There are seven steps to becoming a proper lion, including Looking Fierce, Roaring, Prowling Around, and Pouncing. Our young hero, a rather meek and scrawny human boy, does his best to learn the necessary skills during his training with a master instructor (who just happens to be a real lion). After a grueling set of lessons, the boy discovers that that the final step—Looking Out for Your Friends—is the most important of all. That’s how any kid can earn his lion diploma (not to mention the affection of every cat in town).

    What if a pug could juggle? Would he become the talk of the town, hugged by everyone? What if this clever, mischievous pug was also messy, digging holes here and pooping there? Would fame help or only make things worse? From the award-winning authors of A Boy and His Bunny comes an amusing tale, told in wacky rhymes and witty illustrations, that is sure to entertain young readers, and their parents, too.

    Join Pig in another fun read-aloud adventure on the farm and find out if she'll ever catch some ZZZs!What this bedtime needsis a pig in a wigbrushing her teeth,combing her hair,and getting ready for bedwith her pink teddy bear.But with a honk, a quack, a moo, and more, it turns out what this bedtime really needs is a quieter place to sleep!

    Little does he know that the left-over cloth will be used to make presents for many more of the kingdom’s inhabitants, right down to the last teeny bit of cloth which is made into a scarf just right for a mouse.

    Kids will love following along as the hen, with no help from her friends the duck, the dog, and the cat, goes through the steps of making a pizza-shopping for supplies, making the dough, and adding the toppings. But despite their initial resistance, the hen's friends come through in the end and help out in a refreshing and surprising way.

    But if he wants to keep them, he will need to change his ways!Big Scary Monster is one misunderstood beastie. He loves to jump out and surprise his friends, but he’s not mean, really. Yet when his friends start hiding from him, he decides to look for new creatures to frighten ... only to wind up finding out he’s a bit of a scaredy-cat himself! This funny, original story with a mind-bending twist is a wonderful read-aloud sure to engage little monsters everywhere.

    Yawn. Stretch. Touch your toes. Shimmy shimmy shimmy, Wiggle your nose. Just watch out for the broccoli stew. (Ew.)

    The forest animals are worried, but when Santa tells them the story of the very first Christmas, when Christ was born, the animals discover the true spirit of the season.

    . . she's a puppy. A puppy who gets longer and longer as her piglet siblings get bigger and bigger. Penny doesn't understand why she's different--she only knows that Mama Pig loves her just the same as the rest of the litter. Penny's siblings are baffled by her peculiar behavior--like digging with her paws instead of her snout, and especially her loud, sharp oink. Good thing Penny likes all the sounds she can make, and when danger strikes and her peculiarities prove to be strengths, the piglets see that sometimes it's good to be a little different!

    They have a great teacher and do lots of fun things together . . . until Teddy says he doesn’t like school anymore. Luckily, Otter Keeper comes to the rescue and teaches everyone the best lesson of all!

    Besides, he took a bath last month! Maybe. It's going to take some serious convincing to try and get the Pigeon to take the plunge.

    A young rabbit wakes up to wonderful news: A snow day! School is canceled, and the day that follows is rich with the magic and delight of the falling snow. And yet there is longing too, as the young rabbit and his mother wait for news of his father, grounded on a plane in a faraway city.... The news that his father will be home tomorrow gives the book a peaceful, comforting, and perfect ending.

    That won't do. For a car to get through, somebody's gotta shoo! But who? Plourde's trademark style blends alliteration and rhyme into an elegantly simple mix that children-and adults-enjoy reading aloud.

    Under the stars the bear finds his way step by step through the snowy forest, making friends along his route. Then the bear discovers a place in the woods that glows magically with something he and his friends could never have imagined -- their first Christmas. Robert Kinerk's inspired story and Jim LaMarche's glimmering illustrations combine in a picture book that captures the joy and spirit of Christmas. Come along with bear and his friends and see the magical light of Bear's First Christmas.

    Along the way he finds a school full of kids and new things to do—and he even learns to read!"So funny and so original that it promises to be one of the most successful books in this best-selling series." (Publishers Weekly)Sammy the Seal is another hilarious, original story by Syd Hoff, the celebrated author of Danny and the Dinosaur. This Level One I Can Read is perfect for shared reading with a child.