For tonight, in Bethlehem, a child has been born, a savior who is Christ the Lord." When the shepherds are invited to follow the star to visit the child, one young boy is told to stay and mind the flock. But the Angel Gabriel returns for him, taking the boy on a magical, memorable flight to be the first to witness the Christmas miracle. With a gently wry narration by Michael Morpurgo and expressive illustrations by the extraordinary Quentin Blake, this inviting, uplifting story is destined to become a holiday tradition.

    A sad friend. A button . . . An idea. Let’s SWAP!In a young scalawag's first tale of bartering, a peg-legged youngster sets out to help his captain repair his vessel. One button for three teacups. SWAP! Two teacups for four coils of rope. SWAP! And so it goes, until the little swashbuckler secures sails, anchors, a ship’s wheel, and more . . . including a happy friend. Steve Light’s intricate pen-and-ink illustrations, punctuated by brilliant blue and other hues, anchor this clever tale of friendship and ingenuity.

    It's about what the Bug did to the rug. It's about how the Egg fell off the wall. It's about the crazy mayhem that can occur when nursery rhymes go awry. Children and adults alike will enjoy reading this book over and over. "This one will wow even the most sophisticated." --Kirkus Reviews, pointer review "Clever, madcap text. A twisted treat in rhyme and pictures." -- Children's Book Review Service Jon Scieszka is the author of many books for children, including the Caldecott Honor Book The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!, the Time Warp Trio series, and most recently Math Curse. Daniel Adel is an illustrator whose work has appeared in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

    What should she do with all of this sand? Together, she and her brother decide to plant the grains of sand, and imagine what will grow. A field of beach umbrellas, to wave hello to the sun? Or a forest of windmills, to fill the sails of a boat? Before drifting off to sleep, the girl has her dad promise they’ll go back for new grains of sand next year.

    She goes to school. She practices her violin. She plays outside. The only problem is, she cannot quite see the chalkboard, her sheet music, or anything else! Despite Paige’s repeated refrain of “I can see just fine,” the comical illustrations portray a different story. Paige’s parents decide it’s time for her to visit the eye doctor, despite her protests. But Paige’s stubbornness quickly dissolves as she braves an enthralling eye checkup, enjoys a playful frame selection, and, most importantly, ends up with perfect eyesight! Barclay successfully depicts a very real and relevant issue with lightheartedness and gentle humor. Young readers will relate to Paige’s journey and celebrate her triumph of seeing clearly in the end. Praise for I Can See Just Fine "It’s a useful, non-didactic story for kids in Paige’s situation—and utterly fun, too.”--Publishers Weekly"A gentle way to introduce the topic of eyeglasses with a resistant child and what to expect in finding a solution."--Shelf Awareness for Readers"With an attractive, clean layout and big speech bubbles, this story is one that young readers will easily follow as Paige ultimately triumphs with her new glasses."--School Library Journal"This is an easy picture book for beginning readers with full-color illustrations. The stylized, pleasing illustrations are done well and a lot of children can relate to the situation."--Library Media Connection<!--?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /-->

    No one has ever returned from the island’s murky shores, but when the children begin to explore, they discover things are not quite as they expected.Ungerer’s captivating drawings evoke the eerie beauty and magic surrounding this timeless adventure.

    . . especially school. What is school like? Find out when Lola the cat heads to school herself and gets a paw (or two) into just about everything. Lively, funny, irresistible, and mischievous, Lola will appeal to fans of Olivia and Peppa Pig.When an apple hits Lola the cat on the head and wakes her up, she knows it is going to be that kind of day. So when she sees something curious, she decides to follow it . . . right onto a school bus (fun!) and right into school. The kids have never seen a cat at school before, but this classroom is open to everyone and everything, and soon Lola is having the time of her life. This lively introduction to Little Lola the curious cat is a winning choice for back-to-school, as well as for sharing aloud all year long.The husband-and-wife team of Saab and Gothard introduce Lola, an irrepressible street cat who decides to have an adventure at school, donning pink eyeglasses, a cute outfit, and a backpack, and following schoolchildren onto the bus. The kids love Lola, and she thrives at school: “Lola practiced painting, playing, hiding, singing, swinging, and sharing.” Gothard’s watercolors have a retro, Richard Scarry simplicity and showcase Lola’s personality at every turn, whether she’s learning “subtracting” by eating goldfish crackers or showing off her many talents (including cheerleader and one-cat-band) during show-and-tell. An entertaining and promising debut for both Lola and her creators. Ages 4–8. Publishers Weekly, starred review

