers and parents, as well as kids, are the winners.

The world can be a scary place for kids; that’s why it’s important to empower them with the knowledge of how to be safe! Conversations about safety with children used to focus on looking both ways before crossing the street and watching out for “stranger danger.” But in today’s world, there are a number of ways that children need to be aware and selective about their personal safety. From using the Internet to standing up to bullies and knowing when is the right time to get a caring adult’s help, this addition to the award-winning What Does It Mean to Be…? series is the perfect book to educate and foster dialogue between children and adults.

Here is the ideal introduction for preschoolers and early elementary children to insects that are not only amazing but also critically important to humans. Inside-the-hive views of a wild colony of honey bees offer close-ups of the queen, the cells, even bee eggs. Simple verse will engage a young child, while sidebars with fascinating information satisfy the somewhat older child. The artist’s detailed style shimmers with life, highlighting each hair or grain of pollen on the bees. Here is the ideal introduction for preschoolers and early elementary children to insects that are not only amazing but also critically important to humans. Inside-the-hive views of a wild colony of honey bees offer close-ups of the queen, the cells, even bee eggs. Simple verse will engage a young child, while sidebars with fascinating information satisfy the somewhat older child. The artist’s detailed style shimmers with life, highlighting each hair or grain of pollen on the bees.

Learning becomes fun with this book about the ecosystem of the jungle. Amazing artwork will inspire children in classrooms and at home to appreciate the world around us!

Horrid Henry is a publishing and media phenomenon the world over. This laugh-out-loud series has sold 12 million copies in the UK including 3 million last year alone, has spawned a very successful TV show in Britain, has been published in 27 languages, and has received incredible praise from the press, librarians, booksellers, parents, and, most importantly, kids, the world over!

An endearing tween story about friendship, family, identity, and inspiration

For Maggie Malone every day is Freaky Friday with the help of her very special new boots When Maggie Malone’s Aunt Fi gives her a pair of used, scuffed, plain brown boots for her birthday, she’s less than impressed. Why couldn’t her life be more like Tween pop sensation Becca Star? Instead Maggie’s stuck going to a new school in ugly boots. Until she wakes up in Becca’s shoes—literally. Maggie’s new boots are magical. They won’t make broccoli taste like macaroni and cheese, but they will let her spend a day in the life of anyone she chooses.

Dara Palmer knows for a fact that she was meant to be onstage. But when The Sound of Music is selected for the school musical, Dara isn’t cast as Maria—or at all. She can’t help but wonder: is it because she’s different? Maybe it’s because she was adopted from Cambodia and doesn’t look like a typical fraulein… So irrepressible Dara comes up with a grand scheme to shake the school: write her own play about her own life. Then she’ll have to be the star.

-It’s puppy love at first sight when Kat and Maya meet adorable Bailey! -Being the new kid—or puppy—isn’t always a walk in the park…

In this enchanting debut, Izzy must save her sister from a fairy land as dangerous as it is magical Izzy’s family has just moved to a town her parents call “quaint” but Izzy calls “boring”…until she overhears the stories about the witch who lives next door. Then Hen, Izzy’s little sister, disappears, and the witch is the only one who can help. Hen has been whisked away to Faerie, a mysterious place ruled by an evil queen and overrun with horrible creatures that do her bidding. Joined there by a band of outlaw Changelings—magical children that can shift from one form to another—Izzy sets out on a search-and-rescue mission across a foreign land that is both alluringly magical and utterly terrifying.

Who eats Cheetos with chopsticks?! Avery and Becca, my “Chinese Sisters,” that’s who. We’re not really sisters—we were just adopted from the same orphanage. And we’re nothing alike. I pretend like I don’t know them. Which is not easy since we’re all going to summer camp to “bond.” So I’m stuck in a cabin with five other girls who aren’t getting along, competing for a camp trophy and losing (badly), wondering how I got here…and where I belong.