D. Wilson (100 Cupboards)- Jennifer Trafton (The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic)- Douglas McKelvey (The Angel Knew Papa and the Dog)- A. S. Peterson (The Fiddler's Gun)Featuring illustrations by Justin Gerard, Cory Godbey, John Hendrix, Nicholas Kole, Aedan Peterson, Joe Sutphin and Doug TenNapel.Here are untold stories of the distant past, lost adventures, forgotten songs, and heartbreaking histories. The Shining Isle is restored, but Aerwiar is vast—and there are tales yet to tell.

    and Mrs. Brown first met Paddington, a most endearing bear from Darkest Peru on a railway platform in London. A sign hanging around his neck said, "Please look after this bear. Thank you" So that is just what they did.From the very first night when he attempted his first bath and ended up nearly flooding the house, Paddington was seldom far from imminent disaster. Jonathan and Judy were delighted with this havoc and even Mr. and Mrs. Brown had to admit that life seemed to be more filled with adventure when there was a bear in the house.

    . . and the sofa that we bounce on to get to the moon.Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela's best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today--not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it's time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special. The tenderness of Meg Medina's beautifully written story about friendship and change is balanced by Sonia Sánchez's colorful and vibrant depictions of the girls' urban neighborhood.

    It falls to her to keep all the church mice safe and out of sight.But when a few parishioners report mouse sightings, Hildegarde and the rest of the church mice must face a most dreadful consequence: the Great X. To complicate things, a ceremony called the Blessing of the Animals is fast approaching. Saint Bartholemew’s will soon be filled with pets . . . including cats!Oh, dear. Within the stately stone walls of the church, life is not as serene or safe as one might think. It will take the courage and patience of a—well, of a saint—to keep this scampering, squeaking tribe of Hildegarde’s intact

    "Paj Ntaub, a young Hmong American girl, spends a busy year with her family in their new home and seeks a way to share the beauty of the world with a grieving neighbor"--

    "My mother carries me through the quiet streets," the bunny explains. "Most of our neighbors are already home." The bunny can see their lights in the windows, and hear and smell what they might be doing: talking on the phone, pulling a pie out of the oven, having a party, saying goodbye. When they reach home, the father rabbit tucks the bunny into bed. But the bunny continues to wonder about the neighbors' activities. "Are the party guests saying goodnight? Is the person on the phone getting ready for bed?" And what of the footsteps that can be heard in the street as the bunny falls asleep? "Will she take the last train home?"This beautiful picture book captures the magical wonder a child feels at being outside in the night. Award-winning author and illustrator Akiko Miyakoshi's softly focused black-and-white illustrations with just a touch of neutral color have a dreamlike quality, just right for nodding off to sleep with. The book is intriguing in that it contains twice-told stories, once as they are observed and second as the bunny imagines them. This offers a perfect prompt for young children to create extensions of other stories they have read or heard. A deeper reading could encourage critical thinking by comparing the different pastimes of the neighbors or, ultimately, what it means to be home.

    It was always winter in the garden, for no other season would venture there. Then one morning, a special child brought Spring back, and the giant's heart melted along with the snow.

    His grandparents were among the first settlers of Corenwald’s Eastern Frontier. His father had been one of the kingdom’s greatest warriors. Aidan, on the other hand, lives the quiet, comfortable life of a nobleman’s son. He never has any real adventures, and that, he believes, is the one great injustice of his otherwise happy life. All that will change the day he first hears the bark of the bog owl and meets Dobro Turtlebane. Dobro is one of the feechiefolk—a tribe of half-civilized swamp dwellers who fight too much, laugh too loud, cry too easily, and smell just terrible. But another meeting on that remarkable day may change Aidan’s life even more profoundly. Bayard the Truthspeaker arrives with a startling pronouncement: Aidan Errolson will grow to be the Wilderking—the long-prophesied wild man who will come out of Corenwald’s forests and swamps to lead the kingdom back to its former glory. There’s just one question: Is Bayard the Truthspeaker a prophet or a madman? This initial installment in The Wilderking Trilogy is sure to capture the hearts of young and old, boys and girls alike. Written in the same fashion as The Lord of the Rings or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Bark of the Bog Owl, as the author says, will help “direct a God-fearing boy’s sense of adventure and warrior spirit – his God-given wildness.”

    is quick to recognize signs such as ZOO, DON'T WALK, POLICE, and ICE CREAM.  When she reads WET PAINT before her big brother does, Arthur is in for a colorful surprise!

