Sit down with the book and get your own bearings." — New York Herald TribuneWith the first signs of approaching winter, the Bear's thoughts naturally turn to a cozy cave and a long snooze till spring. But when he awakes a few months later, he is surprised to find himself smack dab in the middle of a sprawling industrial complex! To make matters even worse, every one he meets keeps insisting that he's not even a bear--just a silly man who needs a shave and wears a fur coat.Written by the beloved director of such classic screwball comedies as The Girl Can't Help It and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, this wryly humorous tale has long been an underground favorite with readers of all ages and attitudes. Poking fun at a fast-paced, high-tech society, it follows the Bear's repeated attempts of finding out just where he belongs. On an assembly line? In a zoo? At the circus? No one seems to know for sure.Tashlin's 46 delightfully original and whimsical illustrations add to the charm of this unique and entertaining fable.

    Unusual in that it is a narrative-driven counting book, it offers a delightful and lively story about 100 hungry monkeys who set out to find themselves some food. Once their bellies are full, they all settle in for a nap, but then a monster suddenly appears. They fear he wants to make them lunch, so they all run for their lives. All ends well, however, once the monkeys realize the monster really just wants to be their friend.Japanese author-illustrator Masayuki Sebe, well-known for his high-energy activity books for children, spreads every scene of the story across two pages, with all 100 monkeys arranged in a chaotic group in nearly every spread, making it a challenge for children to keep track while they count them all. Though the activity mainly centers on counting, there are also cues for children to search for specific items within the busy artwork, encouraging a close reading of both the text and the images, and promoting visual literacy. This book works well, with the emphasis on 100, in the math curricula for the early grades, and it would make an excellent tie-in for the important celebrations of the 100th day of the school year. As well, since the monkeys are described using a different adjective on every page --- from excited to brave to sleepy --- it would also make an excellent resource for a language arts lesson about the parts of speech.

    Without expecting it, many people paid attention—including renowned writer and spiritualist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This is the story, narrated by Elsie herself, of the true events that led to the Cottingley Fairies becoming a international phenomenon.

    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...

    Her passion for the natural world lay behind the creation of her famous series of little books. A particular source of inspiration was the English Lake District where she lived for the last thirty years of her life as a farmer and land conservationist, working with the National Trust.She described The Tailor of Gloucester as her own favourite among her books. It was based on the true story of a tailor who left the unsewn pieces of a coat in his shop and found that the garment had been mysteriously finished for him in the night. It turned out that the real tailor's assistants were his apprentices, but in Beatrix Potter's version of the story the secret helpers are skilful little brown mice.

    But all of these soft, cuddly, sweet-faced toys share a wonderful, magical secret... they're alive!Created by Mr. Isaac Bodkins, the old toy maker, the Oddkins are made only for very special children, those who must face something difficult in life and need a true friend. The Oddkins are given to these children to inspire them, help them, and love them as long as the children need them. Only now the toys themselves - Amos, the brave stuffed bear; Skippy, the rabbit who dreams of being a superstar; Butterscotch, the gently, floppy-eared pup; as well as Burl the elephant; Gibbons; and Patch the cat - are the ones in need of help.Mr. Bodkins has passed away before he can give his life-giving powers to Colleen Shannon, the toy maker he had chosen to replace him. Yet before he dies, the old man takes Amos aside, appoints him leader of the Oddkins, and gives him a dire warning: Watch out for an evil toy maker -- and something much, much worse!That 'something' is happening right now. Locked up in the dark subbasement, another group of toys is climbing out of boxes and crates and coming to life. These bad toys -- like Rex and Lizzie, the puppets with no strings; Gear, the vicious robot; and Stinger, the horrid buzzing bumblebee with his knife-sharp stinger -- were made to hurt children, not help them. Leering, laughing, and deadly, they are being loosed on the world by a terrible, terrifying force. Frightening as it may be, the Oddkins have only one choice: to go on a journey in search of Colleen Shannon's toy shop. The night is stormy and black; the way is filled with peril. And the Oddkins have to face a danger that threatens not only their existence...but the magic in us all.

