Mermaid by sea.This part-time mermaid is ready for adventure! Jump into the sea to play hide-and-seek in coral caves, explore sunken pirate ships, and meet new underwater friends. At the sea palace, it's almost time for the Midsummer Sea Festival! But . . . where is the merboy and his pet turtle? Can the part-time mermaid find him in time?

    Mommy says that today, you are going to be the King of Kindergarten!Starting kindergarten is a big milestone--and the hero of this story is ready to make his mark! He's dressed himself, eaten a pile of pancakes, and can't wait to be part of a whole new kingdom of kids. The day will be jam-packed, but he's up to the challenge, taking new experiences in stride with his infectious enthusiasm! And afterward, he can't wait to tell his proud parents all about his achievements--and then wake up to start another day.

    Unfortunately, those objects belong to his family members, so when they want their things back—there goes the walls and roof! Jack struggles to keep his fortress going as it crumbles piece by piece. Finally, Grandma saves the day with her quilts for a sweet, satisfying ending filled with family fun. Boni Ashburn’s text is brought to life by acclaimed illustrator Brett Helquist, whose lively style takes this tale beyond the living room and into the world of adventure.

    And whatever you do…DON’T YAWN!Gabby Wild has had enough of bedtime. Yawn, curl, snuggle, snore—what a bore!So instead of tucking in, she jets out—with poor Granny in tow—to a place where beds are for bouncing, hushes are shushed, and it’s never too late for ice cream. But sometimes, even when you grit your teeth and seal your lips, it’s impossible to stop that…YAWN!There’s a yawn on the loose! Can Gabby stop that yawn from spreading the snooze, or will it be lights out for Never Sleeping City?

    Strange creatures skitter along the walls while bats brush past. A wild howl makes the cave feel just a teensy bit darker. But readers are in for a delightful surprise when a beam of light reveals a softer side of the cave.Told in spare rhyming text alongside stunning illustrations, A Dark, Dark Cave will ignite a young reader's imagination and inspire creative play. This just-spooky-enough story is sure to become a read-aloud favorite.

    Keith is a cat with magical powers - or at least a magic hat. But when one day Keith loses his magic hat, he discovers that magic is still possible.

    When the tadpole, now a frog, returns to tell his friend of the extraordinary things he’s seen, the minnow, now a fish, tries to follow in his footsteps, but quickly finds that land is not what he expected. Friendship truly saves the day in this imaginative tale of a fish out of water.

    A STEAM-centered, adorably illustrated picture book about Meg, a brilliant and creative boxitect who creates extraordinary things out of ordinary cardboard boxes.

    . . well, it isn't all milk and cookies. In hopes of regaining some of his pep, Santa asks the spirit of Christmas to give him something for a change: skim off a couple of years and make him younger.But Christmas magic is powerful, and Santa gets more than he wished for. Instead of a fresh new outlook and boundless energy, he needs diapers and a nap—stat. With Christmas only a few days away, the elves rush to teach Santa Baby the basics. But will there be enough time to prepare their new bundle of holiday joy for the job?Funny and spirited, bright and inspiring, and with an unforgettable title, Santa Baby is destined to be a yuletide read families revisit every year.

    Messy hair? Beaver breath? So what! Here's a little girl who knows what really matters.At once silly and serious, Karen Beaumont's joyous rhyming text and David Catrow's wild illustrations unite in a book that is sassy, soulful--and straight from the heart.About the Author:KAREN BEAUMONT's picture books include Being Friends, illustrated by Joy Allen, and Louella Mae, She's Run Away!, illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger. She lives in Capitola, California.DAVID CATROW is a political cartoonist and the illustrator of many popular books for children, including the Book Sense 76 Top Ten selection Don't Take Your Snake for a Stroll by Karin Ireland. He lives in Springfield, Ohio.

    You don't know the other side of the story. Well, let us tell you.

    Despite great effort, there are lots of mishaps, and Mia doesn’t quite become the prima ballerina she hoped to be. But she does finally earn her true reward: time with her sister.

    . .First, they must fight the evil Spider Queen . . .Before summoning the Leaf Men to save the day . . .But what about the mystery of the Long-Lost Toy?Here is ancient elfin magic, epic adventure, and a bugle salute to the power of memory, loyalty and love as resounding as Robin Hood's call to his Merry Men!

    He wanted a different kind of pet — one that could run and catch, or chase string and climb trees, a soft furry pet to sleep on his bed at night. Definitely not Norman. But when he tries to trade Norman for a "good pet," things don’t go as he planned. Could it be that Norman is a better pet than he thought? With wry humor and lighthearted affection, author Kelly Bennett and illustrator Noah Z. Jones tell an unexpected — and positively fishy — tale about finding the good in something you didn’t knowyou wanted.

    After all, why would she need to count higher than ten when she never eats more than ten cookies at a time? Once again, it's up to ever-patient big brother Charlie to persuade Lola that school is worthwhile — and that her invisible friend, Soren Lorensen, will be welcome, too.