Each is trying to outdo the other--Ballet Cat with an elaborate dance routine (of course), and Goat with his amazing (amazingly lame, that is) magic tricks. Neither act goes off quite as planned, but it doesn't matter . . . because Grandma falls asleep during the performance! Oh well, at least Ballet Cat and Goat learn how to cooperate. (But Ballet Cat cooperates better!)Praise for THE TOTALLY SECRET SECRET: *"This early reader has simple, vivacious cartoon artwork done in inks with digital enhancements. Shea's signature style and bright bold colors add to the fun. Although the text is somewhat sophisticated and the dialogue is entirely in word balloons, the humor and theme of friendship and sharing will have broad appeal beyond the beginning reader set. VERDICT Move over Elephant and Piggie!"--School Library Journal (starred review) *"Tapping into the same barely restrained exuberance and visual energy that characterizes much of his previous work, Shea introduces Ballet Cat, a pearl-and-tutu-wearing feline who loves to dance as much as the author's Dinosaur and Cheetah characters love winning. Like Mo Willems's Elephant and Piggie, these two are a contemporary comic duo with staying power; Shea mines Ballet Cat's dialed-up enthusiasm and Sparkle's hangdog expressions for everything they are worth. Boldly contrasting backgrounds heighten the strong emotions at play and, luckily, after Sparkles reveals his 'secret secret' about dancing, this friendship is undiminished." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)An ALA Notable Book

    When Dory encourages him to just keep swimming, Nemo learns that he can do anything he puts his mind and fin to. Can Nemo win the first-place prize in his swim meet? Find out in this Step 1, featuring characters from the hit film, Finding Nemo.

    But at the last minute, Clark gets stage fright and clams up in front of everybody. With a little help from his teacher, Mrs. Inkydink, will Clark be able to overcome his fears?With easy-to-read text and Clark’s trademark rhymes, this shark tale will prepare beginning readers to take a big bite out of reading! Also included are Clark the Shark’s Bite-Sized Facts, real facts on shark communication, behavior, and more! Clark the Shark and the Big Book Report is a Level One I Can Read, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

    His mommy says there is a better way. What is it? Beginning readers will learn proper manners with Alfie as his mommy teaches him to say the magic words.

    Splat the Cat and the Quick Chicks is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it's perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

    and Mrs. Bird kindly take it upon themselves to raise the "baby bird" inside. But when the egg hatches, the Birds are in for a big surprise--"Junior" is the oddest-looking baby bird they've ever seen--with big, long jaws full of teeth and an appetite to match. In fact, he looks more like a baby alligator than a baby bird! Nevertheless, the devoted Birds run themselves ragged feeding Junior until he gets so big, he must leave the nest or it will collapse underneath him. But how can Junior fly without wings? To the delight of the Birds--and readers!--the dilemma is solved when Junior takes off from a branch overlooking a pond.

    But before the first photo can be taken, an exuberant pack of pups needs a bit of grooming. So they’re off to Shampoodle, the local pet salon, where the eager dogs simply cannot sit still. And when some curious cats stop by, things go from messy to mayhem.

    Macaroni and Cheese are best friends, yet they couldn’t be more different! Mac likes to pounce and bounce and jump, but Cheese just sits there like a lump. But when Mac runs into a problem with a gust of wind, Cheese stops being a grumpy grump long enough to help save his friend’s favorite hat. Written in the style of P. D. Eastman’s classic Big Dog . . . Little Dog, this modern-day alley-cat odd couple will delight beginning readers.

    [Penguin Young Readers Level 1]What happens when you try to make an ice cream cake, but add too much stuff? You end up with ice cream soup! This original Level 1 reader with rhyming text is perfect for beginning readers.

    When Papa's seven little mouse boys ask for a bedtime story, Papa does even better than that—he tells seven stories, one for each boy!This Level Two I Can Read is geared toward kids who read on their own but still need a little help.This sweet bedtime tale is from Arnold Lobel, the beloved author and illustrator of the Newbery Honor and Caldecott Honor award-winning Frog and Toad books.

    Sure to be adored by fans of Llama Llama.Otter and Teddy want to have jobs, just like Otter Keeper. Otter helps Teddy try many different things: an acrobat, an explorer, a cook. But finding the right job is a lot harder than they thought!Otter: The Best Job Ever! is a My First I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for shared reading with a child.

    Chicken wants to help. But it seems like the only thing Chicken is good at is getting in the way.Then grasshoppers invade the pumpkin patch, and Earl and Pearl can do nothing to stop them. Suddenly it's up to Chicken to save the day!This funny and satisfying book is a delightful treat for children just starting to read.

    Otto runs, but the rhino runs faster....Run, Otto, run!Meet Otto, the star of a new series of Ready-to-Reads, with text that is simple enough for the earliest readers, and funny enough for their older brothers and sisters. Read, Otto, read!

    Then it's on to a tour through the Cat's own Super Dino Museum--a fabulous place where the correct pronunciation of a dinosaur's name wins you a peek at the real living thing! Beginning readers will love exploring the prehistoric world of dinosaurs with the Cat in the Hat as their guide!

    Many children will relate to this funny character! In Diary of a Worm: Teacher's Pet, Worm makes a surprising discovery—teachers have birthdays. That means Worm and his friends have to find the perfect present for their teacher, Mrs. Mulch. Diary of a Worm: Teacher's Pet is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it is perfect for kids learning to sound out words and sentences.