SHARRRK! But this shark is just misunderstood, or is he? In a wholly original, side-splittingly funny story, New York Times bestselling author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Scott Magoon take this perennial theme and turn it on its (hammer)head with a brand-new cheeky character. The filming of an underwater TV show goes awry when the crew gets interrupted by a... SHARRRK! Poor Shark, he wasn't trying to scare them, he's just misunderstood! Then he's accused of trying to eat a fish. Will Shark ever catch a break? After all, he wasn't going to eat the fish, he was just showing it his new tooth! Or was he? Explosively funny, extraordinarily clever, and even full of fun shark facts, this surprisingly endearing story gets to the heart of what it feels like to be misunderstood by the people around you. With a surprise twist ending, our Misunderstood Shark will have kids rolling with laughter!

    Her parents are in despair until they send her to ballet school.

    "Hold on tight," Bridget says to Captain Cat, her special-one-and-only toy--it's off to Dinglebang's Toy Store. But in all the excitement, Captain Cat is lost! After a high-speed chase in friend Billy's toy car, Bridget sees another girl pick up Captain Cat--and walk away with him. Bridget manages to get her special one and only back, but now the other girl is crying! So with her shiny golden coin, Bridget buys a Ballet Cat for the girl, a Racing Cat for Billy, and gets herself an I Got Lost in Dinglebang's button. Even better? Bridget has another wiggly tooth . . .

    He makes them hoot with laughter as he drinks water from the vase, goes wild on his skateboard, and bursts all the balloons. But for some reason, his costume won't come off... Acclaimed author and illustrator Emma Dodd has crafted a hilarious new story for young readers.

    . ."Dada!"Right?Everyone knows that fathers wage a secret campaign to ensure that their babies' first word is "Dada!"But how does it work?One of the most popular entertainers in the world and NBC's The Tonight Show host, Jimmy Fallon, shows you how.

    They are frightened of the crocodile. Even the fish, tadpoles, frogs, crabs and crayfish stay out of the water. Until one day the creatures are woken by a loud groaning sound which turns out to be the selfish crocodile in a lot of pain, and the smallest of them all, a little mouse, finds a way to solve their snappy dilemma! Astoundingly bright, bold illustrations bring to life all the wonderful creatures of the forest in a rainbow of colours. The Author: Faustin Charles is a renowned poet and story-teller. His collection of Afro-Caribbean rhymes was published to great success by Puffin. This is his first picture book text. Bloomsbury Children's Books are also publishing his first poetry collection in October 1998, establishing Faustin as a Bloomsbury author across the board. Faustin spends much time in schools and libraries story-telling, and is also Library Buyer for Enfield. He lives in North London. The Illustrator: Mike Terry is most well-known for his wonderful cover illustrations for Dick King-Smith, including The Hodgeheg and The Sheep-Pig (the basis for the successful film Babe). This is his first picture book. Mike lives in Hythe, Kent.

    They range from a dragon as big as a village to a tiny dragon with whisper-thin wings, from a snaggle-toothed dragon to a sea-dragon which races dolphins on the waves - ending in a page inhabited by every dragon in the book!

    All ends well as the Bad Baby learns to say 'Please' and his mother makes pancakes for everyone.Elfrida Vipont worked as a teacher, singer and writer. She wrote over 30 books and won the Carnegie Medal in 1950 for Lark on the Wing. Raymond Briggs has produced wonderful children's books including the classic titles The Snowman, Father Christmas and When the Wind Blows - all made into immensely successful films. Raymond lives in Sussex.Look out for these other titles by Raymond Briggs:The Snowman; The Elephant and the Bad Baby; Father Christmas; Fungus the Bogeyman; Raymond Briggs's Christmas Little Library; The Father Christmas it's a Bloomin' Terrible Joke Book; Jim and the Beanstalk; Father Christmas Goes on Holiday

     When Chester (the cat) announces he's taking over for Mélanie Watt on this book due to some technical difficulties*, Mélanie begs to differ. She tells him that no one will want to publish his messy book. And she demands that he return her supplies so she can get to work. Chester insists he can create the best, most original story anyone has ever read in their entire nine lives. Only, his attempts don't quite work. Even with Mélanie's prodding, Chester struggles to find his own story to tell. Hmm ... will the real author and illustrator have the last laugh after all? *Mélanie's art supplies and computer mouse have mysteriously gone missing. Here's another hilarious Chester picture book from award-winning and bestselling author-illustrator Mélanie Watt. The story is told through the dialogue between Watt, who communicates on sticky notes, and Chester, whose comments are tucked around his creations, which sprawl across the spreads and include loads of tape, staples, and torn-out notebook paper. Chester himself, as drawn by Watt, and his trusty red marker dominate the action, and the pure silly fun makes this a popular read-aloud. Bits of humor can be found all over the pages - including running commentary from an actual mouse - encouraging visual literacy. With its wry take on the creative process and how good stories are constructed, this is also a perfect companion to lessons on the parts of story, including genre, setting, plot and characters.

    But Ava takes so long to fall asleep, it's the sheep that are growing tired-until finally, they quit! When the sheep promise to find a replacement that Ava can count on, chaos ensues as chickens, cows, pigs, hippos, and more try their hand at jumping over Ava's fence. Finding the perfectly peaceful replacement for sheep might not be so easy after all.With irresistibly adorable art, this delightful take on a familiar sleep tactic is sure to become a bedtime favorite.

    But trouble lies ahead as, one by one, they fall off and hurt themselves.

    Acclaimed author Emily Jenkins and Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator Paul Zelinsky have created a book destined to become a classic. Children who have loved listening to the Toys trilogy, as well as those meeting the toys for the very first time, will be thrilled to see Lumphy, StingRay, and Plastic venture outdoors to play in the snow. Together the toys build a snowman, make snow angels, and, when day is done, head back inside their cozy house and wait for the return of the Little Girl.

    The boy says he heard that the girl has two dads. The girl says that is right--she has Daddy and Poppa. True to a child’s curiosity, practical questions follow: "Which dad helps when your team needs a coach? / Which dad cooks you eggs and toast?” To which she answers: "Daddy is my soccer coach. / Poppa cooks me eggs and toast.”Intended for 4- to 8-year-olds, this book introduces a type of family increasingly visible in modern society. Neither favoring nor condemning, it reflects a child’s practical and innocent look at the adults who nurture and love her. It becomes clear that the family bond is unburdened by any cultural discomforts.

    Cactuses can be quite prickly sometimes you know . . . and so can Felipe. But he'll be darned if this one pointy issue will hold him back, so one day Felipe sets off on his own to find a friend and just maybe, that long awaited hug.In her debut picture book, Simona Ciraola creates an endearing tale of friendship, beautifully illustrated with buoyant wit and the perfect story to share.

    Look at her qualifications! She loves white houses, she's used to being followed everywhere, she attends lots of meetings, she finds jobs for people, and she believes in peace. Oliver's teacher is depicted during a typical school day contrasted with scenes of his heroine carrying out presidential duties. The apt correlation between these two very important jobs makes the book both useful and amusing.