Splat the Cat


Rob Scotton - 2008
    What if he doesn't make any new friends? Nervous kitties wondering about friends and school will enjoy laughing along with Splat the Cat!Just in case, Splat decides to bring along his pet mouse, Seymour, and hides him in his lunchbox. The teacher, Mrs. Wimpydimple, introduces Splat to the class and he soon starts learning all his important cat lessons.But when Seymour escapes and the cats do what cats do (they chase mice!), Splat's worried again. Maybe now he'll lose all his friends, old and new! Just in time, wise Mrs. Wimpydimple takes charge and teaches everyone an important new lesson.Maybe Cat School is going to be okay after all! A fun school story to share in the classroom or at home.

I Wish I Had a Pet


Maggie Rudy - 2014
    Whimsical images of the mice with their own petite pets, including bumblebees, ladybugs, and butterflies, complement the warm humor of this extraordinary picture book that’s truly like no other!

I Was So Mad


Mercer Mayer - 1983
    Whether he’s cranky on the slide or stubborn in the sandbox, both parents and children alike will relate to this beloved story. A perfect way to teach children about their emotions!

Brunhilda's Backwards Day


Shawna J.C. Tenney - 2016
    Each morning, she wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, puts on her ugliest dress, eats spider mush for breakfast, and brushes her teeth with candy. Then she looks in the mirror and happily observes, “You are utterly repulsive!” As soon as she leaves the house, she begins to spread her misery. No one is safe from her rainy-day spells or her wart-growing charms!But one night, Brunhilda’s cat makes trouble instead.When Brunhilda wakes up that next morning, she is on the right side of the bed. All she can find to wear is a fluffy pink ball gown. And her spider mush is replaced with oatmeal; her candy replaced by toothpaste! The day has gone completely backwards. What will happen when Brunhilda casts her all-time favorite misery-inducing spells?This is a silly story about how sometimes being nice can be more rewarding than being mean. Brunhilda may decide to keep some of her warts in the end, but she’s a changed witch. Waking up on the wrong side of the bed just doesn’t work for her anymore.A picture book for 3 to 6 year olds, this book teaches kids that being kind and nice to people actually makes you feel better than playing tricks and being mean. A good lesson for young children, teachers and parents will enjoy the message while kids will be enthralled with the bright, colorful illustrations and the silly, warty witch.Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Please Try to Remember the First of Octember!


Theo LeSieg - 1977
    Seuss imagines a day when all your wishes come true in this classic Beginner Book. Octember the First is the day on which all your most outlandish wishes come true. If March is too dusty and April too gusty, if May is too early and June is too soon, just try to remember the first of Octember, when whatever you are hoping to get will be yours! From a balloon pool in the sky to a pickle tree in your backyard, Please Try to Remember the First of Octember! is a wildly silly story that will have readers laughing—and wishing—out loud. Originally created by Dr. Seuss, Beginner Books encourage children to read all by themselves, with simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning.

Pup and Bear


Kate Banks - 2017
     You are not my mother, said the wolf pup. I am not your mother, said the polar bear, but I can cuddle you and keep you safe.Here is a picture book that celebrates differences and promotes kindness, sure to resonate with the many fans of the beloved classic, Mama Do You Love Me? During the ice melt that follows an Arctic winter, a wolf cub finds himself spinning out to sea on a sheet of ice. He awakes lost and alone to an unfamiliar smell: a polar bear. And while the polar bear is not the wolf's mother, she takes him on her back to her den, where she feeds him, keeps him warm, and does everything a mother would do. Time passes, the cub grows into a wolf, and soon it's time for him to venture out into the wide world alone. Years later, the now grown wolf comes upon a tiny lost polar bear cub--and the cycle begins again. With poetic prose this beautiful picture book about the love and kindness of a stranger is sure to touch a deep chord, particularly with parents and children who have found each other in unexpected ways.

