. . except when they come from a porcupine.Pearl tries and tries to solve her problem and finally fixes it in her very own way.From the author-artist of A Pet for Petunia comes a prickly new character with a great big heart. Paul Schmid paints Pearl’s world with soft and dreamy colors that reflect just how sweet she is beneath her sharp-quilled porcupine exterior.

    On one quiet afternoon, a boy and his special friend’s unexpected adventure bring joy and excitement and sights never imagined. And the best part of any adventure is returning home with stories to tell and you best friend at your side.

    Barb loves to dance, but Cushion has two left feet, and usually ends up prickling someone with his quills. How will he ever learn to dance? Full color.

    Crazy Hair is a fantastically fun tale written by New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman and illustrated by the astoundingly talented Dave McKean, the award-winning team behind The Wolves in the Walls.In Crazy Hair, Bonnie makes a friend who has hair so wild there's even a jungle inside of it! Bonnie ventures through the crazy hair, but she may need more than a comb to tame her friend's insane mane.

    When her great-great-aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal--to fly--Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt's dream come true. But when her contraption doesn't fl y but rather hovers for a moment and then crashes, Rosie deems the invention a failure. On the contrary, Aunt Rose inisists that Rosie's contraption was a raging success. You can only truly fail, she explains, if you quit.

    But what happens when she forgets to return her book by its due date? Will Beverly ever be able to borrow another book? Beverly and her favorite librarian, Mrs. Del Rubio, prove just how friendly a place the library can be. In his picture book debut, Alexander Stadler introduces an endearing character sure to delight readers of all ages.

    Paddington is thrilled to go to the beach with the Browns. He’s never splashed in the ocean or built a sand castle. Outfitted with a new set of beach toys, Paddington seems ready for whatever comes his way. But the biggest surprise of all sweeps Paddington off on a new adventure.Paddington Sets Sail is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

    Some might call them mermaids. Each one, it seemed, was more remarkable than the last. Except Minnow.The only remarkable thing about Minnow was the questions she asked. So many questions! "Where do bubbles go?" "Why don't crabs have fins?" "What lies beyond the kingdom?"When a curious and beautiful new object drifts into her life, Minnow can't imagine what it might be for, but she's certain it must have a purpose. So she follows her questions into the unknown, all the way to another, wondrous world. There she makes several remarkable discoveries...

    It is his task to open any bottles found at sea and make sure that the messages are delivered. He loves his job, though he has always wished that, someday, one of the letters would be addressed to him. One day he opens a party invitation—but there’s no name attached. As he devotes himself to the mystery of the intended recipient, he ends up finding something even more special: the possibility of new friends.

    A legend in surfing, Chick’s dad ruled the Roost. Chick’s dream was to learn every move he produced.”So begins the story of a little chick and her dad who take to the beach so she can finally learn how to surf. At first Chick’s mood is foul as she struggles through some gnarly waters, but soon she is catching waves on her own board and even doing righteous tricks, just like her rad dad!Filled with cool surf lingo, this sweet rhyming picture book is perfect for summer at the beach and for celebrating the love between a father and a daughter. Praise for Surfer Chick STARRED REVIEWS“A most expressive chicken makes a splash in this winning title about learning to surf. Dempsey keeps her groovy, rhyming text tight to create a raplike beat that colorfully describes a young chick’s adventures tackling the waves. A guaranteed ‘Cowabunga!’”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review "This is a sweet, spunky story about perseverance and gaining confidence. Acrylic paint and colored pencil with a hot press watercolor make the sunsets dynamic and bright. Totally awesome!" —School Library Journal, starred review “Rollicking, righteous fun.” –People magazine AWARD: HONORS winner: 2012 National Parenting Publications Book Awards

    Meet a most unusual crocodile!   Everybody knows that crocodiles love water, but this little crocodile is different—he doesn't like it at all! He tries to his best to change, but when attempt at swimming causes a shiver then a sneeze—could it be that this little crocodile isn't a crocodile at all? A hilarious and uplifting story about being yourself from a talented debut author-illustrator!

    Magee and his dog Dee head out to the sea. But what begins as a fun day in the sun turns a bit bumpy when onel playful whale decides to say hello. Soon the crew that once was floating finds themselves flying! How will they get down? Who will come to their rescue? And when will they ever get to eat lunch? Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee is a great read-aloud, sure to provide fits of giggles.

    He is looking for a new friend to play with. Do you think he will find one? Open this book and find out!

    Bad trouble. The kind of trouble where it’s almost Thanksgiving…and you’re the main course. But Turkey has an idea—what if he doesn’t look like a turkey? What if he looks like another animal instead?After many hilarious attempts, Turkey comes up with the perfect disguise to make this Thanksgiving the best ever!Wendi Silvano’s comical story is perfectly matched by Lee Harper’s watercolors.

       Lulu has never been to the beach but she knows she is going to love it…until she sees just how big and loud the ocean is. She and her dog Bingo decide that they will make sandcastles, fly kites, and get ice cream instead of swimming. But then the ocean waves snatch Lulu’s favorite pail. This is a job for Ladybug Girl! When Lulu is Ladybug Girl, she is brave and nothing can stop her from rescuing her pail – and suddenly she is in the ocean and it is fun!   This story is the perfect preparation for a first beach vacation, or to explore a new experience with a preschooler. Mama and Papa are never far away while Ladybug Girl builds up her courage and confronts something scary for the first time.   For fans of Fancy Nancy and Angelina Ballerina, the Ladybug Girl series honors courage, creativity, and a love of nature!