It doesn't matter if the choice is between flavors of ice cream, pairs of underwear, or whether to sleep with the lights on or off—the options are always overwhelming. In fact, it’s easier when Charlie doesn’t choose at all. However, with Charlie’s birthday fast approaching, he is determined to choose the absolute best gift for himself: a dog! And when a furry friend chooses him instead, making decisions suddenly becomes a little bit easier.

    Kids will love to see their own quirks reflected in these adorably rendered creatures, and perhaps will be comforted to know that—just like them—narwhals can be perfectly happy all on their own and quail also get tired of being told to be quiet.

    All it can do is be sat on. But when the time is just right: "Pop!"—out it comes. And then a little bird can do almost anything!With the same insightful simplicity of their classic The Carrot Seed, Ruth Krauss and Crockett Johnson celebrate the promise and confidence of little birds (and young children) everywhere.

    She gives him a magnifying glass that once belonged to his grandfather, and with it Thomas explores the beach, turning grains of sand into rocks and dark clamshells into swirling mazes of black, gray, and white. When his grandmother shows him a piece of sea glass, Thomas is transfixed. That night he dreams of an old shipyard and the breaking of a bottle. Could the very piece of sea glass on his nightstand have come from that bottle? For the rest of the summer, he searches for more sea glass and hopes to have dreams that will reveal more of the sea's secrets. A stunning ode to stories and the seaside, this picture book invites readers to imagine the ocean of possibility that lives in every small or forgotten treasure.

    He reads a book every night. But one morning his favorite book goes missing, and in its place is a tulip. Spencer searches high and low, but he can't find his book.The next morning another book is missing, a nut in its place. And the morning after that, another book is missing.What is happening to Spencer's books? When he finds out, Spencer devises a surprising solution that will delight readers (and librarians) everywhere.

     Bodega is a Spanish word for "grocery store," but they are so much more than that. Bodegas are often a community cornerstone, a welcoming neighborhood haven, and in New York, an emblem of the city's cultural diversity. And who knows these treasured institutions better than the cats who run them? (Or at least they think they do!) In Bodega Cat, a cat named Chip takes us through his bustling workday at the Matos family's bodega: from receiving boxes in the morning and the breakfast rush, through counting inventory and making deliveries, to dinnertime with his family, when Papi cooks up some of the best Dominican food in the borough for their friends and neighbors. There is no rest for this busy kitty...except for when it's time to chase pigeons with his brother Damian, or to take the occasional nap on the potato chip bags. A slice of city life that celebrates the people who give New York its heart.

    Look through the spy hole and use the clues to guess the creature, then turn the page to count the animals. Watch as toddlers quickly become engaged in the game and learn to recognize and count sea creatures.

    “Are you kidding me? I am Goose!” A literal-minded goose derails a favorite childhood game—Duck, Duck, Goose—by objecting when Pig, Fox, Dodo, and other players are tapped as “Goose.” Distraction, squabbling, and asking for snacks threaten to end the game completely. Bossy Rabbit restores calm, but Goose doesn’t understand what the problem is until he gets a taste of his own medicine as several ducks arrive and join in, each insisting, “I am Duck!” Engaging animal characters cavort through this spirited, laugh-aloud romp.

    Trees change through the seasons springing to life, bearing fruit, and losing their leaves before a period of sleep. They clean the air we breathe, provide seeds and homes for creatures, and extend their shade to everyone equally. Throughout all these changes, trees are constant, patiently learning to grow and flourish wherever they might be. Trees is a reverent and poetic homage that invites the reader to take a closer look at these magnificent beings."

    With the tenderness of a mother speaking directly to her child, Karen reminds us not to miss last days of kindergarten and last at bats in Little League amidst the whirlwind of life. Adapted from a poem in Rejoice, mothers and grandmothers everywhere will identify with the tenderhearted reflections in Let Me Hold You Longer. An ideal gift book for special occasions from baby showers to graduations. Now includes a bonus CD read by Karen!

    Ella loves light, but must be sure to avoid the sun because of her delicate wings. Flittering about at night, she collects light from everything that glows and glimmers in the darkness, always making sure to share the light she gathers with those who need it most. Until one day, when her animal friends decide it’s their turn to give back—with a creative plan that just may make Ella’s dream of seeing the sun come true. New York Times best-selling illustrator Lucy Fleming’s author-illustrator debut is a sweet story about the power of giving to others and celebrating our friends, as well as a reminder that we all have a light within us that is worthy of being shared.

    You may look at it, and you may walk by it, but you may not sit in it. Because I am the boss of this chair, and that’s that.”   Oswald Minklehoff Honey Bunny III has always been top cat. Then Pom Pom the kitten comes along and suddenly Oswald isn’t the boss of everything anymore—not the toilet paper, food dish, back door, toy mouse, or even his own special chair. Will Oswald realize that life is more fun when you have a friend—and that, really, there’s plenty of room on the chair to share? A fun picture book with a comforting message for any kid with a new sibling.

    Still, no tree is more filled with the spirit of Christmas. As the weeks go by, many others are selected but still the little tree keeps up its hope of finding the perfect family. On Christmas Eve, now the last tree in the lot, a special visitor (Ho, Ho, Ho!) might just give the little tree what it wants most of all.

    But when he wakes up one morning to discover there isn't any holiday, he realizes he'll have to take matters into his own hands and make up his own! That's easier said than done, though, and nothing seems to go right--until Peter realizes that even a regular, average, ordinary day can be something worth celebrating.

    So it's no surprise that more children (and more chickens!) get in on the fun until there are more kids and critters than the librarian knows what to do with. Luckily, she comes up with a creative solution and manages to find little R & R for herself.Fans of Bats in the Library and Library Lion will fall in love and story time will never be the same!