    Subtly told, this beautifully illustrated book tackles a difficult subject with great sensitivity and depth.Praise for The Storm Whale:"A future classic and a must have for the discerning picture book fan" The Booksniffer"The Storm Whale is an evocative portrayal of a child's need for friendship, told through the sparest of text and imagery in this beautiful picture book." The ReadingZone"The Storm Whale is one of those rare picture books that evokes loneliness with such fragility, and that conveys such feeling and beauty that it cannot fail to move its readers… an absolute gem, do not miss out." Library Mice"I have to admit that I was fighting back tears by the end. It's just so incredibly sweet and really pulls the heart strings!" Being Mrs C"Charming and engaging this book gives lots of scope for child to adult discussion about feeling lonely and saying goodbye to something loved." Love All Blogs"Poignant, sensitive and understated […] this is a not to be missed tale where the narrative thrust and emotional span transcends the simplicity of its words." Droplets of Ink Benji Davies is an illustrator and animation director. From a young age he was often to be found painting at the kitchen table, a scene which can still be seen to this day.Benji studied animation at university, and has since worked on a diverse array of projects, from picture books and animated short films to music videos, commercials and title sequences. His books have been co-editioned in many languages and countries around the world. The Storm Whale is his first self-penned picture book. He lives in London with his wife Nina.

    Now, illustrator Kim Smith has reimagined the story as a classic Christmas fable—complete with bumbling burglars, brilliant booby-traps, and a little boy named Kevin who’s forced to fend for himself. Through a series of comic adventures, Kevin learns lessons about responsibility and the importance of family. With an amusing read-aloud story and enchanting, immersive illustrations, this charming adaptation can be enjoyed year after year alongside The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and other Christmas storybook classics.

    We found it very difficult to pronounce his name correctly, but he didn’t mind. He told us to just call him ‘Eric’.”As charming as he is curious, by the end of his stay this intriguing house guest will capture your heart. This story is from Shaun Tan’s award-winning collection Tales from Outer Suburbia.

    Written from the simplicity of a child's perspective, the plain-but-powerful text voices important childhood knowledge such as "I know when I look in the mirror, what I see is me" and that "dogs go bowwow and that is how they talk." Illustrated with graphic designer Paul Rand's colorful, playful artwork, I Know a Lot of Things, with all the teeny nuggets of wisdom contained therein, is destined to please a new generation.

    In this collection of sixty-six poems, Stevenson recalls the joys of his childhood, from sailing boats down a river, to waiting for the lamplighter, to sailing off to foreign lands in his imagination.Tasha Tudor's watercolour paintings evoke a simpler time in the past, and celebrate two of the things she loves most — children and nature. Her talents are the perfect match for these inspiring poems, making this a handsome gift edition that will be cherished by families for generations.

    "I'm carving a Jesse tree, if you must know. Now run along out of here. A church isn t for playing in." "Is that your name, then? Jesse?" The carpenter was impatient to get back to work. "Of course not. A Jesse tree is a very ancient tradition. A thousand years ago, every church had a Jesse tree. A stained-glass window or a carved wooden screen . . . Nowadays, it 's a lost art."As Mr. Butterfield carves a Jesse Tree in an old dusty church, a curious young boy distracts him, asking about the various symbols on the tree. Against his better judgment, the old man finds himself retelling the familiar Biblical tales that trace the lineage of Christ, from the Garden of Eden to Jesus birth. Under the carpenter 's skilled hands, the Jesse tree grows and an unlikely friendship begins to take root as well.Geraldine McCaughrean's fresh retellings of familiar Bible events and Bee Willey 's whimsical and striking illustrations create a rich and contemporary tale, perfect for reading during Advent or anytime.The Jesse Tree will captivate readers who know and love the Bible stories as well as those who are reading them for the first time.