He assumes he isn't missing much. However, his friends are determined to prove otherwise! Will Tortoise sleep through another winter, or will his friends convince him to stay awake and experience the frosty fun of winter? Best-selling author Katy Hudson's charming picture book will have everyone excited for winter.

      Lyra Belacqua is content to run wild among the scholars of Jordan College, with her dæmon familiar always by her side. But the arrival of her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, draws her to the heart of a terrible struggle—a struggle born of Gobblers and stolen children, and a mysterious substance known as Dust. As she hurtles toward danger in the cold far North, Lyra never suspects the shocking truth: she alone is destined to win—or to lose—this more-than-mortal battle.   The stunning full-color art offers both new and returning readers a chance to experience the story of Lyra, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary role to play in the fates of multiple worlds, in an entirely new way.   “Superb . . . all-stops-out thrilling.” —The Washington Post

    But why is it taking him so long to find a new owner? Join him on his adventure as he tries to find out. Perfect for bedtime reading and early readers, this delightful story introduces the incredibly cute puppy, Sammy The Sheep Dog. With beautiful illustrations by Gill Dallowe on every page, filled with fun and drama, this story will be a hit with all children who love animals.

    With whimsically hip illustrations, every page is an extraordinary look at all kinds of subjects, from mineral formation and the inside of a volcano to what makes sunsets, monarch butterfly migration, the ecosystem of a rotting log, the parts of a bird, the anatomy of a jellyfish, and much, much more.

    One night, Lilly hears the whales and watches breathlessly as they "leaped and jumped and spun across the moon." Then, waking from what she thinks is a dream, she hears them call her name. Sheldon's brief story seems to be a celebration of the joys of fantasy and the belief in magical happenings. It is enriched by Blythe's wonderfully evocative paintings, which range from warm, realistic close-up portraits to dramatically moonlit seascapes. But beyond the pleasures of the dreamlike mood, the book has little substance. There is no deeper level of meaning, no foundation is offered for the idea that whales are magical, and certainly in the dolphinlike behavior of the whales there is no information on the actual habits and habitats of these wondrous creatures of the deep. --Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

    But at its core, Margery Williams’s classic story is about stark realities: humans are brusque and unreliable, toys wear out, and—above all—one is either real or one is not. “He hasn’t got any hind legs!” sneers a real rabbit in the original version’s woodland scene. “ ‘Fancy a rabbit without any hind legs!’ And he began to laugh.” In Sakai’s (In the Meadow) retelling, those cruel truths are considerably softened and pared down—where Williams sometimes seemed to prolong the afflictions of her hero, Sakai touches on them only long enough to give her story some emotional heft before moving on. Sakai’s illustrations, richly textured paintings done in acrylic and oil pencil, retain the original’s Edwardian setting, while cushioning the story’s sharp edges with blankets of smudgy, luminous color. Throughout, Sakai emphasizes the rabbit’s stiff, toylike unreality, showing him lying forgotten in the garden beside a shovel or propped up against a tree. It’s an elegant condensation, but in the process, much of the emotional power has been dialed down. Ages 4–up.

    Where the red fern grows / Wilson Rawls --Lob's girl / Joan Aiken --Luke Baldwin's vow / Morley Callaghan --Old dog / William Stafford --Grip / Brendan Kennelly --Friends of the hunted Ryland Loos --Why they quit: thoughts from ex-hunters / Dena Jones Jolma --Two dreamers / Gary Soto.

    When Quinn the Owl makes a new friend, a firefly named Blink, she is filled with joy. But one night, Quinn wakes up to find her friend has disappeared in a flash. “Momma, why didn’t God make Blink stay with me? Didn’t he know how much I loved him?”“God doesn’t always stop bad things from happening, Quinn. But He does promise that He will always be with you, and He will never stop being your friend.” Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully written, Quinn Says Goodbye is designed for children dealing with different kinds of loss, whether it be death of a pet or a family member, or simply the loss of a favorite toy. Remind little ones that although people and things might not be in their life forever, God will never leave them.

    Emerging from this singular life is a lyrical universal invitation not to mistake difference for defect and to welcome, across the accordion scales of time and space, diversity as the wellspring of the universe's beauty and resilience.

    But her inspiring story of spunk and determination captured hearts around the world. Cheer on smart, sassy, and fearless Fiona as she defeats the odds and becomes a happy, healthy hippopotamus.Fiona the Hippo teaches children:Anything is possible with positivity and perseveranceNever give up, no matter what the oddsLove and support from others are powerfulIn this whimsical and inspiring tale, children will:Laugh as they read about Fiona letting out a snort, wiggling her ears, and saying, "I’ve got this." Be delighted to meet Fiona’s lovable animal friends at the zoo Fiona the Hippo, by New York Times bestselling artist Richard Cowdrey (Bad Dog, Marley), is a heroine for children and adults everywhere, and she will steal hearts and give readers the courage to face whatever challenges they might have in their own lives.

    and Mrs. Crow, who live in a cottonwood tree. The hungry Rattlesnake that lives at the bottom of the tree has a nasty habit of stealing Mrs. Crow's eggs before they can hatch, so Mr. Crow and his wise friend, Old Man Owl, devise a sneaky plan to trick him. This funny story of cleverness triumphing over greed, similar in tone and wit to the work of A. A. Milne, shows a new side of a great writer.

    Laura Purdie Salas's lyrical rhyming text and Violeta Dabija's glowing illustrations show how rocks decorate and strengthen the world around them.

    The lions snoozed all day long, the elephants enjoyed their baths, and the zebras ate their hay in peace -- all because Helen was spinning webs and catching flies.But one day Helen's webs were swept away. The Keeper had the cages cleaned for the Mayor's inspection tour. Soon the flies were back again and the animals were miserable once more. But not for long...Children will be fascinated and amused by the way Helen solved the problem and won a permanent place of honor for herself in the Zoo.Margaret Bloy Graham's pictures match the wit and charm of her delightful story.

    After accidentally stowing away in the TARDIS, she meets the Doctor, a mysterious woman who claims to be a time-traveling space alien. When the TARDIS malfunctions, Lizzie and the Doctor are sent catapulting through time and space, visiting the pyramids, the dinosaurs, an alien planet, and more. Along the way, Lizzie learns that making new friends isn’t so hard after all . . . but will she ever be able to get back home? Featuring Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor and an adorable new alien species, this sweet storybook is a must-have for Whovians everywhere, young and old alike.

    Marlene Donnelly's lovely illustrations and Millicent Selsam's gentle text make this a perfect first book for children with a budding interest in animals and nature. Included is a new Find Out More page with lots of hands-on activities.This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.This is a Level One Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science title, which means the book explores more challenging concepts for children in the primary grades and supports the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards. Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out is the winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Films Prize for Outstanding Science Series.