The raccoons blow up balloons, the bats pass out the hats, the lynx pours all the drinks.

    While some animals become food -- and some get away, readers will delight in seeing what and how different animals eat.That's the way we all surviveWe have to eat to stay alive.We eat the food we have, and then --We have to hunt for food again!

    . . .Young Jack is giving an eye-opening tour of the car he'd like to build. There's a snack bar, a pool, and even a robot named Robert to act as chauffeur. With Jack's soaring imagination in the driver's seat, we're deep-sea diving one minute and flying high above traffic the next in this whimsical, tantalizing take on the car of the future. Illustrations packed with witty detail, bright colors, and chrome recall the fabulous fifties and an era of classic American automobiles. Infectious rhythm and clever invention make this wonderful read-aloud a launch pad for imaginative fun.

    Which color shirt is the nicest? What does Nick want to eat? Which flower will be best to pick from the meadow? Nick doesn’t know! But…He might just be waiting for the right moment to bloom.

    She's really a mermaid! She makes her own mermaid's tail and goes on a quest to find a place to fulfill her destiny. Is it the local aquarium? Maybe the river that runs through the town? In the end, this mermaid finds the perfect place to perch.

    You've been waiting all year long, and now it's finally Christmas Eve! Is this the year you'll finally catch an elf? Start a new Christmas tradition with this hilarious children's book from the creators of the New York Times best-seller How to Catch a Leprechaun!"It's Christmas Eve! Hip hip, hooray!Yes, Santa's coming 'round.He's bringing toys to girls and boysin every house in town.""Some kids have tried to catch him, but Santa's fast, you see!So they've set their eyes on a smaller prize, and now they're after me!"

    Sixty-four of her favorite animal friends are here, from hamsters to monkeys, geckos to mountain goats--and with its clever combination of fact and wordplay, this stunning volume is as fun to read as it is to look at.Includes an author's note. Visit www.HarcourtBooks.com/LoisEhlert for activity sheets and more!

    Animals ingeniously carved and cut from a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables, of course--what else would you expect from the talented Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers, who brought us HOW ARE YOU PEELING?! A Chinese eggplant becomes a little penguin and a red pepper transforms into a baby hippo. A turnip becomes a baby duck and a cauliflower a sheep.Parents, babies, and new moms and pops will love to share these animal babies! They make great winter holiday and Easter gifts for grown-ups too.

    With bright, bold illustrations, this fun read-aloud should be a big hit with kids.

    He watches as Digger and the construction workers work hard and slowly transform the empty lot into a wonderful new community center. Now the boy and his friends can make music, dance, and plant flowers. And what better way to thank Digger than by painting a picture of him on the wall of the new community center!

    (Ages 2-5)It's a rainy day, and the Patterson puppies have run out of things to do. If only it were sunny and warm, they could go to the beach! But then Petra gets an idea. Indoor beach party! Buckets! A blue-carpet ocean! The surfing and undersea diving are a blast, until . . . mom and dad appear on the shore. Uh-oh! Will a mop-brigade party be as much fun? Rambunctious pups are sure to relate to this cautionary tale -- and be eager to dive right in.

    Queen Sophie is bored silly and sets out to become her kingdom's Hairdresser Extraordinaire. Full color.

    But it's easy to get sidetracked by all those marvelous shops!Children will soak up the delicious details of this imaginative townscape -- and spot Aunt Lucy's missing hat on every spread. Filled with clever wordplay, this comical escapade will delight any reader who loves memorable characters, a happy ending, and the fun of a rollicking rhyme.

    FIRE! FIRE! Big trucks roll out of the firehouse and race to the scene. Out come the soft hoses and aerial ladders.Whether the fire is in the city or in the country, on the waterfront or in a deep forest, fire fighters are on the scene in moments, ready to attack the blaze.Fire! Fire! teaches beginning readers about the important job of fire fighters in the community. The book includes a glossary in the back with fire-fighting equipment keywords as well as a list of ways to prevent a fire and what to do if there is a fire.

    Fed up, Dudley slips off to find refuge in a secluded spot--only to be faced with something worse (and more hilarious) than his affectionate siblings.