When a mysterious stranger offers to reward Midas for a kindness, the king does not hesitate: He wishes that all he touches would turn to gold. To his delight, his wish is granted and he soon sets about transforming his ordinary palace into a place of golden beauty. But to his dismay, when he accidentally turns his beloved daughter into a golden statue, Midas learns that what at first seems a blessing can also become a curse.

    And what does the coachboy think of this sudden change in his life? He's delighted to find the open bags of grain in the castle larder. But soon enough, trouble begins. His sister, unchanged by the godmother's magic spell, scurries across the larder floor and is in danger of being stomped to death by the coachboy's newfound friend. How can he save her without revealing his secret? Life is full of surprises. Pumpkins turn into coaches and mice into horses, and an overworked wizard can create stranger magic than Cinderella's fairy godmother ever dreamed of. Susan Meddaugh uses her wit and animated artwork to give us a hilarious new take on an old tale in this story of an ordinary rat caught in extraordinary circumstances.

    "This is a troll bridge. I'm the Troll. Now, start passing the buck." Bill Bob, Billy Bo, and Just Plain Billy don't have enough money to cross the troll bridge. But by pooling their pennies with the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack, the Three SIlly Billies are able to pay the toll and cross the deep river in jolly good style. And there's a whopping surprise in store for the Troll! As in Earthquack!, Margie Palatini and Barry Moser combine their talents to create an inventive new version of a favorite folktale.

    The first of many nighttime adventures with the award-winning Bat Book series. Quick, call out! Tell all you can reach: the night is just perfect for bats at the beach! So pack your buckets, banjos, and blankets—don’t forget the moon-tan lotion—and wing with this bunch of fuzzy bats to where foamy sea and soft sand meet. Brian Lies’s enchanting art and cheery beachside verse will inspire bedtime imaginations again and again. Come visit a bedazzling world of moonlight, firelight, and . . . bats! Check out brianlies.com for more escapades with these zany bats.

    He sets off on a solitary mission, determined to prove the naysayers wrong. But when he arrives, equipped with a package of cupcakes as a gift, he sees nothing but a nearly barren planet. Finally, he spies a single flower and packs it away to take back to Earth as proof that there is indeed life on Mars. But as he settles in for the journey home, he cracks open his cupcakes only to discover that someone has eaten them all!Readers will love being in on the secret: Unbeknownst to the explorer, a Martian has been wandering through the illustrations the whole time and he got himself a delicious snack along the way.

    The gingerbread man outruns everybody, until he meets the quick-witted fox.

    A cat, perhaps. Or a rabbit. An owl? But when a hungry wolf arrives—a wolf who HATES eating frogs—our hero decides that maybe being himself isn’t so bad after all.

    All the other bulls would run and jump and butt their heads together. But Ferdinand would rather sit and smell the flowers. And he does just that, until the day a bumblebee and some men from the Madrid bullfights give gentle Ferdinand a chance to be the most ferocious star of the corrida—and the most unexpected comic hero. This cherished hardcover is perfect for those who love Ferdinand, and those who have yet to meet him.

    Meet Lucy's Pet. She calls him Squeaker. Lucy and Squeaker have the best day ever. Until things start to go wrong...Do children make terrible pets? What do you think?

    A new brother takes getting used to, and when (in a twist of fate) it's Wolfie who's threatened, can Dot save the day?

    Just because Sheila Rae is older, she doesn't always know better!This classic picture book about overcoming fear is written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, the nationally bestselling and celebrated creator of Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Owen, and Kitten's First Full Moon."I am very brave," Sheila Rae said, patting herself on the back. She wasn't afraid of anything—not thunder, not lightning, not the big black dog at the end of the block. And when she wanted to walk home a new way and Louise wouldn't, she called her sister a scaredy-cat and set out alone. But all the bravado in the world failed to help when Sheila Rae found herself lost. Luckily, her sister was not far behind."Children will love it."—School Library Journal

    Rotten luck. Can't go! My truck is stuck. Tug and tow. Two engines roar. But the truck won't go. Not one inch more. Does anyone know how to make my stuck truck go? In this lyrical read-aloud, young drivers are introduced to the ins and outs of hauling, beeping, and repairing -- get ready for a fun ride!

    When the Czar proclaims that he will marry his daughter to the man who brings him a flying ship, the Fool of the World sets out to try his luck and meets some unusual companions on the way.

    Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, and Amelia Earhart tried to stop him. "Stop! Stop, Gingerbread Man! You're a long way from home."The Gingerbread Man sped around them. "Run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man! I ran away from the librarian, a Word Wizard, a giraffe, a robot, a paper bird, and a jokester, and I can run away from you, too."Even Jesse Owens, a record-breaking Olympic runner, couldn't keep up.

    She loves them so much!But Katie's enthusiasm frightens the kitties, and she's sad when they run away from her. Don't they know that she just wants to play?Katie Loves the Kittens is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.