    She is unashamedly, irrefutably, irrepressibly wild. That is, until she is snared by some very strange animals that look oddly like her, but they don't talk right, eat right, or play correctly. She's puzzled by their behavior and their insistence on living in these strange concrete structures: there's no green here, no animals, no trees, no rivers. Now she lives in the comfort of civilization. But will civilization get comfortable with her?In her debut picture book, Hughes brings an uncanny humor to her painterly illustrations. Her work is awash with color, atmosphere, and a stunning visual splendor that will enchant children while indulging their wilder tendencies. Wild is a twenty-first-century answer to Maurice Sendak's children's classic—it has the same inventiveness, groundbreaking art, and unmissable quirkiness.Emily Hughes is a talented young illustrator. Her book Nana Shaped Like a Banana won second prize in the 2012 Macmillan Children's Book Awards.

    . . until a dog fetches her for its owner, and she is tossed into a bird's nest. A mountain? No, Petra is now an egg! An egg of the world in a world of possibility. Until she's flung into a pond, and becomes an amazing island . . . and, eventually, a little girl's pet rock. What will she be tomorrow? Who knows? But she's a rock, and this is how she rolls!

    She is the main attraction, though visitors never get more than a glimpse of her.She has a tail. She can't walk. She can't speak.But she can make friends with Livia, an ordinary girl, and yearn for a life that includes yoga and pizza. She can grow stronger and braver. With determination, a touch of magic, and the help of a loyal octopus, she can do anything.

      There are three things you should know about Piper Green: 1. She always says what’s on her mind (even when she probably shouldn’t). 2. She rides a lobster boat to school. 3. There is a Fairy Tree in her front yard.   Life on an island in Maine is always interesting. But when a new teacher starts at Piper’s school—and doesn’t appreciate the special, um, accessory that Piper has decided to wear—there may be trouble on the horizon. Then Piper discovers the Fairy Tree in her front yard. Is the Fairy Tree really magic? And can it fix Piper’s problems?

    Max the Brave, Max the Fearless, Max the Mouse-catcher...But, in order to be a Mouse-catcher, Max needs to know what a mouse is, so off he goes to find out.

    Packed with 100 all-new bedtime stories about the lives of incredible female figures from the past and the present, this volume recognizes women who left their birth countries for a multitude of reasons: some for new opportunities, some out of necessity. Readers will whip up a plate with Asma Khan, strategize global affairs alongside Madeleine Albright, venture into business with Rihanna, and many more. All of these unique, yet relatable stories are accompanied by gorgeous, full-page, full-color portraits, illustrated by female artists from all over the globe.

    One day, his humans leave the door open a crack and Fuddles seizes the chance to slip out, but things aren’t quite as he expected. In a series of hilarious mishaps, including a run-in with the neighborhood dog, he realizes that life as he’d known it was actually pretty good. Told with deadpan humor and charming art, Fuddles is sure to steal readers’ hearts.

    Jim LaMarche's stunning paintings, reminiscent of his earlier work in The Rainbabies, are the perfect compliment to this favorite Grimm fairy tale.

    offers a surrealistic view of the natural world. The two-page spreads present artful watercolors paired with such strange possibilities as "If zebras had stars and stripes...," "If the moon were square...," and "If worms had wheels...." Although some of the ideas and pictures are whimsical to the point of being downright creepy ("If caterpillars were toothpaste...," "If toes were teeth..."), the hypotheticals will surely inspire flights of fancy for readers of all ages. What could be more appealing for a 5-year-old than imagining the silliest suppositions and seeing them come to life in realistic paintings? Sculptor Sarah Perry creates a world to make us stop and think. One of her best illustrations depicts a large, hairy warthog with a sparkling crown and the text, "If ugly were beautiful...." With every if idea, the author encourages the kind of mental double take that comes naturally for children. (Ages 4 to 7, and adults, too) --Emilie Coulter