    Oscar the mouse wants somewhere warm to stay for the night!"One thundery night I was cosy and warm,under the covers and safe from the storm.I was lying awake counting sheep in my headWhen I heard something moving under my bed.Suddenly I was trembling with fear.Could there be a monster about to appear?Then I heard it again, that scuttling sound.It was so scary it made my heart pound!"A delightful story with bright, fun illustrations and a great positive message!"A House for a Mouse" is a bright, fun way for younger children to learn about friendship, kindness and generosity.When a young boy hears a noise under his bed, he fears there may be a monster about to appear. But it isn't a monster, it is a little mouse looking for somewhere warm and dry to spend the night. Combining wonderfully vibrant illustrations with the power of rhythm and rhyme,"A House for a Mouse" is a perfect bedtime story and a must read for kids starting their reading journey."RED BEETLE BOOKS"Following in the great tradition of moral tales, Red Beetle Books are designed to teach important life lessons in a fun and entertaining way.Exploring subjects like sharing, kindness, friendship, understanding differences, facing challenges and adapting to change, Red Beetle Books will help your child develop their emotional intelligence, while fostering a life long love of books and reading.

    To find the answer to their question, the Super Readers fly into the classic story Twas the Night Before Christmas?. While in the story, the Super Readers meet Santa and discover that he visits all the children because it makes both him and them happy.

    "Wife! Wife!" he cried. "We are undone! My britches have burst and my buttons are burnt, every one!" After putting her husband to bed, the wife enlists the aid of her three daughters in replacing their father's buttons. The eldest promises to find a rich man who will give her buttons in exchange for her hand in marriage. The second daughter decides to join the army for the sake of the buttons on a soldier's uniform. And the youngest is going to run through the meadows with her apron held out before her, hoping to catch a few buttons falling from the sky. Which of these young ladies will succeed in restoring the family fortunes? The answer is the essential and satisfying stuff of fairy tales. Brock Cole's whimsical prose and pictures make this original story feel like a hundred-year-old classic.

    But Kayla could only imagine the worst-case scenarios as she tried to make friends at her new school. Will Kayla overcome her fear of rejection? Or will an overactive imagination get in the way?'What's the Worst that Could Happen?' tackles the subject of social anxiety in children with a deft, yet gentle hand. Children with social anxiety will find Kayla very relatable. Adults that struggled with shyness as children will also see themselves reflected in this book.

    Edward's tongue-in-cheek text pokes gentle fun at self-absorbed prima ballerinas, while Cole's bold full-bleed paintings add a wealth of humorous detail.--Kirkus Reviews.

    . . only to find that something even better awaits them back home. Deb Lund has created a dinovoyage of epic proportions, an outrageous journey that finds a dinomite match in the equally outlandish art of Howard Fine.

    Lula’s parents are worried: What’s going to happen when Lula starts school? Will Lula ever learn to use her “inside voice”? But when Lula spots something sinister making its way toward town, it seems that she may have found just the right use for that BIG ol’ voice after all. With a text chock-full of Southern charm and silly digital illustrations that bring this tall tale to life, kids will giggle at the antics of the unforgettable LOUD Lula.

    After finding him on the road and adopting him, his parents give him a life that most dogs could only imagine, riding with Mummy on her scooter and playing cricket with Daddy. In Story 1, Jack spies on Mummy as she shops in a mall. In doing so, he foils the efforts of a robber who tried to steal Mummy’s purse. His efforts result in an invitation to join the police force as a special agent. In Story 2, Jack goes undercover to solve a case of looting in the neighbourhood. In story 3 Jack finds a great friend in Scoobie, and the two friends spend quality time playing together.