Arthur is an accomplished painter; Max is a beginner. Max’s first attempt at using a paintbrush sends the two friends on a whirlwind trip through various artistic media, which turn out to have unexpected pitfalls. Although Max is inexperienced, he’s courageous—and a quick learner. His energy and enthusiasm bring the adventure to its triumphant conclusion. Beginners everywhere will take heart.

    Everyone deserves a hug—and this book!

    Otherwise, you might find your mouth opening wide and letting out a great big yawny yaaaaaawn — hey, you were supposed hold it in! A hilarious read-aloud that is so much fun, kids will beg for it again and again, whatever the consequences.

    When the tadpole, now a frog, returns to tell his friend of the extraordinary things he’s seen, the minnow, now a fish, tries to follow in his footsteps, but quickly finds that land is not what he expected. Friendship truly saves the day in this imaginative tale of a fish out of water.

    The luminosity of the moonlit sea is captured in muted shades of blue that create a soothing mood for the dramatic verse.”—School Library Journal “Westerman captures the tone of the poem in a fittingly traditional way. . . . a pleasing rendition of an old favorite.” —Booklist “Westerman’s inventive design elements provide a soothing accompaniment for the familiar text, a staple for bedtime reading.”—Publishers Weekly

    He is as real as a tree, a cloud, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the wind. But when the two are accidentally separated, no one in Henry’s family believes Leo is real enough to find his way home.         With beautiful mixed-media paintings, the Caldecott Honor–winning artist Pamela Zagarenski explores the transcendent nature of friendship and love.

    A turtle afraid of small dark places, and therefore of crawling into his shell, asks a variety of animals for advice, only to find out that each has a fear of its own.

    A light bulb. An imaginative little girl.Internationally acclaimed artist Suzy Lee uses these simple elements to create a visual tour de force that perfectly captures the joy of creative play and celebrates the power of imagination. Stunning in their simplicity, Lee's illustrations, in just two shades of color, present an adventure that begins and ends with the click of a light bulb.

    Alice loves to read, and when her dad suggests that she make her own book, she snaps out of her "I'm bored" mode and makes up a story that lasts till the lights go out later that night.

    Under blankets, on a stair, Upside-down on someone's chair—Nat the cat can sleep like that! Nat has a talent for sleeping all day long. Name any place in the house and Nat can sleep in, on, under, or sprawled over it. In fact, Nat is so devoted to slumber that the imaginative antics of a crazy kitten don't seem to bother him one bit, until... When the nighttime quiet falls, When strange shadows fill the halls... Now Nat is all fired up and ready to go! Will the kitten be able to keep up, or is it time for her to find the perfect place to settle down for a wee nap? Victoria Allenby's rhythmic verse perfectly accompanies Tara Anderson's irresistible art. Cat lovers young and old will delight in this not-quite-ready-for-bedtime treat.

    "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.

    First it’s a plain coat of pink. Then six birds emerge, perched on a branch. . . . Wait, they were there a minute ago! Then he tries the blue paint, and it happens again: fourteen fish swimming in formation, until green paint reveals a giant dinosaur with big teeth and a mind of its own. Whether gray, yellow, purple, or orange, each spread draws on visual humor and an array of unpredictable animals to yield a bigger surprise, right up to the warm and rewarding finale.

    Available in paperback for the first time, the modern classic that introduced the beloved baby-sitting rottweiler to the world.

    He hides in the garden, hides in the kitchen, hides his little whiskers anywhere he can. Anything to keep from going to bed. But daddy is right behind him --"Mousebaby mousebaby, where can you be?"-- trying to get this little scamp all tucked in and ready to sleep.. Who will win at this adorable game of hide and squeak? Only time will tail...tell.

    . . he'd fall upon his bottomus!Calamity ensues when an elephant, a centipede, and a rhinoceros try finding a cure for hippo's colossal case of hiccups. Zenz's creativity shines through with his use of colored pencil in this off-the-wall read-aloud. HIC! HIC! HIC!