R Is for Rocket: An ABC Book


Tad Hills - 2015
       From finding acorns, to balancing on a ball, to offering a cookie and a crayon to a crow, readers will love exploring the wonderful world of Rocket and his friends. The whole cast is featured, among them the little yellow bird, the owl, Bella the squirrel, and more. Even Goose from the beloved and bestselling Duck & Goose books makes a cameo appearance! With charming and delightful scenes for every letter, here's an ode to the wondrous, mighty, gorgeous alphabet.Take off the dust jacket to find a fun alphabet poster printed on the inside!From the Hardcover edition.

No Matter What


Debi Gliori - 1999
    I’m grim and grumpy,” says Small to Large, “and I don’t think you love me at all.” But nothing could be further from the truth--and Large knows just how to reassure Small.

The Skunk


Mac Barnett - 2015
    But then the man finds the skunk following him, and the unlikely pair embark on an increasingly frantic chase through the city, from the streets to the opera house to the fairground. What does the skunk want? It's not clear—but soon the man has bought a new house in a new neighborhood to escape the little creature's attention, only to find himself missing something...This sly, hilarious tale brings together luminaries Mac Barnett and Patrick McDonnell for the first time.

Grumpy Monkey


Suzanne Lang - 2018
    His friends can’t understand it—how can he be in a bad mood when it’s SUCH a beautiful day? They encourage him not to hunch, to smile, and to do things that make THEM happy. But Jim can’t take all the advice…and has a BIT of a meltdown. Could it be that he just needs a day to feel grumpy?Suzanne and Max Lang bring hilarity and levity to this very important lesson. This picture book is an excellent case study in the dangers of putting on a happy face and demonstrates to kids that they are allowed to feel their feelings (though they should be careful of hurting others in the process!).

Matilda's Cat


Emily Gravett - 2012
    She tries everything she can think of: climbing trees, playing with wool, even tea parties and dress-up games, but as Matilda gets more and more creative in her entertainment attempts, her cat moves from unimpressed to terrified. Will Matilda ever figure out what her cat likes? In the style of Dogs and Monkey and Me, this young picture book from Emily Gravett is an insightful, fond, and funny look at the relationship between a little girl and her cat that’s sure to strike a chord with anyone who’s ever loved a pet.

Nightsong


Ari Berk - 2012
    It’s an adventure, but how will he find his way? And how will he find his way home? As the young bat discovers, navigating the world around him is easy as long as he uses his good sense.This beautiful and touching coming-of-age story, with mesmerizing artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long and lyrical text from Ari Berk, conveys a heartwarming and universal message: No matter how far away you go, you can always find your way home.

The Dead Bird


Margaret Wise Brown - 1938
    They are very sorry, so they decide to say good-bye. In the park, they dig a hole for the bird and cover it with warm sweet-ferns and flowers. Finally, they sing sweet songs to send the little bird on its way.

The Thing About Spring


Daniel Kirk - 2015
    Though Mouse, Bird, and Bear love winter, they’re all excited that spring is finally here. But not Rabbit. He thinks that spring can only spell trouble: He won’t be able to make snow bunnies, the days are too long, and it rains all the time. Rabbit’s list goes on and on. But his friends can always counter his complaints with something good that spring brings: warm days, lots of good food, blooming flowers—until Rabbit admits that spring is full of pleasant surprises. The book includes punch-out finger puppets that will add value to this sweet eight-by-eight paperback.

Peanut Butter & Cupcake


Terry Border - 2014
    But sometimes friends are hard to come by, especially when Hamburger has to walk his (hot) dogs, Cupcake is too busy building castles in her sprinkle box, and Egg laughs so hard he starts to crack up! Does Peanut Butter have a soulmate? Young readers will know the answer long before Peanut Butter does and laugh along with each mismatched pairing.In a story that pairs silliness with poignancy, and friendship with anthropomorphic food, Terry Border, the photography mastermind behind the Bent Objects project, makes a triumphant entrance into the children's book world. Complete with a rhyming refrain, this is sure to be a favorite family read-aloud--and laugh-aloud.Praise for PEANUT BUTTER & CUPCAKE"Border’s witty food comedy will lure children who are hungry for clever visual entertainment."--Publishers Weekly"[T]he creatively zany photographs...will make this a read-aloud hit."--School Library Journal"This book would be a great read-aloud on friendship and food."--Library Media Connection